“Fresh reports from Chinese sources claim Apple’s next-generation handset has entered the production phase complete with design changes including the addition of glass to the unit’s ‘uni-body’ backplate,” AppleInsider reports.
“A trusted source notified Japanese language Mac blog MacOtakara on Saturday that Chinese manufacturers have started to ramp up production of Apple’s new iPhone, which the site calls ‘iPhone 5,’ and adds the unit may bear some minor design changes from parts allegedly leaked in May,” AppleInsider reports. “While previous reports pointed to a ‘uni-body’ chassis that featured a two-tone all-metal design, the purported production model will sport an inlayed glass piece between the backplate’s top and bottom edges instead of leaving a bare aluminum surface. Unlike the iPhone 4 and 4S which boast a ‘glass sandwich’ design with tough Gorilla Glass front and back coverings, the upcoming handset will reportedly have a backplate only ‘partially covered’ by the tough material.”
More info and photo in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
What’s with the damned glass backs! Why not just make the whole thing out of Austrian crystal and be done with it? And why the heck am I posting here on a Saturday night?
I love the glass back. My 4S has been banging around everywhere and it still looks like new. Every other phone I’ve ever owned looked like crap after six months.
Less probe to scratch. More prone to shatter.
In the not too likely event of shattering it’s easily replaced. I’ve dropped it a couple of times without it leaving any trace. To shatter it would have to fall from a pretty good height onto a very hard surface, and land just right (or just wrong).
To me it’s an easy trade off. Not for everyone, of course, but it’s so damn well built that it still feels like a new phone after eight months of daily use.
The front is also glass. If you’re concerned about shattering this is not the phone for you. Samsung makes a slew of plastic phones. I’ve got one in a drawer right here. I used it for three months. It looks like crap. It was nice and shiny-new for a couple of weeks or so.
You see the back of the Galaxy S III? Thin flexible, nearly unbreakable plastic. It probably costs Samsung like $.50. The iPhone’s back probably costs ten times that and fragile. I’m not making any particular point, I’m just saying. Some people say the glass iPhone back is a waste of money and adds unnecessary weight to the phone. Two different companies make two different construction decisions.
And the Shamdungs are ugly as hell. All of them. Oh, the eyesore.
I like nice looking things. And I hate plastic.
(yes, there are nice looking Androids. A few of them. One or two)
So let me get this straight, Apple is working on a new iPhone, that may or may not have more or different glass, may have a different design, that it may be in production right now and that it might be released in September or October.
I mean who could have possibly predicted any of that?
The problem with inlaid glass parts top and bottom, is that there are more parts to fall off. All glass or unibody metal to me sounds more practical.
With bits and pieces added on top and bottom like rhinestones or the plastic fake chrome trim on 80’s cars that fall off or just barely hang on with wear and tear, it just doesn’t sound as elegant design as the iphone 4.
The leaked parts haven’t impressed me, but all metal at least sounded very practical, this sounds cheesy. I hate to say it, but without Jobs the iphone may start to sink.
“Unibody metal” is not possible since it will tamper with radio signal too much.
Yeah, could be a concession for functionallity. To me it does not follow the same Apple design principles, especially compared to the macbook air or the iphone 4.
Didn’t read the description, did you. There are metal pieces at the top and bottom of the phone frame, with a glass panel between them. Makes sense, and honestly, how many have seen back glass panels on iP4/4s breaking? Front, yes, but the back, not so much, and it’s easily replaced anyway. If you don’t like how it looks, put a skin or case on it and stop bitching.
So what you’re saying here is that Jon Ive and his staff have all been away at a nut farm for the last two years??
Why the glass?? then why the change in sockets?? why dont apple just comform like they are supposed to do?? Answer is so simple, even a apple fan could understand. Its so Apple can screw the last living cent out of everyone it screws over. Only a moron would by a $69 usb cable just because apple decided to change a single pin around and make the cord useless on anything else they sell. It may take money to be up with the apples, but the apple fans have half a brain from the worms eating through their shallow skulls.
