Mysterious pink iPhone 3G hits eBay, cue onslaught of rumors

Say wha'?! An iPhone in a hue other than black, white, or silver? While a red model has been rumored since before the 3G even launched, we've never thought about a pink one -- let alone one hitting eBay. The text on the back of the device convinces us that this isn't a simple ColorWare job, but there aren't any photos of the back of the packaging either. Our take? Some OEM in Asia whipping up custom colors. But hey, Macworld's just under a week away, so who knows?

Update: Go ahead and put those horses back in the stables folks, folks: Cole commented to point us over to an eBay auction for a rather familiar looking and decidedly aftermarket pink back cover. So, don't go expecting a first-party pink iPhone at Macworld, but if you hurry up and bid now you can have yourself the most fabulous handset at the show.

[Thanks, Gav]

[Waveblade @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:16AM]

I'm sure this will be a hit on Valentine's Day?

[BenDy @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:47AM]

NO WAY! Apple would never produce a product like...well that! It just looks to cheap and trashy. Not that I have anything against pink.

[Kevlar @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:12AM]

Problem is: a "cheap and trashy" product like that will sell in boatloads.
Mostly to the teen girl and younger audience.
Carriers will love that too, as that audience also tends to produce big phone bills and buy the premium plans.

Seems kinda likely when you look at it that way.

[nikster @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:16AM]

@Kevlar - Apple has left out countless opportunities to cash in on cheap / trashy stuff. Heck, they don't even sell Apple-themed accessories / t-shirts despite the fact that they could cash in on those, too. You know, the people who love to wear brand name stuff would just snap it up. But there was an order from the very top that Apple not engage in this kind of thing. Too cheap. The Apple t-shirts the store employees are wearing? Not for sale.

They seem to be doing pretty well with that in the long term ;)

Apple might well be doing a pink iPhone nano, but not if it looks cheap like that one above.

[BenDy @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:54PM]

@nikster
My thoughts exactly! Products like that may fly off the shelf but that's not Apples style.
They know what you want!
(sorry for the double post)

[radicaldreamer99 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:18AM]

Uhh... How about Colorware?

[TheMagnificen7 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:19AM]

RTFA.

[Kris120890 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:24AM]

uhh...how about reading the article.

[radicaldreamer99 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:20AM]

Yea I'm a dumbass :(

[Ankit @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:20AM]

Hm...interesting

[MrMarmite @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:58AM]

also interesting is the blindingly obvious photoshop-style pixelating around the iPhone logo on the back.

[Kevlar @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:14AM]

Yes, and everywhere else there is detail in the photo.
It's called JPEG compression artifacts, and it tends to happen on for-web photos due to increased usage of the JPEG compression algorithm for smaller file sizes. Also makes a lot of sense for an eBay photo...

[Vince @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:06AM]

Actually MrMarmite and Kevlar, if you click on the picture, it links to the ebay listing, and there are other pictures of the guy holding it so it isn't a shop...please flame me though if you think he's bothered to photoshop every single one....
I think it's just one of the many custom backplates sold on ebay and as others have said the box is a normal one too...

[Trevor @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:21AM]

I'm not really a fan of colored electronics as I think it makes it look cheesy and draws attention to the fact that it's plastic. Anodized metal on the other hand...

[Samboini @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:05AM]

Faraday cage. :(

[dvsbstrd @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:01PM]

@samboni

But that's not how it...the old ipho...oh nevermind.

[TheMagnificen7 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:22AM]

Nah. I could see a (RED) one, but not this. Doesn't seem like Apple's deal. Unless they plan to offer the iPhone and the possible iPhone Nano in different colours. The pink looks awful.

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:48AM]

I prefer the 7 Samurai... but its ok!

[Nick @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:27AM]

Look at the 3G symbol at the top of the box! It has a box around it. which is from an older firmware. This is not a new product!

[Metkis @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:28AM]

I feel bad that I laughed at that.

[roach @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:28AM]

Apple is a very girlieman machine so coloring their hardware pink does fits their image.

[LAGal @ Jan 2nd 2009 1:42PM]

you did see the recent expose on how steve jobs and bill gates are gay lovers didn't you

[thepenguin @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:28AM]

so its the pink instinct vs pink iPhone...interesting!

