iPhone Hardware

Suppliers never stop selling parts, even if the device they're made for hasn't been released yet. We've seen iPad 2 parts leak out in advance of the tablet's official release and now it's the iPhone 5's turn. AppleInsider reports that an importer is selling a light proximity sensor flex cable for Apple's next smartphone.

The part is claimed to be genuine as the importer's home offices are practically next door to an Apple factory. When it comes to the proximity sensor itself, the design of the iPhone 5 part differs slightly from the current model, which could point to a redesign in the exterior of the next generation hardware.

More reputable sources are coming out of the woodwork and pointing to inside information that Apple plans to release a redesigned iPhone by the end of September. None other than the Wall Street Journal reports that key components have already been ordered, including an improved 8 megapixel camera that will be installed in the back of the next generation device.

The mockup above may look slick, however sources have told the Wall Street Journal the iPhone 5 will be more similar to the current generation iPhone 4 form factor. Regardless, Apple has redesigned the handset and the new model will be thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4. Other changes are coming to the hardware inside the device.

Macotakara brought news of the iPhone 5 having a curved aluminum back to the table (mockup below), now they report that Apple's next smartphone will be a variation on the iPhone 4 design, possibly named the iPhone 4S. According to sources, this device will launch in late July to early August and keep the familiar iPhone 4 form factor while packing upgraded hardware inside.

One major change will be an integrated SIM, saving space and dropping the need for a removable SIM card as in current devices. The iPhone 4S will also include several antennas and a Qualcomm hybrid chip that will allow the device to activate on either the Verizon or AT&T network.

A teenager and his parents earned $130,000 selling white iPhone 4 kits, but they have also earned the privilege of being sued by Apple. The company filed a complaint against the owners of WhiteiPhone4Now.com for selling unauthorized conversion kits including leaked parts from the Foxconn factory in Shenzhen, China.

The site went down after Apple sent them a letter to cease and desist operations at the beginning of December 2010. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is one high-profile customer of the site who converted his own iPhone 4 to white using one of the bootleg parts kits. Apple filed a voluntary dismissal in court at the same time it filed the complaint.

A curved front glass screen could be on its way to the fifth generation Apple iPhone. Sources in the component supply chain tell Taiwanese tech paper DigiTimes that Apple has purchased 200-300 glass cutting machines and is storing them at assembly plants for future use. Apple has been working with touch sensor and cover glass manufacturers, glass cutters and lamination suppliers to improve yield rates.

According to the report, the new machines will be used when manufacturing is up to speed. Apple purchased the machines because they are an expensive investment for cover glass makers. Industry sources claim Apple is working on a curved cover glass for the next iPhone model that will utilize the equipment. These investments will ramp up production and make the curved glass possible at an unspecified date in the near future.