Next-Generation iPhone With 'Radical New Case Design' Coming in August?

iphone51
BGR reports that it has received word from a reliable source indicating that the next-generation iPhone will indeed be a significant departure from the existing iPhone 4 form factor, bringing a "radical new case design" for the handset. According to the source, Apple may be preparing for an event in early or mid August to introduce the next iPhone, which would become available in the last week of August.

While Apple has indeed been giving some developers access to a device known as the iPhone 4S -- an iPhone 4 with upgraded internals -- BGR has independently confirmed that the next-generation iPhone will not merely be an upgraded iPhone 4 as had been previously rumored. We have been told by a reliable source to expect a radical new case design for the upcoming iPhone. We have not been given any additional details surrounding the design of the new iPhone case, though.

BGR's claims contradict a number of other reports that have claimed that Apple's next iPhone will appear nearly identical to the iPhone 4, with most improvements confined to the internals of the device. Several reports have also suggested that the new iPhone won't appear until the September-October timeframe, in line with the company's iPod-focused media event traditionally held around that time.

While BGR has demonstrated solid sourcing for Apple's iOS updates and offered some accurate information from Apple's retail store operations, the site has been less accurate with other recent claims. Recent misses include Back to School promo details and claimed MacBook Pro details.

Tag: BGR
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected [Updated]

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipad blue prime day

iPad 12 Rumored to Get iPhone 17's A19 Chip, Breaking Apple Tradition

Wednesday December 10, 2025 12:22 pm PST by
The next-generation low-cost iPad will use Apple's A19 chip, according to a report from Macworld. Macworld claims to have seen an "internal Apple code document" with information about the 2026 iPad lineup. Prior documentation discovered by MacRumors suggested that the iPad 12 would be equipped with an A18 chip, not an A19 chip. The A19 chip was just released this year in the iPhone 17, and...
studio display purple

Apple Studio Display 2 Code Hints at 120Hz ProMotion, HDR, A19 Chip

Thursday December 11, 2025 4:19 am PST by
Apple's next-generation Studio Display is expected to arrive early next year, and a new report allegedly provides a couple more details on the external monitor's capabilities. According to internal Apple code seen by Macworld, the new external display will feature a variable refresh rate capable of up to 120Hz – aka ProMotion – as well as support for HDR content. The current Studio...

Top Rated Comments

motohooligan Avatar
189 months ago
It's going to be available 40% discount if you already own an iPhone 4 and want to extend your contract.

I heard this from my sister's friend's boyfriend who works at an Apple store, so its most likely true.

My uncle's dog's cousin's best friend's owner who cleans toilets next to an apple store said all new iPhones will be free...:rolleyes:
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jackc Avatar
189 months ago
How radical can it really be? It's a box with a screen.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HitchHykr Avatar
189 months ago
How radical can it really be? It's a box with a screen.

The antennas are on the front and back and the screen is on the sides!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Oflife Avatar
189 months ago
I must be getting old

Steve looks diesel on stage in that pic.

Because in the context of your comment, I have no idea what diesel means. :P

Oh dear.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Slurpy2k8 Avatar
189 months ago
I like how theres been a universal assumption and agreement that the next phone will be 'identical' physically, and in other ways just a slight bump to the iPhone 4, based on... absolutely nothing. Everytime theres a consensus online about a future Apple carpet, it usually turns out completely wrong and the rug gets pulled from under them. Where did this 'consensus' come from? Its 1 or 2 unsubstantiated rumors, which all the tech blogs then repost and validate, then before you know it its 'fact'. We should know by now to expect the unexpected. Apple is good @ keeping secrets. Many of the new iOS5 features came out of left field, iCloud contained more than any rumor Id ever read about it, etc.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
davelanger Avatar
189 months ago
If history is any indicator, it will likely be an iPhone "4S" before an "5" model. All around upgrades--Better x,y, and z but indistinguishable from the iPhone 4.

they cant call it the 4s because the phone after that would be the iphone 6.
Apple wont confuse anyone anymore, so the next phone will be called the iphone 5 no matter what.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)