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]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:44PM]

here's what I wonder.
I have an iphone, i buy one of those cases and put it on my phone. in the process I hit something, have a static charge etc and damage my phone.

I just voided my warranty didn't I

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:57PM]

he's not fronting this as a phone he put a new colored backplate on. he is claiming it came that way.

in other words, he is lying to folks to sell the phone.

[suncho Posted Jan 2nd 2009 5:44AM]

I also felt bad that I laughed at that. But then, I felt good about feeling bad that I laughed at that. Balance restored.

[drumdbeat Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:02AM]

Where'd Paul go?

[CapnShiner Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:06AM]

Well, the item has been relisted and the original auction has ended, the buy it now price has gone down, and the rest of the info is the same. The listing clearly states that it is not just a cover, so if it is, he's going to lose that 100% positive feedback rating.

Did anyone else notice that the cover from the link posted above has a white Apple logo but the actual phone pictures clearly show a chrome logo? At least it looks that way to me.

[ducky Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:20AM]

Chrome = reflective. The logo could just be reflecting a white ceiling.

[DWells55 Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:27AM]

It's chrome, you can tell from the other pictures on the auction.

[nightsd01 Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:20AM]

If apple had designed this, they would have made the text WHITE to match the APPLE.

FAKE!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:36AM]

@ karl.

youre an idiot.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:41AM]

why would a new release have a O2 simlock? if its pre production or something then it would not have a simlock...

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 9:23AM]

No Serial Number = Fake.

[Pyrofallout Posted Jan 2nd 2009 9:43AM]

LimitedEditioniPhone.com had these months ago.

[conscious Posted Jan 2nd 2009 10:08AM]

who cares what colour the BACK of a phone is? i still see fake silver-trimmed blackness up front.

[tommychan123hotmailcom Posted Jan 2nd 2009 10:25AM]

@ -nikster. There is a price to everything. I bet you pay enough money, one apple store (ex-)staff would love to sell you an apple t-shirt.

Back to the topic, Apple has iPod nano in all sort of crazy color. I won't be surprised to see a pink iPhone or iPhone nano on the street down the road.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 10:42AM]

its fake , just a back cover , if you see feedback as a buyer you will see he bought it from ebay on his items

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:58PM]

what an idiot,LOL

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 11:04AM]

i Saw that auction... i just didnt buy bc it was pink but i almost bought it for my girl friend ... thanks guys

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 11:18AM]

didnt want the regular one, why the hell would i want a pink one? maybe to match my purple thong

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 11:19AM]

It looks like it could possibly be a very thin film or skin that is on it.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 8:12PM]

I just found this whilst stumbling. I don't think that I can post a link, but it is only the back cover. There is a story on p2p. net

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 11:39AM]

Here is the cover in question...

http://www.ecaseshop.com/full-housing-cover-shell-for-apple-iphone-3g-16gb-pink.html

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 11:50AM]

I would think able would do (RED) before pink

[flashpoint Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:15PM]

iPhones should be made in RED - for AIDS and PINK - for Breast Cancer awerness.

Not that they need any help selling, but, for every phone sold they should donate some $ to research.

I heard Bone Marrow transplants cured one guy of AIDS.

[Chow7 Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:31PM]

Here is a colorware Pink iPhone on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=200293583201&Category=3312

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 1:38PM]

so fake it is not even fun. the front is clearly an ipod touch, you can see the silver and the sticker lines.

the back apple and text would be the same color.

also, if apple were to do a pink phone for cancer and/or product red, they wouldn't release it unannounced.

as for the t-shirt comment. I asked at a store one time about buying one of the shirts and they said that it's a combination of not diluting the trademark (which i think is a tad bogus) and the fact that the shirts are meant to show that someone works for apple. so they can't have non apple employees running around with the uniform shirts being confused for employees cause those folks might say erroneous info about the company, the product, how to fix that problem your phone is having etc (which make a little more sense)

[SonicEarth Posted Jan 2nd 2009 3:55PM]

Is this really newsworthy?

