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These iPhone 6 renders show design details that physical mockups ignore [Gallery]

For months, physical mockups, display components, front covers, and schematics for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 have leaked on the web. However, the physical reconstructions and diagrams simply do not do the potential design of the redesigned smartphone justice. Based on recent reports and earlier part leaks, designer Mark Pelin has created a set of iPhone 6 design renders that might just be the clearest and nicest looking view of the potential phone. You can see the full image gallery below from Pelin:

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Comments

  1. Richard Everson - 10 years ago

    I’m starting to like it. It’s warming up to me

  2. I still don’t like those inserts in the end caps, and/or the size of the fillers between the gaps… I don’t know what it is… but i just don’t like it!!

    • Wassim Jabi - 10 years ago

      If you cut the aluminium in that fashion the two pieces at each end fall out! So, I think it will NOT be bands around aluminium but a band that expands into a glass surface much like the current models. They are just avoiding the curved edges. That would look a LOT better than what these renders show. I predict the top (around the camera) and the bottom will be glass pieces with two rounded corners and two sharp corners that blend into the two bands as before.

    • Alex Is Hurt Ado - 10 years ago

      looks like underwear!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Seth Weintraub - 10 years ago

    Thank goodness for all of these mockups, I’m starting to like this design after all

    • Exactly the same here.

      • verizon2828 - 10 years ago

        LOVING this new design!! Hopefully the antenna lines will be a little more blended in but everything else looks great. Maybe they’ll have another surprise up their sleeve on the front display with bevels, edges, etc.

  4. Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

    See the black fully lines on the back? Steve Jobs would never allow that. And there are plenty of people at Apple that want to carry his vision forward. So, expect any such antenna gaps not to be colored to contrast the back case, but instead compliment it so they will be less discernible.

    • Kyle Crysel - 10 years ago

      lol, you knew steve?

    • Do you remember with the iPhone 4 and the antenna’s (not too sure what the plural of antenna is, so don’t kill me if that’s wrong…) on the metal band around the phone? In the 2010 WWDC when it was announced Steve Jobs commented on the media coverage of the bands from before (as the phone was leaked considerably) saying how they were against Apple’s philosophy, yet they served a useful purpose and were kept. This shows how if there’s a use for a design quirk apple would still use it even if it’s not so aesthetically pleasing. I can’t think of a reasons why they would exist though.

      • dcj001 - 10 years ago

        William Stuart said:

        “This shows how if there’s a use for a design quirk apple would still use it even if it’s not so aesthetically pleasing.”

        This does not show anything. Everything on this page is speculation.

      • Jassi Sikand - 10 years ago

        Yet those bands were made to be less contrasting and more complimenting than the leaks showed. Bruno is not saying that Apple would not put the bands across the phone, but that those lines would not contrast nearly as much with the the back of the phone as these renders and past leaks suggest. The ones on the 4 did not look ugly (unlike these) and so I don’t expect the ones on the real 6 to be either. Honestly, I never really liked the rounded edges, and I loved when Apple moved away from them and went to straight edges b/c the original/3G/3GS never fit my hands properly. I regret to say that more than likely, if the 6 is going to be like those, but thinner, then I will end up buying an 5S.

      • bb1111116 - 10 years ago

        from Jassi Sikand;

        “I never really liked the rounded edges, and I loved when Apple moved away from them and went to straight edges b/c the original/3G/3GS never fit my hands properly. I regret to say that more than likely, if the 6 is going to be like those, but thinner, then I will end up buying an 5S.”

        The Galaxy 5S also has rounded edges.

      • It’s antenne… at least in Italian :)

      • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

        @Claudio

        In US English, antennae is the plural for antenna as it applies to insects, et al, whereas antennas is typically used for signal transmitting/receiving apparatuses.

    • Shawn Castator - 10 years ago

      What I’ve read on apple insider is that the black bands are actually just place holders for glass. So it may not look anything like this in the actual product.

      • Joe - 10 years ago

        This. I love how all the mockups have these black lines and someone (who has insider knowledge) came out and pretty much said, “Yeah…those black lines are just placeholders. They won’t actually be there.”

    • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

      There are an awful lot of commentors who think they have personal insight into what Steve Jobs would or wouldn’t have done.

  5. I have never seen such an ugly design, not just from Apple, but from any other company. Coming from Apple is even worst. I cannot believe Apple would do this. Its just impossible.

    • Justin Houser - 10 years ago

      It’s too bad that you hate Mark’s work so much. I’m sure he did his best.

      All said, it is extremely unlikely that Apple would run with an independent person’s design. So I agree with you – it is pretty much unthinkable that Apple would build a device that included Mark’s design.

    • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

      Geez, calm down, drama queen.

