Early iPhone 5 Cases Could Be Based on Prototype Lost By Foxconn Worker

[Phillip Swanson]

Chinese accessory manufacturers have been pumping out iPhone 5 cases all summer despite the fact the device isn’t scheduled to be announced for another week. Ebay, OEM suppliers, and a number of other online retailers/suppliers have even been selling “iPhone 5” cases for months.

It is possible China is making an educated guess on what the next iPhone will look like and in turn making money by suckering enough people into making orders. But, that doesn't explain why every single early iPhone 5 case shares the same “teardrop” design. Is it possible that Chinese manufacturers know something we don’t? M.I.C gadget heard from a small iPhone accessory shop in Shenzhen that they do.

M.I.C is reporting a iPhone 5 prototype—rumored to have been lost by a Foxconn worker earlier this year—is the source of the teardrop case form factor seen online over the last few months.

The missing prototype is said to have been enclosed in a case to disguise it as a current-generation iPhone 4–which brings to mind the iPhone 4 prototype acquired by Gizmodo that was camouflaged as an iPhone 3GS. How Apple achieved that with the iPhone 5 supposedly wider and longer than the current iPhone 4 is a point to ponder.

It is said to be a test model with a finalized iPhone 5 chassis featuring the tear-drop design. However, the interesting thing about it is that it apparently houses what we assume to be slightly modified iPhone 4 electronics with components such as the A4 chip and even the same amount of memory.

While the account is more than questionable, the details do mimic many of the details surrounding the iPhone 4 prototype that was lost in a bar before its release including the device being housed in a faux iPhone 4 case. The iPhone 5 prototype was reportedly sold for $3,100 to a case manufacturer and if one manufacturer gets it, it's only a matter of time before they all have their hands on a case to mimic and produce.

However, the device that was sold, and used as the model for the cases could potentially be a non-final prototype Apple decided to shelve. It wouldn’t be the first time an Apple prototype leaked and turned out to be nothing but hot air for the Internet to digest. All other leaks involving iPhone 5/4S parts point to a new phone that closely resembles the iPhone 4. Chinese manufacturers could very well have been duped by a non-production prototype iPhone and as a result are sitting on loads of useless cases.

Chinese manufacturers will know soon if what they produced can be fit on a new iPhone or used as a coaster.

Source: M.I.C gadget

[cmurderr03]

Can't wait

[MetallicaFan1991]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

[iPod]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

what is so ugly about it?

[Madman604x]

i already ordered cases so......

[mmaboi21]

I Like the look in the pic. I would definitely buy it if it looked like that.

[ikesmasher]

cant imagine dropping that thing on its side and watching the 75 dollar screen shatter.

[sammo123]

Looks like a good picture to me i would jump right on the iPhone 5 if thats what it looked like. Its a fake picture so its no symmetric by a very and i mean very small amount

[PathKiller29]

I hope the white/black parts aren't different sizes like in that picture...
That would just suck...and I don't think I've seen a phone do that really...not like that at least

And I think apple should sell some prototypes too...
Would be pretty sweet.
The iAlmostApple store

[Locklear1990]

I would buy a phone like that only
If it's squared like the iPhone 4
Anything else is like a step back

[iRepairIndy]

They better NOT be making the iPhone 5 like the iPod Touch 4th Gen... making it almost impossible to repair the screens or get inside without a damn heat gun

[BenderRodriguez]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

So if it doesn't fit your idea of what a phone should look like u won't buy it?
Is that's your only reason for not buying it?

[Jahooba]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

No iPhone is symmetrical. The speaker goes in the middle, so the cameras have to be off-center. But you already knew that. Now that I think about it, more likely you don't know what "Symmetrical" means.

[San23]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

'SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!!' btw i wouldn't hesitate to buy the new iPhone if that's what it looked like :3

[bonum83]

The iPhone has to be symmetrical, if not I'm not buying it as it'll look ugly like that picture.

I think apple might go bankrupt if you don't buy it....

[MetallicaFan1991]

So if it doesn't fit your idea of what a phone should look like u won't buy it?
Your an idiot if that's your only reason for not buying it

Erm, you can't call people idiots on MMi without getting a warning.

If I don't like the design, i won't buy it.

No iPhone is symmetrical. The speaker goes in the middle, so the cameras have to be off-center. But you already knew that. Now that I think about it, more likely you don't know what "Symmetrical" means.

Of course I know what Symmetrical means, ignore the Home button, senors and speakers then the black/white frame is symmetrical with the screen in the middle.

Besides its not gonna look like that, it'll be a normal iPhone design.

[Ichwohneinloche]

[B][COLOR="#FF0000"]Erm, you can't call people idiots on MMi without getting a warning.

Erm, you mean you don't want people call you an idiot on MMI. There's a reason I don't post on this terrible place anymore... So much has changed since the beginning. Just had to log in for the first time in a year to call you out though.

[feidhlim1986]

Stay with me here while I use some logic.Apple gives case manufacturers the iPhone's dimensions in advance of any announcement. It's not based of any lost prototype, it's how Apple operates and enables accessories available at launch.

[BenderRodriguez]

its the next greatest device on the market for not buying it for a small reason like that?

Now if it had the iPhone 4 cell reception problem then I might get on board but for design?

Every iPhone is going to be different that way it stands out and doesn't look like the first generation nor the 2nd nor any of them

[MetallicaFan1991]

Erm, you mean you don't want people call you an idiot on MMI. There's a reason I don't post on this terrible place anymore... So much has changed since the beginning. Just had to log in for the first time in a year to call you out though.

You don't know who hard I have to try to "dumb" down my responses to people, I have 2 infractions already and one more and then I'm banned but I don't care anymore as "Thanks Received", "Join Date" etc are no longer visible so I could just make another account.

In general, you can't say anything from a small insult to a big insult without a MMi mod giving you a warning, its way too strict this site and the new site sucks anyway and it seems Kyle and Cody just update and then abandon the site for month before coming back with another pointless update. I left this site for like 9 months as well, came back and all the then casual posters are no longer as active.