Is this the iPhone in the wild?

Cameraphones have never been known to snap the best photos (except for you, dear N95), and the purported 'in the wild' shot of Apple's impending iPhone that you see above is 'clearly' no different. Supposedly captured by an editor of the Geeknuz blog at a Silicon Valley restaurant, the pic is said to show an Apple employee dinging around with his unreleased handset, "taking pictures of the person he was with and...talking about the functions of the phone." Apparently the Man from Cupertino made no effort to hide the fact that he was sporting one of the most anticipated consumer electronics products in history, even responding -- albeit quite tersely, it seems -- to a Geeknuz inquiry about the lack of third-party application support. But while this whole story certainly sounds plausible, the unidentifiable device in the gentleman's hand could be anything from an old HP iPaq to a five-dollar tip calculator, so please do your duty as responsible readers and begin dropping your wild theories and baseless debunks into the comments below...

[Randall Bennett @ May 27th 2007 8:57PM]

Whether you like it or not, you've gotta agree that it is one of the most anticipated consumer electronics devices in history.

Ask your non gadget-head friends about it, they'll actually know what it is. Next, ask them about the Nokia N95... see if they even know what that is.

[mashupmark.com @ May 27th 2007 1:12PM]

He's just talking to Ziggy on it, seeing how Sam can make his next leap...

[zeesh @ May 27th 2007 1:13PM]

lol, i know cameras on phones are terrible, but he could of at least got a clear shot of the handset, if it was the Apple iPhone

[Archietype @ May 27th 2007 1:13PM]

Could this be the spy shot of the iPhone in the wild that finally outdoes the one of Steve Jobs apparently using an iphone?

[jmsb @ May 27th 2007 1:15PM]

i would have SERIOUSLY jumped that guy.

[obsurfersocal @ May 27th 2007 1:20PM]

If this is true, why didn't he just walk up behind him and get a better shot of it??

[Evan @ May 27th 2007 1:21PM]

Wow, he's using an iPhone... big whoop.
In all respectfulness, why publish a post like this? It'll be out in what, a month? What's the big deal about someone using a soon to be released phone, even if it is the "legendary" iPhone.

[chris @ May 27th 2007 1:23PM]

oh wow, honestly, i could care less. my iphone only costed $300. 8gb miniSD, cingular 8125 and iphone and ipod emulator. plus it doesnt cost me $600

[John @ May 28th 2007 9:29PM]

Surely you mean "couldn't care less"? Because if you could care less, it means you actually care more than the minimum amount anyone could care about it which means you actually do care a bit about it!

[Joe Smith @ May 27th 2007 1:24PM]

is that michael dell?

[John Doe @ May 27th 2007 1:33PM]

I thought it was House. Just with freaky hair.

Anyone else think the guy is really pissed. Obviously it CAN'T be an iPhone because the user experience it perfect, all the e-mail you get on it are happy, and web surfing displays nothing but joyous news.
Oh and when you first open the box a chorus of angles will come down from Heaven and sing to you extolling your name as one of the chosen making you feel all special like.

[John Doe @ May 27th 2007 1:26PM]

I don't give a shit. Actually the only thing I would do would be to steal it from the guy, take video of me smashing it with a sledge, and post it on the net for all the zealots to see. You thought PS3 users were rapid? In one single action you would have all the zealots in the Mac community either commit suicide or have a heart attack from the rage that would ensue. Which would leave the community "cleansed" for the more moderate users out there.

[Shmoopy @ May 27th 2007 1:34PM]

"You thought PS3 users were rapid?"

No, I never really thought PS3 users were particularly fast.

[John Doe @ May 27th 2007 1:35PM]

Umm that would be angels...me and my smart ass remarks...should proof read before posting. :-\

[Alex @ May 27th 2007 1:34PM]

looks like an apple logo on the back.

[John Doe @ May 27th 2007 1:36PM]

Kinda works either way doesn't it?

[billstevenson @ May 27th 2007 1:37PM]

Sometimes I get the feeling that if this was a pizza blog instead of a technology blog, some of you would accuse those of us who like pepperoni pizza as being "pepperoni pizza zealots" just because you prefer mushrooms on yours.

Can't we all just get along? Don't you have anything constructive to contribute rather than levying ad hominmen attacks on people who don't validate your own preferences?

[rock99rock @ May 27th 2007 2:48PM]

The iphone is NOT the next pepperoni pizza. Apple is most definitely NOT pizza hut. In terms of preferences, according to comparative sales figures, Apple is Bubba's Pizza Shack, and the iphone is the one with mushrooms. Hows that for constructiveness Bill?

