# Confirmation of new iPhone hardware?



## howdyponcho (Apr 15, 2010)

Me thinks this fellow unintentionally revealed the new iPhone:
SaskTel's 3G wireless phone network launching July 1


President and CEO of Sasktel said, "The good news is that (Apple) is coming out with a new version of the iPhone in the June time-frame and they're going to put us on that. So we're quite excited about that."


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

I think that date was pretty commonly known wasn't it?


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## howdyponcho (Apr 15, 2010)

I've only heard speculation. This is pretty useful info though. I think I'll hold off on buying a 3gs. Hopefully we can get confirmation of the new hardware and its specs fairly soon.

Does anyone remember the span of time between Apple announcing the 3GS and when it was released?


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

Announced in June at WWDC, Available July.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Yeah, cause everyone knows Steve shares all his secrets with the president of SaskTel. I'm guessing that they're going by the "new iPhone every summer" pattern that everyone else goes by.


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## doulogos (Jul 15, 2009)

I plan to upgrade my 3GS if the new phone comes with [1] a forward facing camera for video chat, [2] higher resolution, [3] more memory, [4] better "main" camera, and [5] a snappier CPU.

The funny thing is, I actually expect that all these will be available. I suppose I could overlook one or two items... oh - who am I kidding? I will upgrade no matter what!


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## kkritsilas (Mar 1, 2010)

hayesk said:


> Yeah, cause everyone knows Steve shares all his secrets with the president of SaskTel. I'm guessing that they're going by the "new iPhone every summer" pattern that everyone else goes by.



Steve doesn't share any secrets with anybody. However, on the corporate level, Apple and Sasktel need to have a whole lot of corporate agreements in place before an iPhone ever ships to Sasktel (so they can get stuff like carrier codes and profiles setup in the production systems, volumes allocated, and by extensions, allow them to figure out their own internal costs and the selling prices to Sasktel). Those agreements are usually in place 6 months or so before product actually ships. So yes, Sasktel probably does have a signed agreement in place, and will be getting the new iPhone, and Sasktel's president does know this as a certainty.

Kostas


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

doulogos said:


> I plan to upgrade my 3GS if the new phone comes with [1] a forward facing camera for video chat, [2] higher resolution, [3] more memory, [4] better "main" camera, and [5] a snappier CPU.
> 
> The funny thing is, I actually expect that all these will be available. I suppose I could overlook one or two items... oh - who am I kidding? I will upgrade no matter what!


You'll be paying full price (unless you paid full price for the 3Gs).
You have to wait 2 years for an upgrade with the iPhone. I was bummed I couldn't (and still can't) upgrade to the 3Gs, but I'm okay with waiting for the G3 this summer.


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## doulogos (Jul 15, 2009)

Elric said:


> You'll be paying full price (unless you paid full price for the 3Gs).
> You have to wait 2 years for an upgrade with the iPhone. I was bummed I couldn't (and still can't) upgrade to the 3Gs, but I'm okay with waiting for the G3 this summer.


Which is why, I will actually be upgrading my wife's phone, shuffling my 3GS to her, and butta-bing! Happy place!

Yeah, I didn't really spell that out though. :heybaby:


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## bhil (Oct 30, 2004)

Removed as I posted information I probably am not allowed to.


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## spiffychristian (Mar 17, 2008)

.


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## kkritsilas (Mar 1, 2010)

In this case, Sasktel will probably be getting their iPhones directly from Apple. Apple doesn't allow transshipment of iPhones. That is why in European countries, some Orange carriers do have the iPhone, and some other countries, the Orange carriers do not. Apple doesn't allow for middle men, and if Bell somehow managed to get Apple to agree to this (fat chance), the president of Sasktel would know. I think that Sasktel has a direct agreement with Apple, and that is how the Sasktel president knows. And whatever the case with regards to Bell, Sasktel, and Apple, it would be almost unheard of for a president who didn't know exactly what was going on within his own company for the next 3, 6 and 12 months.

Kostas


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## bhil (Oct 30, 2004)

Removed as I posted information I am probably not allowed to.


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

bhil said:


> Removed as I posted information I am probably not allowed to.


_iPhone tease._ tptptptp


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## bhil (Oct 30, 2004)

Bjornbro said:


> _iPhone tease._ tptptptp


Sorry, I like my job...

