The Strange Case of a New iPhone 5 Case Rumor
Posted by Michael Nace on Wednesday Sep 28, 2011 Under iPhone 5 Opinion, iPhone 5 Rumor
The store that M.I.C. claims to have received this tip
An Asian iPhone 5 rumor blog is reporting that Foxconn “lost” an iPhone 5 prototype in China, leading to a flurry of iPhone 5 cases revealed ahead of the product’s launch. Does this story add up?
The truth is a great thing, because it typically makes the most logical sense. The converse is true about lies: they often require one to suspend disbelief in order to believe an otherwise fantastic lie.
A new report from M.I.C. weaves a sordid, complex tale of how the iPhone 5 rumor mill became populated with el cheap-o iPhone 5 cases this summer: an iPhone 5 prototype was supposedly lost or stolen from the Foxconn plant in Schenzen province, China. The problem with the M.I.C. article is that it just doesn’t track logically.
Let’s go through it.
First, let’s talk about M.I.C.’s source, which they claim to be a “supplier.” M.I.C. makes little mention of this mystery man’s (or woman’s) credentials, and the story is being told is second hand — the iPhone 5 prototype did not fall into the supplier’s hands, but someone else’s. The only other glimpse we get of the source is his or her place of business, a small, unassuming booth in what looks to be a mall or shopping center. We’ve embedded it stage left.
Whether or not you feel like the source’s profile is trustworthy enough or not, the story itself is convoluted and hard to track from my perspective. This is what they tell us: “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.”
Indeed, it does sound remarkably like what happened last year with the iPhone 4, as this is obviously how Apple allows prototypes of its new iPhone to get tested in the real world. But then M.I.C. admits exactly what I thought of immediately: “How Apple achieved that with the iPhone 5 supposedly wider and longer than the current iPhone 4 is a point to ponder.”
Well, yeah! Duh!
If the iPhone 4 doesn't fit into the iPhone 5 cases, then how did Apple hide the new iPhone 5 in an iPhone 4 chassis? To quote Johnny Cochran: "If the iPhone 5 don't fit, it must not be legit!"
What strange, parallel universe are we living in here, where an albeit thinner but larger teardrop-shaped iPhone 5 got stuffed inside the much smaller iPhone 4 fuselage? After this, M.I.C. states, “It is said to be a test model with a finalized iPhone 5 chassis featuring the tear-drop design.” So, this would mean two things: that the iPhone 5 prototype — large-screened, teardrop form factor and all — broke the laws of physics and was fitted into the smaller-sized iPhone 4 form factor (impossible, based on the images we’ve seen of smaller iPhone 4 units placed inside the purported iPhone 5 cases), or that the prototype only housed the new iPhone 5 guts, and there was no new form factor, at which point, all of those advance iPhone 5 cases were just “educated” guesses.
Or maybe “uneducated” guesses.
But M.I.C. doesn’t stop there in confusing the heck out of us. They go on to explain, “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.” This would mean that the purported iPhone 5 teardrop prototype that was lost/stolen is the mirror-opposite of everything we’ve heard lately: instead of it being a refreshed iPhone 4 form factor with the A5 chip, it’s a new form factor with the A4 chip. Is any of this making sense?
M.I.C. concludes its argument for how this story must be true by saying, “What seems to strongly support the claim that an iPhone 5 prototype with the final chassis design has indeed landed into the hands of case manufacturers is that, weeks ahead of the iPhone 5 launch, we are already seeing a plethora of iPhone 5 cases for sale from many case manufacturers. Some even claim to have shipped “thousands” of these cases.” So, in the end, this story gives no logical evidence of how the iPhone 5 teardrop shape was revealed to case manufacturers, however it simply concludes that because some iPhone 5 cases have been already manufactured, that the story must be true — even if it makes no sense.
I’ve said before that, in the end, the iPhone could indeed be a form factor overhaul. But even a development like that will not prove a shoddy report like this to be true.
If I’m missing something here, please open my eyes.
Michael Nace is the Publisher of the iPhone 5 News Blog and iPhone 6 News Blog. He has published articles about the iPhone since 2010.
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I’ve waited so long for any info on the iPhone 5 that I don’t want to see anything now, I will just wait for Oct. 4th! It’s kind of like trying to figure out your gifts on Christmas eve, might as well wait for the real thing since you’ve had to wait this long! As far as all these case rumors and speculation, you’ve heard the saying if there is smoke there must be fire. There sure has been a lot of talk on the thinner, larger, tear drop shaped iPhone 5 from all of these case manufacturers.
