More iPhone 5 Cases Say iOS 5 Smartphone Is Thinner, Wider & Longer

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We’ve seen plenty of iPhone 4S/5 cases this week and we have more examples to show you, which means iPhone accessories manufacturers are either aware of how the new iPhone will look like or they’re simply firing blinds hoping to get some buzz out of the whole deal.

9to5mac has more images of such iPhone 5 cases and they suggest, yet again, some important design changes for the upcoming iOS 5 smartphone. Besides the new mute switch location and the thinner profile, which are features we’ve seen in previous leaks, today we hear that the new iPhone is supposed to be longer and wider than the iPhone 4. These cases measure 5-inch in height and 2.8-inch in width, which is, in both cases half inch more than those characteristics of the iPhone 4 (height 4.5 inches and width 2.31 inches.)

Such dimensions would support previous reports and rumors that suggested the iPhone 5 will sport a larger 3.7- to 4-inch edge-to-edge display. Some argued that Apple could maintain the form factor of the iPhone 4 and still offer a larger display without modifying the size of the device. This would be achieved by reducing the bezel but Apple has one more problem to deal with in case it wants the iPhone 5 to also be thinner than the iPhone 4 and that’s usable interior space. Add to that the curvy back and we’ll understand why the company may want to make the new iPhone half inch wider and longer: battery life. The new device has to be able to offer a decent charge no matter how it ends up looking like. At the same time, with the increase of the height and width the diagonal of the display would also increase, to up to 4 inches and even beyond that.

Another reason to increase the size of the iPhone is to bring it on par with its main Android rivals. After all, size does matter too and I’m not talking about numbers on a paper but by actual, in-store, physical comparison between the iPhone and a rival (see above the iPhone 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S II comparison from MWC 2011). Let’s look at some of the main iPhone 5 competitors already out there and we’ll list screen size, height, width and depth for each one:

• Samsung Galaxy S II: 4.3-inch display, 4.93 x 2.60 x 0.33 inches
• HTC EVO 3D: 4.3-inch display, 5 x 2.59 x 0.46 inches
• Motorola Droid Bionic: 4.3-inch display, 4.95 x 2.63 x 0.52 (according to the previous specification list, but they could change by the time gets official)
• Motorola Droid X2: 4.3-inch display, 5.01 x 2.58 x 0.39 inches
• HTC Sensation 4G: 4.3-inch display, 4.96 x 2.57 x 0.44

I could select other 4.3-inch smartphones from the lot available out there but I guess the point I was trying to make it’s pretty clear; should today’s new images portray actual iPhone 4S/5 cases then the diagonal of the device could measure anywhere from 3.7- to 4.3-inches. Anyone interested in a much bigger iPhone? Would you rather choose a different mobile platform than iOS 5 for your next handset?