iPhone 5 SIM Card Tray Leaks, Hints at Similar Design as 4S

A SIM card tray that is rumored to be for the iPhone 5 has surfaced and points to the device being designed similarly to its predecessor, the iPhone 4S.

"The tray appears essentially identical to the SIM card tray found in the iPhone 4S and 4, and if the part is indeed legitimate it suggests that Apple may retain a similar flat-edged form factor for the forthcoming device," wrote 9to5Mac.

"Such a design would be opposed to a tapered of rounded-edge design that would likely require a somewhat curved exterior surface for the tray or at least a thinner tray profile as was seen in earlier iPhone models such as the 3G and 3GS," the site added.

If this SIM tray ended up being for the actual next-generation iPhone it would prove that the new device would closely resemble the 4 and 4S, however, not much else can be assumed from viewing it.

Apple has also been pushing to produce its very own "nano-SIM" for its devices, but this tray would not be used for that type of technology.

The company has also been unable to win approval for the "nano-SIM" as its competitors have objected to Apple's plans and offered their own designs for a smaller alternative to the current line of SIM cards.

"Unsurprisingly, it appears that a smaller nano-SIM design will not be ready in time to be included in the next-generation iPhone," wrote 9to5Mac.

The iPhone 5 is rumored to include Apple's quad-core A6 chip along with LTE capability and a 4-inch display.

The device is rumored to be debuting at WWDC 2012, however, the release date for it has not been confirmed by Apple.

Conflicting rumors also point to the device launching later on in the year during the fall.