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October 2009 iPhone 4 Prototype Shows Up on eBay [Update: Listing Pulled]
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Of course the listing has been removed. Protypes like these show up on ebay and are always, subsequently, quickly removed. How often to modern Apple prototypes actually make it to close on ebay?
Samsung Galaxy S4?
I think it is a Chinese ripoff. No reason for the long boot time (hiding lilo?) and shoddy looking diagnostic tools. Apple would have run a full iOS on it.
The whole "i had to replace the battery" line is a coverup of cracking open the case and replacing stuff.
I think he removed it himself because it got a lot more attention than he thought it would. He was probably hoping to sell it to a gullible person.
I think it is a Chinese ripoff. No reason for the long boot time (hiding lilo?) and shoddy looking diagnostic tools. Apple would have run a full iOS on it.
The whole "i had to replace the battery" line is a coverup of cracking open the case and replacing stuff.
I think he removed it himself because it got a lot more attention than he thought it would. He was probably hoping to sell it to a gullible person.
I always thought 'dumpster' was an unkind reference to overweight women used in the US. Not very 'PC'.
it's called prototyping, the diagnostic software that's loaded on these EVT units verifies hardware functionality. Why would you want to develop IOS for this model before you even verify your hardware design?Here's an iPhone 2g and ipod touch 2nd gen running similar software. It's a pretty big coincidence for these to be fake too.
Apple using the Death Star as the stand-in for their logo is pretty much the coolest thing I've ever seen them do.
I didn't know there were pictures of alleged diagnostic software out there. If that really was Apple software, it looks like complete crap. After the first release of iOS, it would make a lot of sense to migrate diagnostic tools to something using iOS as it is more mature. Besides, that diagnostic system crashed and rebooted in the dudes demo. Do you think Apple would have that crappy quality diagnostic software by the time the iPhone 4 was in prototype? Doubt it. More likely some Android hacker whipped up a lookalike screen and split open an iPhone 4 and replaced the guts with some old android phone.
Real apple prototypes have Apple logos on them and no plastic 'glass' or 'aluminum'.
In the end, only Apple can say for sure. Unless you want to pony up the $10K. I think I know how to get the $10K... Take an old iPhone 4, rip it open, place in the guts of an android phone, change the boot logo to an Apple, write a look-a-like diagnostic program, then sell it for $10K on ebay. You're not a great programmers, so it might crash and reboot a few times, but you can explain how you had to crack it open to change the battery (when folks know they should run when on USB power) but hey, it will make you enough to buy the 'prototype'.
I didn't know there were pictures of alleged diagnostic software out there. If that really was Apple software, it looks like complete crap. After the first release of iOS, it would make a lot of sense to migrate diagnostic tools to something using iOS as it is more mature. Besides, that diagnostic system crashed and rebooted in the dudes demo. Do you think Apple would have that crappy quality diagnostic software by the time the iPhone 4 was in prototype? Doubt it. More likely some Android hacker whipped up a lookalike screen and split open an iPhone 4 and replaced the guts with some old android phone.
Real apple prototypes have Apple logos on them and no plastic 'glass' or 'aluminum'.
In the end, only Apple can say for sure. Unless you want to pony up the $10K. I think I know how to get the $10K... Take an old iPhone 4, rip it open, place in the guts of an android phone, change the boot logo to an Apple, write a look-a-like diagnostic program, then sell it for $10K on ebay. You're not a great programmers, so it might crash and reboot a few times, but you can explain how you had to crack it open to change the battery (when folks know they should run when on USB power) but hey, it will make you enough to buy the 'prototype'.
"More likely some Android hacker whipped up a lookalike screen and split open an iPhone 4 and replaced the guts with some old android phone." Is your post meant to be taken seriously?
The diagnostic software is only meant to test the device's most basic functionality. This is why it crashes and is so "ugly". By the way, every leaked iDevice prototype was running the same or very similar software. The original iPad prototype from a while back also had the exact same diagnostic software as in this iPhone prototype.
Looks like a Chinese knock-off to me. Why even publish this stuff? This is Mac Rumors, not Mac Stupid.
I only hope Apple can do better than this. Galaxy SIII is the hot phone now.
Most anticipated consumer release, yes. Biggest flop in history - if they can't do better than a stretch-4.
I live in fear. My iPhone is 2 years old and it's looking like the only way to get Apple to innovate might be to buy my first non-Apple computing device in nearly 20 years as a satisfied customer.
Better start looking at the DoubleTwist website
I only hope Apple can do better than this. Galaxy SIII is the hot phone now.
Most anticipated consumer release, yes. Biggest flop in history - if they can't do better than a stretch-4.
I live in fear. My iPhone is 2 years old and it's looking like the only way to get Apple to innovate might be to buy my first non-Apple computing device in nearly 20 years as a satisfied customer.
Better start looking at the DoubleTwist website
Looks like a Chinese knock-off to me. Why even publish this stuff? This is Mac Rumors, not Mac Stupid.
I only hope Apple can do better than this. Galaxy SIII is the hot phone now.
Most anticipated consumer release, yes. Biggest flop in history - if they can't do better than a stretch-4.
I live in fear. My iPhone is 2 years old and it's looking like the only way to get Apple to innovate might be to buy my first non-Apple computing device in nearly 20 years as a satisfied customer.
Better start looking at the DoubleTwist website…
I love how people continue to say this with every iPhone release while the phone continues to sell better and better every time
I love how people continue to say this with every iPhone release while the phone continues to sell better and better every time
It won't this time. Apple got a pass last year.
Most anticipated flop in consumer history? It's a possibility.
It was a whole day after the 4S release before I heard a member of the general public say "But, when's the iPhone 5 coming?".
I've been requesting (apple.com/feedback) a 5" 16:9 (fits in 3G form factor, not the stupid 4/4S) since the 4 arrived. There's half-decent alternatives, now. And all the Mac pundits agree, it's tough to go back to iPhone 4 after actually using a Samsung SIII.
Apple's got to do better this time. They can't use the excuse their Dad died, this year.