iPhone 5 form factor

Unlike the iPhone 4S, the new iPhone will be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing as we saw with the iPhone 3G and, later, the iPhone 4.

Beatweek also claimed in November 2011 that the 5-inch was scrapped "because Apple wouldn't be able to do it properly" this year. However, the Daily Mail (make of that what you will) then suggested that a four-inch version was likely and that Sony has already shipped top secret demo screens to Apple.Interestingly, someone who claimed to have seen a larger iPhone 5 prototype said in 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new size and opted for the iPhone 4S. According to Business Insider, it was feared that a new size would create a two-tier iPhone ecosystem.

A new iPhone 5 backplate leaked in early May - they were acquired by 9to5 Mac, but look like the combination of a lot of the other rumours we've heard about the shape and size of the new handset. These feature bigger speaker grills as well as a four inch screen and a two-tone back with brushed aluminum .

And a picture of the front has been leaked too, with a lovely side-by-side comparison with the iPhone 4S for good measure, courtesy of KitGuru:

The two-tone back was also spotted in a video from eTrade Supply, which again showed the relocation of the headphone jack as well as a smaller connector and redesigned speaker grills.

A detailed video render of all the iPhone 5 rumoured/leaked images was also uploaded to YouTube in early June.

Another video claims to show off the front panel of the new iPhone, and confirms a similar width to the iPhone 4S but will be taller and thinner. The SIM trays will also be smaller than the previous microSIM options, with the new nanoSIM style the default now for even tinier component - which is backed up by news of mobile operators stockpiling nanoSIMs,

The new iPhone may touch down at a svelte 7.6mm in thickness, making it one of the slimmest smartphones on the market, and 1.7mm thinner than the iPhone 4S.

We've also seen a Chinese site claim to have a fully assembled iPhone 5 chassis - bringing together all the design aspects mentioned in previous leaks, including a smaller dock, relocated headphone jack, centralised front facing camera and two-tone back.