iPhone prototypes on eBay

[Chimera]

This is pretty interesting, on eBay a guy has 2 prototype iPhones for sale, one is working and has a plastic screen instead of glass:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170308425742

Seems like Apple prototypes are becoming easier to get hold of after the original iPod the other week and the MacBook Air a few months ago.

 

[yorkshire]

Nice find. That beta OS looks interesting, considering the iPhone was so close to being announcedl

 

[Warbrain]

I swear I've seen those pictures on here before when someone bought some prototypes...wonder if he's selling them.

 

[Deathshead]

the beta OS looked just like star trek TNG!

 

[kdarling]

the beta OS looked just like star trek TNG!

Reminds me of the Storm a bit, too, with the oversized pulldown selector box.

Apple has said that they didn't even put in UI features that are taken for granted now, such as using flick-scrolling, until part way through the project.

(Almost too bad they did, and threw out the baby with the bath water. A scrollbar would be really handy sometimes.)

To the OP: thanks for the eBay pointer!

 

[benflick]

Woah, those are freaky! The OS is shocking! Can you imagine what could have been?

 

[kdarling]

PS. I betcha Apple uses a shill and bids as much as possible to keep the unit out of anyone's hands.

Or perhaps one of those offshore gambling places that pay $30K for toast that looks like Mary, will get it.

 

[barkomatic]

How did this person get a prototype? I would have assumed that as secretive as Apple is they would force everyone with a prototype to return it or get sued into oblivion.

 

[cellocello]

Cool find. I love this kind of stuff.

 

[sallythemac]

I swear I've seen those pictures on here before when someone bought some prototypes...wonder if he's selling them.

I remember similar photos being posted somewhere - everyone was surprised by Apple's sense of humour with the Cheerios "serial" box...

 

[sparkyms]

For those who thinks they've seen them here before, you have...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/627449/

 

[kdarling]

For those who thinks they've seen them here before, you have...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/627449/

Huh. And here I thought that the original iPhone prototype looked like the one that MacRumors showed off back in late 2006...

MacRumors prototype iPhone

 

[Katuls]

writeup from engadget:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/iphone-prototype-surfaces-on-ebay-aims-to-fetch-a-pretty-penny/

 

[Brooklyn8]

Hey all, yes they are the phones I posted on here earlier. I decided to sell them to pay off some bills. I hope someone picks them up and takes care of them. However I have a feeling ebay may pull the listing...but you never know. There was that Macbook Air proto that sold awhile back.

Here was the original thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=6862982#post6862982

Video for anyone interested in the interface:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRxnZLLuLQs

 

[benflick]

Video for anyone interested in the interface:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRxnZLLuLQs

According to YouTube:

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Apple, Inc..

So maybe Apple wants 'em back.

 

[cellocello]

I decided to sell them to pay off some bills.

I'm surprised you'd sell what some people would consider an incredibly rare slice of Apple history "to pay off some bills".