Just yesterday a number of images surfaced of Apple’s iPhone 5S shedding light on the flagship smartphone’s supposed size and new fingerprint scanning technology. Today, more leaked photos have emerged that show both the interior and exterior of the next-generation device which will be released this fall alongside iOS 7, Apple’s mobile operating system.
Tech blog Mac Rumors got their hands on a few photos, though they fail to mention the source of the images and, of course, Apple has yet to comment on the fact that they even exist.
If this is in fact the iPhone 5S, it looks strikingly similar to the current-gen iPhone 5. Mac Rumors made several astute observations, however, noting that:
“- Based on the observable features, the logic board appears to be an exact match to the one that appeared in photos earlier this week, with a slightly narrower profile and a new layout for connectors and other components.
– The main chip on the logic board is interestingly not labeled with an A-series name such as on the A6 seen in the iPhone 5. It is unclear whether the chip name has been removed somehow or if it was never printed in the first place.
– A date code visible on the bottom of the main chip reads “1243”, signifying that the chip was manufactured in the 43rd week of 2012, corresponding to late October. This would seem to be much earlier than would be expected for a new handset, so it is unclear whether this is a very early prototype that could still be running the same A6 chip found in the iPhone 5 or if it is in fact a different chip.
– The battery carries a more recent Apple Part Number of 616-0652 compared to the iPhone 5 battery, which has carried several different part numbers including 616-0611 and 616-0613. The new battery also has a higher capacity of 5.92 Whr, compared to the 5.45 Whr capacity of the iPhone 5’s battery. The battery also has several blank boxes printed on it where various regulatory logos would be, suggesting that this is a prototype battery yet to receive final certifications.”
Apple has yet to announce an exact launch date or price, though Apple, being creatures of habit, is expected to unveil the device this fall with iOS 7. Also expected is a low-cost device with mid-range specs that will allow Apple to break into a much larger market without further saturating the high-end device market, much the way Samsung does except Samsung’s enormous marketshare keeps it from falling into irrelevancy.
