Additional evidence that the iPhone 5 will have an edge-to-edge screen surfaced over the weekend in the form of a case manufactured by Chinese firm Kulcase.
Per Electronista, which found the case listed on Alibaba.com, the listing describes it as a “crystal case for Apple iPhone 5g”.
Images of the case include a mock up of the iPhone 5, which has an edge-to-edge screen on the front, with the rear of the device showing that the camera lens and flash have been moved to opposite corners of the device.
While the iPhone 5 is expected to be the same size as the iPhone 4, this is not the first time that rumours of a larger screen have come to light and an edge-to-edge display would enable Apple to increase screen size while keeping the chassis the same size.
Going back to the camera lens and flash, the mockups appeared to show that the camera lens would remain on the top left of the back of the device, while the flash would move to the top right hand side.
Further evidence that this could be the case appeared on the Apple.pro website over the weekend, which published photographs of what it claims are various different camera components for the next-generation iPhone.
The iPhone 5’s rear-facing camera component does not have an LED flash next to it, as it does on the iPhone 4, suggesting that the flash will indeed be moved to elsewhere on the device.
Though misleading mock-ups and fake components for future Apple products have been seen in the past, the edge-to-edge screen has been mentioned several times in iPhone 5 reports, so it would be surprising not to see it on the iPhone 5 when it launches.
At this point, a June launch for the iPhone 5 handset is regarded as unlikely, with September or perhaps even early 2012 more realistic.
However, contradictory reports about the next-generation iPhone emerged late last week, suggesting that rather than the iPhone 5, the name is likely to be the iPhone 4S. While analyst Peter Misek of Jefferies & Co thinks that it will have an A5 chip, this will be the only significant spec change.
Misek made no mention of an edge-to-edge screen or NFC capabilities and as such the iPhone 4S will be little more than an incremental upgrade, hence the name.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.