Patent Watch: Apple Dreaming of Aluminum Unibody iPhones?
MacNN has unearthed an Apple patent that shows the concept of aluminum unibody design, first displayed in the current MacBook line, applied to iPods and even — potentially — the iPhone.
Gizmodo has presented some concepts along these lines before, though we’re still not sure how Apple would get around interfering with the 3G HSPA, and future 3.5G HSPA+ and 4G LTE and other radios inside a connected device (which is why they switched to plastic in the current gen iPhone to begin with).
Still, from a sheer design, build quality, and fit and finish perspective… drool.
[Image via Gizmodo]
April 9th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I think this design is so ****. That’d be so cool of they could make it work.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
April 9th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Cool love it!!!!!!!!
April 9th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
If Apple pull out an aluminium unibody iPhone in June, I’ll be lining up to buy one! If they keep a similar/plastic design, the only thing that would make me buy it is a large increase in battery life.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Of will take the iChat camera for me to stand in line for it
April 9th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Why aren’t ppl wanting flash for their cameras? I know it’s not supposed to be a replacement for a camera, oh wait, it is for some ppl and sometimes.
Stop dropping the ball on this please even if it’s a concept….. Getting sick and tired of it.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
This won’t be a surprise. Jonathan Ive wants all his products to have a consistent look and feel.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
This is the biggest thing I’ve been hoping for. It would seriously increase durability if they dropped the whole back casing + chrome ring + front screen area. Too many gaps and too many chances to have defects (light leakage and the like).
A unibody iPhone would be ****, yeah, but it’d also make a ton of sense as far as practicality goes
April 10th, 2009 at 1:20 am
HATE the plastic!!! LOVE the aluminum!!!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:29 am
If this came out my brother can get my Iphone 3g stuff the costs. Its look amazing, matches the laptop too
April 10th, 2009 at 4:46 am
That’s pretty cool I love it!
April 10th, 2009 at 6:18 am
FRANK: “Why aren’t ppl wanting flash for their cameras?”
Because unless you can position them separately from the lens, they cause ugly shadows and reflections, and basically suck. And most people unknowingly use them only to light up the air around them because their subjects are too far away for the flash to have any affect. They’re okay for shooting drunken friends in dark bars, but that’s about it.
I’m hoping for no useless camera flash.
April 10th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Am I the only one that still loves White phones? Alulm – Yuk!
April 10th, 2009 at 7:56 am
If they come out with this, I WILL DEFINITELY BUY! (My contract is up for renewal in June, thank goodness)
April 10th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Spacedoggie must be a female
April 10th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Oh wow, I’d wait outside for a week to get that, I’m pathetic.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:34 am
No you’re not the only one who likes white. I live the white iPhone they should keep it in color. Although I was a little upset when they changed the aluminum back to plastic. The white wore on me and I love it.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:39 am
It looks nice but I think the corners look sharp and dangerous.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I like the 2G iPhone aluminum more than the 3G plastic. I could do without the chrome ring around the screen.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Love it!!! but I am pretty happy with the current one, give me more speed and more power
April 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
I sell one of my kids when they release that one!
April 10th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
i can honestly say that i dont like it. . . . i can see a lot of visual aspects in that design that apple would never go for.
i really like the sleek appearance of my plastic 3G . . . and besides all that metal would make the cellular reception really crappy.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
It could work on any other carrier not using that 1900mhz frequency. however with the 850mhz switch that ATT is attempting to go 100% with it could be feasible..
April 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
ipodTouch 2nd Gen is already a uni-body design, it has only two components: glass front and chrome else where. I wonder why the above suggested design is needed. iphone do need fair amount of plastic (insulated material)for radio. Ipod classic is makes sense, as mention in the patent application, iphone can be uni-body (non-metal or conductor) by making minor tweaks
April 10th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
This is beautiful!!!! Even though it’s just a concept, It’s great. I would stand in line again for 4 hours to get this.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Possible, won’t be titanium though, but aluminum like the Macbooks and iMac. They will need to address the radio reception issues that aluminum causes. I think the iChat camera and replaceable battery won’t happen. Won’t have a standard headphone jack, instead a similar jack like on the new iPod Nano. Some rounded corners to eliminate the sharp edges and it could be a winner. One question I have is how would it feel in your hand? The current model has a slight curve on the back that gives a comfortable feel as you cradle it in your hand. This design would lose that. Is Apple willing to give that up? Maybe like on the iMac the aluminum provides the “frame” and the back is curved plastic. This would address both the radio and cradling issues at once. Hmm, I think it might simplify the milling issues too.
Carl
April 11th, 2009 at 6:09 am
I hate it. it looks to skinny and uncomfortable I would only get it if it had better battery life and they better have a black one.
April 11th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Some of you people don’t seem to understand that the concept illustrated above wasn’t designed by Apple, but rather by someone who has no hope of ever working for Apple.
April 11th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Well, I love all the new hardware features but I think this is a huge under statement to iPhone 3G they might as well go back to first Generation. They said they made iPhone 3G curvy because it felt better in your hand, then they design this box. They said they decided to use plastic this time because it allows 3G then they wonna use metal again. It doesn’t even look like Apple designed it, what happen to the curvy shinny 3G. And I really don’t think a removable battery is a very good idea. And to be honus I don’t think this design will ever hit the stores.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Wow… I just almost drooled. Thinking of the thinness, fit and finish, and the **** makes me feel like I’m gonna spew out buckets of saliva over a phone.
It’s a damn phone! Why am I so obsessed with this idea?
May 5th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
@article- The concept art looks cool… but I would never wish for one of these over Apple’s current offerings. If they could make an aluminum iPhone/iPod that’s sleeker, more streamlined and not quite so industrial-looking, then I’ll shell over $300