iPhone 3GS prototype scooped up at airport, now on eBay

Seriously folks, what's up with these prototype iPhones falling out of nondescript white vans and ending up on eBay in the shadiest of manners? Just months after we saw an original iPhone prototype (ancient OS included) pop up on The 'Bay, now we've got one of the world's first iPhone 3GSs on there as well. According to the highly ranked eBay seller, the "guy" he "got it from" actually stumbled upon it at an airport, and rather than doing the nonsensical thing of hitting up lost and found, he decided to make the most of the sudden opportunity. According to the new owner, an Apple Genius has confirmed that it is an iPhone 3GS, but due to its prototype nature, they can't help him get past the "Connect to iTunes" screen. In other words, it's an incredibly rare brick. If that sounds like just the thing to complete your collection, you can visit the road to overpaying through the read link below.

[Via ElectricPig]

[Richard Lai @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:09PM]

Seems like someone is going to get into trouble! That serial code on the screen will no doubt trace it back to the engineer/reviewer in question.

[Shenanigans @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:17PM]

I would think the issue came up long ago when he or she showed up for work the next day empty handed.

I suspect it was remote wiped and bricked intentionally after it went missing.

[John Doe @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:10PM]

Yeah...invest in a 'RARE' bricked iphone?

[loocas @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:45PM]

"Invest"?

[T-Will @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:17PM]

"in"?

[fanman @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:42PM]

"a"?

[Finde @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:49PM]

"'RARE'"?

[BSprague @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:14PM]

"bricked"?

[chris @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:15PM]

eyefon?

[Johann1356 @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:18PM]

"kangaroo"?

Wait... that's not right...

[Badger @ Jul 3rd 2009 6:56PM]

I loled hard. best....thread...ever....

[swingin' dick hero @ Jul 3rd 2009 7:54PM]

"loled"?

[Mike X. @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:10PM]

Apple should be removing this auction in 5... 4... 3...

[Joseph @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:27PM]

ebay...the original "Find my iPhone"

[Jason @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:37PM]

No kidding, I can't believe it is still online. Amazingly there are actually some idiots bidding on it.

[James @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:12PM]

Remote bricking?

[loocas @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:46PM]

iPhone? Not necessary...

[majortom1981 @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:13PM]

I guess i am the only one who would see an engineer sample or something like it laying around , would try it out a little then call the company to return it?

[curtisrutland @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:47PM]

Easier said then done.

"Hi, Apple Support? I have this prototype phone I found lying around. You want it back?"

I'm sure that they would believe you.

[Anthony M. @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:13PM]

I want my ebay iPhone advertised on engadget! :(

[Bolo @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:26PM]

How much?

[David @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:19PM]

I hope you write a better description than that guy did.. it was painful to read!

[John Batchelor @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:19PM]

I call BS

occurring to the serial number this was built in Nov. 2008; It's probably just a 3G, that's why this guy gets an error message when he tries to load the 3GS firmware onto it.

[Anthony M. @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:23PM]

So it's impossible that a prototype of a new product that had millions of units ready at launch in June 09 wasn't being testing in November of 08?

.....really?

[Jeremy W @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:27PM]

"Occurring" to the serial number? Learn 2 use words.

[Kevlar @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:49PM]

@Jeremy W:

I don't think "2" is a word either...

[OneLove @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:49PM]

@John Batchelor : You fail at wordz. :)

[Chris Dunning @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:18PM]

@Kevlar:

Well, yes, "2" is not a word per-say, but it is a symbolic/numerical representation of the word "two". So, not only did he not actually use the word "two", the word which the symbol represents wasn't even the correct word... now I've gone and made a jerk out of myself. I don't know why I do this. I'm sorry.

[o29 @ Jul 3rd 2009 6:40PM]

Call me pedantic, but I get so tired of people misspelling per se.

[Postal Dude @ Jul 4th 2009 6:41AM]

This thread is a fail train o.o

[sid @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:23PM]

slap something about micheal jackson on it and he could make a pretty penny off of it

[erikraf @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:27PM]

How is it any different than iPhone3GS?

