Alas, the alleged photos of the “iPhone 5S” we told you about yesterday are probably fakes. Electronista says they are most likely images from a China-based “iClone” producer.
Though the pictures do resemble the iPhone 5 — right down to a space for a Lightning-like connector — the assembled innards “don’t look like something Apple would build,” according to MacFixIt’s Kyle Weins, AppleInsider reports. A French iOS enthusiast site also says the photos appear to show support for an SD card, casting serious doubt on the photos being from any Apple product. The use of obviously cheaper chips and battery, along with a larger hole for the home button and the poor internal layout appears to mark the units as knock-offs rather than authentic Apple products, even in the prototype stage.
It could be possible that Apple is testing less expensive ways to make a less expensive iPhone to compete with cheaper phones, but Apple Legal hasn’t made any moves to block or take down the photos like it usually does if they’re authentic.
An SD card slot, how could I have missed it? AUGH! A rookie mistake!
