M.I.C. Gadget reports on photos and a video that have surfaced on Chinese site Vgooo.com [Google translation] claiming to show an iPhone 5 that boots to a screen warning that the device is not associated with a registered developer account. Several apparent features of the device do, however, call its authenticity into question, and so we are primarily posting this for interest and discussion at this point.
The video shows the device attempting to boot but being directed to a version of the error screen that appears when activation can not be completed. Rather than linking to the iPhone developer portal, however, the text contains a placeholder string of "@@url@@".
One questionable aspect of the device is the presence of a fourth hole or window at the top front of the device that has generally not been visible from the front in previous part leaks. In the iPhone 5, the camera has been moved to above the earpiece, swapping places with the proximity sensor that moves to the left of the earpiece. This leaked device contains a small fourth hole to the left of the camera, and while previous photos showing the backside of the front panel do indeed show the window, it is has not been visible from the front in any previous leaked photos.
This leaked device also contains a rather odd-looking home button in comparison to the home button seen on the iPhone 4S placed next to it in the photos and video. Apple has tweaked the design of the home button for the iPhone 5, but the button shown in the video appears to be a somewhat poor match for the device itself.
Otherwise, identifying information on the device has been either covered up or digitally obscured, rendering any specific model number or other information impossible to read.
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station.
The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM.
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* Pin in the dock
* White bands rather than chrome we've previously seen
* The screen appears to be a little off kilter (a.k.a. digitally imposed)
* There is tape on the back where the logos are because they didn't put the logos on
* Extra sensors we've never seen
* Sleep/Wake button looks oddly shaped compared to the 4s
* Odd home button
