unibody
Diagram by TheTechBlock / Don Lehman, Photo by iLab.cc

In case there was some continuing doubt, iMore reports that all the circulating iPhone part leaks are accurate and will be what the new iPhone will look like on September 12th:

iMore has learned that recent parts leaks and dummy phones are accurate representations of what the new iPhone (iPhone 5,1) will look like when Apple announces it on September 12, 2012. Almost identical in design to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the major visible differences will include a 4-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a metallic plate across most the back, and a miniaturized Dock connector and relocated 3.5mm headset jack along the bottom.

iMore cites "reliable" sources for the confirmation. The confirmation is notable in that iMore was the first to report on the September 12th announcement date for the new iPhone. That media event date was confirmed by Apple today.

Top Rated Comments

dukebound85 Avatar
174 months ago
Did anyone notice how the shadow of the 12 appears to form a "5" in the iPhone announcement graphic? Seems to suggest that the phone is using a modified A5 or an A5X processor instead of the A6.

Indeed. The average consumer is all about what chip the phone uses
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
swb1192 Avatar
174 months ago
Just wish NFC wasn't crossed out :(
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SgtPepper12 Avatar
174 months ago
It makes me wonder how different the Galaxy S4 will look from the S3. It will probably have the same style. Won't people complain then?

Apple settled on their style a couple years ago... but they've upgraded it a little bit with this next iPhone.

I can't wait to feel the unibody iPhone in my hand.
Actually, I think the Samsung S4 will look completely different again. Samsung has a different (or no at all) design philosophy.

Apple thinks design should be as reduced as possible, this implies a hypothetical perfect design that has no redundant parts at all. So the designs of the iPhone "converge" in some way and will change less from iteration to iteration until – again hypothetically – the perfect design is reached. If they would just forcefully change the whole design concept they would either admit they were completely wrong before or that they have no idea what they're doing.

Samsung however understood that most people are not seriously interested in any design philosophy. Well people like to hear that there is a philosophy behind it, but they don't actually care. What they really want is something new and shiny. And if a new iteration of a popular phone series doesn't look different, people won't buy as they think its uninnovative (just look at the people here).

Personally, I would have been pretty disappointed if Apple had changed the design just for the sake of it. This tells me they might have a plan in some way and are not still just guessing wildly.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anti-Lucifer Avatar
174 months ago
This is all apple needs to do for the 9/12 event:

It goes on sale today. Delivered to you 9/21/2012.

close shop. Bye guys.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DamonBowser Avatar
174 months ago
Glass or Plastic windows!?!?! Please glass not plastic! :eek:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JayLenochiniMac Avatar
174 months ago
Did anyone notice how the shadow of the 12 appears to form a "5" in the iPhone announcement graphic? Seems to suggest that the phone is using a modified A5 or an A5X processor instead of the A6.

No, it stands for iPhone 5 (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1433962).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...