Rumors

iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz has learned new details about Apple's next generation iPhone. Horwitz claims that Apple is ditching the rumored “teardrop-shaped iPhone 5” for a longer and thinner glass-bodied design. According to Horwitz, the new iPhone will be made partially from Gorilla Glass 2, and feature a flat, not curved, metal panel on the rear of the phone.

The iPhone 5 (or iPhone 6) will be longer and thinner than the iPhone 4 and 4S measuring at 125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm - that's 10mm longer and 2mm thinner than the current models.

"The change in height will include a lengthening of the prior 3.5” screen to roughly 4” on the diagonal. As the new iPhone won’t widen, this appears to confirm that Apple will change the new iPhone’s aspect ratio for the first time since the original iPhone was introduced in 2007, adding additional pixels to the top and bottom of the screen. A change of this sort took place between the fourth and fifth generations of the iPod nano, but didn’t impact any third-party software."

Now that 2011 has come and gone without Apple launching a smaller, entry-level iPhone, the time is ripe for a resurgence of rumors on the topic. As we have come to expect every year, reports have arrived of an iPhone nano in the works. BGR gives us the scoop this time, citing China Times and their supplier connections.

To recap for those unfamiliar, the iPhone nano would be designed to help increase market share for iOS by providing a lower-end, less expensive smartphone. With a smaller profile the iPhone nano could also appeal to those seeking a simpler device with a more compact form factor.

ETNews.com doesn't have a perfect track record when it comes to Apple predictions, but they have dusted off a previous iPhone 5 rumor started by the Business Insider in November of last year. According to the Korean publication, Apple is using “liquid metal” technology to build their next-generation iPhone. Apple acquired this technology from Liquidmetal Technologies’ in August of 2010.

"According to industry sources, the next flagship phones of the companies are expected to adopt unprecedented materials for their main bodies, that is, ceramic for the Galaxy S3 and liquid metal for iPhone 5, both being thin, light and highly resistant to external impacts. The new phase of the rivalry is because neither one of them can get a decisive edge over the other solely with its OS and AP specifications, features or design."

Are you ready for another six months of iPhone 5 rumors? You better be, because the Apple rumor mill is fired up and going full force today! According to 9to5Mac, "Apple has internally seeded a prototype next-generation iPhone with the iPhone 4 design." The new prototype labeled "N96" is being used to test a variation of the A5X chip that powers the new iPad in an iPhone.

Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White (via AppleInsider) came back from a recent trip to Asia with more "new design" rumors. White told investors that the next-generation iPhone "will be the most significant iPhone upgrade with a four-inch screen and a new, sleek look" that he believes will require a "unibody case." 9toMac also noted in their report that the "actual next-generation iPhone is specifically said to not include the iPhone 4/4S design." However, Apple is using older casings to test the N96 prototype to avoid leaks of the new device. The new iPhone prototype is also supposed to feature 1GB of RAM.

The Japanese website Macotakara (translated) reported that Foxconn has recruited more than 18,000 people to begin production on the iPhone 5. In March, the China Morning News (translated) also reported that Foxconn was in need of approximately 20,000 workers to help produce the next generation iPhone.

Macotakara said a Foxconn personnel recruiter told TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite that Foxconn is preparing to produce Apple's next generation device which will be ready in June. This lines up with a previous iLounge report that claimed the iPhone 5 would receive a summer launch. However, it contradicts a previous iMore rumor that claims the new device will be launched this fall. I would take all these early release date rumors with a grain of salt since no one has accurately predicted anything about the iPhone 5.