I am however, waiting on Robert for answers to questions as to what I'm officially allowed to say to the public. I will update with appropriate responses as I'm given them.


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

(Dang! Where _IS_ that excited anticipation emoticon?)


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## bhil (Oct 30, 2004)

The official press release clarification:

At this time, SaskTel is currently working with cellular device vendors and partners, both current and new, to offer our customers a wide variety of devices to meet our customers’ individual needs, including the iPhone.

The comments made by the SaskTel President and CEO in a news article on April 15, 2010 were not a confirmation of a release of a new version of the iPhone. The President was commenting on information that has been reported publicly and on the Internet for several months, which has speculated on the timing of a new release.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2010)

Looks like it might hit the streets in June (and probably early june if this is any indication):

AT&T blocks employees vacations in June for iPhone launch Boy Genius Report

My 3G is also slowly dying and I'm biding my time on whatever the new release is. I agree that the 3GS was just an interim release .. I think the new one coming may have some serious improvements (at least we can hope!)


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

Look what someone found its looks like an iphone 4th gen , read more: iPhone 4G: is this it? -- Engadget


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

That phone looks way too bulk, has the same looking rim as my BB Bold. 

This would never happen.


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## spiffychristian (Mar 17, 2008)

.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

At a certain point in the run-up to a new Apple device, there's always That Post.

You know, the one which has the actual gadget shown in a way that couldn't really be Photoshopped, but because it's a genuine change from the previous model, is immediately ruled out as a fake. People find the minutest details that are supposedly flaws but ignore the glaring proof of the opposite in front of their faces.

As always, there's still the chance that this is a fake, but I'll point out:

1. the Dock Connector: a Chinese clone won't have that (it's usually a mini or micro USB port).

2. similarity to the iPad and MacBook Pro aesthetics: thin aluminum sides and more metal overall. It's not necessarily as thick as you think it is.

3. placeholder label data. The back info is consistent, it just has deliberately masked data that you'd expect for something that wasn't FCC approved or where the final capacity wasn't settled.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

I dunno... looks pretty convincing to me. Doesn't look any thicker then the current iPhone either.. it just doesn't have curved edges to make it appear thinner.










IMO, this is a step in the right direction and a big improvement over the current design. Those 'seams' likely won't be there in the final production either.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

kloan said:


> I dunno... looks pretty convincing to me. Doesn't look any thicker then the current iPhone either.. it just doesn't have curved edges to make it appear thinner.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have to agree with you and commodus on this one. We've seen old "mockup" phones that didn't quite match the production models as well. I'm excited to see what the final looks like. Also, if they have an 80gb model?! Finally, my entire MP3 collection in one device


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## RiceBoy (Aug 1, 2009)

Images of iPhone 4G Actually a Japanese Counterfeit - Mac Rumors


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Hmm, I don't buy it. If a company was going to make a counterfeit iPhone (as so many already have tried), they would have copied the current design. This is a completely new design.... if anything, it's just an attempt to mislead people away from thinking this could be the upcoming 4G iPhone.


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## spiffychristian (Mar 17, 2008)

.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

This just gets weirder and weirder. Now there are reports that the "fake" claims are themselves false, and that this is the real thing (though possibly not the finished design):

Real, complete next-gen iPhone spotted? [U3] | Electronista

Given that the phone is in the same shot as what was eventually confirmed to be the iPad, we may actually have our smoking gun.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Without commenting on the photos directly because I haven't seen them up-close enough to say, it's possible that this is a genuine "mule" prototype. Apple does this a lot before a design revamp -- puts the electronics in a "generic" box for testing. It's not always reflective of the final design. This *could* be one of those, or could be a clever fake.


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

Makes me wonder why they show every angle but the most important one, a shot of the back cover. I'm going to call fake on this for a couple of reasons, most notably the line next to the headphone jack and on the side. These really don't fit with the way apple designs things. However, the sim tray being on the side leads me to believe that this is more than a science project. Probably a prototype of some sort.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

andreww said:


> Makes me wonder why they show every angle but the most important one, a shot of the back cover. I'm going to call fake on this for a couple of reasons, most notably the line next to the headphone jack and on the side. These really don't fit with the way apple designs things. However, the sim tray being on the side leads me to believe that this is more than a science project. Probably a prototype of some sort.


