Purported prototype next-gen iPhone has MicroSIM slot, two cameras

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
New photos of an alleged fourth-generation iPhone surfaced over the weekend, with a handful of reports claiming the device is indeed a prototype device that somehow slipped away from Apple, sporting dual cameras with flash, a high-resolution screen, and a slot for a MicroSIM card.



Though Engadget showed initial skepticism when it received photos of the device, editor Joshua Topolsky filed another report hours later, claiming "proof" that the photos of the device -- allegedly found laying on the floor of a San Jose bar -- being an authentic fourth-generation prototype iPhone. That proof is the same information AppleInsider's own sources provided in February: a leaked photo of the iPad before the device was revealed also shows the forthcoming iPhone model inside Apple's top-secret labs.



The discovered device sports a front-facing camera, 80GB of storage, and aluminum sides. Daring Fireball's John Gruber spoke with his own sources who reaffirmed to him that the device is legitimate, and "Apple is very interested in getting it back."



"I am not certain this is the actual production unit Apple intends to ship to consumers," he wrote. "I think it's a testbed frame -- thicker, with visible (un-Apple-like) seams, meant to fit into 3GS cases so as to disguise units out in the wild. It's hard to tell from the photos. But I think it is the real deal in terms of the internals and the display being next-gen hardware, and the new glass back."



He also went on to mention a patent AppleInsider covered in 2006 regarding radio-transparent zirconia CE casings. Such casings could allow wireless signals to pass through an enclosure uninhibited and could improve reception on future iPhone models. Gruber theorized that the glass-looking back seen on the iPhone prototype could be a "high-durability" ceramic enclosure, similar to what was mentioned in the patent, as having glass on both sides of the new iPhone would make it very fragile if dropped.







As was previously rumored, the alleged prototype iPhone, reportedly dubbed "iPhone HD," sports a double-resolution 960x640 pixel display. Previous reports suggested the new handset would, like the iPad, include a custom-built processor from Apple.







The back of the device has Xs in place of certain numbers, such as the amount of storage and Federal Communications Commission ID number. It was also said to be previously running with a "decidedly new" operating system, though it is no longer booting. The device also has a "button" on its side, which sources told Engadget is for holding a MicroSIM card for connectivity with a GSM network, suggesting it is not the CDMA compatible model The Wall Street Journal previously claimed Apple is working on.







When Apple introduced the developer preview of its forthcoming iPhone OS 4 mobile operating system, users found references to iChat and frameworks containing the strings "front facing" and "back facing," providing even more potential evidence of a new model with video chat. AppleInsider also reported in January that Apple was looking to secure large quantities of LED camera flash components for a forthcoming iPhone, and data discovered in the iPhone OS 4 beta suggests that the next-gen device will indeed have a camera flash.







Apple is expected to introduce the fourth-generation iPhone at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Last week the head of a Canadian wireless carrier said Apple will ship the device that same month, while AT&T employees have been restricted from taking vacations in the same month.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 86
    I don't think I like it, it doesn't look Apple enough??
  • Reply 2 of 86
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gearhunter View Post


    I don't think I like it, it doesn't look Apple enough??



    Gruber says it is likely a prototype body, so it would look rough and unfinished.
  • Reply 3 of 86
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    What I find most interesting is that it won't boot anymore. If it is a legit Apple unit, I wonder if they used a remote kill switch to deactivate it. Don't recall ever hearing about that capability for iPhones before, but I guess it is possible.
  • Reply 4 of 86
    smiles77smiles77 Posts: 668member
    What is up with the two different pictures of the back? The lower one has an Apple logo and the one above and to the right has a different, carved circle logo. Are these pics of the same phone?
  • Reply 5 of 86
    The micro sim slot is not for memory expansion it is for the new micro sim that is debuting on the iPad wifi + 3g. It is for cellular data, not memory expansion.
  • Reply 6 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    What I find most interesting is that it won't boot anymore. If it is a legit Apple unit, I wonder if they used a remote kill switch to deactivate it. Don't recall ever hearing about that capability for iPhones before, but I guess it is possible.



    You know, I was thinking that as well. And, in the event they installed a remote kill; I think we can presume the OS got wiped clean as well. Ergo, nothing digital to salvage.



