Photos claim to show Apple's lighter, cheaper iPhone 4 prototype
New photos claim to show a prototype iPhone 4 that has received slight modifications to make it cheaper, lighter and faster, suggesting it could replace the iPhone 3GS to become Apple's new entry-level handset when a fifth-generation iPhone launches.
A trio of pictures showing a device that looks very similar to the current iPhone 4 appeared this week on the Vietnamese website Tinhte. The poster who shared the leak, "cuhiep," said the pictures come from a "very reliable source."
The site has been the source of numerous Apple-related leaks in the past, including this April, when it showed off a prototype iPhone running a "test" build of iOS. That unreleased software featured an Exposé-style multitasking interface that was originally planned for inclusion in iOS 4 but was ultimately scrapped.
The same site also got its hands on an iPod touch prototype with a rear-facing camera in May of 2010, months before Apple added two cameras to the iPod touch. And that same month it showed off an updated MacBook, complete with final product packaging, that hadn't yet been announced.
The latest photos, highlighted to AppleInsider by Erich Strasser of OLED-display.net, show off a handset that looks very similar to the currently available white iPhone 4. An indication that the device is a prototype comes from the fact that the model number and various identification numbers on the rear of the device are X'ed out.
The original poster of the photos admitted (via Google Translate) that it may be "really hard to convince" people about the authenticity of the photos, because the device looks "exactly" like the white iPhone 4.
In addition to running at a speed that "seems" faster than the current iPhone 4, the handset is said to have had its front and back glass panels "replaced by two plastic sheets." He said the information comes from a "thorough and very reliable source."
In one picture, the device is shown to be "jailbroken," updating sources from the underground Cydia application store.
The report suggests that the pictured handset is a so-called "iPhone 4S," or an entry-level model that will be introduced alongside the new fifth-generation iPhone this year.
When the iPhone 4 debuted last year, Apple introduced a slightly modified iPhone 3GS with a reduced storage capacity of 8GB. Prior to the launch of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS was only available in capacities of 16GB and 32GB.
The iPhone 3GS is still sold as Apple's entry-level handset, available for just $49 with a two-year mobile service contract in the U.S. The iPhone 3GS has proven so popular, it often outsells new Android devices, and has even helped AT&T add more iPhone activations than rival Verizon.
A trio of pictures showing a device that looks very similar to the current iPhone 4 appeared this week on the Vietnamese website Tinhte. The poster who shared the leak, "cuhiep," said the pictures come from a "very reliable source."
The site has been the source of numerous Apple-related leaks in the past, including this April, when it showed off a prototype iPhone running a "test" build of iOS. That unreleased software featured an Exposé-style multitasking interface that was originally planned for inclusion in iOS 4 but was ultimately scrapped.
The same site also got its hands on an iPod touch prototype with a rear-facing camera in May of 2010, months before Apple added two cameras to the iPod touch. And that same month it showed off an updated MacBook, complete with final product packaging, that hadn't yet been announced.
The latest photos, highlighted to AppleInsider by Erich Strasser of OLED-display.net, show off a handset that looks very similar to the currently available white iPhone 4. An indication that the device is a prototype comes from the fact that the model number and various identification numbers on the rear of the device are X'ed out.
The original poster of the photos admitted (via Google Translate) that it may be "really hard to convince" people about the authenticity of the photos, because the device looks "exactly" like the white iPhone 4.
In addition to running at a speed that "seems" faster than the current iPhone 4, the handset is said to have had its front and back glass panels "replaced by two plastic sheets." He said the information comes from a "thorough and very reliable source."
In one picture, the device is shown to be "jailbroken," updating sources from the underground Cydia application store.
The report suggests that the pictured handset is a so-called "iPhone 4S," or an entry-level model that will be introduced alongside the new fifth-generation iPhone this year.
When the iPhone 4 debuted last year, Apple introduced a slightly modified iPhone 3GS with a reduced storage capacity of 8GB. Prior to the launch of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS was only available in capacities of 16GB and 32GB.
The iPhone 3GS is still sold as Apple's entry-level handset, available for just $49 with a two-year mobile service contract in the U.S. The iPhone 3GS has proven so popular, it often outsells new Android devices, and has even helped AT&T add more iPhone activations than rival Verizon.
Comments
Btw, am I the only one clueless as to what benefits a gesture-based home button would bring? I guess the only logical advantage I can see would be enabling task switching through swiping across it, but this seems too niche to compromise a physical button for.
Btw, am I the only one clueless as to what benefits a gesture-based home button would bring? I guess the only logical advantage I can see would be enabling task switching through swiping across it, but this seems too niche to compromise a physical button for.
I don’t know if Apple will do it, but if so, here’s why it could be good:
* You could switch apps really easily as you say—and not need multi-finger gestures (which can conflict with certain games and music apps, and would be awkward on a phone-sized screen). Switching apps isn’t niche, and right now it requires a double-click plus a tap, and lots of visual noise, compared to the swipe-simplicity we’ve seen (on iPad) with iOS 5’s new gestures. Which may seem like a small feature, but they really make multitasking more inviting.
