iPhone Gen IV/HD pics. Maybe real after all

[Pliablemoose]

http://www.engadget.com/photos/iphone-4-hd-hands-on/#2903372

It was a fake iphone http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/18/images-of-iphone-4g-actually-a-japanese-counterfeit/

Is this the iPhone 4G (or iPhone HD)? There's no way to tell for sure, but these photos which made their way into our hands certainly do a convincing job of making us think that's very much the case. Apparently the phone was found on the floor of a San Jose bar inside of an iPhone 3G case. Right now we don't have a ton of info on the device in question, but we can tell you that it apparently has a front facing camera (!), 80GB of storage (weird, right?), and isn't booting at this point (though it was previously, and running an OS that was decidedly new). It's not clear if this is definitely a production model, or just a prototype that found its way into the world, but it's certainly a compelling design, no matter how you look at it.

Face-time with the handset is being shopped around for cash, but we took a pass and wanted to get these photos to you guys ASAP. Stay tuned, we're working on more details as we type -- for now, enjoy the gallery below!

If they're real, its certainly a departure from previous styling.

And some one @ Apple is getting fired over this if its real

 

[rudeguy]

its a tarp!

 

[Cuda1447]

Interesting.... how is it just 'left on a bathroom floor?!?

 

[herkulease]

What San Jose Bar? We have plenty.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was intentional. The htc incredible preordering starts tomorrow, and it was officially unveiled this week.

Granted June is around the corner. Things don't just happen to be left on the floor.

If more stuff comes out the last week of April then I'm gonna lean towards it being intentional leaks.

Apple has every reason to try to delay people from picking up something else. Rumors of Verizon in the fall. leaks here and there, get some people to hold out and buy an iphone.

 

[Chapbass]

as much as i hate apple, I've got to say, i like the new styling. I HATE the rounded bottom half of the current itouch/iphone design...just doesn't sit right in my hand.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Huh, heres some random twitpic found by searching 4G iphone posted by someone in China several months ago...

http://twitpic.com/14ge1m/full

 

[rudeguy]

interesting...

But who really knows at this point? The thing that makes me wonder is how the device is magically not booting now. I would imagine Apple would have the ability to remote wipe it. That for sure makes it sound like someone took it to the bar to show off and got it swiped.

 

[gorcorps]

Seems too blocky for an Apple product. If anything, I reckon it's an early prototype for function and most likely will not be what it ends up looking like. But who knows, maybe they're trying something off the wall.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Looks interesting. I think it's a little thicker than usual.

 

[dguy6789]

The Iphone 4 will definitely be a different size/shape so that people will have to buy new cases and screen protectors and stuff.

 

[gorcorps]

The Iphone 4 will definitely be a different size/shape so that people will have to buy new cases and screen protectors and stuff.

Just like they did with the 3G to 3GS? Oh wait...

 

[Pliablemoose]

Bump, seems someone found an old iPad pic that suggests it's real

 

[speg]

Funny that we've had that pic for months and never noticed. It looks like it's real, but question is - is it just a prototype? A non-production model used to test software?

 

[TheWart]

hmm, here is some more rampant speculation by way of Macrumors:

Josh Topolsky from engadget is on TUAW saying there are details he can't talk about, but that they are VERY confindent that the next gen iPhone will in fact me VERY much like what we see in these pictures based on his sources.

He's also saying the back is heard to be glass of some sort and Apple is going for a more professional look of the new iPhone' or a more masculine feel.

He's also saying this isn't the last we've heard about the iPhone. It's def getting really interesting !!!

 

[tatteredpotato]

I'm really liking the new design, true or not.

If it's real I imagine Steve Jobs is ready to punch a baby of this leak

 

[Synomenon]

The glass back will work better w/ the cell, wifi and bluetooth signals, right?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Rumors of a user replaceable battery?

0_o

 

[TheWart]

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

"They've delivered many of the features people have been waiting for—that damn front camera!—while at the same time upgrading everything else. Flash, better back camera, better battery life and another microphone for better voice clarity. People who bought the 3G two years ago and are now in the perfect position to upgrade and get a dramatically different, and better, phone. If confirmed this summer, and if it performs as we expect, this next-generation iPhone looks like a winner."