  6. Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

    Damned auto-correct. “fully” in my last post should be “fugly”

  7. Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

    Also, the latest leaks show thinner side bezels and chamfered/rounded edges on the surface glass.

  8. FAME - 10 years ago

    The antenna now breaks into 4 parts, likely they’ve added additional frequencies – my guess is radio and nfc (doubtful of nfc but what else could it be?).

    • Stetson - 10 years ago

      This has the same number of breaks as the iPhone 5/5S, except that the glass sections are replaced with metal. Besides cellular there also need to be antennas for WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

      • charilaosmulder - 10 years ago

        No, this one has more breaks than the iPhone 5. The 5 has the metal devided in 3 separate parts, 2 of which serve as antennas (the top and bottom ones). The 6 has 5 separate parts, something which I cannot understand. The insulation lines above the camera and close to the lightning connector seem to be useless, unless we’re going to see even more wireless technologies that need more separate antennas.

      • Stetson - 10 years ago

        The iPhone 5’s back is divided into the following sections:

        1: Top aluminum U-shape
        2: Top glass panel
        3: Middle aluminum body
        4: Bottom glass panel
        5: Bottom aluminum U-shape

        This design just replaces the two glass panels with aluminum panels with some insulation between them.

    • Marc Plus (@stakwild) - 10 years ago

      According to the leaked CAD renders (which 9to5mac seems to forget about) the whole back is one piece (including the part inside the antenna lines).

      There would be only three metal parts for the case :

      1. Top (cell antenna #1)
      2. Bottom (cell antenna #2)
      3. Back and sides

      Some of the other antennas would go behind the Apple logo, and some inside the thick plastic isolation (which goes around and outside the back shell).

      • verizon2828 - 10 years ago

        Wasn’t an extra antenna needed to do voice over LTE or something?

  9. Alex Kaess - 10 years ago

    I think this is probably closer to the real design; however, i’m thinking that the antenna windows will be the same color as the lines, rather than matching the rest of the aluminum back. Meaning it will be closer to the current iPad LTE where the antenna windows are more of a cut out than taking up the entire top and bottom like on the iPhone 5.

  10. dvinder42 - 10 years ago

    hideous. and I don’t believe it. why not fill in between the lines with black glass a la iP5/5S?

  11. WRONG- there’s no curved glass :) 👍

  12. Steve Krason - 10 years ago

    Those lines will not be on the final product. C’mon. You really think Ivy would allow that? Never.

  13. Manuel Liano (@Mliano) - 10 years ago

    Those black lines…?? WTF…

  14. Mikee Catacutan - 10 years ago

    I’ve been a naked iphone user since day 1. If those hideous thick lines are there I’ll definitely be using a case.

  15. Imho even with these renders it’s still the ugliest iPhone ever

    • I think the original iPhone design was pretty awful without rose tinted spectacles it really is pretty bad. The metal and the plastic really clashed and it didn’t feel that good to hold.

  16. Marc Plus (@stakwild) - 10 years ago

    Some people are in denial here (and I’m not talking only about the commenters).

    What’s harder to fake, detailed CAD renderings and a matching physical device (not the mock-ups, the recent “iPhone 6 body” video leak) or a textual report from a Japanese newspaper?

    The iPhone 6 will likely look like what we’ve seen before, with the thick antenna bands, you’ll have to accept it instead of trying to convince you otherwise with unproven reports.

    I see a lot of people taking industrial design too lightly and take miniaturisation for granted. Just because some guy can make a render that looks “better” than the Apple design doesn’t mean it would be a feasible and practical design in practice.

    After the iPhone 4 leak tons of people said it was “horrendous looking” and “very un-Apple-like”, the same thing happened after the iPhone 5 case leaks, and this is repeating again with the iPhone 6.

  17. Sergio Isaac - 10 years ago

    The Bezels are still too big on top, bottom and specially sides !!! I hope thats not the final design cause those huge bezels will kills the smooth design !!!

  18. 1 -. Antenna lines to be the same color of metal, they will not stand out as these renders.
    2 – The screen glass melt in the same curve the edges.
    3 – It will be a beautiful iPhone 6.

  19. Barry Le Bombe - 10 years ago

    That looks terrible. No one would want to be seen pulling that out of their pocket. It looks like actual rubber bands on the top and bottom. I haven’t seen a top tier Android phone that looked this bad.

  20. Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

    If those making the renders actually filled in the area where the glass goes and made it black like new rumors are saying.. then it’d look like art. Supposedly those originals sent to case mfg were just to mark WHERE the antenna were so they knew what not to block with various cases being designed as well as were basic buttons, screen, speakers, etc were. The silly outline thing is just that.

    It’s almost certain they will have a similar black back area just like the iPhone 5 and 5s. Possibly sapphire covered or glass.. who knows.. but it won’t be that silly outline showing off the antenna.. LOL!

