Purported 'iPhone 5S' back panel hints at redesigned home button component

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
A new part claimed to be the rear panel for Apple's anticipated "iPhone 5S" shows an external design largely unchanged from the iPhone 5, but a number of internal design tweaks, including a modified home button that could potentially accommodate the rumored embedded fingerprint sensor.

iPhone 5S
Alleged iPhone 5S rear panel and tweaked home button space, via by Nowhereelse.fr


In the latest component leak published on Wednesday by Nowhereelse.fr, changes made to the area around the home button are readily apparent when compared side-by-side with the iPhone 5 back panel. In particular, the metal spacer cushion that supports the home button features a new look.

The panel also shows tweaks to the space where the camera would be located, as well as different screw placement along the back of the device.

But the tweaked space for the home button is of particular interest, as Apple is rumored to include a fingerprint sensor in the component of its next-generation flagship iPhone. The feature is expected to be driven by technology from AuthenTec, a company Apple acquired for $356 million last year.

In order to fit the fingerprint sensor inside the home button, well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities claims that the part will now be convex instead of concave, allowing for more space. Kuo also indicated that the home button will be made out of sapphire, because of its resistance to scratches.

References to a fingerprint scanner embedded within an iPhone home button was even discovered in Apple's pre-release beta of iOS 7. A folder found hidden in the test software refers to a "Biometric Kit," while another string of text describes a user touching the home button with their thumb as a status image appears on the device's screen.

iPhone 5S
Alleged iPhone 5S rear panel and tweaked home button space, via by Nowhereelse.fr


As for the changes around the camera, they could hint at an improved LED flash component that Apple is expected to include in its next-generation handset, rumored to be dubbed the "iPhone 5S."

Unfortunately, the metal back component does not include the glass panels for the top and bottom of the device. A separate leak published earlier this week did show that part, revealing the pill-shaped space where Apple is expected to include a dual LED flash for superior photos in low-light scenarios.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37


    Honestly, I dont see any difference other than the blue background. What am I missing?

  • Reply 2 of 37
    pokepoke Posts: 506member
    Honestly, I dont see any difference other than the blue background. What am I missing?

    Glasses? There are big red squares marking the differences.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    dugbugdugbug Posts: 283member


    Why the blue background?  This can't be the 5C given the unibody aluminum frame.  Was it just a placeholder cutout by nowhereelse?

  • Reply 4 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by dugbug View Post


    Why the blue background?


     


    It's laying on something blue?






      This can't be the 5C given the unibody aluminum frame.  Was it just a placeholder cutout by nowhereelse?



     


    It does specifically say 5S, after all… image

  • Reply 5 of 37
    vlad1kvlad1k Posts: 11member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dugbug View Post


    Why the blue background?  This can't be the 5C given the unibody aluminum frame.  Was it just a placeholder cutout by nowhereelse?





    Just click on "via by Nowhereelse.fr" and original pics will answer your questions.

  • Reply 6 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    It's laying on something blue?


     


    It does specifically say 5S, after all… image





    All you have to do is reading my post so you can see the original pictures... ;) #TimeSaver  http://www.nowhereelse.fr/photos-coque-iphone-5s-87216/

  • Reply 7 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by vlad1k View Post




    Just click on "via by Nowhereelse.fr" and original pics will answer your questions.





    Nothing else to say... Thx Vlad1k ;)

  • Reply 8 of 37
    dugbugdugbug Posts: 283member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    It's laying on something blue?


     


    It does specifically say 5S, after all… image



     


    Ah its clear on the nowhereelse pics its sitting on something blue.


     


    calm down don't insult.

  • Reply 9 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by dugbug View Post


    calm down don't insult.



     


    Please explain which of those words was an insult. image

  • Reply 10 of 37
    dugbugdugbug Posts: 283member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Please explain which of those words was an insult. image





    Your ridiculous emoticon.  The ARTICLE says 5S there is no official 5S stamp.  My question had to do with perhaps improper identification given a plastic blue background, but the original photos cleared it up.

  • Reply 11 of 37
    froodfrood Posts: 771member


    "New iPhone has screws in different places"

  • Reply 12 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by dugbug View Post


    Your ridiculous emoticon.


     


    Try again. Hint: you don't need to try again; there isn't one.






    The ARTICLE says 5S there is no official 5S stamp.



     


    Of course there's no official stamp. Note that the article also says zero about it being the 5C. Not sure why you would have assumed it was, then.

  • Reply 13 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by poke View Post





    Glasses? There are big red squares marking the differences.


    I can see the big red squares, but not the differences in the home button area :) There might still be a fingerprint sensor, but these are the body frames of the iPhone and the little holes in the frame seem pretty much identical. I would hope and be really happy if there is a finger print sensing home button, as I'm in the line for 5S :) We will never know until Cook lets us know!

