Loyal iPhone users and potential buyers that are waiting for a larger handset may have to keep sitting on their cash for another year. A new report from Japanese Apple-based website Macotakara claims that a larger iPhone is being pushed back and will debut next year built of plastic instead of aluminum and glass like the current generation.
The site claims the handset will feature a polycarbonate plastic enclosure like the ones on the MacBook and the iBook before it. We are also hearing that the device will ship with a larger 4.5-inch display - half an inch bigger than what the iPhone 5 and iPod touch carry.
The phone would include the standard home button and a price tag of around $330 without wireless carrier subsidy. That's about half the price of what you'd pay for an iPhone without a contract today. The site says the phone could also be thicker than the current generation but would otherwise carry a very similar design.
The site also claims that the iPhone 5S will debut later this year with an improve LED flash for the rear camera. This rumor is in line with another from iLounge that said we would see the 5S ship with a better flash, better rear camera sensor and a faster processor.
MacRumors points out that Macotakara's track record isn't exactly the best. They correctly provided details on the iPod nano and iPod touch redesign last year but missed the mark with regards to the nano adding Wi-Fi capabilities for iTunes in the Cloud.