We still don’t know if Apple intends to release an iPhone 5 on its own as a replacement for the iPhone 4, or combine its release with a budget-friendly iPhone 4S. but the existence of an iPhone 4S case would go a long way toward signalling that there are going to be two new iPhones arriving this year.
Well, that’s exactly what has happened. an iPhone 4S carrying the Otterbox and Speck branding has been snapped at an AT&T store and picked up by Twitter rumor man Chronic Wire.
When placed next to the iPhone 4 case, the overall size of the phone looks to near identical. the main difference is the size of the hole left for the camera, but that has been dismissed as just an improved design for the existing LED flash. So is this a case for a new iPhone or not?
There are two explanations as to what this case could mean. the first is that the case is specifically for a new model of iPhone carrying the name iPhone 4S as evidenced by the name on the packaging (below). but if that was the case, and the new model is identical in size, why ship a new casing when the one you already supply will work?
The second explanation is probably the more likely one: Otterbox has just chosen a really unfortunate name for their new case. they do name their products “Series Cases”, so the S after the 4 could just be a shortened version of “Series.”
What do you think, is an iPhone 4S going to make an appearance on October 4?
More at BGR and Chronic Wire on Twitter