iPhone 6 Model Brings Rumors Into Reality

New photos of an iPhone 6 mockup show what the iPhone 6 design could potentially look like when the device arrives to replace the iPhone 5s later on this year.

As we push deeper into 2014, we’re starting to hear more and more about what Apple may have planned for consumers. Rumors suggest that we could see new iPads, new MacBook Airs, and a new iPhone that is currently being dubbed iPhone 6. The iPhone 6, above all others, has been leaking out at a furious pace as rumors and leaks attempt to pinpoint Apple’s next iPhone release ahead of time.

iPhone 6 rumors have been steadily leaking for a number of months, teasing everything from the possible iPhone 6 release date to an alleged iPhone 6 design. And while nothing is confirmed, we’re starting to see iPhone 6 details firm up in the months ahead of its rumored release after WWDC in the fall.

In the past two weeks alone, we’ve seen a number of alleged iPhone 6 mockups emerge. The mockups are extremely interesting because they give consumers possible insight into the iPhone 6’s elusive form factor. Today, new photos show an iPhone 6 mockup that looks like it’s based on the same rumored, or inside information that has helped to shape previous iPhone 6 mockups.

The new iPhone 6 mockup comes from Chinese site Baidu and it depicts an iPhone that is virtually identical to the mockups and concepts that we’ve seen emerge in recent weeks. These mockups likely come from accessory manufacturers and while they could be based on inside information it’s possible that they are simply guessing and pulling from the iPhone 6 rumor mill.

While that is still unclear, this new mockup shows a physical model of an iPhone 6 that matches the latest rumors, complete with a look at the new button placement that is supposedly coming with Apple’s larger iPhone.

Like many of these alleged iPhone 6 photos and video leaks, this new mockup does not include any measurements or objects to compare to the size of the device. Even without a clear comparison, this iPhone 6 dummy unit looks thinner than Apple’s iPhone 5s.

iPhone 6 rumors suggest the device will be up to 26% thinner than the iPhone 5s. This means a device that is 6mm to 7 mm thick, compared to the 7.6mm thick iPhone 5s and iPhone 5. A Ukrainian leak points to a 6mm thick design while analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes a 6.5mm to 7mm design is more likely.

Rumors also suggest that the iPhone 6 design could be modeled, at least in part, after the design found on Apple’s iPod touch. This mockup features a similar curved design reminiscent of Apple’s fifth-generation iPod.

Of course, there is always a possibility that this is not 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. The iPhone 5 does not feature anything close to a teardrop design.

Despite Apple’s silence, iPhone 6 rumors continue to emerge and they almost exclusively point to an iPhone 6 with a larger display. Since last year, rumors have pointed to two iPhone 6 models. One model is said to be between 4.5-inches and 4.7-inches in size, similar to the concept seen here. The other iPhone 6 is thought to be somewhere around 5.5-inches or 5.7-inches with HD resolution. If real, it would likely be marketed as a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 competitor.

A recent report from Reuters casts some doubt on a two-pronged iPhone attack in 2014. The report claims that Apple may have delayed the larger iPhone and that it will be the 4.5-inch to 4.7-inch iPhone and that makes an appearance later this year. A more recent report from The Commercial Times suggests that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may have been pushed into 2015.

The biggest iPhone 6 leak of the month comes from Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, shared by MacRumors. Kuo accurately predicted many of last year’s iPhone 5s features and while he is not 100% on rumors, he is considered to be very reliable. Here is how he sees Apple’s iPhone 6 features panning out:

• 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.

A specific iPhone 6 release date remains out of reach but rumors put the device’s release during the fall. Apple’s last iPhone models have launched during the fall. While this doesn’t guarantee an iPhone 6 release in the fall, it does make one likely.

The iPhone 6 is expected to be challenged by a number of new devices including the rumored LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. While the LG G3 could launch this summer, the Galaxy Note 4 is expected to touch down in the fall, possibly in September at IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany.