As we are getting closer and closer to the expected unveiling of Apple's highly anticipated next-generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5, the rumor mill is churning at full speed ahead of the big event. There have already been numerous reports and leaks surrounding the iPhone 5, expected to arrive in the fall, and the speed at which such speculations surface is already mind-numbing. The latest leak comes from KitGuru, a site claiming to have a "test unit" of the device.
Why and how would KitGuru have a test unit of the next-generation iPhone is still a mystery, and the images the site "leaked" look rather Photoshopped. Leaving that aside, however, the seemingly Photoshopped images do take into account most of the rumored features the handset it expected to boast. The iPhone 5 is expected to sport a larger display with the same 640pixels width, and multiple reports have indicated a new 19-pin mini dock connector instead of the familiar 30-pin port.
To be honest, the images KitGuru posted of the alleged "test unit" are most likely not the real deal, but they do offer a clearer look at what is expected, although they are rather blurry. Real or not, seeing the "iPhone 5 test unit" next to an iPhone 4S is exciting nonetheless, as it offers a great comparison look at what it expected to be a redesigned handset with a 4.08-inch display.
Should we later find out that KitGuru was actually playing around with an early test unit of the next generation iPhone would be more surprising than a heart attack on a newborn baby. What is rather strange, however, is that the site pulled the post shortly after publishing.
"Yesterday we ran a story featuring multiple images highlighting key design elements of Apple's iPhone 5 which is due for official release later this year," KitGuru wrote in an updated post on July 13, after removing the alleged images. "Due to external pressures, which we are unable to detail publicly we felt it necessary to remove this story and all related images."
Just what "external pressures" the site is referring to remains unknown at this point. Some speculated that the post removal might have been the result of an Apple involvement, but there is a more cynical explanation as well: the site might have wanted to add a little credibility to the post, acting like Apple itself had demanded the removal. Either way, the images are in line with the most persistent rumors so far, although they don't look very real. On the other hand, those features are likely to be true even if the images prove to be nothing more than a Photoshopped hoax.
