iPhone 4 to iPhone 6 design, manufacturing process Process of writing this letter in mind is known almost see the problem iPhone4,4S, 5,5s and 6 craft what progress along the way? And at what level of the same period? - Apple (Apple Inc.). I am here to elaborate on a few of these phones in the design and manufacturing process of some of the views. This is summed up in five models on three skins: iPhone4 the sandwich design. iPhone5 three-aluminum unibody. iPhone6 all-metal one-piece design. Looking back now, almost three generations of mobile phones designed to lead the global handset design trend. Whether material, design or manufacturing process, some even look the Yihuhuhuapiao.
Let me talk about iPhone 4, the iPhone has brought stunning shock, the first 07 years of the iPhone turned out, the original smart phone can do; the second was the release of iPhone 4, the original smart phones can do so pretty. iPhone 4 a distinctive feature is the use of CNC stainless steel frame, front and rear coupled with glass, let the machine has a tough, strong, simple beauty. Although the first generation iPhone and back generations are made of stainless steel frame, but the difference is iPhone 4's stainless steel frame structure of the entire "fairy tale cosplay " core and skeleton phone, screen, battery on the motherboard and other accessories are fixed in the framework above, in order to achieve basic ID and structural design. Before going to talk about the iPhone 4 in the manufacturing process, the first retrospective look at its brother, the Touch series.
Apple's pursuit of integration has come to the point where the depth of bone marrow in Touch 3 above, on the use of die-cast one-piece stainless steel back cover. In the absence of a cellular network requires Touch it, be able "dragon ball z wigs " to do a more complete unity, from the inside, in fact, this process does not cover iPhone 4 that complicated. First, it is a fast-casting into the back cover plate appearance, in the structure internally fixed motherboards and other components using a single piece of stainless steel group, and then connect with the back cover by laser spot welding. To the iPhone 4 with the same period of Touch 4 above, is still a die-cast stainless steel, is not the same thing is also added to the injection molding of complex internal structure.
But in the body iPhone, Apple's claim is clearly higher than the Touch, and consider the signal problem, it did not do so handy Touch. iPhone 4 difficult to manufacture stainless steel frame, whether it is the complexity of its structure or precision, it is likely still is the top level, no transcendence. On internal stainless steel frame structure, and not as Touch series, as by spot welding to achieve, but by the CNC in the frame cut the shapes directly, process complexity can be imagined. For example, a few red box marked at the figure above, the above two tiny box, which is CNC barbs, is used to jam the phone back a piece of glass. Middle that is threaded post, first in a circular border CNC groove and laser spot welding, to do this stud is fixed to the screen. The bottom red frame is the middle strip of stainless steel sheet laser welding connection. Rightmost antenna that is cut off injection, it seems filled with an injection molding strip, this is Apple's first injection molding material is a plastic texture is very strong, this molding material to connect the back fence off, and to ensure signal. So, now filled with metal frame mobile phone thanks to Apple exploration in material science, rather than grandstanding at the press conference that I injection better than you. iPhone 4 is very high structural strength, stainless steel have been very strong, and the front panel is fixed by screws in stainless steel frame, glass back cover by snap card on a stainless steel frame, the motherboard is also attached to the middle of the stainless steel sheet, you iPhone 4 plastic pieces rarely seen above and glued in place. iPhone 4 follow-up of the mobile phone market impact is very great that consumers have an aesthetic inertia, as long as the front and rear glass, in the middle of the border phone, feel beautiful. Ultimately, you did it more than you do than it is lighter, it is thinner than you do, but who no longer do it the standard in process and structure above.
Apple products in ID and structural design, difficult to find it is to follow to simplify, unify and complete, robust and elegant. iPhone 4 sandwich design, including a front panel, stainless steel frame, stainless steel, glass cover four major components. Obviously, this is not Apple's ultimate pursuit, when two years, Apple brought the iPhone 5. That night I also saw the conference, followed Tucao to Apple's lack of innovation, it is not that a flat stretch of the iPhone 4 beat it, and so for two years you this capability ah. When I then gradually exposed to iPhone 5 / S, demolition also torn down, only to find that this is by far the most sophisticated iPhone, not one. In the manufacturing process, compared to the iPhone 4 and what progress? The greatest progress is finally Apple Unibody technology to the mobile phone, cell phone case full CNC machining. In the mobile phone manufacturing inside, this should be the first to do it.