* Yet the button could still be clickable as usual, with the double-click recent-apps-list still available, so old habits need not change.
In addition to running at a speed that "seems" faster than the current iPhone 4, the handset is said to have had its front and back glass panels "replaced by two plastic sheets." He said the information comes from a "thorough and very reliable source."
Apple isn't going to use plastic for touch screens, never.
Although ... the magic mouse seems to have a plastic touch 'screen'.
J.
I would imagine this is legit. Makes too much sense not be.
Its has to be a fine balance in the design decisions.
If they release that shitty looking thing and that's what finally comes to TMobile instead of the iPhone5, I'm gonna be pissed.
There's no way just the lower-end model would make it to T-Mobile without the higher-end option. It's not even conceptually probable.
Apple isn't going to use plastic for touch screens, never.
Although ... the magic mouse seems to have a plastic touch 'screen'.
J.
Perhaps... perhaps not. If the next entry level model is based on the iPhone 4 design, it's becoming harder and harder to differentiate entry-level from top of the line. A plastic screen is one way to do it. I've used phones with plastic screens, and they do feel cheaper, but they get the job done.
Besides, I don't doubt Apple's plastic screen would no doubt be "magical" in some way... Bulletproof, scratchproof, etc. Considering many of the entry level models end up in the hands of the younger set, a plastic screen makes some sense. As log as the touch screen operates up to Apple's standards, and the problem of scratching or hazing is addressed, why not plastic for the screen, especially for the "starter" iPhone?
If the average entry-level consumer can get them some iPhone 4 for under $50, I don't think they're going to care.
I don't see it happening. Unless they could maintain incredible margins, there's no reason to take manufacturing away from their premium product that they sell every unit they make.
I agree.
This seems cool and all, but how much of decrease in price will this thing ultimately have? ...I guess what I'm wondering is how much better will a cheaper plasticy (newer) iPhone be when compared to a year old model that is still a very nice phone and cheaper because of age?
Exactly.
Btw, am I the only one clueless as to what benefits a gesture-based home button would bring? I guess the only logical advantage I can see would be enabling task switching through swiping across it, but this seems too niche to compromise a physical button for.
Maybe not the only one, but I think quite a few people can imagine such a touch field being used to move the cursor around in a text field, like say, a text message or E-Mail (or Pages document). Much handier than moving your thumb over the text you want to look at and having the passage zoomed in above the actual text...
This seems cool and all, but how much of decrease in price will this thing ultimately have? Because no doubt the iPhone 4 will become cheaper once the 5 is launched, so in essence you'd actually have two "cheaper" iPhone 4's, the current model and the new plastic model.
The iPhone 4 is currently quite cheap to manufacture right. iPod touches too. They are carrying >41% gross margin on the product. So, they can put in a downclocked A5, use the iPod touch display, 16 GB storage, etc, and hit a $350 price point, no contract, with 35% margin quite easily I think.
Replacing the glass front and back is also a nice change for a so-called iPhone "lite". This would be the iPod touch w/3G and a cheap pre-paid iPhone. A lot of kids will be using it and it needs to be durable.
The iPhone 4 is pretty fast right now, so is a "seemingly" faster iPhone 4s really going to be all that great? I know having last years model as the cheaper version of the iPhone (as opposed to having a lower end yet newer model) isn't exactly the same thing, but it seems to have worked out so far. I don't know I guess what I'm wondering is how much better will a cheaper plasticy (newer) iPhone be when compared to a year old model that is still a very nice phone and cheaper because of age? I guess time will tell.
The difference between the two isn't all that great here. If this is the new low end version (3GS:4::4S:5), it's just the same old strategy of using last years phone as the budget model. If that is all Apple is doing, it'll be business as usual.
A big change would be if this model was a no-contract model for $350 or less. That's iPod touch w/3G category and selling into prepaid market territory, which is something like 70% of the cell phone market out there.
is the S for Sprint? I hope so
I'm with you. I've been due for a new phone with Sprint for a while, and I SO don't want to have to be stuck with some stupid Android POS.
As far as the plastic screen phone goes: Apple would be stupid to do this. It'd be like taking the good name of the iPhone and dragging it through the mud by cheapening it.
New photos claim to show a prototype iPhone 4 that has received slight modifications to make it cheaper, lighter and faster, suggesting it could replace the iPhone 3GS to become Apple's new entry-level handset when a fifth-generation iPhone launches. ...
it's fairly obviously a jailbroken iPhone 4 with the cheap plastic white iPhone conversion kit applied to it. The plastic covers seem identical to one of those kits they were selling all last year. Is there any evidence it's anything else? I don't see it.
Some posters at MacRumors believe it's an early conversion kit or matte screen protectors.
Apple would save a negligible amount using plastic, i.e., switching 50 cents of glass for twenty cents of plastic.
The priciest components in the handset are the capacitive touchscreen, the LCD display, and the main silicon (SoC and NAND flash storage). Those are the items that would need to be modified to reach a lower price point, not the cosmetics.