[McGinley @ May 27th 2007 3:56PM]

Is there a pizza blog?

mmmmmmmmmmmm

[billstevenson @ May 27th 2007 7:20PM]

I appreciate that you took the time to comment, but you missed the point. There's always some debate going on, Wii vs PS3 vs Xbox, Mac vs PC, Intel vs AMD, and one side just can't be happy unless they make the other side feel inferior. People are so binary, my choice is correct, yours is wrong. I understand when you spend a lot of money on something, you want to feel that your purchase was justified, but to spend your own time trying to make another person feel bad about their own preferences, it just seems inhuman, that's all.

If you're not excited about the iPhone, then just ignore the story. A prediliction with making other people feel bad just because one does not approve of their preferences could be misinterpreted as a lack of social skills or of sanity.

[billstevenson @ May 27th 2007 8:09PM]

In particular, rock*, I did not insinuate anything about the iPhone being "the next pepperoni pizza." I was simply making a comparison between technology and pizza, or ice cream, religion, or anything else where people seem to think that others who don't share their preference ought to die in a fire. It's as if people's minds are so simple that they cannot handle multiple entrants into a market. One would make choice all so much more simple; you'd not have to worry about being wrong or uncool if all the cars come in black.

[Luigi193 @ May 27th 2007 1:37PM]

I don't give a shit. Actually the only thing I would do would be to steal it from the guy, take video of me smashing it with a sledge, and post it on the net for all the zealots to see. You thought PS3 users were rapid? In one single action you would have all the zealots in the Mac community either commit suicide or have a heart attack from the rage that would ensue. Which would leave the community "cleansed" for the more moderate users out there.

Kill him.....

[david @ May 27th 2007 1:39PM]

Look! A picture of more iCrap. Exciting...

[Al_x @ May 27th 2007 1:42PM]

I wouldn't be that sure. There are tens of symbian phones out there that would accept an iPhone theme for the screen. Maybe it was a sliding one, much like the N95, so if seen from distance, even from the front, it could be mistaken for an iPhone. I have to admit it's too thin to be a slidephone, though... so... who knows?

[strider_mt2k @ May 27th 2007 2:01PM]

Stock...dropping!

The rumors, they do nothing!

[derek @ May 27th 2007 2:35PM]

for the stock dropping it is doing pretty well.

And i define pretty well... as all time highs.

[angelsvairwaves1 @ May 27th 2007 2:03PM]

I dont understand how people can hate a product that hasnt even been sold to the public yet.

Have any of us seen or used an iPhone? No. So how do you know its so terrible?

[John Doe @ May 27th 2007 2:51PM]

Name a first gen product by Apple in a new market that wasn't buggy as hell. Apple TV doesn't count since its a damn PC for all intents and purposes. iPod g1? Sucked hard. First gen Macintels? I was there I had one. Sucked hard. first gen G4 PowerBooks? good god.

I personally won't go anywhere near the iPhone until:

1. I can buy it for T-Mobile or ANYONE other then Crapular.
2. Its on at least v...2 or 3 of the hardware.

Finally the reason for all the hate is the insane attention people are giving this thing and its not even released. You ask why people are hating on the iPhone? I ask why people think its touched by the hand of God. No one has even used one yet. Its the whole glass is half empty vs. glass is half full. Apple track record on new hardware doesn't inspire me to fall into the half full camp.

[Christian Martin @ May 27th 2007 4:13PM]

One word: Vista.

[zorg @ May 27th 2007 2:14PM]

I'm "not giving a shit about this" as hard as I can. Can you feel it, hippies? It's body blow of apathy!

[Dave @ May 28th 2007 10:13AM]

"Can you feel it, hippies?"

No. No, we can't. Maybe you're not doing it hard enough.

[AtmInside @ May 27th 2007 2:18PM]

People who "don't care/don't give a shit" about this sorta thing sure spend a lot of time making that vocal.
Some people love the iPhone, some people hate it. Big whoop. But you know what, both people are stupid because noone has even used it!

[Jeff Snugglebutton @ May 27th 2007 2:25PM]

From the first shot with the iphone on the table it looks like the silver side wraps don't come up all the way to the front and top like the original iphone photos. If you look close it reminds me more of a black 5.5G black ipod. I'm not saying it is an ipod but the shape and way the silver curves and only goes up and you see the shiny black top of it, it looks different.

[ben w @ May 30th 2007 1:42PM]

werent u d guy who got fired by his boss on this website? or was it a rabid/rapid fanboy
or just a prank
if it was u bad luck m8 i hope u get a new job soon

[Greg @ May 27th 2007 2:40PM]

I'm pretty sure its just some idiot trying to pass the V2000 as an iPhone...

Some people are just retarded like that.

http://www.slashgear.com/curse-of-the-iphone-copycat-ainols-gaming-entertaining-v2000-265447.php

[Grant @ May 27th 2007 3:27PM]

i don't really see what the big deal is.
is it really that hard to believe that pre-production units are out there for the production team?
there have been numerous sightings in the area of apple HQ, it's not THAT hard to believe.

secondly, yeah it's a sweet phone, but it'll be out in what? like a month? unless someone actually gets to use it, and has a video of the UI in action, no one really cares.