Bottom right corner is a pic of the back, afaik. There are more pictures if you click the links in this thread.

Apparently the back is glass (well, same material as the front... doesn't really feel like glass like the 1st gen did). As well, those 'seams' are likely due to it being a prototype. I doubt they'd still be there for the production run.

I'm thinking this is the real deal.

From engadget:


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

Yeah, just saw those pics. Its obviously something more than a hoax, or somebody has gone through a hell of a lot of effort to fool us. I guess it pretty much looks how I expected it to. I was hoping for an aluminum back like the ipad, but always feared that would inhibit cell phone reception. It was pretty much a give in that the front wouldn't change, and really, how much can you do with the back? I think a hard edge on the side is a good idea, as the current "rounded" shape makes the phone a little to slippery in your hands. Not sure if its just the pic, but it looks a little big doesn't it?


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

kloan said:


> As well, those 'seams' are likely due to it being a prototype. I doubt they'd still be there for the production run.


After reading a bit about it those "seams" are actually the edges of the battery replacement door. You insert a pin in to the hole on the top, which releases the lock. That whole side piece appears to be hinged at the bottom, and just rotates out. The battery simply slides out of the side of the phone.

What worries me is that apple wouldn't do this unless the battery life wasn't good. Meaning if you use your phone alot, you'll need to carry an extra battery.


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## bob99 (Aug 16, 2007)

It looks like this thing is legit:

This Is Apple's Next iPhone - Iphone 4 - Gizmodo


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## iheartmac (Jan 5, 2006)

The 'Find My iPhone' service didn't seem to help Apple any!


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

*"I'm going to go with it's a fake for 400, Bob"*

I tend to think that this is a controlled leak from Apple to throw everyone off. Apple is too security minded for this to be a mistake. If it is a mistake, the person responsible better go into hiding!

I like the sculpted back that we have now. I don't think that this would be as comfortable to hold or be as comfortable in your pocket. I'm not crazy about it.

Also whenever something real pops up, Apple releases their legal dogs. If this was legit, Apple's lawyers would have already served Gizmodo with a cease and desist order. That hasn't happened. What does that tell you?

Hey, here is a conspiracy theory... It's actually a soon to be released DELL phone that they planted with Apple's logo on it. They want to get everyone in a frenzy and then proudly say that it's theirs and that even Apple's loyal following can't tell their hardware apart.

The fact that Apple's legal department hasn't squashed this story like a bug, speaks volumes... But I've been wrong before, just ask my ex-wife!


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## okcomputer (Jul 18, 2005)

Bilbo said:


> It's actually a soon to be released DELL phone that they planted with Apple's logo on it. They want to get everyone in a frenzy and then proudly say that it's theirs and that even Apple's loyal following can't tell their hardware apart.


A Dell phone that runs iPhone OS 4.0 and is recognized as an iPhone when plugged in?


I definitely think this is an Apple prototype. Whether or not this will be close to the final version has yet to be seen. Only June/July will tell. Haha.


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## broad (Jun 2, 2009)

my first thought when reading it was "whoever lost that is probably already dead or in line at the UI office"


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

okcomputer said:


> A Dell phone that runs iPhone OS 4.0 and is recognized as an iPhone when plugged in?
> 
> 
> I definitely think this is an Apple prototype. Whether or not this will be close to the final version has yet to be seen. Only June/July will tell. Haha.


Yeah, I know... I was just havin' fun. It's Monday. I'm bored.


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## mac91 (Feb 18, 2010)

Didn't engadget confirm it to be a cheap hong kong made knockoff?
That's what I heard anyways.


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

mac91 said:


> Didn't engadget confirm it to be a cheap hong kong made knockoff?
> That's what I heard anyways.


That was the initial word. That was retracted however, and it is generally agreed that this is at least a genuine prototype. How close it is to what we will see in June is anybody's guess, but I'd say its pretty darned close.


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## Quicksilver G4 (Jan 29, 2008)

mac91 said:


> Didn't engadget confirm it to be a cheap hong kong made knockoff?
> That's what I heard anyways.


Actually, that makes sense. It just doesn't look Apple-like, especially a removable battery door? Also, the side buttons just don't look right.

