I’m sure most of you are as tired of iPhone 6 concepts as I am—between rumors of a redesign and the constant barrage of part leaks, designers have had more to work with than years past—but these new mockups from Thomas Moyano and Nicolas Aichino are worth noting.
The images depict Apple’s handset with all of the rumored hardware changes, including the thinner profile, rounded edges and relocated Power button. But there’s one major difference between this design and all of the others we’ve seen thus far: no ugly antenna break lines…
iPhone 6 concept by Thomas Moyano and Nicolas Aichino
It’s hard to trace the exact origin of the antenna breaks that continue to pop up in iPhone 6 physical mockups and concepts, but the earliest reference I could find for this odd design was in this March set of images that allegedly came direct from Foxconn’s iPhone production line.
The breaks, which resemble grout lines between tiles, have since been a mainstay detail in nearly every iPhone 6-related image we’ve seen over the last few months. The reasoning behind the design choice is it ensures the handset’s antennas aren’t hindered by the metal case.
But it’s possible that these breaks are merely serving as guidelines for accessory manufacturers, outlining areas similar to those found on the iPhone 5 and 5s. In a report earlier this week, Nikkei called them “placeholders,” and claimed they wouldn’t be present in production models.
That being said, it’s also possible that the lines are part of the final iPhone 6 design. Remember that many folks were skeptical of the iPhone 5’s two-tone design exposed in pre-announcement leaks before it became official. But if you ask me, the above look is far more plausible.
Anyway, in addition to the redesigned case, the new iPhone is expected to feature larger 4.7 and 5.5-inch display options, faster A8 processor, improved camera, and various other enhancements. And the consensus is that Apple will both unveil and launch the handset in September.
What do you make of this antenna break-free concept?
[Behance]