iPod touch vs. iPhone 6: Photos Show Possible Influence

More alleged iPhone 6 photos depict the familiar mockup next to another Apple device, Apple’s iPod touch, a device that is rumored to have heavily influenced the iPhone 6 design.

iPhone 6 rumors continue to emerge at a breakneck pace, detailing everything from its potential release date to its screen size to its design. More recently, we’ve been inundated with photos of alleged iPhone 6 mockups, models that allegedly show off the iPhone 6’s redesign from the company’s iPhone 5s.

These mockups continue to tease an iPod touch-like design complete with rounded edges and an extremely thin frame. We’ve already seen what the iPhone 6 model looks like next to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 5s and now, Maccitynet shows off what the iPhone 6 could look like next to its possible inspiration, the iPod touch.

New photos show the iPhone 6 mockup next to the fifth-generation iPod touch. From the video and the photos below, it’s easy to get a sense of how the iPod touch’s design might influence the iPhone 6’s. Previous leaks have suggested that the iPhone 6 will look more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 5s and feature a design shift that better aligns the iPhone with the company’s iPad and iPod lines.

This mockup comes with all of the features that we’ve seen on other iPhone 6 mockups. It features a Lightning port, a power button that rests on the side of the device instead of on the top, rounded volume keys, and a much larger footprint that could be the result of Apple installing a larger 4.7-inch display.

The mockup seen here is larger than the 4-inch iPod touch though it’s doesn’t dwarf it. Apple is rumored to be extended the bezels of the iPhone in an effort to keep the size change to a minimum. Apple simply extended the length of the iPhone when it made the switch from 3.5-inches to 4-inches with the iPhone 5.

It’s also extremely thin. The iPod touch is a mere 6mm thick, much thinner than the iPhone 5s which comes with a form factor that measures 7.6mm in size.

Apple leakster Sonny Dickson has claimed that the iPhone 6 may be as thin as 5.5mm. This smaller size could come in part from new display technology that reduces the thickness needed for display backlighting, as shared in a report on LEDInside of TrendForce.

Design rumors also suggest Apple could deliver a new iPhone that is up to 26% thinner than the iPhone 5s. A recent leak from Ukrainian website suggests Apple is aiming for a smartphone as thin as 6mm, but Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities believes a 6.5 – 7mm thickness is easier for Apple to achieve.

In a note shared by MacRumors, Kuo also says that he believes that the iPhone 6 will come with a power button on right and narrower bezels. This lines up with what we see here on this mockup. Kuo accurately predicted many of the iPhone 5s’ features before its launch last September so his information should be considered extremely credible.

These leaked iPhone 6 mockups all look the same and while they could be based on inside information or accurate rumors, there is always a chance that they are not based on the actual iPhone 6 design. In 2012, a leak and sources pointed to a iPhone with a teardrop design and one case company produced a large batch of iPhone cases based on this leak and their sources.

iPhone 6 rumors do, however, point to an iPhone with a larger display. Current rumors point to two different iPhone 6 models. One model is said to be between 4.5-inches and 4.7-inches in size, similar to the mockup seen here. The other iPhone 6 is thought to be somewhere around 5.5-inches or 5.7-inches. Both are said to have full HD resolution.

The biggest iPhone 6 leak so far comes from the well-sourced Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities. He sees the iPhone 6 possessing a number of upgrades including:

• iPhone 6 Screen Size and Resolution – 4.7- inch (1334 x 750) 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080).
• iPhone 6 Release Dates – 4.7-inch in September, 5.5-inch in Holiday season.
• iPhone 6 Design – Power button on right, narrower bezels, larger iPhone 6 as two-hands needed.
• iPhone 6 Camera – No major Megapixel bump, but added image stability.
• iPhone 6 Specs – A8, 1GB RAM, Touch ID, 6.5mm to 7mm thickness, NFC.

iPhone 6 rumors universally point to an arrival this fall though rumors do not agree on exact timing. Reports have suggested that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 could arrive in September with a larger 5.5-inch iPhone coming later or, perhaps, in 2015.

Apple’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c arrived on the same day while the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display had release dates that were weeks apart.

A new report today from The India Times asserts that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 could arrive early in August with a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 release coming in September.