    ... on the other hand, this isn't a James Bond movie, and devices don't go self destructing. So we do have a good idea about the physical internals.
  • Reply 7 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    Gruber says it is likely a prototype body, so it would look rough and unfinished.



    Indeed, indeed.



    And what do Apple fans feel about a carbon fibre enclosure, it's extremely strong and wouldn't hinder RF transmissions?

  • Reply 8 of 86
    bigdaddypbigdaddyp Posts: 811member
    Jeezus why the hell didn't the photographer take the time to clean that puppy before taking the pics. I have a hard time looking past all that smudgy, nasty bar goo. Yech.
  • Reply 9 of 86
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Doesn't look too Apple-like.
  • Reply 10 of 86
    g3prog3pro Posts: 669member
    Two cameras? Welcome to 2009, Apple.
  • Reply 11 of 86
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaWooster View Post


    You know, I was thinking that as well. And, in the event they installed a remote kill; I think we can presume the OS got wiped clean as well. Ergo, nothing digital to salvage.



    ... on the other hand, this isn't a James Bond movie, and devices don't go self destructing. So we do have a good idea about the physical internals.



    Well, we know Apple has the ability to track (and interact) each iPhone distinctly. We know that have the ability to remotely disable individual apps. We know that that can remotely wipe individual iPhones (normally through a MobileMe but I think we can assume the wouldn't require the prototype phones to be synced to a MobileMe acct for the feature). And we know this device suddenly stopped booting around the same time it was being reported as being found.



    All together, it certainly seems reasonable it was remotely disabled. Even if they wiped it, when it came back up after a reinstall, it would still be able to self register, as so be wiped again. The IMEI would be the same (and whatever else Apple might use to identify it), so unless the did a JB and modified these identifiers, Apple could continue to disable it.
  • Reply 12 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by g3pro View Post


    Two cameras? Welcome to 2009, Apple.



    Yeah two cameras on a phone running an OS and with a UI that people actually want to buy. Welcome to 2010 g3pro!
  • Reply 13 of 86
    wvmb99wvmb99 Posts: 23member
    That thing's very boxy for an Apple product. And and external slot? And a replaceable battery?They mentioned its a prototype, it must be simply for easily testing new tech, not near a final design. I'm sure the final product will be more Apple like.
  • Reply 14 of 86
    oflifeoflife Posts: 120member
    No shutter release or improvements to the calendar app, and I'm defecting to Android, where I am sure at least one vendor has implemented one or both. Either way, this leaked phone lacks any inspiration or Appleness and if genuine, is very dissapointing.
  • Reply 15 of 86
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gearhunter View Post


    I don't think I like it, it doesn't look Apple enough??



    3GS = White Macbook

    4G = Macbook Pro



    C.
  • Reply 16 of 86
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post


    What is up with the two different pictures of the back? The lower one has an Apple logo and the one above and to the right has a different, carved circle logo. Are these pics of the same phone?



    The "death star" logo seems to be on the TwitPic prototype, replacing the Apple.



    There are minor differences on the speaker/mic detail too.



    C.
  • Reply 17 of 86
    The pictures of the clean phone where you can see all the different angles clearly doesn't have two screws in the bottom next to the dock connector, but the picture of the smudged phone obviously does. These are two different prototypes/fakes.



    Also, I'm surprised no one has made a bigger deal about the 80gb storage capacity since Samsung (the brand of NAND storage Apple uses in all its mobile devices, most recently the iPad) doesn't make an 80gb chip, and only very recently came out with a 64gb chip. In fact, from the little bit of research I did on the subject, 80gb NAND chips don't exist. So, either Apple is suddenly getting into the storage-making business, or this is obviously a fake.
  • Reply 18 of 86
    Why can't people who take "spy" shots of Apple prototype kit take, oh let's see, an extra 10 seconds or so to get them in focus and without camera shake
  • Reply 19 of 86
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    Gruber says it is likely a prototype body, so it would look rough and unfinished.



    I considered the prototype theory. ... but I don't think it is.



    This does not look a prototype compnent.



    This image came from China. Would chinese manufacturers have access to a prototype?



    This is a production part.



    C.
  • Reply 20 of 86
    gotapplegotapple Posts: 115member
    Flash as in "Adobe's Flash"?
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