Definitely a fake, no question about it.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

broad said:


> my first thought when reading it was "whoever lost that is probably already dead or in line at the UI office"


I don't like the fact that no reasonable attempt to return the phone has been made. Instead, both Engadget or Gizmodo have taken the device apart even to dissect it. If I lost my phone, I'd go back to wherever I lost it and notify the people too.


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## kkritsilas (Mar 1, 2010)

Quicksilver G4 said:


> Actually, that makes sense. It just doesn't look Apple-like, especially a removable battery door? Also, the side buttons just don't look right.
> 
> Definitely a fake, no question about it.


There were rumors floating around a while ago that the EU was going to impose a requirement that all devices have an end user replaceable battery, and that the batteries had to be available for sale to end users. The battery cover could be for that reason, or it could be for adding in the Micro-Sim (if this is a prototype, I can's see the Sim/Micro-Sim cover, so I am assuming that it is underneath the battery cover somewhere).

It could also be that Apple has just lost too much money on battery replacement on the 3G/3GS (they give you another phone, they don't replace the battery in-store, as far as I know).

Of course, being a prototype, it could also be that the battery cover was there to allow hardware development to be made is easier (i.e. without having to take the phone apart every time), and the delivered version could have a back without a battery cover, as does the 3G/3GS.

Kostas

Edit: Sorry, I missed the sim slot on the side. Please disregard the micro-sim slot statement above.


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## canteaus (Apr 19, 2010)

When the photos of the new iphone first went up on engadget, I was pretty sure it wasn't fake. 

Although the design wasn't very convincing, it was the exposed battery that really got me thinking that this could be the real iphone. If someone was going to make a knock off iphone, they wouldn't have made the battery so big. 

I'm pretty convinced that this iphone will be rolling out on the 22nd of June, but does anybody have any idea when it will be available in Canada after the launch?


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

*Loss, theft and greed*

Gizmodo paid for the phone and (given that Engadget also had photos) there was likely an auction off to the highest bidder. Whoever "found" the phone was "rewarded". Either an unfortunate Apple employee is now unemployed without a reference or the device was actually stolen with the intent to sell. From Apple's perspective, it is likely good it was picked up by a techno-blog rather than a competitor company (Jon Rubinstein's bid wasn't high enough - there again, no more deep-pockets at Palm).

Shakey ethics all round (not that the tech blogs are known for their integrity - they're the National Enquirer of gadgets). You could say that its Apple's fault for being so secretive, but you cannot argue with the success of their strategy so far. Whoever hung on the words of Michael Dell? Given Steve Jobs penchant for control, if this was to be the iPhone 4G, Cupertino may have cancelled all time off and be re-engineering as we type....


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## kkritsilas (Mar 1, 2010)

If this a prototype, it may or may not be the same as the version that will be released. There could be many models of outer casing design, this being one of them. While it it true that the production tooling and finalized hardware specifications need to be in place by now if the phone is to be rolled out on June 22, and shipped in July (using the 36/3GS roll outs as templates), it doesn't mean that the released phone will be the same as the one Engadget/Gizmodo have. This is A prototype, but possibly not the ONLY prototype, and if there are other prototypes around, they may look different.

Kostas


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Well here's the story of how and where it was lost (a bar 20 miles from Infinite Loop).

How Apple Lost the Next iPhone - Leak - Gizmodo

The big question is where has it been for the last month? I hope it hasn't been passed on to competitors for a price in the interim.


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## milhaus (Jun 1, 2004)

Quicksilver G4 said:


> Definitely a fake, no question about it.


Okay, so what you gotta say for yourself now??? I love all of the armchair QBs commenting on this story yesterday. I'll go with the Josh Tops and Brian Lams of the world - it's their job to know their gadgets, and sorry, they're good at their jobs. As for ethics, it doesn't surprise me that Giz would pay for the phone - Gawker's got a reputation for this sort of junk. Valleywag put out a bounty on the iPad. Paying for this info is below Engadget, and it looks like their story yesterday was largely via investigative work.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Quicksilver G4 said:


> Definitely a fake, no question about it.


LOL. ok...... :lmao:

And no, it wasn't "confirmed to be a knock off from Hong Kong". First of all, it was Japan. And second of all, it was just some guy on the web with a pic that quite honestly looked Photoshopped, who was saying he picked it up in a shop in Japan. Hardly a credible source.

