macnn
06/05/2008, 3:55pm, EDT
Thursday, June 5th
3G iPhone specs change, ruins case designs?
Earlier reported design molds for the 3G iPhone have allegedly changed, potentially rendering case molds by companies such as Griffin useless. iDealsChina reports that the dimensions used by Griffin, and possibly other iPhone accessory manufacturers, are 2mm shorter and 0.5mm thicker than the newly leaked designs. While both incarnations of the 3G iPhone are heavily steeped in rumor, the news would badly affect manufacturers who have already invested time and money into the new cases.
Protective cases require a tight fit to be able to function properly, since any leeway could provide enough space for the device to move around and potentially damage it. When purchasing accessories for an unreleased device, it is advisable to ensure that the company provides a return policy should the case not fit.
Filed under: iPhone, industry, accessories
Other story tags: 3G, Griffin
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Aww shucks
Maybe these yokels should have kept their mouths shuts and images from leaking earlier... I wouldn't put it past Jobs to have purposefully changed the design of the iPhone 3G just enough to screw over these idiots for leaking dimensions.
Who's fault
So I don't get it, did Apple change the design or are these companies using leaked details to design cases? in which case they don't have anyone to blame but themselves.....
Doubtful
I seriously doubt that Apple changed the case design after giving Griffin and other accessory suppliers the dimensions necessary for them to construct their molds. Perhaps the design changed several months ago, but a last-minute design change, made after accessory manufacturers had produced molds and even products themselves, would harm Apple as much (if not more) than the accessory designers.
That would require a redesign of packaging, corrections in specifications lists, re-engineering of internal components (potentially), and other items.
It's much more likely that this change occurred several months ago, and was either discovered or leaked now and someone made up the part about Griffin being affected. Or maybe one of their early test molds had to be scrapped due to the design change.
Apple can't just decide to change the size of the iPhone's case a week or two before it's released and be able to produce and ship the millions of units needed for the release date.
Leave it alone
I'm hoping it ends up looking like something completely different than what everyone has speculated. I'm quite fond of the current design really.
just right
If the rubber shrinks by 3% after moulding, a 2% oversize case mould is exactly right for a snug fit.