Just as it did last year ahead of the September iPhone 5 debut, Apple has now posted the official schematics detailing the design of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c ahead of their Friday availability.
A pair of documents provide the blueprints for both new iPhones, including the dimensions, button layouts and the so-called keepout areas so accessory and case makers can design their products accordingly.
The iPhone 5s schematics is largely similar to the iPhone 5 due to the design similarities shared between the two handsets. The interesting takeaways include Apple’s requirements regarding the Touch ID sensor and the radio transparent windows related to the iPhone 5c and its tweaked antenna design…
The guidelines available in a PDF document detail the iPhone 5c’s polycarbonate plastic chassis that has a steel-reinforced frame inside which Apple says doubles as a multi-band antenna – a departure from the stainless steel band on the iPhone 4/4S/5.
Notations included for case makers caution against sleeve designs that might interfere with the handset’s functions. Most notably, iPhone 5c cases should include radio transparent windows at the top and bottom of the chassis in order to avoid signal attenuation.
The iPhone 5s schematics
As for the iPhone 5s, the document instructs case makers to avoid using metal that might touch the handset’s chassis – again, in order to prevent signal attenuation with the integrated antennas.
The iPhone 5s keepout area surrounding the Home button must be larger than that on the iPhone 5c to avoid obstructing the all-new Touch ID sensor that includes the steel ring around the Home button.
“Cases that are designed for the iPhone 5s must not inhibit the use of the Touch ID sensor,” the document reads. According to the iPhone 5s web page, the stainless steel ring is used to detect your finger, wake the sensor and improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
Apple’s own cases (see above) follow these principles.
Other case makers such as Otterbox and Moshi put out a bunch of iPhone 5s/5c cases ahead of Friday’s launch that follow Apple’s guidelines.