Enterprising chaps build their own iPhone 5

A gang of enterprising Germans, sick of waiting for the iPhone 5, have crafted their own out of metal and glass, basing the design on computer-generated models, leaked hardware specifications and rumoured case designs.

They used the same design method Apple uses when it's crafting the iPad -- the frame is machined from a solid block of aluminium, then treated with glass pearls to give a slightly rough feel.

The 'prototype' that they came up with is 59.94mm wide, which is wider than the iPhone 4, to accommodate the rumoured wider screen, and the home button is a different shape -- we've heard rumours of a wider, possibly touch-sensitive home button.

Having mocked up the iPhone 5, the metal handset was then photographed alongside other mobiles such as the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and Samsung Galaxy S2, so you can compare it to other mobiles. We'd recommend heading over to the site to check out the wealth of comparison snaps there.

But just like stepping out with an umbrella only to find it doesn't rain, the fact that this mockup has been constructed means the real iPhone 5 won't look anything like it.

We've heard plenty of whispers about a radical design overhaul for the next iPhone, but increasingly we're hearing word of a minor upgrade, possibly dubbed the iPhone 4S, with a more powerful processor and some nifty new voice control tech called Assistant.

Are you hardcore enough to forge your own iPhone 5 from aluminium? Let us know down in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

Image credit: Giga.de