Despite the fact that many of us were hoping for a redesigned handset last month, it never materialized. Instead, we were left with a speedier version of the iPhone 4, with a better camera and a voice controlled assistant. It raised questions in everyone’s minds about why so many rumors beforehand pointed towards something different. There were so many leaked cases and schematics that a fair few tech enthusiasts were convinced we would see something flashier. A new source has come forward and claims that he actually held and saw the iPhone 5. He claims it featured:

- A bigger screen than the current iPhone, up to 4″ diagonal
- Aluminum rear panel
- Liquidmetal coating, allowing for saturated metal colors
- Better quality screen in terms of color saturation
- Flat, capacitive home button
- Flatter profile
- Poor battery life but faster processor (may have been a prototype artifact)
- 10 Megapixel camera
- Prototype version of Siri (called ‘Assistant’)

The device was supposedly very prototype-y in terms of materials used and performance, but he’s convinced Apple was and is working on it. Most of it is speculation we’ve heard before, too many times, but the 10MP camera and Liquidmetal coating are new additions. One thing I will say: I don’t believe him. Although Business Insider claims the source has been “right about future Apple products in the past“, I’m going to remain sceptical. Apple’s design lab is behind very tightly closed doors, and with the next generation iPhone’s launch being so far away, I can’t imagine that anyone but those who need to know (designers/engineers) have ever even come close to seeing one.

If it turns out to be true, I guessing it won’t be hard to figure out who let the iCat out of the bag, and that person will be in big trouble (unless it’s Jony Ive – no one touches him).

What are your thoughts on this? Should these rumors of the redesigned phone be ignored altogether, or is there some truth in them?

Via: TheAppleBitch, Business Insider