Apparent Next-Generation iPhone Gets a Thorough Hands-On

[tjcampbell]

Does anyone think that this will make the release date sooner because the cats out of the bag OR do you think that they will fiddle with it so they can surprise everyone again?

A thought on the separate volume buttons. Possible to configure as physical buttons for gaming?

I'll take one now please

 

[Carniphage]

Does anyone think that this will make the release date sooner because the cats out of the bag OR do you think that they will fiddle with it so they can surprise everyone again?

A thought on the separate volume buttons. Possible to configure as physical buttons for gaming?

I'll take one now please

One theory is that volume button(s) doubles-up as shutter release for the camera.

This, I like. The on-screen shutter is lame.

C.

 

[adityashah1989]

Apparently Gizmodo got their hands on the device weeks after the Apple engineer forgot it in the Bar, so Apple might have changed a lot of things on it.

Weeks later, Gizmodo got it. It was the real thing. Once we saw it inside and out, there was no doubt about it. We learnt about this story, but we didn't know for sure it was Powell's phone until today, when we contacted him via his phone.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5520438/how-apple-lost-the-next-iphone

 

[Abacab]

Too Obvious

I want to point out a few things.
One, Apple's security on new products is tighter than area 51.
Apple employee's don't go for a few cold ones and loose devices .
How would the person who "FOUND" know that it was differnt and most of all turn over to GIZMODO?
I SMELL EITHER FAKE OR PLANT BY APPLE TO GET SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK!
Anyone else a little 'SUSPICIOUS"?

 

[Tomar]

I want to point out a few things.
One, Apple's security on new products is tighter than area 51.
Apple employee's don't go for a few cold ones and loose devices .
How would the person who "FOUND" know that it was differnt and most of all turn over to GIZMODO?
I SMELL EITHER FAKE OR PLANT BY APPLE TO GET SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK!
Anyone else a little 'SUSPICIOUS"?

I am very suspicious. This entire story sounds too incredible to me.

 

[the Western zoo]

I want to point out a few things.
One, Apple's security on new products is tighter than area 51.
Apple employee's don't go for a few cold ones and loose devices .
How would the person who "FOUND" know that it was differnt and most of all turn over to GIZMODO?
I SMELL EITHER FAKE OR PLANT BY APPLE TO GET SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK!
Anyone else a little 'SUSPICIOUS"?

So you telling me that you're actually 100% sure that Apple never ever ever does field testing? And that you never in your life have been a little drunk and forgot something at a bar? And that in your world is it unthinkable that any young'ish man would ever forget anything in a bar?

 

[zulkiflim]

Heya


I just want to rant!!

Gizmodo stay classy.
why the need to out the engineer?

Just to prove it is real and put a name to a face?

Just to get more hits?

You will get more hits from us fanboy who will check the pic in detail even if it rumours.

Sucks.BIG TIME

But loving the new iphone design ,cant wait till i get one.

Gizmode BAD!!!

 

[zulkiflim]

So you telling me that you're actually 100% sure that Apple never ever ever does field testing? And that you never in your life have been a little drunk and forgot something at a bar? And that in your world is it unthinkable that any young'ish man would ever forget anything in a bar?

All of that is probable and i am sure apple do test outs prototype.

But to leave in in the hand of such a person?
He may be a great guy and all but unprofessional it would seem.

He must be crucified right now.
Anyway with Gizmodo outing him,he wont have any other places to go to.
Apple can as much screw him mentally and economically right now,and he wont have any choice.

Stay classy Gizmodo.

 

[Compile 'em all]

I want to point out a few things.
One, Apple's security on new products is tighter than area 51.
Apple employee's don't go for a few cold ones and loose devices .

Guess what? Apple employees are humans. And humans make mistakes. The iPhone needs to be field-tested in real life situations. You can't just take it out for a couple of hours at a time. This is a device that will be used in the real world by millions. A mac or an iPad is a lot different. But for a phone, it is a whole different story.

How would the person who "FOUND" know that it was differnt and most of all turn over to GIZMODO?

RTFA. He didn't realize immediately that it was different.

 

[the Western zoo]

All of that is probable and i am sure apple do test outs prototype.

But to leave in in the hand of such a person?
He may be a great guy and all but unprofessional it would seem.

So because this guy in his 20's goes out with some friends for beers he is absolutely unprofessional?

I'm convinced that when people field tests devices like cell phones - the test phone becomes their primary phone. And I in no way find it inconceivable that a professional young man would bring his primary cell phone (even if it were a secret prototype) with him for a night on the town... And surely there is no evidence that he was drunk off his buttocks, I have forgotten my house keys/phone in situations where I were sober, and you just don't realize that you've dropped them/it until you're standing in front of your building and can't get in/want to use your phone...

