Purported iPhone 5 part suggests Apple won't change home button

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
An alleged fifth-generation iPhone part being sold by a Chinese website has cast doubt on rumors that the device will feature an expanded home button design.



The ?iPhone 5 Home Button Flex Cable Ribbon Circuit,? found by How To Arena, appears to indicate that the home button of the next-generation iPhone will have a similar shape and size as the one found on previous iPhone models.



The part, currently selling for $6.68, is said to be compatible with ?iPhone 5 (5th generation)? and it is described as a ?high quality and original home button flex cable for iPhone 5, not include [sic] home button.?



Parts supplier China Better claims to also have access to volume button, speaker earpiece module, power button, mute switch, battery, audio jack, camera lens and proximity light sensor parts for Apple's next iPhone. The company's proximity sensor part appears identical to an alleged iPhone 5 part that surfaced on another Chinese site in August.



Some reports had suggested in the past that Apple may change the design of the home button by removing it altogether or replacing the physical button with a multi-touch version.







Third-party case designs and other unconfirmed images then implied that Apple will not remove the button, instead modifying its overall shape in order to accommodate a larger display and accommodate gesture-based controls.



Various purported parts of the upcoming iPhone model have been leaked recently, with some of the parts marked as N94 prototypes. References to the N94 code name, already spotted in Apple?s SDK in the past, were recently found inside iOS 5 beta 7, revealing that the company has been granted an FCC ID for at least one new iPhone model.



Numerous reports suggest that Apple will launch its next-gen iPhone in early to mid-October, but it is not yet clear how many new distinct iPhone models the company is set to unveil at its fall media event. Sources speculated in the past that Apple will introduce a cheaper, entry-level ?iPhone 4S? this year, as well as a high-end ?iPhone 5? version.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    Unsurprising.



    The circle is a better shape than an oval, at least in aesthetic terms. And we know how much Steve cares about aesthetics. An oval home button would have to feature considerably more functionality than an circular button, but that's not really feasible. And none of this "gesture swiping" B.S. If you need gestures, you'd do it on the touch panel screen, not on some tiny oval button.



    This whole oval home button rumor is completely retarded.
  • Reply 2 of 39
    Dammit. I was hoping they would change it to an oval so the fandroids can point and say, "haha! apple needs to copy samsung because they are copyists and we knew it all along, haha!"
  • Reply 3 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cvaldes1831 View Post


    Unsurprising.



    The circle is a better shape than an oval, at least in aesthetic terms. And we know how much Steve cares about aesthetics. An oval home button would have to feature considerably more functionality than an circular button, but that's not really feasible. And none of this "gesture swiping" B.S. If you need gestures, you'd do it on the touch panel screen, not on some tiny oval button.



    This whole oval home button rumor is completely retarded.



    100% agree. It's not like there's enough space on the home button (or even the entire bottom panel) for gestures, and it's nice to have a hardware button that can be used for force-restarts, screenshots, etc.



    I'd say more, but you took the words right out of my mouth...
  • Reply 4 of 39
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    Dammit. I was hoping they would change it to an oval so the fandroids can point and say, "haha! apple needs to copy samsung because they are copyists and we knew it all along, haha!"



    Uhm.... wouldn't it be more appropriate to label them "Samdroids"???
  • Reply 5 of 39
    As long as the button does bust up after 6 months of heavy use then I'm fine with the existing round shape.
  • Reply 6 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    Uhm.... wouldn't it be more appropriate to label them "Samdroids"???



    I personally can't wait for the Samsung Iphone. (See, it's completely different because the "I" is capitalized and the "p" is lower case. Completely innovative and original!!)
  • Reply 7 of 39
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    The home button is not changing or disappearing. Some people get too far ahead of themselves when considering: #1 what Apple would do #2 what customers actually need #3 what makes sense.
  • Reply 8 of 39
    Great, now we have to listen to those few people complain about how the button breaks for the next few months.
  • Reply 9 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by fizzmaster View Post


    Great, now we have to listen to those few people complain about how the button breaks for the next few months.