 

[Demo24]

I never really liked the design of the previous model, but I like where this is going.

 

[Phobic9]

Gonna vote this as an intentional leak by Apple. Android (and not to mention the Droid Incredible) has been getting a lot more buzz lately so it's no surprise that Apple could "slip" and leak a prototype to get people to talk about them instead.

I mean with all the reports of iPads being literally locked down to tables prior to release, I find it odd that someone would lose an Apple product in a restaurant like this.

 

[TheWart]

Gonna vote this as an intentional leak by Apple. Android (and not to mention the Droid Incredible) has been getting a lot more buzz lately so it's no surprise that Apple could "slip" and leak a prototype to get people to talk about them instead.

I mean with all the reports of iPads being literally locked down to tables prior to release, I find it odd that someone would lose an Apple product in a restaurant like this.

Really? I mean Apple is going to have a press unveiling of the phone in just a matter of weeks by all accounts, and I cannot see how letting the tech blogs play this story really is a big deal. Sure, Android has gotten buzz among the techies, but not really in the mainstream (CNN, MSNBC, NYT, etc). I doubt this will either...

Besides, there were reports of previous iPhones being out in the wild before release for testing purposes, so I don't find the bar/restaurant story too farfetched. Much crazier things have happened.

 

[Phobic9]

Really? I mean Apple is going to have a press unveiling of the phone in just a matter of weeks by all accounts, and I cannot see how letting the tech blogs play this story really is a big deal. Sure, Android has gotten buzz among the techies, but not really in the mainstream (CNN, MSNBC, NYT, etc). I doubt this will either...

Besides, there were reports of previous iPhones being out in the wild before release for testing purposes, so I don't find the bar/restaurant story too farfetched. Much crazier things have happened.

Right, but would you really be surprised if this was intentional? Obviously, we'll have no way of knowing if it was or not but I know I wouldn't be surprised if Steve J would do something like this.

If Steve knows how to do anything thing right, it's build hype which is what I think is being done here.

 

[QueBert]

Gonna vote this as an intentional leak by Apple. Android (and not to mention the Droid Incredible) has been getting a lot more buzz lately so it's no surprise that Apple could "slip" and leak a prototype to get people to talk about them instead.

I mean with all the reports of iPads being literally locked down to tables prior to release, I find it odd that someone would lose an Apple product in a restaurant like this.

Apple only needs to generate buzz once a year. Since there are many manufacturers making Android devices on all networks of course they will be a semi constant buzz around Android. Apple announces 1 new phone a year and the buzz when it's announced/about the come out shuts down any other buzz out there. With a single handset Apple will still continue to dominate Android devices market share wise. Apple isn't the type of company to do a leak like this, it's either fake or a really bad fuck up.

 

[dguy6789]

Android devices are selling like hotcakes. Apple is suing HTC to slow down Android adoption. It's definitely possible that this was an intentional leak to help get some people to wait for the next iPhone instead of getting an Android.

I don't think it can really be denied that Android is scaring the heck out of Apple. Android is growing so much faster than iPhone that it has to be one of the biggest things Apple is worried about. Android has the potential to do to Apple in the phone market what Windows did in the PC/laptop market.

Android devices are much more numerous(meaning that there is almost certainly a device that fits the needs of everyone), plenty of them are just plain better than the iPhone in all aspects, many of them are cheaper than the iPhone, people have a real choice of which carrier they want to use.

The only reason Android isn't completely destroying the iPhone now is just a lack of advertising and people being aware of it. It's only a matter of time. Jobs is almost certainly losing sleep over trying to find a way to deal with this.

 

[TheWart]

Right, but would you really be surprised if this was intentional? Obviously, we'll have no way of knowing if it was or not but I know I wouldn't be surprised if Steve J would do something like this.

If Steve knows how to do anything thing right, it's build hype which is what I think is being done here.

If Apple were a 'normal' company I would say your strategy makes perfect sense, but I think it has become clear over time that Steve Jobs in particular borders on paranoia when it comes to leaks and unveiling things without the proper fanfare.