Sigh… another troll. I need to get my troll nets put up.
O.M.G! Apple change the standard every ten years just to screw us. How dare they?
Only a moron would spell buy wrong… Dumbasses.
Why don’t Apple conform to what, exactly? Apple are often the first to include new tech that most don’t even realise is even there, like USB, for example; it’s the rest of the industry that has to play catch-up. Re: the dock, Apple supply cables, which, as you are too stupid to notice, have an industry-standard USB plug on the other end, and nobody pays over-the-odds for Apple cables; I’ve got seven or eight kicking around, most I never paid for. Apple, unlike you, Chris the ignorant Aussie, aren’t stupid, and will take into account the tens of millions of legacy accessories out there with appropriate adaptors.
I respectfully suggest you improve your meagre education by reading this:
http://www.cultofmac.com/178093/the-future-of-apples-dock-connector-feature/
You might find it enlightening.
On the other hand you will probably ignore it just so that you can continue to be an irritating asshole on the interwebz.
iPhone 5 is Ugly.
The new Apple is Samsung!
I was at many places yesterday and everyone was getting the Galaxy SIII. I even inquired about it myself… I am a long time iPhone user since 2007. The guy at one of the big box retailers told me that no one is buying the iPhone anymore. Everyone wants a Samsung… and it showed… they were selling 4 units as I was inquiring!
He said they haven’t seen any other phone draw so much interest as the Galaxy SIII. He said iPhone sales died ever since it was released. I went to a few other stores and Samsung is all over it. They not only got one display… but two! One in white and one in blue! An entire LCD display too to show off the features. Man is Apple in trouble.
I see your hobby is creative writing.
I’ve seen the opposite. Literally almost everyone I know and work with has one.
And the comments I hear from those newcomers are that they can do some much with it.
Wow, you were at “many” places yesterday and “everyone” was getting the Galaxy SIII??!!? Of course they were… It’s the Android “flavor of the month, and it it’s only been available for a couple of weeks!
They haven’t seen any other phone draw so much interest as the Galaxy SIII? Really? Were there people lined up around the store to buy it? Please.
Besides, I was in a “couple of places”, and NOBODY was buying the Galaxy IIIs, so that must mean it’s a flop.
Apple is in trouble? Because of one Samdung phone? Your entire post is laughable it’s so ridiculous.
I was in an AT&T store just Friday, in fact, and played with the new Galaxy. It does have a nice, big, colorful screen… That’s ALL it has going for it. The bad? It’s huge. Giant. It won’t fit in my “big guy” pocket, let alone a normal person. It’s also extremely light, and feels EXTREMELY cheap and plastic-y.
I’m sure it will be a good seller for Samdung for a quarter, but then Apple will announce a new iPhone, and people will line up to get their new iPhone.
“iPhone 5 is Ugly.”
Wow, it must be freakin’ awesome to be omniscient and have the ability to see into the future. You are truly a god among men.
Oh, and you’re also a dumb ass.
And you know this for a fact, Jon? You work for Foxconn, do you? The only ‘hints’ about the iP5 show it to look almost the same as the 4/4s, just slightly longer to give a 16:9 4″ screen. And that’s ‘Ugly’, is it? Fuckwit!
Over 70 Billion cash on hand is far from being in trouble idiot.
roflmfao!
This made my day- the ultimate Samsung shill!
glass or metal if the product comes from apple then it’s going to be pretty and durable. Even the old plastic apple products still look great
after iPhone the prettiest smartphones are from Sony even though their plastic cases feel very cheap
Appearance to some of us means nothing.
5 minures after getting my iphone 4s it was in a case.
I just got a S3, the ATT rep put it in my case I bought while the transaction was processing.
I only cared about my unlimited plan transfering, LTE and a bigger screen-2gb of RAM was also nice.
Discourse is falling into disrepute hereabouts.
That’s been the trend for the past several years, it’s really sad.