Rumor: Apple's next iPhone will be 2mm thinner with 4" screen, metal back

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple's next iPhone will be slightly taller to accommodate a 4-inch screen with a new aspect ratio, will feature a redesigned dock connector, and will also have a new metal panel on the back side, a new report claims.

The latest rumors about Apple's sixth-generation iPhone came on Thursday from iLounge, which said the new iPhone will be about 10 millimeters taller, giving it dimensions of 125 millimeters tall, 5.8 millimeters wide and 7.4 millimeters thick. That's about 2 millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 4S, with essentially the same width as the current model.

Because the new iPhone will allegedly be the same width, that would mean that new applications would need to be designed to work with the handset. The taller screen would have more pixels at the top and bottom, giving it a different aspect ratio.

"According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone," the report said. "This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic."

Author Jeremy Horwitz also added that the new iPhone is expected to be partially made from Gorilla Glass 2, which offers identical strength to the original Gorilla Glass with a thinner design. At just 0.8 millimeters thick, Gorilla Glass 2 can withstand 121 pounds of pressure.

Finally, the report also claimed that the next iPhone will have a new, smaller dock connector that will be "a little larger" than the bottom speaker and microphone ports on the existing iPhone 4S. The new port was described as "a pill shape," and is believed to have just 16 pins, compared to the current 30-pin dock connector.

"It will be used in all upcoming devices, including an update to the iPod touch that's expected this year, and will almost certainly feature a similarly updated screen and CPU," the report said.

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In March, iLounge reported that Apple was working on a new case for the iPad that would protect not only the front screen, as the current magnetic Smart Case does, but also the aluminum back panel of the device. The site credited a "repeatedly reliable source," but such a case has not yet been released.

The rumors come on the heels of a new component claimed to be the SIM card tray for Apple's next-generation iPhone. A home button also purported to be from a prototype Apple handset also appeared, but no components thus far have given any concrete indication that the next iPhone's design will be a radical departure from the look of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

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Still, there has been rampant speculation that Apple's next iPhone will have a redesigned exterior. Rumors of unibody enclosures, larger screens and thinner form factors have all cropped up in recent months.

Early prototyping of the next iPhone is believed to be underway ahead of a launch anticipated this fall, one year after the debut of the iPhone 4S. In March it was said that Apple was reviewing potential components for the new iPhone.

Rumors surrounding the next iPhone have picked up steam in recent weeks, as one report said the handset will feature Qualcomm's "MDM9615" LTE 4G chip for high-speed wireless connectivity. Reports have also claimed that the next iPhone will adopt in-cell touch panel technology, which will allow Apple to make the next iPhone thinner by 0.44 millimeters, or fit in a larger battery.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 105

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Apple's next iPhone will be slightly taller to accommodate a 4-inch screen with a new aspect ratio, will feature a redesigned dock connector, and will also have a new metal panel on the back side, a new report claims.

     


     


     


    If it is any taller, it will not fit into a pocket.


     


    If it has a new aspect ratio, then all the software will need to be rewritten.


     


    If it has a new dock connector, then all existing accessories are obsolete.

  • Reply 2 of 105
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Total carp. I mean, what the halibut. I'm not going to waste my time dissecting why this is a bad rumor. I'm no sturgeon.

  • Reply 3 of 105
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member


    4"? Most likely.


     


    New Aspect Ratio? I doubt it very much. That sounds like an Android move, not something Apple would do.

     

  • Reply 4 of 105
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by island hermit View Post


    4"? Most likely.


     


    New Aspect Ratio? I doubt it very much.

     



    Absolutely. Not a damn chance of an aspect ratio change.

  • Reply 5 of 105
    sandyfsandyf Posts: 42member


    You can't be too thin or too tall...


    Wait for it...

  • Reply 6 of 105
    bmxing85bmxing85 Posts: 11member


    Why thinner. I think the phone as it is now is thin enough. keep the same depth and increase the battery size. I'm sure this next phone will support 4g LTE, why not make a longer running battery. Besides that ever held an ipod touch to you head to see how a thin phone would not be comfortable. I just dont understand the push for thin, seems like something that seems nice but in practice it stops making sense at a certain point... anyone?

