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Apr 12, 2001
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Last year at about this time, we highlighted the biggest Apple leaks of 2010. While there wasn't quite as big a story as the iPhone 4 leak this year, we still saw a lot of early leaks of unreleased products.

iPhone 4S

140357-iphone_antenna_comparison.jpg


When this parts leak video was released in January 2011, we weren't entirely sure what we were looking at. Global Direct Parts called it an "iPhone 5" at the time, and detailed differences found in the new antenna design. The changes were relatively small, but what we know now is that this was the first look at the iPhone 4S design -- 10 months before its release. The antenna design looks a lot like the Verizon iPhone which hadn't been released at the time, but the inclusion of the SIM slot means this particular design was definitely for the iPhone 4S.

iphone_4s_a5-500x669.jpg


Over the year, we would continue to see bits of pieces of the iPhone 4S such as the front panel, A5-based logic board and even partially assembled. In the end, however, we kept getting distracted by the possibility of a completely new design. It was the similarities to the iPhone 4 design that kept the iPhone 4S so off the radar.

Ultimately, Apple itself accidentally leaked the iPhone 4S name in the last iTunes beta before the device launched:

iphone4s.jpg


iPad 2

212032-ipad_2_dummy_5_500.jpg


No, that isn't a photo of the iPad 2. That's a photo of a dummy model that was shown at CES about 2 months before the iPad 2's launch. The model was created based on leaked case designs to Chinese accessory manufacturers. It's also why the leaked iPhone 5 case designs seemed like such a good possibility at the time.

iPhone 4S Camera Test

iphone_5_test_photo.jpg


A month before the iPhone 4S, an Apple employee accidentally posted this first photo from an unreleased iPhone device. As it turns out, that photo was taken by the iPhone 4S.

iCloud Screenshot

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We had serious doubts about this iCloud login screenshot that was leaked several days before WWDC. But, it turned out to be quite accurate, and seems to have come from Apple's internal staging area for the site. We wouldn't see iCloud actually go live until two months later with essentially the same login screen.

Apple Loses Another iPhone

cava22-sf-0445-500x333.jpg


In what almost became a replay of last year's iPhone 4 leak, an Apple employee lost another prototype iPhone in a bar this year. While there were some initial doubts about the story, the San Francisco Police did later confirm their participation in the search for the device. The lost iPhone was never found. We assume it represented a prototype iPhone 4S device which likely explains why it didn't ever draw enough attention to be leaked/sold to any gadget sites.

MacBook Pro, Thunderbolt

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Yes, there are still some Mac related leaks too. The specs for the first Thunderbolt MacBook Pros were leaked about a couple of days ahead of the launch.

Siri

As a bonus, here's the biggest fake rumor of the year. We knew it was a fake when we posted about it on our blog, but this video of an "iPhone 5 Leak" on Apple's website has amassed nearly 3 million views in YouTube since being posted. We suppose people wanted to believe.


Article Link: 2011: Biggest Apple Product Leaks
 
I am still very surprised that we had zero rumors about the newest Mini's before launch!
 
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well, good for us!
i also want iPad 3, that im waiting for, to be the most leaked product but its somehow not happening...
 
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iPhone 4S Camera Test

Image

A month before the iPhone 4S, an Apple employee accidentally posted this first photo from an unreleased iPhone device.

Given that this was an Apple corp employee apparently sitting in the on campus cafe when the photo was taken, I don't think there was anything accidental about it. I think Apple wanted the leak and this is how they set it up

Apple Loses Another iPhone

Image

In what almost became a replay of last year's iPhone 4 leak, an Apple employee lost another prototype iPhone in a bar this year. While there were some initial doubts about the story, the San Francisco Police did later confirm their participation in the search for the device. The lost iPhone was never found. We assume it represented a prototype iPhone 4S device which likely explains why it didn't ever draw enough attention to be leaked/sold to any gadget sites.

That whole incident was never proven to be true aside from the fact that the police admit that they helped someone who claimed to be an Apple employee go to a house where a phone was (something by the by they will do if asked and they think things could turn ugly). But there was a lot of sketch in the claim including the very unprofessional profile that was pulled off linked in, the lack of proof from anything actually connected to Apple that the guy worked there (cause yeah he could have lied in the profile) and the way the bar conveniently doesn't keep any of their security photos so they can't prove any proof that the alleged theft or anyone from Apple, much less someone with access to a prototype to field test, was at the bar at all that night
 
That whole incident was never proven to be true aside from the fact that the police [said it was true.]

Sure you can suggest that maybe the SF police somehow got duped by two people claiming to be Apple investigators, and it's some strange conspiracy theory that is being perpetuated by the SF Police, but it's an irrational and far less believable theory than what actually happened.

