Apple has posted the iPhone 5 blueprints for case manufacturers on its website.

While we knew that Apple provides blueprints of iOS devices to case manufacturers after they’re unveiled, Apple has made it publicly available for the first time.

The blueprints not only reveal the dimensions of Apple’s new iPhone, it also reveals the minutest of details that would be important while manufacturing an iPhone 5 case such as the distance between the back facing camera, the rear mic and LED flash. iPhone 5 comes with three microphones (iPhone 4S has two) for improved noise cancelation and accurate voice transcription.

The blueprints also confirm that Apple has moved the proximity sensor next to the earpiece and moved the front camera above it, just as the leaked parts had revealed few months back.

Apple has also provided precise instructions on how to build an iPhone 5 case, for example: Apple advices case manufacturers not to obstruct the glass inlays at the bottom of the backplate, which we’re assuming is to ensure that it does not affect the signal strength. It also provide tips on how to make the case opening for the new Lightning connector.

Click on the image above to see the larger version

Apple seems to have published the iPhone 5 schematics just after the announcements on September 12.

Since case manufacturers have a huge financial incentive to start selling cases for the new iPhone as soon as it is launched, many of them have already developed cases based on the leaked parts, which luckily for them have turned out to be accurate this year. In fact, some iPhone 5 accessories were available as early as August.

You can check out the iPhone 5 blueprints by following this link.

 [@joeljohnson via Techmeme]