The key reason for current users to upgrade to an iPhone 5 later this year will be a 'sleek unibody casing' according to an industry analyst.

In a note to investors, Brian J. White of Topeka Capital Markets reckons production will begin on a new 4-inch iPhone in June this year, following a recent visit to suppliers in Taiwan and China.

He says the sixth generation iPhone device will boast a look similar to the single sheet aluminum casings featured on recent iterations of the Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines.

White wrote: "In our view, this will be the most significant iPhone upgrade with a four-inch screen and a new, sleek look that we believe will require a Unibody case. This new, sleek look will be the most important reason that consumers decide to upgrade."

White, who also thinks the iPhone 5 will boast 4G LTE connectivity just like the new iPad, reckons the launch in Q4 of 2012 will dwarf previous generation iPhone releases and push Apple closer to an almost unthinkable $1,000 share price by the end of the year. At the time of writing, the company currently sits on $623.

In his note to investors, White also backed-up recent reports that Apple is working on an iPad mini tablet. Last week, DaringFireball editor John Gruber spoke of a 7.85-inch iPad tablet prototype currently under examination in Apple's development labs.

Via: AppleInsider