[SirNoDroin Posted Jan 2nd 2009 4:06PM]

I can tell this is a 'shop from some of the pixels and from having seen quite a few photoshops in my time

[BenDy Posted Jan 2nd 2009 6:52PM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 9:30PM]

This is hysterical! I can't believe that people are actually bidding up over 300 pounds for this! He has a reserve too! LOL! I wonder how high that is. Buy it now is over 600 pounds! :-O

This is an example of supreme laziness. Too lazy to use 2 screwdrivers to put on your own face plate costing 12 pounds, no spend over 25 times as much on a pre assembled one.

Ah.. I see FuzzyCat uncovered the reason... "Fitting instructions not included" !

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 9:30PM]

Wow after looking at http://www.ecaseshop.com/article_info.php?articles_id=2
I see how one wrong move and bye bye iPhone. Still... patience (as the the instruction writer says) will have you all beautified in no time! Save the 600 pounds!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2009 10:47PM]

you can also get cases here >>> http://www.ecaseshop.com/apple_iphone-3g-2g-cases_iphone-replacement-housing.html

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2009 11:46AM]

hi i am so sorry i am the guy selling the pink iphone ofcourse its aftermarket i tell everyone who ask by email i was horrified by the stir this caused i have relisted with the information ammended it was never my intention to lie to anyone and have emailed bidders to apoligize i just felt there was a market for a pre fitted case this is only phone number two but maybe i will retire now sorry again !

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2009 12:58PM]

I have bought a pink Iphone from this man and i can guarantee you this is a a genuine apple phone just with a pink back he has added himself. The phone is just as good as one you would buy direct from apple just with a lovely pink back and looks exactly as it does in the photos. There is none of that photoshop rubbish, if you look on his items you will see he has bought the backs and the phone so this proves he is not trying to hide the fact he has done it himself.

All you sados clearly have nothing better to do, this may have not been bought directly from apple but it is the nearest your gonna get to a pink Iphone anytime soon. Give this guy a break.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2009 2:18PM]

Buy your own housing.. http://www.ecaseshop.com/apple_iphone-3g-2g-cases_iphone-replacement-housing.html
pink, green, silver, gold, red, blue, black, and white

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2009 12:13PM]

HaHa, This is pretty funny, I am the one who sells them on eBay!!!!

The one pictured is from when I tried to show a friend how to make them, only his did not turn out as good. Instead, he went around my back and tried to sell it on ebay(his name is Anthony). I am Wek120, the one on ebay who sells them occasionally for some extra cash. I currently have one on ebay now, and plan on having a 16 gb up in some time.
As many of you have guessed, they are not apple parts, nor a colorware custom. They are custom housings ordered from out of the country. You may ask why people are not doing this much more? The answer is that the only pink parts currently made DO NOT FIT THE BEZEL nicely, and so everyone who tries to glue it together (Yes it must be carefully glued without any spills) fails miserably, leaving a terrible seam and glue all over the phone. I have come up with a way to get it glued together so that there is almost no edge. I even created a way to get a custom pink home button so it stands out in the front as well. This one is better than a colorware because it actually has the product information printed on the back, in addition to the colored button.

Now I'm sure you are probably thinking this guy is a scammer. Don't believe me? Go ahead and send me a message via ebay and ask if it is me. My ebay ID is Wek120 and my email is [e-mail] I only list them occasionally, but am working on increasing my output.

Check out my Auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=140302948057
Has a few good pictures on there.
If you are looking to buy one, and are not an ebay member, but HAVE A PAPAL ACCOUNT, I can sell one to you, but you must have a CONFIRMED shipping adress in order to be covered from scams. Any questions, let me know [e-mail] or send me a message through ebay : Wek120
Thanks!! Wes

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 7:04PM]

Check it out, there's one up on ebay now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-3G-AT-T-8GB-RARE-PINK-3G-IPHONE_W0QQitemZ140302948057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCell_Phones?hash=item140302948057&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A570%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 10:17PM]

Apple just needs to come out with this already, what do they have to lose? The colorware version looks decent, http://www.pinkiphone.me -- but damnit why can't Apple just throw some paint on their own products?