The latest iPhone 5 rumour is that Apple will bring an aluminum back casing to the next iPhone, along with a major antenna redesign. This comes from a Chinese source at the Taiwan Economic Daily news, translated by Macotakara.jp:
According to a Chinese source, Apple seems to change back form factor of iPhone to aluminum case which was used for first iPhone’s and to give up using glasses.
Decision to design similar to iPod touch instead of using glass is supposed that Apple seems to stop problems which are told widely damages from scratching, difficulties of painting white and weight of glass.
Antenna will be designed to penetrate cellular and Wi-Fi waves via resin made Apple logo placed case back, design of iPhone4 using side exposed steel antennas seems to be abandoned.
With the debut of the A5 chip in the upcoming iPad 2, it is likely iPhone 5 will also sport this newer dual core processor.
iPhone 5 to Get “Logo Antenna” Like iMac and iPad?
A redesigned antenna will ultimately suppress the controversial “antennagate” issue some experienced with the current design. I loved the brushed aluminum backing on the original iPhone. The problem with aluminum is that it blocks cell reception, creating the effect of a Faraday cage. This is why the antennas were placed along the bottom rear of the original iPhone, covered in plastic.
However, current iMac and iPad will be quick to note that the Apple cleverly placed the WiFi antenna behind the rear Apple logo, as the images below from iFixit revealed.
Could we see a similar design in the next iPhone 5? Signs point to “yes”, as Apple already has patents for putting the antenna behind logos, as Patently Apple stated last December. Here’s an image of the “logo antenna” sketch Apple submitted:
Check out this mockup of the iPhone 5–what do you think?
[MacRumors via Macotakara.jp, GadgetsDNA]
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Interesting. 3GS design with metal back.
I liked the aluminum back but going back to the design of the 3GS is wrong
If u compare the 3GS to the 4 the 4 looks high tech and advanced…..
Is there any reason they couldn’t redesign the iPhone 4 to put the antenna on the back glass?
Wow, how dumb.
While I like the idea of a metal back, having the antenna right where my hand rests while using the phone would prove that apple has learned nothing about antenna design and issues.
Cellphone makers all put the antenna closer to the mouthpiece in recent years so that it is farther away from our heads while in use as this position lowers the sar levels.
fugly
I wonder if LiquidMetal is used instead of aluminum?? This metal is currently used only in the little pushpin that lets you eject the micro-sim.
i agree! it looks a lot like the 3g/3gs with metal back, although we might see this would be a lot thinner too but again I like the 4 design better.
i much prefer the current squared design of the iphone 4 to the more rounded mock up of the iphone 5. i hope they do not go in that direction. i am ok with an aluminum back though.
Remember there is the still the rumored cheaper iPhone up for sale. This would fit the bill. A 3GS perhaps with an updated A4 chip with the good old metal casing.
Same time they can test their new logo antenna.
lol that ideal fails miserably, and is so not going to happen.
******* So is everyone forgetting the edge to edge screen with out a home button? Having a metal back would be great also but unlikely it would look like this as the headphone jack would not fit flush again.
*************
At first I though that this is quite possible to be the actual design, as much as I hate it; it would directly match the design ideal of the iPad2. However, looking a lot like the touch, I suppose this is equally possible to not be true…
While it does bring the iPhone design in line with the iPad 2 and the iPod Touch I think that this will either never happen or it will be the rumored cheaper iPhone.
Yeah, its sure isn’t as slick as the ip4.
lol you think a company with 60 billion in liquidity, the best products on the market and the most innovative in the world will make the same mistake twice?
you take rumours a tad bit too seriously.
Will it come with Daniel Faraday too?
I’m crossing my fingers! 🙂
Considering the iPad 2 didn’t remove the Home Button, I doubt the iPhone will do away with the button. I’ve seen the videos of the three and four finger gestures and it works great for the iPad due to the screen size, but is just really silly on the iPhone.
But the edge to edge screen is still possible though.
I like that look. It would make it look very much like the new iPad 2. I kinda prefer the curved back of my 3Gs to my wife’s iPhone 4. Not sure if they’ll go that route, but I like it.
What I don’t understand is why people go to that much effort to do a stunning photorealistic mockup and then get the font wrong for the iPhone logo.
Yay, we can go back to the crappy 3G style iPhone. This would be like taking a step back instead of a leap forward.
EPIC FAIL!!!!
dont like it …. looks cheap… its going backwards… the iphone4 industrial design rules … in fact in my opinion
the iphone is the best and most important product apple makes… it has a quality heavy feel when you hold it.. its only in their intrest to improve it….
i think the iphone 4 has an awesome design and that glass was an amazing idea.
i dont get how people scratch the back of there iphones. its made of glass. how often do yuo scratch a window???? alunimum is gonna be even worse, it’ll be prone to dents LOL