[ethana2 @ May 27th 2007 3:47PM]

It doesn't run Linux, does it? Just like the Wii. Looks good, people love it, worthless.

Imagine what those accelerometers could do under a free software ecosystem... *drools*

[Kr4t05 @ May 27th 2007 5:19PM]

My advice to you:
1. Buy a $15 USB bluetooth dongle. (if your PC doesn't already sport bluetooth)
2. Drop $19.99 on a spare Wiimote from your local *mart derivative (if you don't have one already).
3. Go install cwiid (http://abstrakraft.org/cwiid/) on your *nix system OR install glovepie on your Windows system.
4. ??????
5. Profit

[ethana2 @ May 27th 2007 5:28PM]

Well of course. I was referring to the iPhone's accelerometers, though. Wiimotes have been tamed for a while, but the actual Wii, and the iPhone as well, are locked down like everything the PSP's not. Go for the openmoko or the PS3. Where you own the hardware.

[TeddyN @ May 27th 2007 4:47PM]

Two words.

[Stymie @ May 27th 2007 4:51PM]

iPhones get you hot chicks. Just look look at the photo. I'm going to get in line right now so I can be supercool and score hot chicks as soon as it comes out. Maybe I'll get a perm too.

[Nathan @ May 27th 2007 5:07PM]

Yeah, there are supposedly lots of Apple employees using iPhones. I met a guy in San Francisco, waiting for the restroom at a shabu shabu place called Cafe Mums.

I begged him to let me hold it but he refused... he probably thought i was gonna run with it, and I probably would have =)

He was nice enough to show me coverflow, a movie, sms'ing, contacts, etc. I was super excited after seeing it - it looked elegant, high quality, and truly innovative. Seeing the keynote is one thing, seeing it being used is quite another. I have used the Symbian UIQ, which is the closest in terms of features and interactivity for a phone... and the iPhone simply blows it away. The speed and graphic quality is simply incomparable.

I believe the iPhone is the next iPod - it will be unparalleled for years to come.

I didn't realize that seeing an iPhone out and about would be newsworthy, I assume a lot of others have seen one, I think the guy said there were like 500 other Apple employees testing them.

[Dragod @ May 27th 2007 7:52PM]

I agree, it will be the next iPod. People everywhere will buy it, just for the name. They'll use it, they'll be like "This is cool. I guess...", better products will be everywhere, yet people will buy them because someone says "If you don't have an iPhone, you're just a horrible person."

I really don't think the iPhone is that great, or even exciting in any way. I have a nice Kyocera Slider Remix with the same amount of memory as the iPhone, and I love it. I have a Zune with several times as much space as the iPhone, but a better interface. I don't think paying several hundred dollars more is worth paying for a product that I won't be able to have for a single day without it getting all scratched to hell.

[Kimmy @ May 27th 2007 6:22PM]

Is that PC guy?

[paul irwin @ May 27th 2007 7:16PM]

i don't really care about anti-apple comments because i've found that all the people saying them are the ones wishing they had a mac or ipod or iphone (wishing they hadn't plopped down $2k on that dell or $200 on that Sandisk player...) so they don't bother me at all.

i don't think this is really the iphone though.

[dubsix @ May 27th 2007 8:43PM]

Holy slow news day, Batman.

[Ryan Block @ May 27th 2007 9:51PM]

Um, it's a Sunday. What exactly did you want?

[z @ May 28th 2007 5:29AM]

Some kind of monday, but that would feel like a friday.

[Michael Melazzo @ May 27th 2007 8:50PM]

and if the "Long Tail" theory is correct... then those of us who cling to marketplace "hits" as being superior are going to face some hard days ahead... products like the iPhone, which may not be an ideal solution for most people... but is a perfect solution for enough people will be able to survive and even thrive in this new marketplace...

and those of us who validate themselves by pretending to be the only person who likes some "less popular" product will soon be struggling to define ourselves... as niche products and buying habits become the norm...

[Michael Melazzo @ May 27th 2007 8:51PM]

I didn't know that so many people had already used the iPhone... so many people already bashing it, or praising it.

Sure... we can go on Apple's track record... and you can call it either way. Fan's of Apple's elegant hardware design and OSX will swear by it... and people who dislike the pricing, and want more "open" qualities (like the ability to build your own box) will demonize it.

There is, however, some more solid evidence... we can look at Apple's history in terms of repair figures, and the third party evaluation of their customer service (in which Apple consistently ranks in the top of the industry).

But finally, the iPhone, no matter how succesful will (much like the iPod) be subject to personal opinion. There will always be the small percentage of consumers who swear that the iPhone simply can't meet their needs as well as another phone jury-rigged with 3rd party software... They will complain about everyone who likes their iPhone... and all the iPhone people will scorn them for doing so...

but in the end... it will be the better product that enjoys a longer life-cycle... and the better product will live on in some museum's "great design" exhibition...