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cornflake_girl's profile

Mentor

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37 Messages

Saturday, September 15th, 2012 1:24 AM

IPHONE 5 HARDWARE DIFFERENCE?!

I want to know what the DOT is to the LEFT of the WHITE iphone 5 speaker is?! It's NOT on the BLACK iphone 5 too! Why the difference on the hardware?? I have searched through all images on Att and on Apple's websites and ALL OF THE IMAGES are like that. It's very odd to me. It kind of looks like a camera hole... but then it WOULD be on the black iphone 5 model too, and it's NOT. I tried asking Att about it and they just gave me the generic "they're the same" answer. Now this is supposedly true.... but that doesn't explain the hardware difference in ALL of the iphone 5 photos?? Can someone explain it to me before I preorder? This question is going to determine which colors my husband and I choose. Thanks!

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Guru

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682 Messages

12 years ago

Are you talking about on the face or underneath the phone? It's likely either the ambient light or the proximity sensor that appears on the white phone that doesn't appear clearly on the black phone (but it's there). There's no hardware difference in the two phones.

Mentor

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37 Messages

12 years ago

I'm talking about the part you put up to your ear. If you look at images that have both iphone 5 models pictured (black and white) its the little dot/hole placed to the LEFT SIDE of the WHITE IPHONE 5's ear speaker. Not the small dot/hole ABOVE it. It is NOT SEEN on ANY black iphone 5 models that I can find and I've zoomed in on all the different images on Att and Apple's sites. I just don't want to order 2 of these phones and maybe? get the white version.... and then have problems. Or vice versa and have problems with the black one for the "dot/hole" not being there.

ACE - Master

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10.3K Messages

12 years ago

I'm sure it's the proximity sensor, which is actually behind the glass. You don't see it on the black phones because it's a black hole against a black background. The only way to see it on a black phone is to shine a strong light on it. Look at pictures of the black and white 4 and 4S models. The white ones seem to have an extra slot above the earpiece hole. It's there on the black ones too, you just can't see it. They just changed the position on the 5 from the previous model. and made it round instead of oblong.

Master

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10.2K Messages

12 years ago

That is correct. It is the proximity sensor, used for lighting your iPhone's screen when you take it away from your ear and blacks it out when you have it pressed up to your ear while making a phone call.

It's nothing new, it's just in a different spot and is much more noticeable on the white color.

Mentor

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37 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks.... I did go look at images of the 4 and 4S and I did see the "extra slot" above the speaker ear slot. I'll take your guys words that it IS the proximity sensor and that they just made it circular and moved the position of it on this years iphone 5. I just really couldn't figure out for the life of me why the white one had it and why it LOOKS (even though it does have one you said) like the black one does not. Thanks for all your help, it is very much appreciated!

ACE - Master

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10.3K Messages

12 years ago

I shined a flashlight on my black 5, and the sensor next to the speaker is definitely there, just as on the pictures of the white 5. You just can't see it against the black backgound. Also, there is a second "hidden" sensor to the left of the front camera.

Contributor

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1 Message

11 years ago

 that's a light sensor btw you can't see it on the black because the dolt is black it blends in.

 

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