Reading through the entire post on Gizmodo and looking at the photos, it is quite convincing.

The only thing I'm wondering is why didn't he turn it on in the video? They mention a few times how the screen is higher resolution and looked great, with the USB/connect to iTunes graphic on there... why not show it?

Besides that little bit... the rest of it is pretty darn convincing.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

gmark2000 said:


> Well here's the story of how and where it was lost (a bar 20 miles from Infinite Loop).
> 
> How Apple Lost the Next iPhone - Leak - Gizmodo
> 
> The big question is where has it been for the last month? I hope it hasn't been passed on to competitors for a price in the interim.


And I've got some Florida real estate/swampland at a bargain price. Just send $5000 in a brown envelope as a down payment and we can work out the deets later. 

They named the Apple employee as evidence of their "credibility". Nice.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

Apple has now formally asked for the prototype device back. In this post (A Letter: Apple Wants Its Secret iPhone Back - Iphone 4 - Gizmodo) the Gizmodo editor alludes to the fact they didn't realize it was stolen and clearly wanted APple to send a formal letter to give them evidence of the legitimacy of the device. Methinks this will not be the last they hear from Apple's legal counsel nor will $5000 be the entirety of their costs.


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## Quicksilver G4 (Jan 29, 2008)

What I meant by "fake" is that it is an experimental device and is nothing like what the next iPhone will look like. Overall, it looks chunky and can hardly pass as the real deal. This is the kind of design you'd expect to find in a small Chinese cell phone shop, not what you'd get from Apple.

My guess is that the new iPhone will look something along the lines of the current version -sim card on top, rocker switch on side and possibly an aluminum backing.


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## okcomputer (Jul 18, 2005)

Quicksilver G4 said:


> My guess is that the new iPhone will look something along the lines of the current version -sim card on top, rocker switch on side and possibly an aluminum backing.


I don't think Apple would put that much effort into completely changing the layout of the chip and components (moving the sim card to the side, etc.), if they weren't seriously thinking about doing it for the final version.

Am I the only one who doesn't think it's _that_ bulky? It's thinner than the 3GS for flip sakes. Haha.


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## joltguy (Apr 15, 2005)

Love the new design. I actually think this prototype looks more like current Apple aesthetic than my beloved iPhone 3GS does with its bulbous curvy backside.

Also, Gizmodo is taking some serious backlash now (at least from the twitter crowd) and they may be in legal hot water too.


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

*Sharp Edges*

The rounded edges it has now makes the iPhone comfortable to hold, slide easily in and out of my pocket and not wear holes in my pocket.

I feel that Gizmodo was wrong by outing this phone, knowing full well (or even believing) that it was genuinely Apple's property.

B


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## i-rui (Sep 13, 2006)

Bilbo said:


> The rounded edges it has now makes the iPhone comfortable to hold, slide easily in and out of my pocket and not wear holes in my pocket.
> 
> I feel that Gizmodo was wrong by outing this phone, knowing full well (or even believing) that it was genuinely Apple's property.
> 
> B


i agree on your first point. I think the rounded back does makes it easier to handle.

i disagree with the second. tech sites thrive on news and speculation i don't think they did anything wrong.


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

I guess it's real...


> A 27-year-old Apple software engineer has been outed as the unfortunate employee of the notoriously secretive company who left behind an iPhone prototype in a California beer garden.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

I'll be counting my pennies if they release this phone. I happen to like it a lot. Big improvement over the cheap crack-proned plastic backed iPhone.


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

i-rui said:


> tech sites thrive on news and speculation i don't think they did anything wrong.


I agree that tech sites thrive on speculation, but considering that Gizmodo knew that they had the real thing, can it still be considered speculation? They knowingly outed another company's trade secrets. They performed an autopsy on another company's unreleased technology for their competitors to see. That's just wrong and not just because it's Apple's technology. It would be wrong if it was Google, LG or Motorola too.

I like to speculate, debate and discuss what Apple has cooking in their labs just as much as the next person. This wasn't guessing or speculation.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

kloan said:


> I'll be counting my pennies if they release this phone. I happen to like it a lot. Big improvement over the cheap crack-proned plastic backed iPhone.