[thepenguin @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:31AM]

btw the shots on ebay do look convincing but like people said it may be a colorware

[evplasmaman @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:32AM]

Yeah I felt a little bad after I put that up. How ever it is very much in the spirit of rumors :-)

I will miss seeing jobs at macworld, and I'm not even a fanboy.

[lex luthor @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:35AM]

Well, Apple is selling out to Walmart.. and we all know how much the average Walmart shopper loves cheap, crappy, plastic-y, pink accessories.. I'm surprised it doesn't have the Pussycat Dolls insignia right underneath the Apple logo. Whats next? A yellow and brown P. Diddy version?


LONG LIVE STEVE

[Chane.san @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:54AM]

While I never actually seen a real picture of the Pink iPhone. I always see those pop-ups on my computer saying that you can win a free Pink iPhone, Pink MacBook Air, Lavender iPhone, I think even a Pink or Lavender iPod Touch.

[Trevor @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:57AM]

It's true, popups never lie. Now excuse me while I go hook up with all of the lonely attractive women in my area.

[tchapp @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:57AM]

the box is black so the iphone is black, as is the sim card port. two dead giveaways that the iphone is actually a black one. white iphones have white boxes, black iphones have black boxes.

[Karl @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:10AM]

no… Packaging ALWAYS lies!

[michaelleung @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:01AM]

Might it be some of those annoying plastic wraps that you get when opening something? Like you know, to protect from scratches?

[tchapp @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:05AM]

iphones dont come with that kind of protective film, theres a piece of plastic that goes over the back and front, connected at the top. but it is one piece and clear.

[Arun Venkatesan @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:03AM]

Look at the text and the logo. They are two different colors. Apple never does that. It has to be custom

[DJFriar @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:15AM]

The logo is actually chrome on the iPhone, so it just looks white due to the flash. That said, the text looks too dark and obvious to me for it to be factory done. The text on my white 3G is in a grey font, and doesn't stand out.

[martinb @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:18AM]

This is definitely a colorware item. Colorware -does- reimprint the phone with all the information you would find on it before it's painted. There are close-up photos in the ebay auction that easily show it up to be just that. Painted, but very professionally.

[Arkenklo @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:18AM]

How the FUNK does a PINK Ipod ends up on Engadget!? Is this really nems?!

[Gad Get @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:46AM]

Fail.

[cole @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:20AM]

lets snub this flame right now

hit the link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BACK-COVER-HOUSING-FASCIA-FOR-iPHONE-3G-8-16GB-SIM-TRAY_W0QQitemZ220330233883QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MobilePhones_MobilePhonesCasesPouches?hash=item220330233883&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[Kris120890 @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:26AM]

I've been looking for that for the past 15 Mins.

[digitallysick @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:43AM]

Yup you got it, i bet this guy makes a ton of cash off this because of the stupid replacement backing

[Jenny @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:12AM]

Great searching skills! You'd think Engadget writers could do that..

[cole @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:31AM]

it would seem that everybody whos commenting below this post, and its replys, are ignoring it and still trying to explain it away

engadget fix this, the farse is up

[Atanas Boev @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:46AM]

Cole you rule.

[FuzzyCat @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:52AM]

Did ayone notice that:

"Fitting instructions will not be included"

How very helpful of them.

[Karl @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:16AM]

lol

"Super Quality" & "Executive Feel"

these guys should give classes

[Brofamus @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:26AM]

I remember seeing a website a while ago with this picture. It was weird, and I'm surprised no one picked up on it before. The owner of the website was going on and on about how they have this pink iphone and they got this pink iphone 3G, it seemed like a fetish website. It was weird. I'll see if I can find it and post it up, I think the author is responsible for this.

[waiownsyou @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:33AM]

1. SIM card tray is black
2. Box is black. Pink iPhone would be in a pink box like the white one would be in a white. Apple does not forget the details in patterns. Ever.
3. Silly Engadget

[tchapp @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:53AM]

already said this. learn to read.

[Ross @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:48AM]

I think a simple anodizing job would do the trick too, if the seller really wanted something unique...

[ducky @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:19AM]

Oh lawd. There are multiple sites which sell custom replacement backings. No need to start baseless rumors. And as others have said, look at the box. It's just a regular black iPhone with a custom case. Of course we'll have the annoying 'omg JPEG artifacts!' kids thinking it's a shop, but no, just a regular photo.