iPhone 5

More evidence has surfaced pointing to an increased display size on the next generation Apple iPhone. After the recent appearance of iPhone 5 chassis parts revealing a taller profile and metal back, the leaked plans below appear to verify the new design.

9to5Mac observes that the FaceTime camera has been moved to a location above the earpiece. The opening for the display is just slightly larger than four inches diagonally, making the area correctly sized for a 4-inch diagonal display with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

9to5Mac has posted several photos of Apple's next-generation iPhone. The photos show the iPhone's new metal back plates, the rumored smaller dock connector and that the earphone jack has been moved to the bottom corner of the device. 9to5Mac also notes that the "speaker grills have been redesigned, and there is a new opening between the camera lens and the LED flash."

"We’re not sure what this opening is, but it is possible that Apple is moving the second microphone (Apple started shipping two microphones with the iPhone 4) to the back for improved audio capture during video recording."

The next generation iPhone 5/6 has now been confirmed by three different major media sources to be designed with a larger 4-inch screen. Apple fans know that Steve Jobs was deeply involved in almost all of the company's major products, and according to a report in Bloomberg the upcoming iPhone was no different.

Once source told Bloomberg that Jobs "worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death in October." Apple was working on sixth-generation iPhone designs well before the launch of the iPhone 4S last fall.

Those "people familiar with the matter" are at it again, this time telling the Wall Street Journal that Apple is "ordering bigger screens from its Asian suppliers." According to the Journal's sources, the next generation iPhone could feature a 4-inch display instead of the normal 3.5-inch display. Many believe that Apple will unveil the new iPhone with larger screen sometime this fall.

It has also been rumored that Apple has been testing and consider releasing a smaller iPad in 2012. Apple has stuck to the same 3.5-inch display for its iPhones, and the same 9.7-inch display for its tablets since both devices were originally introduced.

More evidence is mounting that the next iPhone will feature a 4-inch diagonal screen, leaving room for another row of app icons. Not only this, but the device is said to be 10mm taller than the current iPhone 4S form factor. Reports of a metal back on the iPhone 5 have also been rumored.

Of course, Apple could still be finalizing which prototype to put into production. Regardless, MacRumors has taken the next step, and commissioned Ciccarese Design to produce the high quality rendering above.