Thanks to Gizmodo, the iPhone 4 unveiling wasn't all that surprising. Sure, there were new iOS and hardware features to behold, but when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 4's new form factor last Summer, the vast majority of the planet had already seen it.
With the iPhone 5, things are markedly different as rumors of varying form factors continue to swirl around in a haze. Hell, people are even having a hard time pegging down the name for Apple's next-gen device. One day we hear it's the iPhone 4S and the next it's being touted as the iPhone 5.
Naming aside, it's been widely rumored that the next-gen iPhone will sport the exact same form factor as the current iPhone 4. Lately though, rumors have been circulating suggesting that the upcoming iPhone will sport a completely different design than the iPhone 4.
Citing a reliable source, Jonathan Geller writes for BGR that the next-gen iPhone will feature a "radical new case design". Further, the report relays that Apple may hold an August event where it will showcase the new iPhone. Interestingly, the report notes that the next-gen iPhone may go on sale as early as late August - which would certainly be welcome news as current reports suggest a late September launch is in the works.
Rumors of a revamped iPhone design have been making the rounds for some time now. The most recent incarnation hints at an iPhone with a curved glass screen a'la the Google Nexus S with Digitimes reporting back in May that Apple had purchased upwards of 300 glass cutting machines to help facilitate the manufacturing process for its partners.
Also note that Josh Topolosky of This Is My Next reported back in April that Apple's next-gen iPhone would sport a teardrop shape that "goes from thick to thin" - think MacBook Air. Other rumors have relayed that Apple is working on an iPhone with a larger edge-to-edge screen to better compete with the deluge of Android handsets sporting noticeably larger displays than the iPhone's tried and true 3.5-inch screen.
In any event, with Summer now officially underway, we anticipate that the number of well-sourced iPhone rumors will start rolling in with increased frequency. BGR certainly has a solid track record with Apple related rumors, but they do have their fair share of missteps as well.