Alright, so lately I've been on this anti-Apple kick (well, not really anti-Apple but anti-iOS 7, really) because I really, truthfully am rather disappointed in the direction Apple went in for the design of iOS 7. Without getting too cliche, to sum up my feelings about it, I feel like iOS 6 and before looked more advanced. iOS 7, on the other hand, was just too much for my taste with the flat and brightly colored desing, not to mention those gradients. The OS itself is still great has a lot of features that are to be admired, but the design is just not my style.
I think another reason I wasn't too keen on going with an iPhone 5s was because the hardware design is still rather similar to the iPhone 4 and 4s, which is something I had thought true of the 5. While the iPhone 5 got rid of the glass back, which I thought was rather impractical for a smartphone design, the overall shape and feel of the device largely remained the same. When you go back a little further and compare the iPhone 4 and 4S models to the iPhone 3GS models, there's a notable difference. I will say, though, that I've always thought the rounded back of the iPhone 3GS was a lot more comfortable compared to the completely flat back and angular sides of the iPhone 4 and 5 models. Perhaps that's why I'm so intrigued by the design of these leaked iPhone 6 images.
I can't lie, I kind of hope these are real, but I can't quite put my finger on why. When I initially saw them, the body design struck me as being beautiful. I'm a sucker for silver, though, and I suppose in a way it reminds me of my beloved HTC One - although I have the black model, the silver model was also remarkably pleasant to look at. These leaked images give off the same vibe; it's polished, and it's shiny. I think I also like that it takes on a bit of a retro iPhone look to it, with a bit of a modern twist. Comparably speaking, the design seen on these iPhone 6 leaks seem to trace back the iPhone's roots, back to the original. The original iPhone, if you remember, also had primarily aluminum backing, and although the device had a flat back, the sides were less boxy than the iPhone 4 and 5 models. As for the modern twist, you'll notice that the device is thin as can be, and the bezels on the either side of the rumored 5.25-inch display are tiiiiiiiny.
But I do have my reserves. On the one hand, you have to realize that it's only February, and Apple usually release their new models once a year sometime in September - or June, at one point. It seems like it's a little early to start seeing iPhone leaks, but at the same time the phones only come out once a year. Where most companies release multiple phones a year, Apple is the only one that only ever releases just one phone (or in last year's case two) a year, so I guess something has to give the other 364 days a year. Another thing that made me question the credibility of this leak is that these leaked photos look eerily similar to recent iPod touch models, so I have to wonder if this is really supposed to be an iPhone 6 mockup or if it's just a misunderstood next gen iPod touch. At the same time, most companies are essentially taking a rolling pin to their phones as each passing generation seems to get larger and thinner, with surprisingly better specs. For that reason, I do have to wonder if this really could be the beginning of the next generation iPhone 6.
That being said, this design isn't anything groundbreaking. It's not like the Oppo N1 with the swiveling camera, or a crazy never-before-seen screen size or something we haven't ever really seen before. That being said, it's still a simple and elegant design, something that Apple devices are somewhat famous for. Also, if the leak is true, this will be the first time in four years that the iPhone doesn't have that same, blocky design. It's an interesting find indeed, and only time will tell whether this is a trustworthy leak or not. I will say, though, that I wouldn't be upset if it turned out to be real. I happen to find this design very attractive, from what I can tell.
Readers, what are your thoughts on the leaked photos? Would you buy an iPhone 6 if it happened to have the leaked design, or do you prefer the iPhone to use a thicker, blocky form like it has with the iPhone 4 and 5 models? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Images via @mornray886
