The lack of morals in the participants of this thread is a microcosm of what wrong in the US today.
So very sad.
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
I hope none of you who think he should keep the phone consider yourselves honest in any way.
Again, we agree. Though just for clarification, 'you', referenced in bold, is referring to the group of people on the side of keeping it/selling it/profiting from Apple's mistake, not the singular 'you', referring to the OP.
He's not benefiting off of someone. He's not benefitting off of even a small business.
He's benefiting off the most valuable company in the world.
The moral decision is not to return it, it's to give it to someone that would appreciate it.
So just because this is a mistake made by the most valuable company in the world means that your moral compass should be thrown out the door? That doesn't make it right either, and that is also the problem right there.
I understand your premise, which is to pay it forward. But paying it forward with equipment that doesn't belong to you is still theft. And in essence, that would make the situation worse, because now a third party, who isn't privy to how the person who gave them the product received that product, would also be out, and possibly implicated in the same theft.
Now.. if the OP, after getting hold of Apple, was told by Apple, "our fault and mistake. But congratulations, keep it", then he could do what you are saying and pay it forward without any loss of integrity. That would be right. Doing it without Apple's knowledge would be wrong.
That is the difference between your logic, as well as the logic of "sticking it to the man", and doing the right thing.
BL.