Images of a part that appears to be a casing for a revision of the iPhone 4 have appeared online. Mac Rumors, which received the images from iPatchiPods, reports that the casing looks much like that of the iPhone 4, but with a few noticeable differences. Most notably are two antenna breaks at the bottom of the casing—setting it apart from similar parts for both the GSM and CDMA versions of the iPhone 4—which may suggest that this new handset will offer GSM and CDMA connectivity, although that has yet to be determined. In addition, the mute and volume controls are on the same side, as seen on the iPhone 4 and unlike the holes on recent supposed iPhone 5 cases, and the bottom portion of the frame lacks a defined area for the Home button, as was seen in the corresponding parts on the iPhone 4. While the report states that iPatchiPods believes this casing is intended for a revision of the iPhone 4, it remains a possibility that it is simply a piece for a well-made clone, or for a never-to-be-released Apple prototype.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.