Alleged budget iPhone shows off polycarbonate body, brings back good memories.

Alleged budget iPhone shows off polycarbonate body, brings back good memories.

The rumor about that more affordable iPhone just keeps coming back, but this time we're finally seeing some sort of progress. Courtesy of case manufacturer Tactus, we're apparently looking at the upcoming budget iPhone's polycarbonate shell which was spotted at a factory that provides parts to Foxconn. It's the same story for the "iPad 5" case leak that Tactus published two days ago (the same day as our own scoop), so the company does seem to have a good contact for this kind of goodies -- and it is a very competitive market, after all.

Compared to the old polycarbonate iPhone 3G and 3GS, this mysterious shell appears to have a flat back instead of the old curved one, meaning it should reduce manufacturing complexity and therefore the cost as well. Another notable difference is that the old volume rocker is split into two, and then there's also the LED flash that was absent on the old polycarbonate iPhones. Tactus adds that this body is slightly taller, wider and thicker than the iPhone 4 and 4S, but what we do struggle to believe is that apparently the same factory is producing this shell in black and white as well as blue, red and yellow. A decoy, perhaps? Only time will tell.