Shocker: iPhone 5 almost identical in design to your iPhone 4/4S

There’s been a lot of hoopla in the weeks building up to the next Wednesday’s massive event that Apple’s next iPhone won’t be radically different to the existing iPhone 4/4S form factor, much to the delight of fans the world over (or horror, depending on where you’re standing).

Our own little poll suggested that people continue to be torn over the issue of the iPhone 5 design. Nearly 55 percent of respondents voted for the leaked design featuring an all-metal backplate with plastic bands at the top and bottom for wireless and cellular antenna, in addition to the relocated headphone jack and a miniaturized dock connector. The remaining 45 percent said the design looked fugly as hell.

If you’ve been keeping your fingers crossed for a last-minute surprise from Apple, here comes a shocker: a new credible report reaffirms claims that the next iPhone won’t look a whole lot different to the iPhone 4/4S form factor, sans a couple cosmetic changes and the two-tone thing on the back…

The increasingly reliable iMore editor Rene Ritchie, who correctly predicted the next week’s iPhone 5 presser, has the story:

iMore has learned that recent parts leaks and dummy phones are accurate representations of what the new iPhone (iPhone 5,1) will look like when Apple announces it on September 12, 2012.

Surprised?

There’s more:

Almost identical in design to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the major visible differences will include a 4-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a metallic plate across most the back, and a miniaturized Dock connector and relocated 3.5mm headset jack along the bottom.

The man says this information comes “from sources who have been reliable in the past”.

Still, one has to ask oneself what are the odds that the next iPhone looks nothing like the leaked two-tone design.

Chances are slim, Richie observes:

Conspiracy theories have been floated suggesting Apple is deliberately leaking false parts or a discarded prototype to create a bigger surprise come September 12. If that’s the case, they’re spending a lot of time, effort, and money, and doing it at an incredible scale.

Apple isn’t concerned with making the newest looking phone. They’re concerned only with making the best phone.

I’m with Richie.

Considering that literally all leaks point to a two-tone thing, I think it’s fairly safe to say that it would be next to impossible for Apple to keep any radical design departure in total secrecy, especially this late in the game.

As for me, I hope it looks radically different to the iPhone 4/4S and nothing like the leaked two-tone design, but I’m afraid it’s gonna be just that – almost identical in design to the iPhone 4/4S.

Is this where you’re standing as well?

I’d bet my shirt that you, too, were expecting a total revamp for this year’s iPhone, especially after the nearly unchanged iPhone 4S design and last year’s talk of a teardrop-shaped iPhone.

Disappointed?