iPhone 5 to be 10% Thinner Than the iPhone 4S

Those who wanted a thinner iPhone might finally get what they want. Apple's AAPL next iPhone, the presumably titled iPhone 5, will measure 7.9mm. That's according to AppleInsider, which cites a KGI Securities report that claims that Apple will reduce the thickness of its forthcoming smartphone by a maximum of 0.44mm just by eliminating two elements: one touch sensor layer and one layer of adhesive. Apple will accomplish this by embedding the touch sensor within the iPhone 5's TFT LCD. KGI Securities believes that this could also reduce the manufacturing time from 12 to 16 days (the estimated time it takes to manufacture the iPhone 4S) to just 3 to 5 days. The iPhone 5 would also be cheaper to produce, KGI Securities claims. The current iPhone -- the now-famous iPhone 4S -- measures 9.3mm thick. With only 0.44mm of thickness being removed (if the KGI report is accurate), Apple will be left with another millimeter to eliminate. This might sound like a huge feat. But if you consider what Apple has done with the MacBook Air, it doesn't seem all that crazy to think that the iPhone 5 could be the company's thinnest product yet. And if not, consumers won't care. Many "experts" are making the assumption that Apple will continue to produce thinner iPhones in order to stay competitive. But Apple doesn't need to worry much about the device's overall thickness. When the iPhone 4S was unveiled, no one said, "Oh no, it's the same size as the iPhone 4!" Instead, they were more frequently overheard saying, "Hey, did you hear that Siri can tell you where to hide a body!?" At the end of the day, new technology always wins. Follow me @LouisBedigian