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
My guess if there was any sort of phone out in the wild, the hardware inside is what was being tested. A5, 1GB of RAM, iOS 5, antenna reception, 8mp camera, etc.
Screen size should not matter for this sort of testing, so if a larger screen is on the way, it likely never left the campus.
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I want to believe! But this particular story is too shady and like you said, makes no sense.
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Simple, Steve Jobs has developed a way to break the laws of physics and fit the bigger iPhone 5 into the smaller iPhone 4 casing. No doubt about it!
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Michael,
I too just wanted to say thank you for this blog. I have checked it daily for the last 3 months and wanted to commend you on the good job of organizing the rumors and accurately assessing the reported “leaks.” It seems almost impossible that Apple and the potentially hundereds of people/suppliers who would have had a hand in the IPhone5 could keep it under wraps. But somehow they did.
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
It’s my pleasure, Tony B. It has been a really fun process — albeit a little frustrating at times. But it has been a quite an experience. I’m curious to see if the same experience will happen over at the iPhone 6 News Blog next time around!
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September 28th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
If the next phone comes out as the iphone 4s, all this will happen again on this site since the next release will certainly be and iphone 5 and not an iphone6.
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September 28th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
I hope that I don’t have to figure out whether or not the next iPhone will be the 5 or the 6, Analyzer. If they just make this one the iPhone 5, it’ll be a whole lot simpler!
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September 28th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
If the next iPhone does turn out to be a 4S then there won’t be a 5 as this iPhone will be the 5th Gen iPhone no matter what. The next iPhone (which it seems we are now already talking about even though this one isn’t out yet!!) will be iPhone 6 or some other designation (being the 6th Gen iPhone).
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September 28th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I don’t see any other name other than iPhone 5.
iOS 5
A5
iPhone 5
Too many 5′s to use in ads…..
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September 28th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
How do wider iPhone 5 components fit in a less wideiPhone 4 case as camouflage?
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September 28th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
No one but Foxconn and Apple has a clue on the actual dimensions of the phone. For all we know it might be edge to edge screen in the same size case.
Unlike the iPhone 4 leak last round, nothing has turned up to look at.
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September 28th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
You guys will make Andres appear again! Lol If the iPhone 5 ends up being 4S the one after is still the iPhone 6!
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September 28th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
lol shane ☻
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September 28th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
if this iPhone is called the 4s, then i have a feeling that the next iPhone won’t be the iPhone 5 but the iPhone 6. ill explain in another post just not enough time to write my thoughts down atm.
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September 28th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXeAfWoI_M8 just came across this and it looks real…it def looks like edge to edge screen,but im no iphone expert i would say it looks like the ip4 with bigger screen…what do you guys think?
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
I know I constanly talk about LTE. Well, I’ve made this, (http://twitpic.com/6s2zr5), after doing some research. If Apple is going to have LTE in the iPhone 5 based on coverage and they follow what they have did in the past, the iPhone 5 will have 4G. But, who knows at this point??
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
Just saw a chevy traverse commercial that used the iOS 5 reminders app-found it interesting that they’re allowed to use it already lol
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
anyone of you iphone experts take a look at that youtube video yet?everyone that has commented on youtube thinks its real too…if its a fake the person did a GOOD job!
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
That’s a very interesting video E. It looks real to me, until the very end. Something about the way the screen illuminates around his thumb doesn’t look right to me. The snatch away at the end also seems scripted. If he had to snatch it away, he must not have had a private area to film, but if he wasn’t in a private place, wouldn’t the stationary camera be pretty obvious to the person walking in the room? I think this is a fake, but the best fake I’ve ever seen. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so. We’ll see.
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
I think you’re taking this a bit too literally Michael. When Mic Gadget said that the iPhone 5 was being “hidden” to look like the iPhone 4, they didn’t necessarily imply that by some weird laws of physics they shrunk down the iPhone 5 to fit inside an iPhone 4 like case.
Instead, what they’re saying is that Apple made it *look* like the iPhone 4. How? Simple, you just add on a case that blocks the teardrop/tapered design. The case doesn’t *have* to be the same size as the iPhone 4… as long as it gives the appearance of an iPhone 4 from far away, it will work.