 

[zulkiflim]

So because this guy in his 20's goes out with some friends for beers he is absolutely unprofessional?

I'm convinced that when people field tests devices like cell phones - the test phone becomes their primary phone. And I in no way find it inconceivable that a professional young man would bring his primary cell phone (even if it were a secret prototype) with him for a night on the town... And surely there is no evidence that he was drunk off his buttocks, I have forgotten my house keys/phone in situations where I were sober, and you just don't realize that you've dropped them/it until you're standing in front of your building and can't get in/want to use your phone...

Heya

dude what is the importance of this phone?

What if other players like HTC/RIM/MSFT got a hand on the phone and did not declare ?
If they were to dissect and use the information to tweak their own mobile devices?
If they were to release the exact same spec?
Who will look like a "no brain copier"?

If as you say it is due to "circumstances" all the more i say this guy is undeserving of the privilege.

He is unprofessional..
Nuff said.
He does not nor care about the impact of such a device being lost.
Or as you say being 20 something,he has no secondary thought beyond the initial.

 

[stockscalper]

This may be a genuine iPhone - Apple has been known to make and test a number of different prototypes when developing a new model. This may be one of the prototypes and have no bearing as to what the actual phone will be like when it's released.

If it is a genuine iPhone it's a lame update, just like OS 4. I say lame because there is nothing in the new phone or OS that Apple's competitors don't already have. The HTC phones have flash, high resolution cameras and screens and noise cancelation mics for instance. Their OS multitask and let the user change wallpapers. But they also allow for user customization of the lockscreen something the new iPhones still will not allow.

Apple has fallen behind its competitors and if this is indeed the next iPhone then they're going to be in trouble because what HTC has in the pipeline to be released later this year will blow the iPhone out of the water.

 

[Carniphage]

Apple has fallen behind its competitors and if this is indeed the next iPhone then they're going to be in trouble because what HTC has in the pipeline to be released later this year will blow the iPhone out of the water.

Really?

Apple is the single most profitable cellphone maker in the world.
It's sales are increasing year on year. And with each new handset, there is a massive boost of new customers and upgraders.

I don't think any non-geek has even heard of HTC. And if HTC lose their court case, no one ever will.

Perhaps the prospects for the iPhone are not as bleak as you suggest.

C.

 

[uberamd]

If it is a genuine iPhone it's a lame update, just like OS 4. I say lame because there is nothing in the new phone or OS that Apple's competitors don't already have.

Just out of TOTAL curiosity, what the heck would have made this phone amazing in your eyes? What more can Apple add to a phone to shut people like you up? The MAIN thing people have been complaining about are:

• No front facing camera
• No LED flash
• Plastic body
• No dedicated camera button
• Chome Bezel

Apple added the camera, flash, and button as well as removed the chrome and yet we STILL have people complaining about it!? So you tell me genius; how would you, with all your knowledge of phones and design insight, have designed this new phone?

Apple has fallen behind its competitors and if this is indeed the next iPhone then they're going to be in trouble because what HTC has in the pipeline to be released later this year will blow the iPhone out of the water.

Apple has NOT fallen behind HTC. Not in a long shot. HTC needs to release a new phone every week it seems and they are still not as profitable as Apple is. HTC devices are mostly plastic, and there is absolutely no differentiation between the models, they are all simply tweaks of previous phones. Oh, and another downfall is that they run Android. It is like the PC of the smartphone market, too many phones with a wide range of specs causes incompatibility with software.

HTC is not all that great, and I know because I have owned my share of HTC devices including the Nexus One which was totally overhyped.

 

[LagunaSol]

Sometimes you have to refresh designs for psychological reasons, even if there's nothing wrong with the current ones.

And sometimes you don't. Sometimes you just shouldn't mess with something that is working well. Yes, Apple needs more frequent updates to the internals. Yes, they need to show they are committed to these products by not waiting 6 months after its competitors implement new processors/etc. (which is just embarrassing). But I don't think you should change industrial design "just because" as a general rule. I still like my original iPhone design better than my 3GS.

Car manufacturers often change designs for the worse to fit some routine redesign timetable, to the dismay of existing owners (and prospective buyers) everywhere. See new Honda Pilot. And sales can suffer from it.

Just out of TOTAL curiosity, what the heck would have made this phone amazing in your eyes? What more can Apple add to a phone to shut people like you up?

There is nothing anyone can do to shut people like that up. There will always be one missing feature one person is pining for that a competitor offers that no one else cares about.