I mean OS inside can be different, but outside, it looks exactly the same, no?

[erikraf @ Jul 3rd 2009 6:08PM]

How is it any different than iPhone3GS?

I mean OS inside can be different, but outside, it looks exactly the same, no?

[Tony2X @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:32PM]

Urm, wouldn't this be considered stolen if the person that found it failed to hand it in to lost and found?!

[Ras Thavas @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:42PM]

Yes, it is theft. Unless you found it in a dumpster or trash can or in some other place that would lead a reasonable person to assume the property was abandoned.

[tampa03cobra @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:42PM]

No,

When you lose something, it's your own fault. If the person wasn't aiding in the engineer's separation from the item (IE stole it), then he is under no obligation to return it, other then the moral one. It's basically abandoned property. If you find 7 100 dollar bills on the ground, are you going to try to track someone down to determine whom it belongs to?

Basically, finders keepers

This obviously does not extend to every situation on earth, and I would imagine there would be consequences if he used the phone to rack up charges IE caused financial damage to Apple ect, similar if you found a credit card. You aren't required to return the plastic card, but if you use it fraudulently, then you are breaking the law.

But as it stands, looks like this random fool is pretty lucky, as the people of our nations are financially ignorant, and well armed with Visa cards powered by the money from their 4th mortgage.

[CaptCaveman @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:50PM]

@tamp03cobra

Not sure what country your posting from, but here in the U.S. finding something does not make you the owner. You have to prove that you own the item. And selling said "found" item only gets you in hotter water.
I'm pretty sure that Apple may not care about this phone now that the launch has happened. But trust me, if they wanted it back, they would get it back. The only other question that would be asked is if they want to press charges.

[charliex @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:13PM]

yeah since its probably misplaced, and so long as its not in an area thats deemed to be trespass, the finder has to turn it in to the lost propery/site owner etc and then the owner gets a chance to pick it up, some places will have a if its not claimed in X days then its returned to the finder, varies by state.

abandoned property is different to misplaced though, but its unlikely this is abandonment.

of course that is only if the back story is legit.

[David @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:22PM]

tampa03cobra next time you lose your car in a parking lot I hope some good citizen finds it for you.. and keeps it.

[John @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:22PM]

No country has a "finders keepers" law because that is INSANE. All you have to do is steal stuff and claim you "found" it. The only exceptions are discarded property (which can still not be "find and keepable") and items where ownership can not be proved by anyone.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:33PM]

I pick up pennies sometimes off the ground and keep them. Does that make me a thief? Or does that make me look poor?

[David @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:03PM]

It's ok.. I throw pennies on the ground all the time because they are useless to me. Although I'm pretty sure it's illegal to toss them. Crap!

[dornadeluxe @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:55PM]

This looks exaclty as any other old iPhone 3G 16GB (see the grey iPhone print on the back).

[murmermer @ Jul 3rd 2009 8:05PM]

Why would Apple put print on the back of a Prototype? You would think Prototypes would be hand assembled or something

[Hexxeh @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:51PM]

Model number on the back is for a 3G, not 3GS. Text on the back doesn't look to be chromed. Must be an early prototype?

[kevinm @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:56PM]

It would make sense because of the nature of development. The OS team and hardware team are separate so neither knows what the final device will look like.

[Anton @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:13PM]

Stop confusing us with facts! Those are not welcomed in these comment threads.

[mario.korte @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:01PM]

According to this site (http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html) it really is an iPhone 3GS!

[mario.korte @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:28PM]

That site is very useful: You can enter sour serial numbers of Macs, iPods, iPhones, Apple-Batteries, etc and you get information about build-date and place, as well as other useful information about the product.

[Rus @ Jul 6th 2009 12:14PM]

I posted this on my website within a hour of it being listed. The linked website shoulda creditted me instead.

A puc of the serial number is listed and any AT&T or Apple store would identify the phone as stolen ... So the seller us lying that he took it to an Apple store in the up and up.

If the Apple store rep had "Serviced" the phone they are required to get your evaluation number for prototypes.

(Ive prototyped / tested a product fir Apple before)