As rumors of an inexpensive iPhone model bound for 2013 release gain momentum, fresh reports from up chain supply sources claim the purported handset's enclosure may be made by a company based in the U.S.



From Apple Insider:

Citing people familiar with Apple's supply chain, the sometimes reliable DigiTimes reports the entry-level iPhone's chassis could be sourced from an unnamed U.S. electronic manufacturing service provider. According to these sources, the casing will use plastic instead of the current aluminum-and-glass theme seen on the iPhone 5.

The publication goes further, claiming that separate rumors point to a new design in which the internal metal sub-structure is visible through the plastic enclosure, alluding to a type of "see-through" aesthetic. While Apple has used Corning's Gorilla Glass as a backing to the iPhone 4 and 4S, the substrate has always been layered with opaque paint.

It remains unclear whether the supposed design will be adopted, but a "see-through" casing seems unlikely given the lengths to which Apple went to fight light leakage that negatively affected the iPhone 4's camera sensor.

  Rumor: Alleged cheaper iPhone may feature U.S.-made chassis with "see-through" design