We've all heard about the iPhone prototype, which was left there by an Apple employee, that was found in a Redwood City, California bar last month. Even CNN reported on it. Gizmodo heard about the device, and paid around $5,000 to get the device into their possession to take a look at it.
What's New
- Front-facing camera - possibly for video chat
- Improved camera on the back with flash
- Micro-SIM instead of standard SIM
- Improved display with higher resolution
- Possible second mic for noise cancellation
- Split buttons for volume
- Power, mute, and volume buttons are metallic
What's changed
- The back of the device is completely flat instead of the curved edges of the iPhone 3G and 3GS. It is most likely made of glass, ceramics or shiny plastic
- An aluminum border going around the device
- Slightly smaller screen than the iPhone 3GS
- More of a square shape
- 3 grams heavier than the iPhone 3GS
- 16% Larger battery
- Internals components are smaller and tightly packed together
Is it the real thing?
Many people are obviously questioning whether this is the real thing from Apple or not. Here are some reasons of why it could be the real thing:
A prototype had been reported lost
Daring Fireball's John Gruber reported that Apple had lost an iPhone prototype and that they wanted it back:
So I called around, and I now believe this is an actual unit from Apple — a unit Apple is very interested in getting back.
Apple remotely killed the device
Gizmodo is reporting that before they received the prototype iPhone, Apple has remotely killed the device, so all that could be seen was a "Connect to iTunes" screen and that when trying to restore the device in iTunes, no firmware download was available.
The device is recognized as an iPhone
When the device was plugged into a Mac, iTunes and Xcode both saw it as an "iPhone" and Mac OS X's System Profiler reported it as an iPhone is restore mode. Also, the System Profiler is noting that the product identification numbers are different from both the 3G and the 3GS.
It uses Micro-SIM
The iPad 3G will be using a Micro-SIM card as well. Apple's product history shows that when one product gets a certain feature, another product will likely get the same feature, shown here with a Micro-SIM slot in the iPad 3G and this iPhone prototype.
The iPhone prototype in a 3GS casing
The case the iPhone prototype was in was a 3GS casing to make it look like an iPhone 3GS. The 3GS case had all of the new holes cut out, for the volume buttons, cameras and flash.
The internal components are labeled with "APPLE"
When Gizmodo opened up the device, multiple components were labeled with "APPLE." Also, all of the components were so tightly packed and designed that it is clear the components were designed for this casing and it is not just another 3GS hardware in a different case.
Design changes
- The phone has no tapered or curved edges. Everything is squared off.
- There is an aluminum rim going around the device
- There is a black plastic backing
- There are two volume buttons, instead of a rocker
- There are seams on the device. It is unknown what their function is, or if they will be removed before final production
- Buttons are made of aluminum
- The Micro-SIM card is now located on the right side of the device
There are now two volume buttons instead of a rocker
Hardware changes
- There is a 16% larger battery than the iPhone 3GS, something users have been asking for, for years
- The display is slightly smaller than the iPhone 3GS
- There is a camera flash
- There is a larger camera on the back
- There is a front-facing camera
- There is a second mic for noise cancellation
- The device is listed with a "XX GB" on the back, and because of this, it is unknown how large it is
- Micro-SIM card
- Higher resolution display
Apple wants this thing back
Gizmodo reported that Apple had contacted them, asking for the iPhone prototype back. Apple said that the device is stolen and that Gizmodo must return it to Apple. Of course, they did.
A front-facing camera on the device
The new, larger camera on the back with flash
The prototype shows tightly packed internal components
Do you think that this is really the next-generation iPhone, or just a fake?
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