  • Reply 14 of 37


    I have to admit that I was hoping for an iPhone 5S redesign as I'm not too keen on the Black & Slate theme or the "tiled" back... We'll just have to wait and see I guess image

  • Reply 15 of 37


    Is it just me, or are there other people out there that is a bit skeptical about a convex home button? like a big round nipple sticking out of your phone? 

    I also, was hoping for a redesign, or at least a one-color back instead of the two on the iphone 5. But all these are personal preferences.

    Can anyone explain what's so special about a finger scanner? If i'm someone who doesn't find the need for my phone to be that secure, or even don't shop on my phone much, what can I get out of the differences in 5s?

  • Reply 16 of 37
    blueeddie wrote: »
    Is it just me, or are there other people out there that is a bit skeptical about a convex home button? like a big round nipple sticking out of your phone? 

    I also, was hoping for a redesign, or at least a one-color back instead of the two on the iphone 5. But all these are personal preferences.

    Can anyone explain what's so special about a finger scanner? If i'm someone who doesn't find the need for my phone to be that secure, or even don't shop on my phone much, what can I get out of the differences in 5s?

    I have actual concerns about the rumored finger print scanner itself.

    I do like the idea of added security, but how fast can a "home button finger print scanner" identify the proper user and unlock the screen?

    I am hoping that there is some new breakthrough in this technology that allows for near instantaneous identification.

    I'm worried that the time it takes for the phone to reconize the user and unlock the device may become so annoying that the feature would not be used and a passcode lock will remain for its speed.

    Now before someone posts

    "Seriously your crying ahout 2-3 seconds of your time? Your idiot if you can't wait a couple seconds to unlock your 600$ phone that carries all your personal information"

    Let me just say, that I do understand that it's a great added feature, but yes, when waking your phone up 30-100 times a day, I worry about the time annoyance.

    I'd still like to have the feature and use it when I leave my phone unattended or in a locker at the gym.

    All I'd like to know is if anyone knows if the technology has improved with its ability to reconize and confirm the proper print?
  • Reply 17 of 37
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    I have actual concerns about the rumored finger print scanner itself.

    I do like the idea of added security, but how fast can a "home button finger print scanner" identify the proper user and unlock the screen?

    I am hoping that there is some new breakthrough in this technology that allows for near instantaneous identification.

    I'm worried that the time it takes for the phone to reconize the user and unlock the device may become so annoying that the feature would not be used and a passcode lock will remain for its speed.

    Now before someone posts

    "Seriously your crying ahout 2-3 seconds of your time? Your idiot if you can't wait a couple seconds to unlock your 600$ phone that carries all your personal information"

    Let me just say, that I do understand that it's a great added feature, but yes, when waking your phone up 30-100 times a day, I worry about the time annoyance.

    I'd still like to have the feature and use it when I leave my phone unattended or in a locker at the gym.

    All I'd like to know is if anyone knows if the technology has improved with its ability to reconize and confirm the proper print?

    Let's wait to see what, if anything, Apple does before criticizing.
  • Reply 18 of 37


    Apple acquired AuthenTec, the company with whom they had been closely developing new biometric technology for over a $350 Million, one of their largest acquisitions to date.  That price is not something AAPL would pay without seeing a long term financial/technological benefit.dddf That combined with a number of recent biometric patents they've secured recently suggest there is a lot of development on the fingerprint sensor front.  Based on a number of articles around, including several from AI, the sensor rumored to be integrated into the 5S should be a significant improvement over previous generations of technology. Let's hope part of those improvements include near instantaneous recognition.


     


    At this point, its all based on speculation, but I personally believe every additional layer of security that can be applied to my mobile device without significant impact on usability is welcome.  I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but there is a lot of stuff on my phone I would hate to fall into a strangers hands. I've known people who've lost their phone, and then had their identity stolen shortly thereafter. If Apple DOES enter the mobile payment space with the new iPhone, then security becomes even more paramount. 


     


    My contract is up for renewal with AT&T, and frankly I'm waiting to see the 5S before I renew. Apple's competitors, specifically Samsung, have stepped up their game tremendously over the past couple of years.  At the same time, I've been underwhelmed with the improvements in the last 2 generations of iphone, and need something more significant than a slick UI and incremental hardware upgrade bump to stick with the iPhone. This is Apple's last chance to prevent me to jumping ship. 


     


    I don't say this lightly because I've held a long position in AAPL.

     

  • Reply 19 of 37
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member


    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    ... the pill-shaped space where Apple is expected to include a dual LED flash for superior photos in low-light scenarios.


     


    The improved dual-LED flash that should be quite the awesome flashlight as well.


    Apple will finally kill off those godawful flashlight apps with iOS 7.


    Built-in flashlight feature in iOS 7's Control Center.  Finally.

  • Reply 20 of 37
    dugbug wrote: »

    Your ridiculous emoticon.

    Shaking your head (:no:) is, in most Western cultures, a way of saying "no" or disagreeing. Is that ridiculous?
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