iPhone 5

There have been a lot of conflicting rumors this week about the unannounced iPhone 5 and its so far imaginary new NFC feature, including that it wouldn't have said imaginary feature, it would indeed have it, and it would have it and then some. Dizzy yet? You will be...

The Independent first said iPhone 5 (which doesn't yet exist) wouldn't have NFC (which Apple has never announced):

"The new iPhone will not have NFC, Apple told the operators it was concerned by the lack of a clear standard across the industry." Yet Apple is understood to be working on its own NFC proposition, which would link payments through iTunes. It hopes to introduce the technology in a handset likely to be released next year.

So we'll have to wait for iPhone 6 (which also doesn't yet exist) to NFC? Not so fast says Forbes, which cites a friend of an entrepreneur (no names!):

9to5Mac says a source at Foxconn -- Apple's Shenzhen based manufacturer -- has sneaked them some details about iPhone 5, namely it keeping the same form factor as iPhone 4 but switching the back glass for metal and bumping up the screen size.

Although some reports claim the iPhone 5 will adopt a curved metal back, our source says models have been floating around with a flat metal back. The material of this metal is unspecified. Our brains say aluminum but our hearts wonder if this could be Liquid Metal.

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Severely sleep deprived Rene and Georgia discuss iPhone 5, more white iPhone rumors, iOS 4.3 features and bugs, Bon Jovi, and how we use our iPhones. Plus, your questions answered! This is iPhone Live!

Show notes and all the week's iPhone news after the break!

Despite recent rumors, NFC (Near Field Communication) may not be included in the iPhone 5, according to UK newspaper The Independent. The information apparently comes from sources at several of the largest UK mobile operators. They claim that Apple disclosed in meetings that it would not be included as Apple had concerns over the lack of a clear standard across the industry. NFC is an RFID-related technology that allows for secure, close range data transfer including but not limited to payment information.

Another iPhone 5 rumor has surfaced overnight and again it is emanating from a Chinese site that claims to have some engineering diagrams of the iPhone 5.

The images resemble the current iPhone 4 with the exception of the screen. The screen appears larger and takes up most of the front face with an extremely slim bezel. The images do resemble a previous leak of the front panel which many claimed were fake.

We just got what appears to be mold engineering drawings for iPhone 5. These would be used by case designers to create plastic, TPU, aluminum, silicone and leather cases. A while back we hear rumors that iPhone 5 would have a curved back but these images show iPhone 5 with the same form factor as iPhone 4 but with an edge to edge screen.

It is certainly not unusual for case manufacturers to receive information in advance of a new Apple product launch. We have recently seen iPad 2 information leaked in a similar way and turn out to be accurate.

We don’t know if this is real at this stage but the idea of a larger screen in a similar sized form factor is very appealing. There are a few more images after the break; take a look, then let us know what you think? Would you like a larger screen without a dramatic increase in the size of the device?

[iDeals China via MacRumors]

MIC Gadget, the folks who brought you the Steve Jobs action figure, have gotten their hands on what might have been a 64GB iPhone 4 prototype leaked from the factories of Foxconn. Whether or not Apple was testing a 64GB iPhone 4 for potential release and whether or not they'll provide a 64GB option for iPhone 5 this summer is unknown.

Would you want it?

[MIC Gadget via 9to5Mac]

According to a translated Chinese source (I know, a little sketchy to say the least) the iPhone 5 will revert to an aluminum back panel, in place of the latest generation's entire glass affair. The picture above is a concept however we would expect Apple to also provide a flash for the camera!

The source claims that Apple will dump the glass panel due to problems with scratching, breaking and the weight of the panel. The iPhone 5 is claimed to more resemble the latest iPod touch design. The original iPhone also had an aluminum rear panel and many still believe this model had the best build quality.

Just like the original iPad debuted with an Apple A4 chip, iPad 2 is coming with an Apple A5 chip. What does that mean? In typical fashion Apple has been short on details saying only that it's dual-core, 1GHz, 2x faster for computational tasks and 9x faster for graphics, all while preserving the 10 hour battery life that made the A4 famous. They don't think we need to worry about what CPU or GPU they're using and how much RAM is on board to let that power breathe. But here's the thing -- many of us want to know exactly that.

This is the chip that will also power the 2011 iPhone 5, iPod touch 5, and Apple TV. We want answers. We can handle answers! So... stick with us after the break for everything we know about the new Apple A5 chip... and what we can guess.

A supposed image of an iPhone 5 part has appeared on Chinese reseller’s website. The image in question looks like the digitizer panel for the iPhone 5. The design is similar to the one used on the current iPhone 4 however it appears to have a larger screen. These assumptions however are not scientific as no measurements have been released with the image.