News iPhone 4G revealed?

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2010/04/20/iphone-4g-revealed/1

 

Yaaawwwnnnn

Looks better though, zero innovation over 3/4 products and now shaped like a Zune.

 

If that's true then I like the new design...

 

What's the odds Gray Powell is now an EX-Apple employee?!

 

Shouldn't they have handed this in? Round my end we have a word for that, its called STEALING!

"Gizmodo has disassembled the device after using it for about a week"
Admission of fraud followed by vandalism, Gizmodo you thieving c*nts.

 

They really don't tell you much about the phone specs, it smacks of a publicity stunt by the apple fanboys at gizmodo.

 

"Bit-tech.net - where the finger next leaves the pulse"

 

It could have been planted of course

 

it's the "revolutionary" new design where Blackberry and HTC has been using for ages.

 

Have been following this since it broke; although I missed the initial story by a few hours...

Originally it was found by someone in the bar, who did try to contact Apple when he realised that this was no ordinary 3GS (why he didn't leave it at the bar or report it to the police is beyond me though), but got no response from them. Engadget first got their hands on it, then Gizmodo bought it. According to Gizmodo, they didn't know how this phone was obtained when they paid an un-named source to get their hands on in (according to reports, this was between $5000 and $10,000). Under California law, they aren't guilty of handling stolen goods unless they knew it was stolen. They do have to make every effort to return it to the owner; however the guy that originally picked it up could face some interesting legal questions from local law or Apple... Apple are treating this as stolen, hence the letter to Gizmodo asking for it back (which they appear to be complying with).

There's absolutely no doubt that this genuine now, Apple's letter requesting it's return pretty much confirms it. Even though they use words like "device" and "unit", not "iPhone" or even "phone". At this point it can only be a pre-production prototype - the design is very likely to change. Although very little other hardware detail really exists, besides what can be seen on the device.

Whether you like Apple or loathe them, this is still big news. I really hope the production models look like this prototype. I've pretty much decided on an iPhone later this year, and that prototype looks much better than previous models (IMO, obviously).

Oh, and please don't even *start* the Apple vs. PC vs. Linux stuff. This debate was old when I was a kid: my Atari was better than your Amiga, my SNES was better than your Megadrive, etc, etc. If it's possible to flog a dead horse, then we're way past dead horses with this one - this dead horse is a skeleton by now.

 

Wrong the Amiga was better than the atari and the megadrive was better then the snes...ok no it wasn't...

(owner of 10 Megadrives and 3 SNES's)

P.S BLC thanks for the additional info.

 

For those interested in more...

Original Engadget article: http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/17/iphone-4g-is-this-it/

Original Gizmodo article: http://gizmodo.com/5520164/this-is-apples-next-iphone

"How Apple lost it": http://gizmodo.com/5520438/how-apple-lost-the-next-iphone

Apple's "Give us our tech back" letter: http://gizmodo.com/5520479/a-letter-apple-wants-its-secret-iphone-back

 

Which has all been posted since sunday in this thread, here:

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=186413

 

I wish people wouldn't call it a 4G iPhone when it's clearly an iPhone 3GS 1.1

 

I'm scared for that employee...stay away from 3rd floor windows.

 

I smell publicity stunt.

Now that the iPad rumours have come true and the device is released, Apple needed a new way to stay in the spotlight so cue the "lost/stolen prototype", followed, doubtlessly, by months of hype and speculation (essentially free marketing) until the device is finally released to massive critical acclaim.

Yawn.

 

It *is* 4G as in 4th generation (count 'em - original, 3G, 3GS), much like they used to talk about 4G iPods etc. Granted it's a little confusing given it is also a phone (probably 3G, but maybe with WiMax and/or LTE (aka 3.9G)), but one thing for certain is that this is NOT an "iPhone 3GS 1.1". The front facing camera alone makes this more of an upgrade to its predecessor than either the 3G or the 3GS in my opinion, and that's before we get into the rumoured higher resolution screen, possible radical redesign (though I'm with BLC that I'd expect design changes), compatibility with LTE/WiMax, micro SIM etc. There are rumours of a completely new fabrication process being used to make the chassis out of ceramic. I also wonder if the flat back (assuming it stays in the final design) is to facilitate the secondary touch controller on the reverse that was rumoured a while back...

 

Apple don't do stunts like this so you can rule that out.

Can't wait to get one, my old 3G is great but I want more.

 

Agreed - if it was anyone but Apple, I'd think it were a hoax, but Apple is infamously secretive about its forthcoming products. It has always preferred to blow people's socks off with an awesome debut, usually in the hands of Steve Jobs at an official launch.

Rumours always abound but Apple never comments and leaks are rare. It is in the enviable position of being able to say nothing and have the rumour mill work overtime regardless because of the magic Apple effect.

 

I agree... I think that the whole thing is just fishy. Why would they let an employee just walk around with the phone like that? And if it just a one time testing situation, how could they conveniently just lose it?