Skip to main content

Say hello to the iPhone 6S, leaked images of metal frame reveal no changes

say hello to the iphone 6s leaked images of metal frame reveal no changes chassis 01 crop
9to5Mac
Apple will most likely launch the iPhone 6S this September, and thanks to leaked images of the metal chassis, we know exactly what it will look like … the iPhone 6. The photos were spotted by 9to5Mac.

This certainly isn’t a surprise, since Apple has been on an every-other-year program for redesigns, and last year’s iPhone 6 was a major one. The “S” phones typically look like their predecessors, and this year will be no exception.

The back of the device looks virtually unchanged, right down to the holes for the camera, microphone, and LED flash. Even the space gray color and antenna lines appears unchanged.

iPhone_6S_Leaked_Metal_Chassis_01
9to5Mac

Another aspect worth noting is that since the holes at the rear of the device are unchanged, it means the previously reported dual-camera system won’t be ready for the iPhone 6S, and is most likely destined for the iPhone 7.

Moving to the bottom of the device reveals more of the same. The speaker grill has the same exact six holes, along with the same locations for the headphone, microphone, and lightning ports.

iPhone_6S_Leaked_Metal_Chassis_04
9to5Mac

Although the exterior of the iPhone 6S appears to remain unchanged, Apple typically offers internal hardware upgrades. Those specific improvements haven’t been revealed just yet, but the inside of the frame reveals changes to the mounting points for a new logic board and components.

iPhone_6S_Leaked_Metal_Chassis_03
9to5Mac

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know what other internal hardware upgrades Apple is cooking up from looking at the metal chassis alone, but if past history is any indication, there will be a few. The iPhone 6S is expected to sport the same Force Touch functionality that is on the Apple Watch. Rumors also indicate a full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) display, as well as an upgraded 12-megapixel camera. If those rumors come true, the iPhone 6S will still be a significant upgrade for an “off” year.

Editors' Recommendations

Robert Nazarian
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
Here’s how Apple could change your iPhone forever
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying on its back, showing its home screen.

Over the past few months, Apple has released a steady stream of research papers detailing its work with generative AI. So far, Apple has been tight-lipped about what exactly is cooking in its research labs, while rumors circulate that Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for iPhones.

But there have been a couple of teasers of what we can expect. In February, an Apple research paper detailed an open-source model called MLLM-Guided Image Editing (MGIE) that is capable of media editing using natural language instructions from users. Now, another research paper on Ferret UI has sent the AI community into a frenzy.

Read more
There’s a big problem with the iPhone’s Photos app
The Apple iPhone 15 Plus's gallery app.

While my primary device these days continues to be my iPhone 15 Pro, I’ve dabbled with plenty of Android phones since I’ve been here at Digital Trends. One of my favorite brands of phone has been the Google Pixel because of its strong suite of photo-editing tools and good camera hardware.

Google first added the Magic Eraser capability with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, which is a tool I love using. Then, with the Pixel 8 series, Google added the Magic Editor, which uses generative AI to make edits that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. There are also tools like Photo Unblur, which is great for old photographs and enhancing images that were captured with low-quality sensors.

Read more
Why you should buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max instead of the iPhone 15 Pro
Someone holding an iPhone 15 Pro Max outside on a patio, showing the back of the Natural Titanium color.

If you want the best iPhone money can buy in 2024, you have two options: the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. They have the same chipset, similar display technology, nearly identical cameras, etc. It's a really close battle, save for the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro is $200 cheaper.

It might be tempting to save some cash and choose the iPhone 15 Pro, but I recommend you splurge for the larger (and more expensive) iPhone 15 Pro Max. Why? Let me explain.
It's a big iPhone you won't hate using

Read more