Rumor: next-gen iPhone in production with all-new design

Craving more information regarding the sixth-generation iPhone? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. A new report is out today, claiming that the highly-anticipated handset has just gone into production.

This would make sense considering all of the next-gen iPhone cases and engineering samples we’ve seen over the past week. But this report claims the device looks different than previously thought…

Macotakara, a Japanese tech blog that has proven accurate in the past, says it has learned from reliable Chinese sources that the new iPhone has just gone into the manufacturing phase.

“Told that my reliable Chinese sources, new iPhone has started Manufacture Phase, then “5 iPhone cases” Are Being leaked at Alibalba.Com. This source Also Told, “iPhone 5 “Been which had leaked in May Were prototype (via 9To5Mac) Design for test, and Producing new iphone has SEVERAL Different Design in detail. The Design, which Were Told by this source, of this new iPhone HAS Blackface Naked partially glass and Aluminum Surface part covered.”

Yeah, it’s a pretty rough translation, courtesy of Google Translate. But what it sounds like is that the back panels that surfaced back in May were early prototypes (which you probably already knew), and the actual iPhone that’s in production right now looks a lot different (which you might not have known).

This is good news for folks who haven’t been really impressed with the leaked components we’ve seen thus far. Although, judging by some of the details, it sounds like the two-tone design will be present on the final handset.

At least we don’t have much longer to wait to find out. Apple is widely expected to unveil its next smartphone at a media event in October, with a redesigned case, larger display and LTE-compatibility.

[iClarified]