14 DAY TRIAL // A new report from China appears to dismiss rumors of Apple’s iPhone 5 boasting a four-inch screen, with upstream component suppliers allegedly being informed that Apple’s next-generation iPhone will have a panel that measures between 3.5 and 3.7 inches on the diagonal.
Sources from upstream panel suppliers in China have revealed that the iPhone 5 panel size will be similar to the one currently found on the iPhone 4, according to trade publication Digitimes.
The news comes amid widespread rumors of the iPhone 5 featuring a 4.2-inch panel, though Apple’s suppliers say these reports depict the market's expectations for iPhone 5, rather than genuine leaks.
Other such rumored specifications include an 8-megapixel camera, Full HD video recording, the A5 dual-core processor currently powering the iPad 2, and “a new ultra-thin industrial design.”
However, the sources said not to trust this information, noting that the upcoming iPhone will not have many differences compared to the current iPhone hardware, in terms of components.
This would reinforce rumors that Apple is only launching an iPhone 4S upgrade this fall, rather than an all-new handset.
Last week, Softpedia reported on a purported iPhone part leak that failed to convince it was a genuine iPhone 5, or even iPhone 4S prototype. Nevertheless, every such tidbit is worth reporting on in the weeks leading up to a new iPhone launch.
Digitimes’ sources noted that, in addition to the almost identical screen size, the phone will feature some aesthetic changes, one of which is the back shell.
According to these presumably knowledgeable sources, this part will be changed to a metal plate - a switch from the current reinforced-glass panel.
Finally, the sources stressed that the iPhone 5 will adopt a display that falls in the 3.5- to 3.7-inch range. The bezel will shrink, making the screen at least look larger, the sources said.