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Rumor: Apple to abandon glass back for aluminum on iPhone 5

aluminum caseNow that the hungry masses have gotten a look at the iPad 2, onto the iPhone 5 rumors! There’s a new morsel originating from China’s Economic Daily News, saying that Apple will forego the glass casing of the iPhone 4 and return to the aluminum backing of the original model. According to Japanese blog Macotakara, which printed the news (via Google translation): “Decision to design similar to iPod Touch instead of using glass is supposed that Apple seems to stop problems which are told widely damages from scratching, difficulties of panting white and weight of glass.”

The remodel may also get Apple on the good side of Consumer Reports. Reverting to the aluminum chassis means Apple would be reworking the antenna as well, and wouldn’t face the same roadblocks it did with creating a white iPhone 4. The phone would also be lighter and possibly slimmer than the previous model, more closely resembling the iPad 2 than the iPhone 4. And of course, it wouldn’t be prone to scratches like the current device.

The report also says the iPhone 5 will include the A5 processor and is on Apple’s regular release schedule, meaning we should see the iPhone 5 this coming June or July. And around that time, you can cue the iPad 3 rumors to reach full swing.

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Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
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