Apple Niubi place is that it does not go to other phones is how to do, what technology, it has been exploring the use of new technology on the phone, these processes are not pop up, there would have been before, but but regardless of the cost of Apple you may need to perform as designed, and that is why Apple has been dominate. At first glance, the appearance of the continuation of the above four styles, but the structure and process completely changed, Unibody let the machine directly into two parts: The screen and the case. And then elaborate on point is the back of the three-stage, two-piece ceramic glass. This is consistent with the minimalist style Apple to pursue, at the same time allows the machine Unibody thinner, but also on the inside of the fuselage structure made greater demands, signal problems more difficult to deal with. Compared to 4 become more sophisticated appearance of the above, the fine is reflected in the ubiquitous high light chamfering above: bottom chamfer, key highlights, bottom speaker hole chamfering, stainless steel headphones and lightning interfaces chamfer on the border, even at the bottom microgrooving highlights two screws are left off, they all realized by CNC carved. Back LOGO, iPhone words through a special anodized, with glass upper and lower ends, with Apple's high demands precision, so no matter which angle you watch this phone, have revealed a sophisticated atmosphere. Coming back to the manufacturing process, Unibody design is bound to pay a high cost CNC machining, production capacity is also difficult to upgrade.
Foundries need to purchase more machines, Apple in this regard even to the foundry to purchase machinery, to support each other to achieve their production needs, sometimes in order to achieve the required, directly to the supplier for the acquisition. With stainless steel frame 4 is not the same as a whole is around 5 Unibody cover to expand, the need to cover up small structure placed CNC board, camera, tail inserted row lines, such as screen assembly is still by a bayonet Cards in the body, so the phone knows, the bayonet is difficult to control the accuracy of the place, most of the practice is to glue resolved. In the same Unibody with the Touch 5 and iPad mini on top of the screen with the chassis is bonded by glue on the iPhone 5, Apple can do it, but doing so is to structure a compromise, but most manufacturers are by glue bonding, which can do the precision but easy. After we look at the other Unibody iPhone 5 phone is how to do. This is HTC ONE M7, was all the rage, by dismantling can see that it's Unibody rear edge is a circle above the injection, and glue, and its cover is just a cover, the board and all attached screen over there, in the complexity of the structure above the first somewhat more fragile than the iPhone 5, said the white point is doing more simple, but the back arc M7 CNC is a difficulty, how to make a smooth transition arcs need to pay a little more work. Look at the ONE series of the second generation of M8, this generation has been progress, and became a full metal, although abandon glue instead snap, but still only serve as a cover. But look at the world, it is also the second best Unibody design.
Speaking of iPhone 6, and when I saw the iPhone spy photos of 6, I do not believe this is the focus of Apple's design, this stout-day line became a collective Tucao. With 5 comparison, it is the iPhone 5 back of ceramic glass are removed, the phone appearance got left two large components: the screen and body. This is true of the original all-metal, which is one of Apple's pursuit of the ultimate expression of it. Apple two years to make an ID, which this year, perhaps the hundreds of design, the final choice of this design, there are also reasons it insisted, mobile phones more and more, and then continue until cautiously ID, in obviously a bit unsuitable for holding grip, in real life we touch objects inside, Founder of the things the majority, so the design is more lovable, more in line with people's psychological expectations, but if Apple still made like the iPhone 6 5, do more Thin out the effect will certainly look better than what it is today, but that what, it is just a conservative design. Therefore, Apple must come up with a new design to challenge yourself. IPhone style after change from square to round, the body becomes large, curved frame made conducive to grip.
This is not enough, Apple have made the big screen 2.5D and border to match, so that the phone's side centrosymmetric This is nothing, iPhone cosplay costumes for sale 4 since many phones can be done, but on the border to achieve almost perfect arc symmetry, currently not found any better than the iPhone 6. Curved border CNC machining difficult than 5 face to harder, I think the hardest part is matching curved frame with curved screen, do make this arc continually layer is smooth arc over, This assembly is too difficult. No eye pretty high Eaves, no Founder of shape, looks exquisite sense must be no iPhone 5's. Even worse is that there are outstanding camera, too thick injection bar. If the iPhone 5 is the Founder, structured, shine, then iPhone 6 is relatively low-key, restrained, Huashi. On the difficulty of making a single word, iPhone difficulty 6 is larger than 5, it is to overcome signal problems, supported bands 6 to more than 5, but yet 5 top glass removed, fully integrated metal, also joined the NFC features, which are designed for the body raises serious test. Now the market has also been a lot made of the border curved front glass as 2.5D, 2.5D and some are posted on the back of the glass, out of the results of just stacked material only, a mobile phone which has never been done iPhone 6 such a totally sense, even as the price of the two phones. Postscript: This is where three generations of products, iPhone 4 the most solid, iPhone 5 Yan highest value, iPhone 6 more like a mature work. By iterative discovery, Apple has been the integration of the metal fuselage above the forward, iPhone 4 to the iPhone frame metal body 5, the last iPhone 6 more thorough, all-metal, restrict Apple's only signal problems. Last point is that when the outside world in praise to Jonathan, led by Apple's industrial design team, but also please give them excellent structural engineer and RF signal team thing for sure. Some pictures from: www.ifixit.com