  • Reply 7 of 105
    jollypauljollypaul Posts: 328member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Total carp. I mean, what the halibut. I'm not going to waste my time dissecting why this is a bad rumor. I'm no sturgeon.



    It does sound pretty fishy.

  • Reply 8 of 105
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member

    If it is any taller, it will not fit into a pocket.

    If it has a new aspect ratio, then all the software will need to be rewritten.

    If it has a new dock connector, then all existing accessories are obsolete.

    Excellent points, all 3; couldn't agree more. And if this is the case, I'll skip this years' model, causing people to call me the guy with the retro phone, since I didn't upgrade to the 4s last year.
  • Reply 9 of 105
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member


    Good, I've always found 4" the best phone size, still good for single handed use while not puny like I find the iPhone screen now. 





    I wonder if that's the same wireless chip in the One X? That thing dominates wireless performance. 

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  • Reply 10 of 105
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    4"? Most likely.

    New Aspect Ratio? I doubt it very much. That sounds like an Android move, not something Apple would do.
    Absolutely. Not a damn chance of an aspect ratio change.

    The image does show the one way Apple can alter the display size and aspect ratio without affecting the pixel-by-pixel size of apps. Meaning, if they keep the width and pixel-per-inch the same, but make the display taller, they can effectively have current iPhone apps work within the new size. A new SDK would surely be released to allow devs to take full advantage of the new size. Apple could also make the display larger without affecting the dimensions of the physical device.

    My concern is whether the same width display is the most beneficial. So long as they keep the pixel density the same and reduce the edge and back thickness they could make the display wider without affecting the current apps of thumb sweep.
  • Reply 11 of 105
    soundvisionsoundvision Posts: 173member


    This rumors lines up well with what I've been told by a few people who are in the know. For over the past 1.5 years they have continued to tell me that a taller iPhone is the direction they will be going.


     


    We shall see.

  • Reply 12 of 105
    rolivierrolivier Posts: 7member


    Absolutely, Rather a thicker iPhone with a better battery life. Don't need/want a thinner device.


    Instead of making it thinner, use the 2mm for a bigger battery.


     


    I have enough of charging the iDevice twice a day, enough !


     


    Enough of buying/carrying a battery pack !


     


    If Apple wants to conquer the business world, the battery must hold at least the whole day of intensive use.


     


    Got it ?


     


    Anyone ?

  • Reply 13 of 105
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member

    If it is any taller, it will not fit into a pocket.

    Are u a midget or a prepubescent child?
    Not that there's anything wrong with either.
  • Reply 14 of 105


    One thing we know....for a Sept/Oct release, the final prototype (among several) has already been chosen and parts suppliers are already prepping production.  Can't wait.  I'm due for an upgrade.

  • Reply 15 of 105
    erac3rxerac3rx Posts: 5member


    To me the aspect ratio shift is never going to happen, which means that if this is true the phone just got enough room for soft-buttons at the bottom while running all existing iPhone software.  Makes perfect sense to me.  Replace the physical home button with a row of whatever you want.  Generally it's a home button, but while using Safari it's got back and forward buttons as well. Etc.  Just like Android.


     


    Redesigned dock connector is a win for me.  They can make an adapter for existing peripherals no problem, and also make the new connector magsafe.  Which would be awesome.

  • Reply 16 of 105
    rolivierrolivier Posts: 7member


    Yes, It's too late to ask Apple to put a bigger battery in it. :-(


     


    Let's see what happens. I need an upgrade too.

  • Reply 17 of 105
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member


    Drools...


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  • Reply 18 of 105
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member


    Actually, the new iPhone is longer... but not to increase the screen size... Apple is putting a physical keyboard on it.

     

  • Reply 19 of 105
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:



    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post

    Excellent points, all 3; couldn't agree more.


     


    You realize what he's doing, right?


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by rolivier View Post


    Yes, It's too late to ask Apple to put a bigger battery in it. :-(



     


    You realize this is a rumor, right?

  • Reply 20 of 105
    walshbjwalshbj Posts: 864member
    If you don't think the dock connector is going to change sooner rather than later you haven't been paying attention.
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