San Francisco Police Department spokesman Lt. Troy Dangerfield said he talked to Apple and confirmed the basic events:

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2011/09/iphone_5_apple_police.php

Dangerfield says that, after conferring with Apple and the captain of the Ingleside police station, he has learned that plainclothes SFPD officers went with private Apple detectives to the home of Sergio Calderón, a 22-year-old resident of Bernal Heights. According to Dangerfield, the officers "did not go inside the house," but stood outside while the Apple employees scoured Calderón's home, car, and computer files for any trace of the lost iPhone 5. The phone was not found, and Calderón denies that he ever possessed it.


arn
 
Given that this was an Apple corp employee apparently sitting in the on campus cafe when the photo was taken, I don't think there was anything accidental about it. I think Apple wanted the leak and this is how they set it up

The EXIF was modified to indicate an iPhone 4 was used, but the pixel count betrayed it.

So no... I don't think the leak was intentional.
 
4S vs 5

I think Apple itself wanted to leak that the next phone was going to be a 4S. Rumours are good but eventually the rumours set the 4S up to be a failure so Apple "accidentally" saying in the description that the phone was going to be an iPhone 4S and not an iPhone 5 was just a method to tone down expectations
 
I think Apple itself wanted to leak that the next phone was going to be a 4S. Rumours are good but eventually the rumours set the 4S up to be a failure so Apple "accidentally" saying in the description that the phone was going to be an iPhone 4S and not an iPhone 5 was just a method to tone down expectations

People were so stuck on the iPhone 5 possible release they really didn't listen to anything Apple released. And despite this fact the iPhone 4S as we know was NOT a failure.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Im amazed that bar story made the list. Im guessing Steve was wrong. 2011 clearly was the year of the lime marinaded shrimp ceviche.
 
People were so stuck on the iPhone 5 possible release they really didn't listen to anything Apple released. And despite this fact the iPhone 4S as we know was NOT a failure.

Agreed.

How was it that the reception for the 4S was so "negative" while the 3GS was still seen as a step forward?
 
I don't remember that iPad 2 case rumor. Looks funny, looking backwards.

BTW, that Cava22 has good ceviche. ... so I've been told.
 
Ah, what a year. Here's to 2012 rumours, bring.it.on.




Looking back, the rumours this year were quite disappointing IMO, especially relating to the iPhone. I was, like many others, looking forward to the iPhone '5' I believed will be launched this year. The contradictory rumours about a release of an iPhone 4S/5 got me quite frustrated, yet excited. (feel sorry for those case manufacturers) We can probably blame Apple's stricter control of product leaks possibly because of the iPhone 4 leaks last year. Just hope 2012 has more leaks/rumours which seem to materialise.

Thank You MacRumors for your hard work in providing us with news and rumours we care about. ;)
 
The summer's leak

I guess I'm tone-deaf to the cursing at the SFPD and Apple over that phone leak. Guess what? If you have a prototype for just about any company, they want it back. If your company investigators find knock-offs in downtown stores, they will proceed with official blessing to roust the companies involved. Sometimes there are major federal investigations, but the local police will help Gucci or the clothing association to prosecute the sellers of knock-offs in much the same way the police partnered with Apple. The GPS gave them this address. Maybe it was wrong? Not likely. At some time, the prototype was there. They call the friendly local officers, they go over to the house, and the Apple guys go in alone. They know what they're looking for. The Apple security promises to make things go away if they just get the phone back. No criminal or civil consequences. Some other unfortunate things -- allegedly -- were said. Tough cop, nice cop.

They just busted a bunch of knock-offs in LA. They do it every Christmas. The merchants will be fined. The evidence? Found by private security, no doubt. The cops don't have time for the research.
 
Agreed.

How was it that the reception for the 4S was so "negative" while the 3GS was still seen as a step forward?

There were no 4.x" Android phones yet, thus staying at 3.5" was not such a big deal (nor were there LTE or NFC Android phones). The main points of criticism of the iPhone 4s that are backed up by arguments (ie, excluding those that say it should look different for the sake of being different) are exactly these:
  • No 4.x" screen
  • No LTE
  • No NFC
Of course whether these are really important points in the market is another question.
 
There were no 4.x" Android phones yet, thus staying at 3.5" was not such a big deal (nor were there LTE or NFC Android phones). The main points of criticism of the iPhone 4s that are backed up by arguments (ie, excluding those that say it should look different for the sake of being different) are exactly these:
  • No 4.x" screen
  • No LTE
  • No NFC
Of course whether these are really important points in the market is another question.

The problem is that all those 'points' fall flat on their face when the rubber hits the road - bigger screen phones are nice but with the release of the bigger screens corresponding with Android 4.x there are news articles littered with reviews of shorter battery life - a big screen is that important that you'll give up battery life for it?

The vast majority of the world haven't even got LTE pilot programmes up and running let alone reaching the technological peak of HSDPA+ - there there are few countries got LTE networks up and running and sorry Apple doesn't make world wide decisions based on what happens in the United States.

NFC - from what I understand there are issues with standards etc.
 
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