It's a specially hardened ceramic that allows radiowave transmissions.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

gmark2000 said:


> It's a specially hardened ceramic that allows radiowave transmissions.


To which are you referring?


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

gmark2000 said:


> It's a specially hardened ceramic that allows radiowave transmissions.


Not sure if that has been confirmed. Engadget had speculated about that, but Gizmodo seemed to say it was just plastic. IMO ceramic is way too expensive to be used as a caseback. I'll bet that it's plastic.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

andreww said:


> Not sure if that has been confirmed. Engadget had speculated about that, but Gizmodo seemed to say it was just plastic. IMO ceramic is way too expensive to be used as a caseback. I'll bet that it's plastic.


Not to mention brittle if dropped? Or is ceramic stronger than I imagine it to be?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

I don't see why they'd use another material when their 'glass' screen material is suitable for this application as well. I sure hope they don't use plastic again.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

Apple had a patent filing in 2006 for ceramic enclosure — much tougher than the glass and also scratch resistant.


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

MannyP Design said:


> Apple had a patent filing in 2006 for ceramic enclosure — much tougher than the glass and also scratch resistant.


It looks like the top of the Magic Mouse. If it is at ALL like that, colour me impressed! I want I WANT!


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

jawknee said:


> Not to mention brittle if dropped? Or is ceramic stronger than I imagine it to be?


Ceramic is very durable. Companies like Chanel have been using it to make watch cases and bracelets, as an alternative to steel. It is very pricey though.


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

kloan said:


> I sure hope they don't use plastic again.


Nothing wrong with plastic. Very cheap and is an excellent conductor of radio waves. There are many places around town that will through a new caseback on your phone for very cheap. Probably cheaper than using one of those overpriced cases out there.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

andreww said:


> Nothing wrong with plastic. Very cheap and is an excellent conductor of radio waves. There are many places around town that will through a new caseback on your phone for very cheap. Probably cheaper than using one of those overpriced cases out there.


The "wrong" thing about plastic is that it's not green and Apple has been making great strives towards being as green as they can. In that vein it makes sense that they miht be using ceramic instead of plastic.

To be honest I don't care as much what they use, as long as it's tougher and works better than my not-so-nicely-aging 3G I'll be happy.


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## Commodus (May 10, 2005)

What I dig most about the design?

That you can actually trace the design influences back to Dieter Rams (of Braun). It has that very utilitarian-but-stylish look to it. A lot of phones are either very swoopy and stylish or just functional bricks, and rarely do you get an elegant meeting in between.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Braun? You mean like the shavers?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

andreww said:


> Nothing wrong with plastic. Very cheap and is an excellent conductor of radio waves. There are many places around town that will through a new caseback on your phone for very cheap. Probably cheaper than using one of those overpriced cases out there.


If you consider cracking and discolourations as 'nothing wrong', you apparently have lower standards than most.


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

kloan said:


> If you consider cracking and discolourations as 'nothing wrong', you apparently have lower standards than most.


The problem with the plastic on the 3Gs is that it wraps around the buttons leaving very little surface area and no strength. If you look at the back of the 4G it is one flat piece. There won't be any problems with it.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

I suppose you're right. A flat surface should certainly be more rigid than that of the curved design. I personally prefer the feel of the glass material, and think it would be a nicer thing to use than plastic. It would also be much more resistant to scratches and scuffing.


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## okcomputer (Jul 18, 2005)

andreww said:


> The problem with the plastic on the 3Gs is that it wraps around the buttons leaving very little surface area and no strength. If you look at the back of the 4G it is one flat piece. There won't be any problems with it.


Agreed. There are several weak points, and we've seen hairline cracks in those areas. The plastic is great, I love the feel of it and it's fairly durable, but the curved design does have some issues.

I do like the design of the prototype. Just have to wait and see how much it changes in the next couple of months.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

commodus said:


> it has that very utilitarian-but-stylish look to it. A lot of phones are either very swoopy and stylish or just functional bricks, and rarely do you get an elegant meeting in between.


