Is this part of the next iPhone?

iPhone 4 rumours start thanks to Chinese retailer

With the iPhone 3GS only being an incremental upgrade to the 3G model, could the iPhone 4 prove much more revolutionary?

Could the iPhone 4 have been leaked thanks to a Chinese retailer? Known for leaking parts of the iPhone 3GS to the internet, which turned out to be the real thing, they're a source which is being taken very seriously by other sites, including Gizmodo.

- Read the iPhone 3GS contenders group test here

Today's leak shows the midboard, which is a part of the phone designed to keep the motherboard and screen separated, to avoid interference. It looks roughly the shape and size that is expected to be in an iPhone, and while China Ontrade wasn't very forthcoming with further details, they did reveal that the iPhone has a new design, with an "amazingly beautiful" back.

Just where did China Ontrade get this information from? Reportedly from Foxconn, which is one of the companies Apple uses to manufacture its products. It's a leak which needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, but as they've shown to be correct before, we're going to start wishing even harder for a brand new design for the iPhone 4, which will undoubtedly go on sale next summer.

The iPhone has just gone on sale in China as of last week, where an official 32GB handset costs 6,999 Yuan, or around £625/$1,024USD. That price doesn't even include the cost of the monthly contract, suddenly making our disappointment at the tarrifs Orange is imposing on iPhone users diminish quite a bit.

Link: Apple (via Gizmodo)

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Related links:

• Apple iPhone 3GS video
• iPhone 3GS contenders group test