New photos of rumored next-gen iPhone display shielding surface online

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
More photos of alleged next-generation iPhone parts hit the web early Thursday, showing sensors, buttons and covers destined for the device as well as what is thought to be a protective metal backing for the unit's expected 4-inch screen.

The purported leak, from site iColorOS (via Nowhereelse.fr), shows a number of components already seen in previous reports, including the protective glass cover, internal sensors and external buttons like the volume rocker, but the most interesting piece is a thin sheet of metal seemingly intended to be a protective shielding for the 4-inch screen's back.

It should be noted that as of this writing, the iColorOS website is now being directed to a "Lion Server" splash page.

While the photos don't depict an "assembled" unit, as a previous report did a week ago, the new display shield component offers a peek at what a 4-inch iPhone screen could look like. The metal piece could be used as an EMI shield or to separate the iPhone screen from hot components, though the part's true use remains a mystery as the handset's internal design is still largely unknown. Apple is rumored to be using a larger, 4-inch display with in-cell touch panel technology in the upcoming handset, marking the first screen size change since the first iPhone was released in 2007.

Most of the purported next-gen iPhone's externals have allegedly leaked out as upstream suppliers churn out the parts ahead of manufacture.

iPhone Parts 1
Among the alleged iPhone parts revealed on Thursday is a protective display backing (bottom left). | Source: iColorOS


iPhone Parts 2
Flip side of parts shown above. | Source: iColorOS


Thursday's parts leak comes on the heels of a report claiming to show a finalized version of the nano-SIM card tray rumored to be making its way into the sixth-generation iPhone. The Apple-backed nano-SIM design was selected by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in June to be the fourth official form factor for the SIM card standard, and recent reports claim European carriers are stockpiling the new cards in preparation of high demand for the next-gen iPhone.

Apple is widely expected to debut the sixth-generation iPhone at an as-yet-unannounced special event on Sept. 12.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 28
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member


    These sites are going to look silly when the next iPhone is called the new iPhone! <Attempt at humour>

  • Reply 2 of 28
    vadaniavadania Posts: 425member
    iqatedo wrote: »
    These sites are going to look silly when the next iPhone is called the new iPhone! <Attempt at humour>

    Wow! You're making me think you're Mr. Tallest.

    However I do agree anyway.

    Also, I think it's funny that when you look at the pictures, one after the other, you see...

    "Walks like an Egyptian".
  • Reply 3 of 28
    phone-ui-guyphone-ui-guy Posts: 1,019member


    I miss the days of bad photoshop "leaks", nuggets of information, and out right guesses. Now all the parts are leaking all over the damn place. Takes the fun out of it.

  • Reply 4 of 28
    Walk like an E-gyp-tian. Now that's funny. And I also agree with Phone UI, all these leaks takes all the fun out of it. We basically know everything about the phone before it even is announced. I'll be getting one anyway as I'm currently using a crapdroid. Counting the days!
  • Reply 5 of 28
    waverunnrwaverunnr Posts: 120member


    At this point, I know what every part of the new iPhone looks like.



    What happened to doubling down on security, Tim?

  • Reply 6 of 28
    jozsoojozsoo Posts: 39member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Waverunnr View Post


    What happened to doubling down on security, Tim?



     


    What if all these leaks and photos are actually part of Tim's team's grand doubling down scheme, and the actual new iPhone is nothing of the sort we are led to believe it is?

  • Reply 7 of 28
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member


    I agree with there being too many real images/leaks. Although, I might be able to live with it, if there at least also were the Photoshop images. These were often pretty cool!

  • Reply 8 of 28
    kotatsukotatsu Posts: 1,010member


    Wouldn't it be nice if all of this was part of a super elaborate plan to trick everyone and so preserve the surprise of the real unveiling?  So when the world expects another iPhone 4 with minor tweaks Tim unveils something totally original and fresh instead.

  • Reply 9 of 28
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    vadania wrote: »
    Also, I think it's funny that when you look at the pictures, one after the other, you see...
    "Walks like an Egyptian".

    That "character" on the left is a bit too excited.

    waverunnr wrote: »
    What happened to doubling down on security, Tim?

    Some things you just can't control. I think Tim has doubled down on Security. Just look at Mountain Lion. No one saw it coming. It was a private meeting with some journalists and professional bloggers and then it was out there. What happens in the halls of their HQ they do a lot more control over. Almost complete control save for sabotage or espionage.

