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iPhone 6 Cases Show Rumored New Look in Plastic & Silicon

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A new collection of iPhone 6 cases show what Apple’s new smartphone may look like based on the latest rumors, and line up with changes predicted by the man who accurately shared many iPhone 5s details ahead of the 2013 release.

This new series of iPhone 6 cases come right after alleged iPhone 6 photos showed a front plate for an iPhone with a larger display and photos from a convention in Hong Kong revealed engineering samples from a case maker that is using  slab of metal to test the fit of iPhone 6 cases.

One thing that these previous leaks, and these new iPhone 6 cases have in common is a design that is large enough to fit a 4.7-inch display. Apple is keeping as much of the iPhone 6 design and details as possible under wraps, but the most reported iPhone 6 rumor is that Apple is going to upgrade to a 4.7-inch display on one iPhone 6 model this year.

New iPhone 6 cases appear showing rumored design changes including a power button on the side.

New iPhone 6 cases appear showing rumored design changes including a power button on the side.

As expected, once the rumors start to firm up case makers are now working up initial runs of iPhone 6 cases based on leaks and rumors. These are not the big name case makers that sell in Best Buy. These are more likely iPhone 6 cases that will show up at mall kiosks for $5 or on eBay with shipping direct from China. While the major case companies will work on case designs and prototypes based on rumors, normally they don’t start a production run this early.

In 2011 a case company gambled on an iPhone case for a new iPhone with a larger screen and a new design, making 50,000 cases that ended up tucked away in a warehouse after Apple didn’t announce a new iPhone with a larger display.

Read: 9 iPhone 6 Rumors You Need to Read

While the iPhone 6 case shown below offer a look at new design details, it is possible that Apple’s design is not complete or rumors are not correct. Keep in mind that this is an example of how an iPhone 6 might look based on rumors, but it is not solid enough to suggest that this is definitively what the iPhone 6 will look like.

These iPhone 6 cases come from nowhereelse.fr, which is a continual source of Apple leaks as we push into the iPhone 6 rumor cycle. It is worth noting that the publication does not have a track record with this manufacturer.

An iPhone 6 case shows a new power button design and a larger size.

An iPhone 6 case shows a new power button design and a larger size.

This group of iPhone 6 cases show a larger design, which is needed to deliver a screen that is nearly an inch larger. In the image above we see a mock-up inside the iPhone 6 case with a larger display and smaller side bezels. This is not a working iPhone 6 prototype, rather a piece of plastic or cardboard to show what it may look like.

When it comes to the actual design of the case we see one rumored design change. The volume buttons sport a new oval shape, but remain dedicated buttons, and the power button is on the right side of the iPhone instead of on the top. Oval volume buttons may be a switch to accommodate a thinner iPhone, with rumors suggesting a 6.5mm to 7mm thick iPhone. The current iPhone is 7.6mm thick and going thinner would prove problematic for volume buttons at the current size.

By shifting a power button to the right side Apple would make it easier to reach this button on a larger device. Samsung uses this layout for the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5, which makes it easier to turn the device on than a button on the top of the device. The HTC One M8 power button is on the top, which makes it hard to hit with one-hand use. The HTC One is much taller than other devices thanks to the front facing speakers, and HTC includes a gesture to wake the device up without touching the power button.

This photo shows an iPhone 6 case designed on rumors of what the new iPhone will look like.

This photo shows an iPhone 6 case designed on rumors of what the new iPhone will look like.

This new iPhone 6 button layout matches up with a report from Ming-Chi Kuo in early April. In a report to investors Kuo details the major changes to the iPhone 6 that he believes Apple will implement based on supply chain sources. Kuo predicted many of the iPhone 5s features ahead of the release. While he is not perfect, his reports are more reliable than most leaks.

In his report Kuo suggests Apple will push the power button to the right side of the device. This will be part of a plan to keep the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 positioned as a device that is one-hand friendly. Other design changes include smaller bezels to keep the width of the device in check.

In addition to an iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display Apple is reportedly working on a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 that could arrive later in the year as a device intended to be used with two hands. This would still be smaller than an iPad mini and would act as a phone. This larger device could help Apple compete with the Galaxy Note 4 that Samsung is reportedly planning for the fall.

Read: Should You Buy the iPhone 5s or Wait for the iPhone 6?

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 release is rumored for September with iOS 8, optical image stabilization on the camera and a new Apple A8 processor. One report also suggests Apple will add NFC support to the iPhone 6 to enable mobile payments.

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