+1


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## mkolesa (Jul 22, 2008)

wellllll.... any smart designer looks at the weaknesses in their past designs and tries to remedy them. so, judging by all the comments that have made the rounds about all the cracks in the 3G and 3GS cases (which means huge lost revenues because of all the returns), it only makes sense that they would try to find a solution. and in this case the solution is a unit that may cost somewhat more to manufacture (fabricating a piece of aluminum to act as a structure is going to cost more per unit that molding a piece of plastic), but will end up having higher earnings because there will be fewer returns.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

You've got to admire intelligent design.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

fjnmusic said:


> You've got to admire intelligent design.


The 4th generation iPhone looks more like the product of evolution to me - and that's a fact!


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

An interesting commentary from Digital Daily about the stolen iPhone fiasco and what it really means: 

Both parties should be prosecuted. This whole episode amounts to corporate espionage. The seller, who should have turned the phone in under California law, is guilty of stealing as well as being complicit in the revealing of trade secrets. And Gizmodo's behavior is absolutely reprehensible as they are guilty of not only buying stolen property as defined under CA law, by their own proud admission, but also for revealing trade secrets obtained through illegal means. The feds should also be looking into this illegal activity and prosecuting on a federal level. With the highly competitive world we now live in, and with parties out there that are ready to steal, copy and rapidly manufacture others core technology, it is more important than ever for companies like Apple to keep their product development under tight security.
JohnDoey
The sad thing is, Gizmodo totally missed the real story.

They thought the story was the specifics of the device, like how many pixels the screen has. They very clearly broke the law to get the device so that they could take it apart and expose whatever trade secrets it might reveal, breaking the law again. They took a tabloid mentality, equating "someone's secret" with "news." And at the end, they didn't find anything that we didn't already know about the 2010 iPhone through very well-traveled rumor. They made some very uninteresting photos of internal components that look like ... internal components. The exterior of the device is not even the exterior, that whole thing goes into an iPhone 3GS shell. That's all the exterior may be designed for. The volume buttons may have been expressly designed to be pressed by the toggle on the iPhone 3GS. The final phone may or may not look like anything like that.

The real story was the people, the espionage. An Apple baseband engineer carrying an iPhone 3GS which has had its guts replaced by prototype future-iPhone parts so he could field test the baseband without anyone realizing it is not just a regular iPhone 3GS. His name is on a list of people with pre-release phones that is kept by Steve Jobs personally. He leaves the phone behind in a bar on his birthday after drinking German beer. There is a final lonely Facebook update from the device. Someone finds the phone, figures out who owns it from the Facebook app, yet instead of returning it, or at least leaving it with the bartender or police, or even just returning it to Apple, he absconds with the phone, and starts auctioning it off to gadget blogs Engadget and Gizmodo. The phone is wiped remotely by Apple. Blurry photos of the partially disassembled phone are sent to each. Engadget consults their lawyer and declines to purchase the device. Gizmodo purchases it for $5000.

At that point, Gizmodo had a chance to be the hero of the piece. They could have said nothing about the device they purchased, done nothing to it, and turned it immediately in to Apple, saying they purchased it just to get it off the black market and back to its owner. They could even have refused to be reimbursed the $5000, which would buy them $25,000 in additional publicity, easy. Then they write the whole story but with themselves as Gizmodo the gadget hero. The story is not just of a lost prototype, but also a found prototype. They put a happy ending on the tale.

When the cops arrest the thief, Gizmodo is the hero again. Maybe they get their $5000 back also.

When the 2010 iPhone is introduced, Gizmodo is the hero again. When it's released, they're the hero. Every time they write about iPhone for the next year, they're the hero again.

Instead of outing the Apple engineer and making him a world famous stooge, people would be saying "Gizmodo saved that guy's job!"

Gizmodo would be the ones who returned the lost prototype iPhone forever.

And they would have made their competitor Engadget, who totally did the right thing, look like chumps who had a chance to rescue the prototype iPhone but no guts to pull the trigger. Got to be worth $5000 by itself.

The specifications of the 2010 iPhone pale in comparison to all of this. It has more storage and more pixels than the previous model! It contains a slightly larger battery and slightly tinier components than the previous model! Zzzzz.

Receiving stolen property puts you on the hook for 1 year in State Prison in California. There are 3 or 4 people at Gizmodo who are in that position.

If Apple sues them for the trade secrets part, they're liable not only for whatever damages Apple incurred, but Gizmodo have to give up 2 times whatever they made from it. Which will be easy for Apple to figure out since the ads on Gizmodo are done by Apple. (Yes, bizarre.)

