IphonePrototype
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Rare iPhone prototype hits eBay, branded with 'deathstar' test logo (updated with video)
While our thoughts on all things iPhone may be focused elsewhere, an unusual Apple prototype of its fourth phone iteration has caught our attention on eBay. On the back, you can see the same curious logo spied on experimental hardware as far back as February 2010 and as 9to5Mac notes, it doesn't pack the screws along the bottom edge, making it ever so slightly different to the final model. The phone (model number N90AP) also runs Apple's software testing framework, Switchboard, which is still happily ticking along on this particular prototype. Bids start at $4,500, or there's a Buy It Now price of $10,000 -- if you must have this obscure slice of Apple history. (Update: We've been sent a quick video tour of the device-- it's after the break.)
Steve Jobs on lost iPhone 4G prototype: it's an 'amazing' story
We can't say we expected Jobs to do a ton of talking about that little "lost" iPhone prototype during his interview at D8, but he was of course asked about it, and he did do some talking about it. While he started out with the expected "there's an ongoing investigation" statement, Jobs soon got on a bit of a roll, saying that "this is a story that's amazing" -- that "it's got theft, it's got buying stolen property, it's got extortion, I'm sure there's some sex in there... the whole thing is very colorful." No discussion of the device itself, of course, but we're sure we'll be hearing more about it soon enough. Update: Well, it looks like Jobs couldn't quite let the issue rest there. Later on in the interview, Jobs said that he had gotten advice to just let it slide, that "you shouldn't go after a journalist just because they bought stolen property and tried to extort you" -- but he said he couldn't "change our core values and let it slide," that he'd "rather quit." Check out the complete back and forth after the break.
Found: The iPhone prototype finder
Wired has located and interviewed the man who "found" Apple's lost prototype iPhone in a Redwood City bar: 21-year-old Brian Hogan. With a statement from his attorney, Hogan has shed a great deal of light on the ongoing saga of Gizmodo's premature unveiling of Apple's next-gen iPhone. The story, as told by Hogan, supposedly goes like this: Another bar patron handed Hogan the iPhone when the patron found it lying on a nearby barstool. This patron asked Hogan if it was his iPhone, then abruptly left. Hogan asked nearby bar patrons if the phone belonged to them. When no one said it was theirs, he and his friends left with the iPhone. Critically, there's no mention that Hogan made any effort to leave the phone with the bartender, which is what I probably would have done in that situation. [Ed: After you put together a hands-on and gallery for TUAW, you mean.]
The Gizmodo iPhone saga flowchart
Fast Company has come up with an awesome Gizmodo iPhone Saga flowchart to help us follow the increasingly confusing case. The flowchart allows users to pick what they believe to be the true facts, and it lets them follow the trail to its "obvious" conclusion. Possible outcomes include: it was all an Apple conspiracy, bloggers are journalists, and Gizmodo bowed to corruption to get site traffic. So, where did you end up?
Lufthansa offers engineer who lost 4G iPhone free ticket to Germany
Nicola Lange, Lufthansa's director of marketing and customer relations for the Americas, has posted a letter on his Twitter account to Gray Powell, the Apple engineer who lost the 4G iPhone prototype in a German beer hall in Redwood City, offering complimentary Business Class tickets to Munich. "I recently read in the news that you lost a very special phone at a German beer bar in California," the letter begins. It goes on to say Lange thinks Powell could use a break and offers him the tickets to Munich where he could literally pick up where he last left off. A trip to Europe is always a great way to abandon your sorrows, but what might really help Powell right about now isn't free tickets. We're wondering if Lufthansa has any engineering positions available...
Foxconn increases compensation to family of worker who committed suicide
Foxconn hasn't exactly been helping itself much lately in the sad case of an employee of the company who committed suicide after apparently misplacing an iPhone prototype, with it first noting that the worker had a history of misplacing such prototypes, and then going on to offer his family a rather meager compensation of $44,000 and a free Apple laptop. It now looks to be trying to improve things somewhat, however, with a Foxconn official saying that the company has now agreed to pay Sun Danyong's parents 360,000 yuan (or about $52,600) in compensation up front, plus an additional 30,000 yuan (or $4,385) every year thereafter. Of course, that official is speaking on the condition of anonymity, so things could still well change, and it goes without saying that this likely won't be the last we hear of this story.
Foxconn claims employee who committed suicide had history of misplacing prototypes, does nothing for its case
This is one story that only gets more bizarre with each passing day. The 25-year-old Foxconn employee who committed suicide this month, apparently after one of the iPhone prototypes he was responsible for went missing, is now reported to have misplaced other prototypes previous to this instance. According to Foxconn (who spoke with the New York Times), his employer and the company charged with manufacturing all of Apple's handsets, Sun Danyong had had products go missing "several times," but that he had gotten them back. Foxconn itself is the subject of some mystery in all this, after a security officer connected to the company was suspended and turned over to the Chinese government -- apparently in connection with the case. Sun Danyong was reportedly interrogated and possibly beaten after the prototype went missing, though Foxconn and those connected with the company have denied this. Foxconn has confirmed that Sun Danyong's family was paid roughly $44,000 and given an Apple laptop as compensation for his death.
Apple confirms and expresses sadness over death of Chinese iPhone prototype handler
Reports have circulated the internet that a 25-year old worker at Chinese manufacturer Foxconn, which produces all the iPhone models for Apple, committed suicide last week following revelation that a fourth-generation iPhone prototype, one of the 16 iPhones he was responsible for, had gone missing. Some stories circulating have described illegal searches of the man's apartment and interrogation involving physical abuse by other Foxconn employees. While not confirming the case being a suicide or the cause being the disappearing device, a spokesperson for the Cupertino-based company did release a statement corroborating the news of his death, saying that it is "saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee, and we are awaiting results of the investigations into his death. We require our suppliers to treat all workers with dignity and respect." The status of the missing iPhone prototype, which may or may not have been one that earlier this month found itself on eBay given the timeframe (although a 3GS model and not "fourth generation") remains unknown. Our hearts go out to all involved. Read - Statement form Apple Read - iPhone prototype goes missing; Chinese worker investigated, commits suicide
iPhone prototype caught on video
We found a quick video of the iPhone prototype that you've probably already bid on. The excitement is palpable as the person on screen clicks his or her way through menu items, checks out mobile web pages and generally does the sort of things that we imagine one does with a test unit. No doubt your curiosity's been piqued, and we don't blame you. With a current bid of $2,000 and over thirty-five hours left on the auction, this is probably as close as we'll ever get to the thing. Video after the break.Update: Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: it looks like Apple's lawyers had the auction (and the accompanying YouTube video) pulled. It was fun while it lasted!Update: Thanks to our main man Steve, the video is back up... for now. See for yourself after the break.
iPhone prototype surfaces on eBay, aims to fetch a pretty penny
Okay, so we'll go ahead and crush a few dreams up front -- there's nothing here that proves this isn't some funky KIRF iPhone or just an ad hoc or jailbroken app making things look completely funkadelic. Now that our skepticism is out in the open, we'll be honest and say we really, really hope this is legitimate. According to the eBay description, this here iPhone prototype was constructed a few months prior to the real iPhone's release, and it actually powers on, makes calls and receives SMSs. It sports a totally beta plastic matte screen, and the software is obviously pre-release. Oh, and the best part? The auction winner also scores a second beta phone that won't turn on (yet), but we're sure the right tweaker could fix it up into the most amazing secondary phone the world has ever seen. Forget all that bad economic news you've been hearing -- you best bring the bring the bank if you're thinking seriously about claiming this.[Via iLounge]