Also, E, that video is completely fake. And a darn good one. With the advent of Photoshop, people can do miraculous things with videos and pictures. And this is one: to make it appear like it has a bigger screen. But everything about the video screams fake. The most conspicuous thing is the way the apps open and close. It is very un-iPhone like, and scream a fake.
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
I’m pretty skeptical as to if it’s the next iPhone, but the video seemed to be real. I didn’t see anything wrong with how it ran and it’s fluidity but then again I’m not an expert on the subject. What I am interested in is the background and what was going on at the end of the video(which seemed odd to say the least). If it’s a hoax it’s a dam good one! The video creator would have put a lot of effort into making the video and showing off the “prototype” or whatever it may be. On the off chance it is the legit new iPhone, I’m glad to have been one of the first to have seen it and will in fact kick some android butt!!
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
@lightlong that is what i was thinking…something just looks fishy,but at the same time looks like it could be real!i just figured i would share it here and see what others thought.if its a fake its the best one i have seen that made look at the video more then once to see if it was real.
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
You know me — I am a major skeptic on all of these things. But this video does not look like a fake to me. Granted, I have lousy vision, but it is pretty convincing. The only sketchy part is the user himself. If he had the new iPhone, why would he just play a game on it for 1 minute. Why wouldn’t he show us the entire phone — every angle? That’s the thing about all of these sightings: there’s always a side [or sides to the thing] that you don’t see. But the phone and what’s playing on it looks real.
Do you agree that this looks like an iPhone 4 with an edge-to-edge screen?
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Agreed E. I had to look at it more than once, but each time, the things I mentioned just don’t quite seem right, especially the snatch away. I think the maker was trying just a bit too hard at that point. At any rate, thanks for sharing! Very cool to have a visual to assess.
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
What if this was the iphone 4GS, Michael? How much would you enjoy that!?!?!?!
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Did anyone else notice there is no home button in this video? Definitely a fake in my mind.
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September 28th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
It’s hard to tell, but watching the corners of the screen, it looks like they shift slightly every so often.
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Drake: great infographic! Make sure Apple sees this before Tuesday! Now I’m convinced there’s no reason for Apple not to include LTE connectivity! I’ve got a need; a need for SPEED!
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
@james yea i just went back and noticed when he unlocks the phone there is no home button but you only get a split second to see,his thumb covers it up for the rest of the video.i thought he was trying to hide it…fake but a good one!
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
There’s definitely a home button at 19 seconds. But I still think it’s fake.
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
I should add that someone sent me this video via e-mail a few minutes before it was posted in the comments by E, proclaiming it to be a real sighting of the iPhone 5. I get 3 of these kinds of things a day.
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
look at 0:06 when he goes to slide the unlock button,but i also do not have the best eyes lol and the video is dark.
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Im sure you do michael,today was my first day posting but i troll your blog everyday lol i was hoping my first post would of been the real “leaked” ip5! by the way great blog keep up the good work!
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
I noticed that too E. Plausibly speaking, the button could be under the shadow of his thumb at that point. I might be willing to give the maker a ‘pass’ on those few seconds; however, you and James are absolutely correct in that no home button is visible at that time. Because I think it’s a fake video, I’d say the maker has used software to re-image the entire front surface of the phone to insert the larger screen, and for the few seconds in question toward the beginning of the video, he’s made a mistake by not re-exposing the home button.
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Lol lightlong!! I couldn’t find much data about how many other 3G phones had been released prior to the iPhone 3G release. If I find something, I’ll share!
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September 28th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
If it some how turned out to be the real thing,i would buy it! i like the look of the ip4 with a bigger edge to edge screen!what does everyone else think,would you buy it!?! i know a lot of ppl really want a new “form factor”!
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September 28th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
I would and am going to buy whatever comes out. I need a new phone!
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September 28th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
That video is a FAKE! It is done by chroma keying (green screen) two images together. This technique is done all the time in movies / TV, especially the news. That is why around his thumb looks odd and notice the reflection from his thumb ends where the display starts. Real iPhone 4, fake screen.
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September 28th, 2011 at 10:50 pm
the date is wrong too… says the 24th and then the 22nd.
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September 29th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Yeah, as Daveydog says, the dates are wrong from the lock screen and the home screen. This is one of the better fakes out there… but most definitely screams a fake.
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May 2nd, 2012 at 10:30 am
[...] iPhone part, there is a built-in dubiousness associated with this rumor. I need not remind you of the proliferation of purported “iPhone 5″ cases that were on sale for much of the summer of 2011, which tech analysts dissected in hopes of diving [...]
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