"What, no ham radio transmitter in the new iPhone??? Brand X has offered one for years!"



But apparently HTC will continue to "blow Apple out of the water" by offering obscure features that 99% of the buying public don't care about, wrapped in ugly hardware and driven by clumsy software with a bandaid (Sense) slapped over the top.

 

[kdarling]

Where are the real tech details?

What gets me is that the hands-on inspection was apparently anything but "thorough" as the thread title suggests.

Where are the X-rays of the chips to figure out what ARM core is used?

Where is the resolution of the screen, figured out by measuring the pixels they could see with a magnifying glass?

Where is the list of chips and makers?

Either Gizmodo is as technically clueless as they seem, or they've made a deal with Apple to publish such information later.

 

[AKlrt]

Feedback

If there is speculation that this release was engineered by Apple to seek feedback - doubtful as Apple marches to it's own drummer - then why isn't everyone expressing OUTRAGE that this supposed prototype has a screen smaller than the 3Gs? This would be unacceptable in view of the Android 3.7", 4" & 4.3" displays. This iPhone release will be a failure without something comparable to the Samsung 4" Super AMOLED, which is probably the current benchmark for quality and surely available to Apple.

 

[RangerXML]

OH SNAP, iPhones Talk has lot oh explaining to do! (best Ricki Ricardo imitation)

http://www.iphonestalk.com/

http://www.iphonestalk.com/gizmodo-has-iphone-4g-its-a-fake/

 

[Gix1k]

Apple has NOT fallen behind HTC.

I disagree. Just from what we saw of the new iPhone, it's won't compete with the EVO. I mean c'mon...Gray was disguising the phone as a 3GS with a case. That means the phone is damn near identical in size. They added a camera and maybe some faster components and added storage.
Apple has silently shown they can't compete with other companies, so they are gonna continue to make sleek, not so fancy phones. HTC, Samsung and others will lead in innovation.

 

[emotion]

I disagree. Just from what we saw of the new iPhone, it's won't compete with the EVO. I mean c'mon...Gray was disguising the phone as a 3GS with a case. That means the phone is damn near identical in size. They added a camera and maybe some faster components and added storage.
Apple has silently shown they can't compete with other companies, so they are gonna continue to make sleek, not so fancy phones. HTC, Samsung and others will lead in innovation.

...you didn't mention the software. That's the bit that makes something usable.

Without that it's just a spec sheet.

 

[LagunaSol]

I disagree. Just from what we saw of the new iPhone, it's won't compete with the EVO. I mean c'mon...Gray was disguising the phone as a 3GS with a case. That means the phone is damn near identical in size. They added a camera and maybe some faster components and added storage.

Apple has silently shown they can't compete with other companies, so they are gonna continue to make sleek, not so fancy phones. HTC, Samsung and others will lead in innovation.

And by innovation you mean making stuff bigger???

The iPhone is the perfect pocket size now, thanks. I don't need an "innovatingly bigger" phone.

 

[Carniphage]

Either Gizmodo is as technically clueless as they seem, or they've made a deal with Apple to publish such information later.

I think an unofficial deal was done.

Gizmodo had the device some weeks ago. Back when the iPad was the major tech topic.

The only reason I can think of for delaying the announcement was if Apple asked them to wait for a few weeks.

Gizmodo gets the scoop. In return Apple gets to defer the date.
No way to find out. But if there is no legal action, I think a deal will look more likely.

C.


UPDATE: Gizmodo are saying they have had the device for only one week.
Seems a long time to write a short article.

 

[C8XY]

...you didn't mention the software. That's the bit that makes something usable.

Without that it's just a spec sheet.

This is what the haters who dont have one dont realise...
I'd rather have a slightly lower spec that worked properly than a super impressive spec with clumsy software

 

[uberamd]

This is what the haters who dont have one dont realise...
I'd rather have a slightly lower spec that worked properly than a super impressive spec with clumsy software

This is so true.

Can anyone of the people who hate on the device (especially the new model) tell me what would YOU change to make it better??

 

[AKlrt]

This is so true.

Can anyone of the people who hate on the device (especially the new model) tell me what would YOU change to make it better??

Well let's assume first that if is an Apple device it is just a prototype and subject to change. We don't know the processor - is it single core A8 or dual core A9? Don't know resolution on either camera - 5 or 8+ mp? Don't know if it is 802.11n compatible. And a 4" Super AMOLED is mandatory to compete with Android regardless of resolution. Does it have an improved cell antenna? Those are some of my burning issues/desires. And I'm certain that the final design will be far more attractive.