    When you have to source parts from various companies around the world and then have them sent to other companies for testing, and/or completion, and/or final assembly the grip gets too weak. Would a billion dollars thrown at it make it secure? Would it be a worthwhile expenditure? I say no and no.

    jozsoo wrote: »
    What if all these leaks and photos are actually part of Tim's team's grand doubling down scheme, and the actual new iPhone is nothing of the sort we are led to believe it is?
    kotatsu wrote: »
    Wouldn't it be nice if all of this was part of a super elaborate plan to trick everyone and so preserve the surprise of the real unveiling?  So when the world expects another iPhone 4 with minor tweaks Tim unveils something totally original and fresh instead.

    That all seems highly unlikely to me. Creating very intricate components that only a small part of the population care about just to leak those photos just doesn't do anything at all for Apple. Plus, we've seen components in the past and they've been legit. At this point I'd say we can these are 6th gen iPhone parts.

    This isn't just another "iPhone 4 w/ tweaks." The size of the display and the casing are dramatically different. Just because it's still showing a squared off look doesn't mean it's the same. It looks like we're finally getting an iPhone that will remove the top plate by removing the 2 screws. We haven't had that since the iPhone 3GS in 2009. That should make it easier to replace the display panel if one breaks the front glass.
  • Reply 10 of 28
    pedromartinspedromartins Posts: 1,333member
    kotatsu wrote: »
    Wouldn't it be nice if all of this was part of a super elaborate plan to trick everyone and so preserve the surprise of the real unveiling?  So when the world expects another iPhone 4 with minor tweaks Tim unveils something totally original and fresh instead.


    recently, this is the best troll post by a long shot.

    son, the iphone already has by far the best design and the goal is to make the experience better so these devices feel familiar for those that actually use tablets and smartphones for something productive or for pure fun while adding power and new features or functionalities. android OEMs are getting destroyed by apple and samsung and apple itself makes more and more money from it. when they try something new and fresh, it is going to be to destroy the current smartphone market. it is too son for that and apple is better than ever.

    i am not looking for a change in design at all, since the iphone is so iconic and beautiful. if they can make the design beautiful with few changes (not like samsung's garbage) and use a bigger screen (not big than 4 or so, please) then i am all for it. what about you? oh, i forgot... that's not your goal here.

    what i really would love to see apple do is risk fragmentation. what are the possibilities of an iOS iPad being powered by haswell? that' the perfect device right there... without change the iconic design.

    what about an extremely underclocked haswell iphone? is it impossible to achieve? why not test the water with an atom ipod touch? with all the benefits that samsung has (criminals), apple won't be able to leave them like that so intel is an option, a very nice one. if apple opens their iOS world for them, they would do anything to please apple, even piss microsoft. they have 0 alternatives after all.
  • Reply 11 of 28
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    "We're going to be doubling down on security." 

  • Reply 12 of 28
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    "We're going to be doubling down on security." 



    ...which if true means these aren't all "leaks" but instead intentional advance promo work coming from Apple.

  • Reply 13 of 28
    bigdaddypbigdaddyp Posts: 811member
    vadania wrote: »
    Wow! You're making me think you're Mr. Tallest.
    However I do agree anyway.
    Also, I think it's funny that when you look at the pictures, one after the other, you see...
    "Walks like an Egyptian".


    Damn it! Now I see it and have that song stuck in my head.

    Mmmm. Susanna Hoffs. I had such a crush on her when I was kid.
  • Reply 14 of 28
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    I miss the days of bad photoshop "leaks", nuggets of information, and out right guesses. Now all the parts are leaking all over the damn place. Takes the fun out of it.

    These could be just as fake. Folks don't fall for 'shops anymore and with 3d printers . . ,

    And really on the end what do these tell us. Outside of the display piece, nothing much. We already knew Apple was pushing a smaller sim, so that piece was child's play.

    Now it's just a matter of time before we get word that some one dropped their iPhone at Disneyland and it was swiped by some nefarious employee (my money's on Dopey, he can't be as dumb as he looks) who discovers that it is The New iPhone (they were testing the new Disneyland flyover in Maps and Passbook) and sells the info to every site out there.
  • Reply 15 of 28
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    "We're going to be doubling down on security." 

