The redesigned iPhone 5 was real, according to a SAI source who claims to have played with a prototype.
Well, it turns out the "iPhone 5" – or at least, a fully redesigned iPhone – was real and it was scrapped only months before the iPhone 4S was announced. We've been told this by an industry source who has been right about future Apple products in the past.
The source told SAI that the prototype: ● had a 4-inch display ● was made from in house prototyping materials, not production materials ● was supposed to have an aluminum back ● would eventually have used liquid metal technology for colored devices ● had a messed up color profile ● was to have a better quality display ● did not have a physical press home button "You could touch it and hold it and physically reboot the device." ● was "squished" and "flatter" ● was much faster (limiter removed) but battery life sucked ● had a 10MP camera ● had Siri but was called 'Assistant'
It's unclear why Apple scrapped the device; however, the source claims that the rumor amongst employees is that Steve Jobs was unhappy with the bigger screen because it "fragmented" iPhones.
At least with Jobs out of the way we don't have to worry that products which are no brainers in terms of commercial success will be cancelled because of one guy's dictatoring.
People: these photos are from the Asian who created his own physical mockup based on the rumors we've had all year leading up to the October keynote. The actual prototype probably looked a bit different.
The iPhone scene is slowly turning into FOX news..... "An anonymous source said that an anonymous source said that the iPhone5 prototype was real, so we decided to write an article on it."
This photo is of a machined prototype made this past summer based on the Case designs by someone else, not apple. This is not a new photo and is not the prototype referred to in the story.
It probably didn't test well. Issues with the phone as is, issues with manufacturing and cost could all be reasons. Also, could be saved and reworked for the actual iPhone 5 (or 6 whatever) next year.