9to5Mac is reporting that a source from Foxconn says prototypes of the next iPhone (iPhone 5? 6?) have been seen at the factories. Supposedly there are slight variations in the prototypes, but there is some consistancy.
The source said various sample devices are also floating around (which vary slightly from one another) so it is impossible to tell which one will be the final. Some things in common with all of them, however, are:
- 4+ inch display (made by LG on at least one of them).
- No teardrop-shaped devices as was rumored in the lead up to the iPhone 4S. Samples so far have been symmetrical in thickness. Also longer/wider.
- None of the sample devices have the iPhone 4/4S form factor.
- None of the devices are final versions,
Frankly, we think this is bullshit. These specs are generic enough that any Joe Blow that has read the echo chamber for more than a day could come up with them, and probably did. It’s also been beat into the ground all of the issues that would come with increasing the size of the iPhone screen from 3.5-inch. We’ll eat our hats if the next iPhone’s screen size is significantly different.
This rumor also has the next iPhone announcement coming this summer. That’s more likely than the screen-size increase, but I’m not taking any part of this rumor without a sea full of salt.
