Apparent Next-Generation iPhone Gets a Thorough Hands-On

[CJM]

Here's hoping it's a prototype and the real deal is without a seam. Love it otherwise.

June kinda seems far off now. I'm using a £15 Samsung in the interim and though it's probably the best phone I've seen under £100, it pales in comparison to this beauty.

 

[andrew0122]

Ok I have been following this all weekend.
1. I am pretty sure this is the real phone, not a mule or whatever the deniers are claiming. Giz gives numerous reasons, but also the design is kind of in line with many other apple devices. It actually reminds of the imac. The near identical looking front and back is nice. The round buttons are better than the lame rocker, and can be used as separate buttons in other apps. Theres not really much way to make it thinner except to make it flat. I would say the only argument that has legs is that it is not "organic" which Apple likes to claim about all its products, and that it can look pretty generic...but the Gizmodo shots really show it off. . . .

This is my THEORY on the switch from the rocker volume buttons to the 2 separate buttons.

1. Obviously for the sheer form factor and thinness of the phone.

2. The buttons will let you choose between Cameras. Example the top or "Volume Up" button will select the rear camera where as the other bottom or "Volume Down" button will select the forward facing camera.

3. I also could see button complexity coming into play here with the ability to hold, double press, triple press, ect. like an extra home button.

 

[tdream]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Looks attractive to me. However, I wouldn't care if it was puke green with sparkles. If it is legit and has that feature set, coupled with OS 4 it's an absolute dream phone. I will buy it in an INSTANT!!!

You would still buy it if it was shaped like a turd, admit it.

 

[nfl46]

If this is indeed the new iPhone, I won't be excited when he presents it. The only thing I'll be excited about, is the fact that we will be closer (weeks to a month) to seeing it released to the public. I honestly don't think I'll use the front facing camera that much. I barely use my laptop webcam. I am happy it finally got a camera flash. Apple has FINALLY released that people attend concerts and like to take pictures in the dark.

 

[miketcool]

Apple would be wise to make that second mic for noise canceling. Sure Bose raped Audio-Technica with their noise canceling technology, but HTC has it on the Nexus One.

If Apple incorporated noise canceling not only into voice commands, recording and voice search and made it work with music; this would be an amazing feature. Make it work low power and put an end to giant battery powered headphone cups.

 

[trekkie604]

MicroSIM? *grumblegrumble*... I don't want to cut my SIM and need an adapter to stick it into my other unlocked phones, Steve!

 

[Augure]

How is it crazy? Just my opinion, if you like it that's great, I don't simple.

And don't care about the ******** you've just been served, about 60% of people (who're aware of this prototype and therefor geeks) don't like the design.

Which is a big deal for a company like Apple and a product like the iPhone. That's the same reason the iPad will fail, once the whole propaganda has gone

 

[JDee]

Anyone fancy a try to call Gizmodo?

 

[Gazerbeam]

How much?

It looks good to me.....now how much are they going to ask for it? $199 with a 2 year?

 

[GoodWatch]

Just a simple question to all those who shout that it is(f)ugly, looks like cr@p, would never, ever buy it, etc. What exactly makes that phone so ugly to you? (Not as ugly of course when some of you thought that it was a cheap, Chinese knock-off. Because it was unbearable at that stage 🙄).

 

[Anuba]

I'd be inclined to think so too, except it has an FCC badge on the back. Can you print those without an FCC ID? (half the ID is X'd out, so you can't look it up).

Of course they could have gotten approvals for several designs...but still, it would mean they're thinking about it at least.

Lots of talk about prototypes here, the general assumption being that Apple finalizes the design 15 minutes before Steve goes on stage.

This thing will be released in a few weeks, it's a bit late for prototypes. This has probably been on the drawing table since 2008 when the 3G came out. The phone needs to undergo real world testing in its final form, you can't keep the final product sealed up and let the end users handle the 'physical beta testing'. Whatever Chinese crap-u-facturer will be making these phones is already starting up production. I'm not saying this particular specimen can't be a work in progress, we don't know when it was made, but I'm guessing that there's a bunch of test phones out there right now that are identical to the production model and this could be one of them.

 

[fat phil]

And don't care about the ******** you've just been served, about 60% of people (who're aware of this prototype and therefor geeks) don't like the design.

Which is a big deal for a company like Apple and a product like the iPhone. That's the same reason the iPad will fail, once the whole propaganda has gone

What's that famous quote about x% of statistics are made up?

