By now, most everybody has probably heard something of the iPhone prototype saga that has been unwinding over the past month or so. If not, however, it is a pretty interesting story; and one that seems to be far from over. To set the stage, it is important to understand that Apple has always been very tightlipped when it comes to the release of their new products. Steve Jobs has preferred to be the one to unveil new Apple technologies, and he has preferred to do things his way. Take the iPad, for instance, speculators and analysts were making predictions about the iPad for months before it was finally officially released. But even amidst all of the guesswork, nobody knew for sure what the tablet computer would look like, or even if there was really an iPad computer coming out.
It is against this backdrop that the story of the lost (and found) iPhone prototype has begun to unfold. In March, a California bar patron noticed a lost smart phone on the floor of a beer garden. Upon picking it up, he noticed that it looked like nothing he had ever seen before. Close inspection revealed that the smart phone was in fact an iPhone. However, this iPhone had yet to be released to the general public. It was, in fact, an iPhone prototype that Apple had yet to release.
The bar patron who found the new iPhone knew he had something valuable. Word spread of his find, and he eventually agreed to sell the iPhone to Gizmodo. Gizmodo paid the man $5,000 for the iPhone prototype, and gladly took their new acquisition back to the lab for testing. Upon picking and prodding at the iPhone prototype, the people at Gizmodo determined that it was a prototype of Apple’s iPhone 4G.
The analysts at Gizmodo studied the prototype and released some information as to what consumers can expect to find with the new phone. Among the list of features are a camera that will enable users to use the iPhone for video chatting, a better camera, a better display and a much larger battery. All in all, it appears as if the iPhone 4G will be a substantial improvement upon this generation of the iPhone.
Despite Gizmodo having nothing but good things to say about the iPhone prototype, however, it appears as if Apple is not at all pleased about this situation. One of the bloggers at Gizmodo, by the name of Jason Chen, reported that the sheriff’s department actually broke into his apartment last week searching for evidence relating to the iPhone. The sheriff’s department had a search warrant, and ended up taking approximately 24 pieces of electronic equipment from Chen. According o the sheriff’s department, the equipment was seized because it may have been used in the commission of a felony. The felony referred to is apparently purchasing goods known not to belong to the seller.
When contacted for comment on this scenario, Apple declined to say anything. It looks like it is back to tightlipped business as usual. This time, however, much of the information that Apple is declining to comment on is already readily available. Despite all of the controversy surrounding the iPhone prototype, the iPhone 4G looks like it will be an upgrade from the iPhone of the day.
