Hands-On with iPhone 6 Case and Physical Mockup

Over the past several weeks, a number of photos and videos have shown cases and even physical mockups of Apple's rumored iPhone 6. Most of the cases and mockups appear to have been based either on alleged design drawings published by Japanese magazine MacFan in late March or on essentially identical information leaking through other channels.

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Left to right: iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6 mockup, Retina iPad mini
(Click for larger)

MacRumors has now obtained one of these iPhone 6 cases and separately 3D printed a very rough physical mockup based on the MacFan drawings for the 4.7-inch model. Together, the case and the mockup give a good idea of the feel of a larger iPhone.

The larger iPhone definitely makes one-handed operation more difficult, even for relatively large hands, but many users are already accustomed to using two hands much of the time. With the larger body, Apple appears to be shifting the sleep/wake button from the top edge of the device to the right side, and this new location feels very natural in our hands, with the index finger sitting right on the button in a left-handed grip.

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iPhone 6 mockup (left) and iPhone 5 (right) in the hand
(Click for larger)

Our physical mockup includes our mocked up home screen showing that a 4.7-inch screen at the same 326 pixels per inch as the iPhone 5s would yield a 1334x750 display that could display an additional row of icons. While the mockup is based on the design drawings posted by MacFan, we did elect to slightly depress the surface of the device in order to help its physical features stand out more.

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iPhone 5 in iPhone 6 case (left) and edge views of case (right)
(Click for larger)

With the case and mockup in hand, we encourage readers with questions to share them in the discussion thread associated with this story and we'll do our best to address them.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

cobbyco Avatar
119 months ago
Leaked iPhone 6 video :D
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3N16MA Avatar
119 months ago
Mockups are the new rage. They have pushed the blurry pic aside.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Loyalty4Life Avatar
119 months ago
...Someone needs to update the apps on their phone.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DBZmusicboy01 Avatar
119 months ago
I want a 4 inch iPhone 6 screen :(we shouldn't be forced in order to get the next iPhone...to have a huge screen.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
119 months ago
YES! Every 2 years we get an additional row of icon! :p

Why does it seem like these physical mockups are always only 4.7". I'm very interested in what the 5.5" version would look like, both in size and screen appearance (more icons??).

ps. with all this added screen size, it really is getting to be about time to do MORE with the homescreen than just a static grid of icons...
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnyb Avatar
119 months ago
OMG what is this the 80's?! I don't want to hold a brick up to my face to talk on the phone!

You still talk on the phone? What is this, the 80s?

The reason phones got small was because making phone calls was pretty much all they did. Smaller was better.

These devices aren't really phones anymore; they're pocket computers that have a voice calling app.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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