You are looking at Apple’s next iPhone. It was found lost in a bar in Redwood City, camouflaged to look like an iPhone 3GS. We got it. We disassembled it. It’s the real thing, and here are all the details. Why we think it’s definitely real.
We’re as skeptical—if not more—than all of you. We get false tips all the time. But after playing with it for about a week—the overall quality feels exactly like a finished final Apple phone—and disassembling this unit, there is so much evidence stacked in its favor, that there’s very little possibility that it’s a fake. In fact, the possibility is almost none. Imagine someone having to use Apple components to design a functioning phone, from scratch, and then disseminating it to people around the world. Pretty much impossible.
….
It has been reported lost
Apple-connected John Gruber—from Daring Fireball—says that Apple has indeed lost a prototype iPhone and they want it back:
Yawn!
Followed this story all weekend, after Engadget first broke it. It’s real. People just need to remember that it may well be early prototype hardware and the final release version could be different.
The one thing that has me intrigued and worried is the reported higher-res but “slightly smaller” screen. How much smaller? I was actually hoping they would go a little larger and if it is smaller, it better be barely noticeable higher-res or not.
Apple is running out of ad ideas to hype its product. “I’m sick of finding new kids to dance on these commercials. Drop this in a bar near San Fan and let the fanboys hype it for us.”
The employee is no longer with the company 🙂
Career Fail. Steve Jobs is not amused.
“Apple is running out of ad ideas to hype its product.”
Yeah, judging by their stock price and market cap, they don’t know what the hell they are doing huh?
I find it a bit suspect that this phone ended up with Gizmoto – a well recognized review site.
Perhaps this phone was “accidentally” left behind to create buzz and take away from the impending Android from from HTC, the Incredible.
The HTC phone will be out on Verzon and Sprint by end of month – two months before this iPhone.
Does Gizmodo say how they came into possession of this iPhone? Someone found it at a bar and gave it to them? Who found it? Did they attempt to return it to it’s rightful owner (especially since Gizmodo should be aware that this could cost the Apple employee their job)?
And isn’t it unethical (at the least) to disassemble something that you know is lost property?
I can’t imagine Gizmodo will be invited to any future Apple events.
If Gizmodo gets invited to the next Apple event, then we’ll know that this “lost iPhone” is an Apple PR stunt.
Oh my god!
I think Steve Jobs farted in a mall in Cupertino.
Did anybody smell it???
I wrote this from my new Macbook Pro. The model that has the loose screen hinge…
http://fixthehinge.com/
#7 Gizmodo bought it off the guy who found (stole?) it at the bar. Darringfireball has also confirmed that Apple has been on the look out for a lost prototype. This is apparently it.
It’s a HUGE scoop for Gizmodo. Unethical and going to piss Apple off? Sure, but you are kidding yourself if you think Apple won’t invite the site to the next event. They are too big to ignore.
Also, I wouldn’t expect Apple to go directly after Gizmodo right now. If they do, then they are all but confirming this prototype is real.
Yawn is right, who cares. I dont know how even the crapple fanboys are excited about this. Nothing new at all.
Yawn is right, who cares?! I dont know how even the crapple fanboys are excited about this. Nothing new at all.
#9:
I have the same “loose hinge” as you call it. However, I wouldn’t want the hinge any tighter, as then I’d need two hands to open the thing (like I do with my late-2009 Toshiba: if I use just one hand, the main body tilts up. Maybe I should complain to Toshiba that it isn’t “normal”? for the whole computer to tilt like that?)
Besides, in normal operation, one usually doesn’t tilt a computer vertically the way you show, so why should Apple care?
I am excited about this, I can’t wait to get one.
#7 “And isn’t it unethical (at the least) to disassemble something that you know is lost property?”
Wasn’t it unethical for the New York Times to publish the Pentagon Papers because they were Top Secret?
No the iPhone is not as important as that but the telling of the info basically is. First they didn’t know if it was really or a fake. Apple also has the problem of telling what their lost (Secret)phone looks like. It also could be a red herring from Apple.
If you don’t care or want to know about it then don’t click on the damn links about it.
Apple were assumed to have remotely shut it down and bricked it by using it’s IMEI number.
as mich as i like to read a nerdy scoop i know if i had found something like this i’d have quietly returned it
guy in a bar who found it
if you find something and it can easily be determine who owns it RETURN IT dah. we all make mistakes who hasn’t lost there keys once or twice? now whoever lost this might well loose there job
Gizomdo aren’t they the ones who went up and down the aisles of CES with a remote turning off all the monitors and it wasn’t April 1st
you guys make me sick. grow up. why do i keep satisfying my inner geek by visiting your site? what-ch you got on the next ipod touch cameras, wifi Skype ?
Well I’d say it’s a prototype but that’s about it. Is this the unit that is going into mass production? I don’t have a clue and neither does anyone else but if it is somebody most likely lost their job.
I’m agree with #6 Dallas on this. It was “lost” to get some PR ahead of the introduction of possible competitors. If they really wanted it back, they could call it’s number and say “straight cash, homey” to get it returned by whoever found it.
Apple could have a judges order to seize stolen property within the hour. But that would confirm it is a new phone. I would hate to have Steve Jobs as an enemy. They may well end up in litigation hell, and bankrupt.
HEY! HAS ANYONE TURNED THE THING ON????
HELLO???
I smell BS.
Hmmm… absolutely don’t care.
I like my nexus, thanks.
In any case, they were jackasses for pulling it apart, I know I’d be ticked if someone “found” my phone and then ripped it apart because they thought it was something new.
Apple has a case against them for theft, regardless if it’s a prototype or not. Do you think a car company will be happy to let a magazine group rip their prototype car apart that they “found”?
Total idiots at gizmodo, they deserve to have their balls fried for this.
iPhones are luxury junk…. the Miphone is much better, and unlocked, and a quad-band phone.
http://miphone.tk
Yes of course….the phone was ‘accidentally’ left in a bar.
Steve Jobs said about Apple that it was the only company ship that leaks from the top.
They can expect a pile of rabid Apple lawyers to descend on them like a pack of flying monkeys.
Meanwhile, in non-vapour hardware land HTC has the href=”http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/19/droid-incredible-review/” title=”Droid Incredible review — Engadget”>new hotness. Sorry Nexus dudes, this is the first Android phone I’ve really craved.
Sorry, completely pooched the link. Me bad.
Anyway, I really like this phone.
He never turns the damn thing on! Just points to cameras and slots, which a lot of other phones already have. It already LOOKS like a different smart phone that already exist, probably something from HTC. It could be any phone with someone sticking an apple logo on the back.
Here let me put an apple sticker on my ass, and let some apple fanboy claim me as the next Steve Jobs invention from apple.
I think it is a fake. No Money shots.
No working screen pic, and no pic of a Apple branded chip when they opened it.
According to post #16, Apple bricked it sometime after discovery it was lost. I assume Gizmodo did not take it apart until after the bricking.
#23 The phone was “lost” in a bar and picked up by someone who then turned over/sold the find to Gizmodo. The best Apple lawyer would have lots of trouble accusing anyone other than the “someone in the bar” with theft.
Oh wow… people get to stand in line for days and spend $650 for a phone to replace the $650 phone that they just bought last year… because the new one is so much better… just like the latest iPod is soooo much better than the previous iPod, and the latest laptop is sooooo much better than last year’s laptop, and the latest screen is soooo much better than the previous screen.