So Gizmodo turned out not only to me made up of people with questionable ethics, but they're also very bad journalists, and *terrible* at PR.


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## mkolesa (Jul 22, 2008)

the thing that really surprises me in all this is that the 'folks' at gizmodo don't seem to have had a lawyer in the loop... i know if it were me, i was running a company, and there was the option of doing something where the legalities could be called in to play the first thing i'd want to do is know what my exposure would be. so even if they weren't smart enough to know how best to spin the story, you'd think they would have been smart enough not to step into a pile of doodoo!


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

mkolesa said:


> the thing that really surprises me in all this is that the 'folks' at gizmodo don't seem to have had a lawyer in the loop... i know if it were me, i was running a company, and there was the option of doing something where the legalities could be called in to play the first thing i'd want to do is know what my exposure would be. so even if they weren't smart enough to know how best to spin the story, you'd think they would have been smart enough not to step into a pile of doodoo!


No kidding. i guess they didn't see it as stealing trade secrets if they paid for the merchandise. Live and learn, I guess.


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## groovetube (Jan 2, 2003)

some not good press on apple on another part of their site, Steve Wozniak On Apple Security, Employee Termination, and Gray Powell - Steve Wozniak - Gizmodo


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Steve doesn't have a pointy head.


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

Keep in mind that the guy that found it and sold it, tried to contact Apple on numerous occasions. (as stated in most of the articles)


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## vfr (Jul 22, 2009)

More 4th gen iPhone info (video and pics):

Next generation iPhone unscrewed from Vietnam (update: video!) -- Engadget


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)




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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

With just two weeks to go until Apple is expected to unveil new iPhone hardware, it appears that supplies of the low-end 8 GB iPhone 3G are beginning to run dry. According to Boy Genius Report, Apple has stopped supplying AT&T stores with the device, suggesting that the model is being phased out of production.

We've heard that Apple has stopped shipping iPhone 3G 8GB units to AT&T stores and orders are not being placed for the device. Could this mean we might see the iPhone 3GS drop to $99 and make way for a new model?
Meanwhile, several MacRumors readers have noted shortages of the iPhone 3G in other countries. In Australia, where Apple sells contract-free iPhones online at unsubsidized prices, the 8 GB iPhone is listed as "Currently Unavailable". Similarly, customers looking to order iPhone 3G models in the United Kingdom through carrier O2 similarly appear to be having a difficult time, with a drop-down menu on O2's iPhone ordering page showing only new and reconditioned iPhone 3GS options despite the menu's description noting an iPhone 3G option.


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## TPCM (May 8, 2010)

daniels said:


> With just two weeks to go until Apple is expected to unveil new iPhone hardware, it appears that supplies of the low-end 8 GB iPhone 3G are beginning to run dry. According to Boy Genius Report, Apple has stopped supplying AT&T stores with the device, suggesting that the model is being phased out of production.
> 
> We've heard that Apple has stopped shipping iPhone 3G 8GB units to AT&T stores and orders are not being placed for the device. Could this mean we might see the iPhone 3GS drop to $99 and make way for a new model?
> Meanwhile, several MacRumors readers have noted shortages of the iPhone 3G in other countries. In Australia, where Apple sells contract-free iPhones online at unsubsidized prices, the 8 GB iPhone is listed as "Currently Unavailable". Similarly, customers looking to order iPhone 3G models in the United Kingdom through carrier O2 similarly appear to be having a difficult time, with a drop-down menu on O2's iPhone ordering page showing only new and reconditioned iPhone 3GS options despite the menu's description noting an iPhone 3G option.



Friend ordered the 3G from rogers. They told her she was lucky, as they have very few left. and will not be getting more. So she is getting one of the last.

-Tpcm


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## daniels (Jul 27, 2009)

im getting excited for the new iphone , cant wait till June 7th, 13 more sleeps


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## iphoneottawa (Apr 21, 2010)

fjnmusic said:


> An interesting commentary from Digital Daily about the stolen iPhone fiasco and what it really
> So Gizmodo turned out not only to me made up of people with questionable ethics, but they're also very bad journalists, and *terrible* at PR.


I think Apple planned the whole thing and Gizmodo knew it.


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