Back expected to switch to aluminum

The next-generation iPhone will ship in the fall, like the iPhone 4S, claims a "close source" for the Boy Genius Report. The 4S was the first iPhone to skip Apple's previous June/July launch schedule, and if the new claim is accurate it suggests that Apple may be shifting its timetable permanently. The source also notably mentions that the new phone should incorporate a rubber or plastic material similar to that used in its iPhone 4 bumpers.

It's anticipated that the material will be used in a bezel around the front edge, similar to the design of the iPhone 3GS. If so it will join the front glass to a new aluminum back plate, doing away with the glass backing used on the iPhone 4 and 4S. It will also allegedly cover a redesigned antenna system, permitting the use of an aluminum back without a plastic insert above the antenna, as on 3G versions of the iPad 2.

Prior to the announcement of the iPhone 4S, it had been reported that Apple was preparing an entirely new iPhone design including a tapered aluminum back. It was also expected that the phone would switch to a larger screen, probably measuring around 4 inches. That construction could carry over to a 2012 model; it's also thought that the phone could be Apple's first to support LTE, now that hybrid 3G/4G chipsets are on the market.

By Electronista Staff