Apple’s rumored mid-tier handset called the iPhone 5C is said to feature a plastic body much like the iPhone 3GS, only sturdier. Using polycarbonate plastic in place of the iPhone 5’s sensitive two-tone aluminum + glass combo should yield some much-needed advancements in the scratch resistance department, as shown in a video posted by Taiwan’s Apple Daily.
The clip also gives us the exact measurements of the iPhone 5C’s rear shell which, despite rocking the same four-inch screen as the current iPhone 5, appears to be just slightly taller and thicker than its high-end counterpart…
Taiwan’s Apple Daily has gone all out conducting a stress test of the purported iPhone 5C shell by shaking it in a plastic bag together with a bunch of keys and coins – the items you’d typically find in your pocket.
The website cites its sources as claiming that the plastic iPhone sports a surface hardness of 8H on the pencil hardness test, or three times stronger than the regular PET film used to protect the iPhone’s display from scratches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcHGhqaPdLc
Another thing to glean from the clip: colors.
If the video is an indication, the iPhone 5C will be offered in red, green, white and blue, matching up previous rumors pretty nicely. There could also be a yellow iPhone 5C variant, according to a recent backplate leak.
As for the dimensions, the rear shell is 59.33mm wide, 124.55mm tall and 8.98mm deep.
This compares to the iPhone 5 which measures 58.6mm wide, 123.8mm tall and 7.6mm deep. The slightly wider and taller and a tad thicker iPhone 5C enclosure could be contributed to the use of polycarbonate plastic instead of aluminum.
The video briefly shows a comparison shot of the iPhone 5 backplate versus the blue iPhone 5S rear shell which we actually spotted earlier today on Sina Weibo (but can’t vouch for its authenticity).
The blog corroborates earlier claims in terms of internals, reiterating the device will include an improved back camera with dual-LED flash for better low-light performance, as well as pretty much the same internals as the iPhone 5 – again, in line with analysts’ expectations of the iPhone 5C replacing the iPhone 5.
Considering the iPhone 5 attracts scratches and dings so easily, the iPhone 5C’s scratch-resistant body and more affordable price should make it a hit with cash-strapped buyers.
Apple should reveal the iPhone 5S and 5C at a media event on September 10.