    I suspect at the moment they are focusing on the employee leaks from out of the store while they arrange security cameras, discreet guards, new uniforms that have no pockets, lockers so folks change on site and not at home and so on.
  • Reply 16 of 28
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    ...which if true means these aren't all "leaks" but instead intentional advance promo work coming from Apple.



     


    Possibly.  The new open-ness doesn't really seem to be hurting them in any way.  


     


    I'm going to invoke Occam's razor though and conclude that it was just tough talk from someone who doesn't quite have a good hold on the reins yet. 

  • Reply 17 of 28
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    ...which if true means these aren't all "leaks" but instead intentional advance promo work coming from Apple.

    Even if we are to take the term "doubling down" literally to mean they doubled the resources they put into security that does not mean there will not be leaks. This is a problem Apple can't easily control because they have so much mindshare and because they do build in such large quantities.

    At this point there are probably millions of these components that have been created and were' seeing one. You could argue that we've seen more than just these but the fact remains that it one takes one leak to flood the internet. Just look at the Gizmodo iPhone 4 debacle.* So what percentage of components have leaked? What is the percentage compared to previous years?



    * If they had done the right thing I think Giz would have been given first dibs at anything news related for a very long time but instead they have been shunned and are the angst anti-Apple site that finding every little thing to discredit Apple.
  • Reply 18 of 28


    Now that Steve is gone, the fear of punishment for leaks is diminished. We'll see more of them than when Steve was alive.

  • Reply 19 of 28

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jozsoo View Post


     


    What if all these leaks and photos are actually part of Tim's team's grand doubling down scheme, and the actual new iPhone is nothing of the sort we are led to believe it is?



     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    Wouldn't it be nice if all of this was part of a super elaborate plan to trick everyone and so preserve the surprise of the real unveiling?  So when the world expects another iPhone 4 with minor tweaks Tim unveils something totally original and fresh instead.



     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    "We're going to be doubling down on security." 



     


    Gotta love these people. What if Tim's "grand, super elaborate plan" was just commenting about doubling-down on secrecy? Anyone with an ounce of intelligence understands that as a company and it's parts providers grow, the secrecy about its future products diminishes. Especially with the volume of production for the iPhone, you can't produce and stockpile millions of devices ahead of launch without hundreds, if not thousands, of people seeing parts and specs that can easily be leaked to the blogosphere. It astounds me how short-term people's memories are. Don't you remember the lead up to the first iPhone? There were rumors swirling months before Apple even announced the iPhone. Bits and parts of future iPods, iPhones, and iPads have been publicized months prior to launch for years. The only possible exception to the rule is when they are creating an entirely new product (which are usually produced in lower quantities for the 1st generation with parts workers don't recognize could be associated with some new device).


     


    The people denying the apparent new iPhone design are akin to science-deniers. In the face of mounting evidence, they cling to some irrational and illogical hope of something completely contrary to fact-based reality. Now I'm not saying there aren't still unknowns, but it would be highly irresponsible for Apple to spend tens or hundreds of millions of dollars designing and producing parts for a design they will ultimately abandon just to "double-down on secrecy." The costs wouldn't justify the results.

  • Reply 20 of 28
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by IQatEdo View Post

    These sites are going to look silly when the next iPhone is called the new iPhone! <Attempt at humour>


     


    Thing is, that's absolutely right. All sites that have ever reported the "iPhone 5" nonsense will have to go back and edit every single instance in every single article once the new iPhone comes out, otherwise they won't get any accurate SEO. Now, I couldn't care less about SEO myself, but there are sites that require it for hits, etc. So it's a waste of their time to keep printing abject lies.


     



    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post

    Wouldn't it be nice if all of this was part of a super elaborate plan to trick everyone and so preserve the surprise of the real unveiling?  So when the world expects another iPhone 4 with minor tweaks Tim unveils something totally original and fresh instead.


     


    When you treat your cell phone the same way you treat your lettuce, you have a serious problem. That's why Apple doesn't do that.


     



    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post

    These could be just as fake. Folks don't fall for 'shops anymore and with 3d printers . . ,


     


    That's only because people have stopped taking these pictures in elevators! Get a good elevator leak, courtesy Mr. Blurrycam, and people will be on it like a horse on a salt lick.





    Originally Posted by johnfromberkeley View Post

    Now that Steve is gone, the fear of punishment for leaks is diminished. We'll see more of them than when Steve was alive.


     


    Until Tim gets someone jailed for it, that is.

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