 

[r3vo]

And don't care about the ******** you've just been served, about 60% of people (who're aware of this prototype and therefor geeks) don't like the design.

Which is a big deal for a company like Apple and a product like the iPhone. That's the same reason the iPad will fail, once the whole propaganda has gone

Can I see the research of this alleged "60%"?

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

i thing its a step in the opposite direction for apples design but i love it, i think if it is real and i hope it is that either some retard dropped it or its a preview for the fcc. i would like for them to examine the internals so we can see the maker for some of the chips are and if it 4g capable but we will wait and see.

 

[Carniphage]

Nobody ever makes more than one prototype.

Gotcha.

But Apple makes it easy for us.
They print the word "Prototype" in large friendly words on the cover.

This is a production sample. They are ready to roll with this.
I am guessing this will see the light of day really soon.

C.

 

[jman240]

Just because there's a patent doesn't mean it's being used...

Understandable, but even Gizmodo is having trouble identifying it. This just made sense as it was described as a "glass like material, but not like the glass on the front"

 

[Azmontana]

lol what? that's what I said! I said it's perfectly fine to like or not like it, but to say something as definitive as the design is below par is the wrong part.

Fair enough. It's still ugly lol!

 

[angevil]

Steve Jobs..great new iPhone!!! 🙂 THANKS!!!! I wish you would make an official announcement and ads so I can watch them on ″repeat forever″ until the launch day! It looks so much better than the previous versions. I love the design. Some people are afraid of changes, but everyone will embrace the round volume buttons after a few days 😉 I think the new iPhone is f***ing amazing!

 

[stoplis]

With a flat 'glass' back, I suppose we could get away with a screen protector on the front and another similar on the back. It would stop the camera lens from scratching and save you putting it in a case.

 

[fat phil]

Lots of talk about prototypes here, the general assumption being that Apple finalizes the design 15 minutes before Steve goes on stage.

This thing will be released in a few weeks, it's a bit late for prototypes. This has probably been on the drawing table since 2008 when the 3G came out. The phone needs to undergo real world testing in its final form. Whatever Chinese crap-u-facturer will be making these phones is already starting up production. I'm not saying this particular specimen can't be a work in progress, we don't know when it was made, but I'm guessing that there's a bunch of test phones out there right now that are identical to the production model and this could be one of them.

I'd go with that. Most sensible post yet.

 

[JDee]

Every Apple product I've ever seen via pictures I've wanted and thought the design looks awesome, this just looks below par and not what I expected.

BTW a quick note if this was the real deal would Apple not have asked MacRumours to pull the article? something to consider.

They're safer staying low this time because now that the world has seen the article, if Apple pulls this story, it'll be confirmed as true in technical terms.

 

[DaHarder]

Look up the SAMSUNG T509 PLUM

I had that phone for a long time when i switched to the iphone.and it looks exactly like it!

Hopefully this is just a spec and we are all blasted away with a new designed phone.

'Exactly'... Really?

Your definition of the word 'exactly' appears to be dramatically opposed to that of every other rational individual on earth.

 

[aeaglex07]

Steve Jobs..great new iPhone!!! 🙂 THANKS!!!! I wish you would make an official announcement and ads so I can watch them on ″repeat forever″ until the launch day! It looks so much better than the previous versions. I love the design. Some people are afraid of changes, but everyone will embrace the round volume buttons after a few days 😉 I think the new iPhone is f***ing amazing!

I like it too.. and personally i would find the round volume buttons much easter to use than the current "buttons" we have.

 

[Gazerbeam]

But Apple makes it easy for us.
They print the word "Prototype" in large friendly words on the cover.

This is a production sample. They are ready to roll with this.
I am guessing this will see the light of day really soon.

C.

I agree...the connectors, ribbons, brackets and all that look production. At this point, everythings has been tooled up...it's a go!! It's takes several months of lead time for tooling up all of those things.

 

[fat phil]

Understandable, but even Gizmodo is having trouble identifying it. This just made sense as it was described as a "glass like material, but not like the glass on the front"

Hehe, sorry I have laugh. Gizmodo and "analytical prowess" don't really go hand in hand 🙂

Last week they were getting all excited at the thought of black holes leading to other universes, as if it was a new theory 🙄

I do like reading Gizmodo now and then, but it's kinda tabloid technology reportage.