    What are those people doing that breaks their Home Button? Punching the iPhone isn't standard use.



    I use my iPhone daily and have for the past 4.5 years. My Home Button works like Day One 2007?
  • Reply 10 of 39
    They're not changing anything apparently....lol
  • Reply 11 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by punkrocker27ka View Post


    They're not changing anything apparently....lol



    Well, the A5 alone is enough for me. Have you compared an iPad vs. iPad 2 side by side, in terms of 3D performance? Besides, my 3GS contract is about to expire
  • Reply 12 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ranReloaded View Post


    Well, the A5 alone is enough for me. Have you compared an iPad vs. iPad 2 side by side, in terms of 3D performance? Besides, my 3GS contract is about to expire



    But they can do so much better than just the chip. And its been a year and a half almost.
  • Reply 13 of 39
    Oh well, looks like we've all been waiting for a long time to reap few rewards IF this story is true.
  • Reply 14 of 39
    Why don't they just make an iPhone with more buttons on it? It would be really nice to have a cancel button, a play/pause button (maybe next/back buttons?), and a hang up button. Trying to program 3 or more functions into one single button is not only unintuitive but more difficult for the user. This is one of the few things stopping me and probably a lot of other people from buying an iPhone.
  • Reply 15 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dhinged View Post


    Why don't they just make an iPhone with more buttons on it?



    Why don't they make a car with five steering wheels?



    Quote:

    This is one of the few things stopping me and probably a lot of other people from buying an iPhone.



    If one button is too complex for you, that's why Android exists. Mandatory 4 buttons.



    Seriously, a PLAY button? What is this, my mom's original Walkman from '79?
  • Reply 16 of 39
    I agree with those that say 1 1/2 years for a new chip is too long to wait.



    Personally, I'm hoping for 2 seperate phones, an "entry level" iPhone 4 (or 4S I guess) and a newer more capable iPhone 5.



    It doesn't make sense to take a year and a half to put a new camera and a faster processor in the same iPhone body.



    Heck - they did just that in less time with the iPad 2.
  • Reply 17 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bogopogo View Post


    I agree with those that say 1 1/2 years for a new chip is too long to wait.



    Personally, I'm hoping for 2 seperate phones, an "entry level" iPhone 4 (or 4S I guess) and a newer more capable iPhone 5.



    It doesn't make sense to take a year and a half to put a new camera and a faster processor in the same iPhone body.



    Heck - they did just that in less time with the iPad 2.



    I have to agree.



    If it was just a minor upgrade like the 3gs was we would have seen this thing back in June. I'm holding out hope for a re-design.
  • Reply 18 of 39
    I was hoping they'd change it because frankly the home button is the worst thing about the iPhone and iPad. I can't understand Apple's logic with that button. The iPhone and iPad are so advanced, then they have the most primitive button functionality on front. It's always the first thing to go on Apple iDevices. I have plenty of friends with non responsive home buttons. You shouldn't need to cover them with cases to keep them going. Bring on the capacitive home strip I say.
  • Reply 19 of 39
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    If they don't radically change the Home Button shape each year I'll have no reason to update my iPhone¡





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jivemaster View Post


    I was hoping they'd change it because frankly the home button is the worst thing about the iPhone and iPad. I can't understand Apple's logic with that button. The iPhone and iPad are so advanced, then they have the most primitive button functionality on front. It's always the first thing to go on Apple iDevices. I have plenty of friends with non responsive home buttons. You shouldn't need to cover them with cases to keep them going. Bring on the capacitive home strip I say.



    1) What a horrible idea.



    2) It's possible a button is defective. If that happens take it to an Apple Store to get a new machine.
  • Reply 20 of 39
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Oh great, now we get to experience all the whining and bitching about the home button being the show stopper that will force someone to switch to Android.
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