    • Alex Kaess - 10 years ago

      I agree with you… I’ve done couple of rough photoshops to help everyone visualize

      http://s27.postimg.org/eee59h42b/i_Phone_6_render_rear_revised.jpg

      http://s17.postimg.org/3ydipbprj/iphone_6_render_top_revised.jpg

    • Marc Plus (@stakwild) - 10 years ago

      Hopefully Apple is done with putting glass parts on the back.

      I know people that think Apple put these to make the iPhone easy to break, to achieve “planned obsolescence”. Since the iPhone 4, the iPhone has gained the reputation of being too easy too break and I suspect it hurts their sales. It’s anecdotal, but it’s not hard to imagine that a lot of people think like this, especially after the “Cracking the Apple trap” article that went mainstream and some viral videos I’ve seen make the rounds on Facebook.

      I predict that the iPhone 6 will be touted as being very durable. The curved half-pipe shape on the sides is the strongest shape possible to prevent bending (like it can happen the 5) and the thick antenna lines could have the double duty of being shock-absorbant, especially where they are placed (at the corners).

      There’s no evidence of the lines being just markers for case makers, but there are very detailed CAD renderings that clearly show them being part of the case design.

      • Justin Houser - 10 years ago

        First, the glass back of the iPhone 4/4S was prone to cracking. Fortunately, great inexpensive aftermarket parts were available very inexpensively.

        As for the iPhone 5 bending? Never saw or heard of that one, and I worked in an apple shop for a very long time. It sounds like one of those rumors to generate ad views.

      • Seth Whaley - 10 years ago

        Justin,

        My iPhone 5S bent inside of my case… The phone looked perfectly fine when I went to bed and then when I woke up it was bent on one side quite substantially. Thankfully, Apple stands behind their product and I was able to get a free replacement.

  21. Griraj Singh Bains - 10 years ago

    For how long is apple planning to play the thinner and taller design strategy .. Since iphone 4 it’s just been thin and tall, where is that WOW factor, now it’s all old technologies in new phone.. And is it worth buying “iphone6” if that’s what they are going to call it , knowing the “iphone6s” is going to be the exact phone with all or most the hardware and software issues fixed and some more features. No wonder this company has so much money stashed up , all their R&d is basically free. They launch an unfinished phone find out out what’s wrong with it and fix most of it and then launch a new one with “s” in the end. It’s like the “s” is for sucker I gottya. Hahaha no matter what I might end up getting one again.

  22. rogifan - 10 years ago

    Sorry, I don’t think this render does anything justice either. Can rumor sites please STOP posting mock ups already! Who cares what some graphic designer thinks the new iPhone might look like?!?

  23. Onion Rovirosa - 10 years ago

    i just wanted to look like a mature ipod touch or metallic iphone 5c.

    I never liked the iphone 4-5 square lines.

  24. RP - 10 years ago

    Nope. These renders do nothing. Black antenna bands on silver? Like the stylish stripes on 70’s tube socks or retro 70’s gym shorts? While we are at it, how about an iPhone with faux wood paneling and beige plastic trim?

    • thebums66 - 10 years ago

      It could be a turd as long as it has the Apple logo I’m buying it. Everything just works.

      • rettun1 - 10 years ago

        So your that guy that all apple haters have been referencing. Good to know

  25. acslater017 - 10 years ago

    The latest leaks from Mac Otakara seemed to indicate that the bright silver body would be paired with white bands, which look far less intrusive.

    There’s got to be more than what we’re seeing here. In any case, every iPhone ever made has been stunning in person. I doubt the iPhone 6 will be any different.

  26. rettun1 - 10 years ago

    Now THAT i can get into. I really like the mix of the dark lines with the silver metal, compared to the all bright or all dark design of the current phones and iPads. Takes me back to the OG iPhone… :) *sigh*

  27. Wow Looks Good, will look even better in Space Gray.

  28. /Users/MASCIOCCHI/Desktop/8mp_iphone6_render_back2.jpg

    The actual form of this phone seems really beautiful to me… largely rectilinear, with curves in just the right places. Sadly, these antenna lines detract strongly from that beautiful shape. I’m sure that if it is real, it is definitely a “form follows function” decision. Still, I think I’d rather those top and bottom shapes simply fill in with the antenna color like the 5S, rather than trying to be aluminum.

  29. You want me to believe this ugly design is true? They got Jony Ive at the helm. I bet they make those antenna bands/lines much thinner to fit overall look.

  30. tuvatech - 10 years ago

    I… hate it. I hate those black lines on the back of it. I hated iPhone 5 and 5S for the back design too. Why can’t the back of it look like 4S or the new iPod Touch? The latest iPod Touch is so beautiful with its simple and solid color back. I want simplicity and beauty, not some stupid ”lets make it look different this time” sort of thing. I miss Steve Jobs – he would have told Jony to get sober and lose those stupid lines. Huhhh!

  31. Carlos Bcn - 10 years ago

    There’s no way I’ll ever like those lines on the back. Never, ever.
    I hope Apple actually leaked those schematics and mockups/parts on purpose to keep the real deal secret.
    September cannot come quick enough to find out!

  32. But we know it WILL have fat lines – we’ve seen the case including the internal structure. We don’t know what colour material they will be.

    The reason they are wide is they are no longer breaks between antenna – they ARE the antenna (windows actually). So they’ll be plastic or maybe liquid metal

  33. Sebastian Rasch - 10 years ago

    That’s not better at all. Same nonsense with the straps along the borders.

  34. taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

    Can everyone stop saying the panels on the iPhone 5 are glass, only the black model is glass and the white is ceramic. I prefer the ceramic since it is more scratch resistance. I hope Apple doesn’t go with this back plate design. I always keep my iPhones nude, but would have to buy a case if the back plate ends up like the mockups

    • Rob Smits (@rwismits) - 10 years ago

      I agree. Ever since the first mock-up and also after seeing this render I’m thinking this will be the first iPhone that I will have to put in a case to hide it’s hideous back. I cannot get used to it.

  35. André Kura - 10 years ago

    You have to color the antenna “windows” with black glas – then you’ll see the next iPhone!

  36. confluxnz - 10 years ago

    Still looks ugly, I won’t be buying that.. I guess we’ll just have to wait another 2 months to see if this in fact what Apple release. I for one hope it’s not.

  37. Just another set of guesswork renders.

    There’s no way Apple will release something that looks like this. So far they are doing a good job at keeping the final Industrial Design secret, and keeping us all guessing.

  38. Joe Legakis (@joelegakis) - 10 years ago

    really, I wanted the iPhone to be made of plastic. Like the 5C but in nice colors, and high end internals and the latest tech. Oh and waterproof.

  39. macnatico - 10 years ago

    This one looks much better, and closer to what I think it will look like: http://thetechblock.com/iphone-6-concept-images-based-latest-rumors/

  40. André Hedegaard Petersen - 10 years ago

    Wow, I’m sorry to say, but this “design” is really horrible. It just goes to show why this designer that made the mock ups dosen’t work for Apple.
    I mean, who in their right mind, would make SUCH a terrible antenna banding? Its really awful.
    The world still amazes me with how people can have such atrocious tastes in life!

    • Mark (@MarksTehTwitz0r) - 10 years ago

      Maybe 9to5mac should have specified it more clearly, so I’m going to reply once to explain the idea behind these renders.

      I did NOT CREATE THIS “design”. I simply took everything what we have seen so far (dummy models, leaked information about the antenna design not being final) and created the most beautiful visualisation I could of it. If it was up to me, there would be quite a few changes to this design. Smaller bezels, dual tone flash, changes to the antenna banding, etc.

      So again, before you make fun of me, understand what my goal was when making these renders. A lot of people assume this is “my design”, when CLEARLY it’s what’s out there (ever seen the dummy model?). I did not want to create my own concept, I just wanted to visualise what’s actually been seen so far.

      And regarding taste: it’s really a personal thing. Different people have different tastes.

  41. Jonathan Lee - 10 years ago

    I’m always going to want the new iPhone. But I can’t help but feel that the back looks a lot like some of the HTC phones out there.

  42. Reminds me of the original iPhone body type. I did really love that design, so that’s alright by me.

  43. scumbolt2014 - 10 years ago

    Just wait until the REAL iPhone is relaeased to complain about it you dicks.

  44. Cooper Sanborn - 10 years ago

    I’m sure this has been put forward already, but why is it not being more widely speculated that the cutouts are intended to be glass? Seems to be the most logical explanation to me…

    Is there something about the blueprints that specifically suggests they are to be aluminum?

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/93g6lllwxtzn3ur/glass_cutout.jpg

  45. Michael Pichu - 10 years ago

    Why do all these mockups take a step back and go back to the iPhone 5 single LED Flash? What happened to the dual-LED true tone flash that apple has introduced with the 5S?

  46. Darrin (@DarSea2) - 10 years ago

    Nice job with the tighter lines! This looks much more like a possibility. Does anyone have a rendering with non body colored glass inserts?

  47. Taisir Eldos - 10 years ago

    The dark lines make it less attractive, especially the arc like ones

  48. Darrin (@DarSea2) - 10 years ago

    How about completely black top and bottom caps?

  49. mcmann828 - 10 years ago

    It’s kind an odd for the design just like the previous Iphone 2g for elong shapes at the end. About the border markings at the back I don’t coz it emphasizes the spaces between the end and it bothering for the eyes.