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There's Still Another Prototype iPhone in the Wild
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Clearly you don't know how the Government (or Apple for that fact) works!
Your mind would evidently be blown apart by the number of things tested and never released from Apple alone.
Funny you mention that, because I work for the government.So you mean to tell me Apple would stake the possibility of loosing 2 months worth of sales just to test something they won't release? Once again, not very apple like.
Is it really hard to believe that. I'm sure they'll do some minor redesign, but any thing other then minor design change will have to see all the printer circuit boards redesigned, and then they'd have to redesign everything else.
And if they want to stay on schedule with a June release, they can't do a redesign, that would mean resubmitting patents, and more work then it's worth. It would delay the 4G iPhone and cost apple sales.
A lot of people thought the 3G looked cheap in the initial photos, but then thought it felt great when they got one. Reserve judgement until you actually handle one for yourself.
This device is a prototype
You can tell because it says "Prototype" instead of "iPhone" on the back.
The Gizmodo device is a production sample.
C.
You can tell because it says "Prototype" instead of "iPhone" on the back.
The Gizmodo device is a production sample.
C.
So you're telling me this from the following graph...
64gb iPad w/ 3G costs:
$334.95 in materials
$11.20 manufacturing costs(labor I presume) so x10 would be $112.00 if made in the US.
$334.95+112.00=$446.95
Retail $829.00-446.95=$382.05
There's still quite a bit of profit to be made even if going from the example of the iPad above. This is why corporate greedy America makes billions and why Mom and Pops stores gets shut down. You can still make a good profit if manufacturing was done in the US but obviously of course it won't be as much. I don't want this turning into a politics debate but this is one reason why this country is falling apart, not enough jobs.
I know it's an age old debate, but you didn't factor in R&D costs, advertisement or market research.
Doesn't anyone else see this?
Look at the iPad. It has a flatter sleeker casing.
Now look at the prototype. It has a similar shape.
And since it is a prototype it is not in the final casing. Something the engineers can take it apart and put it together easily.
The iPhone 4 will look more like the iPad. The prototype gives us a sneek preview of what it will look like but the finished product will be beautiful!
Look at the iPad. It has a flatter sleeker casing.
Now look at the prototype. It has a similar shape.
And since it is a prototype it is not in the final casing. Something the engineers can take it apart and put it together easily.
The iPhone 4 will look more like the iPad. The prototype gives us a sneek preview of what it will look like but the finished product will be beautiful!
Attachments
Isnt it annoying?! Almost as annoying as people calling the 1st gen iPhone a 2G.
Maybe, but i think you will be disspointed, as i was the the 13" MBP update. But in this case, i really cant see the need for 4G. I only get 3G in towns at the moment, and I live in the country.
2 months to do a complete redesign, test it and spool up a mass-manufacturing process? Sounds unlikely... I reckon the one we'll see in 60 days time will be very very similar, if not identical to the leaked pictures.
The most important work is still being done in the USA, that is the development. The USA haven't been a manufacturing industry in a while... actually have they ever been one?
Brought to you by German scientists working in the US after WWII.
x2
You must have very sensitive skin, you can't really call the edges on the macbook pros razorblades!
Where have you been this weekend? I think it's very clear that the phone shown on the pictures is legit - whether or not it's a prototype or not remains to be seen. I can't say I've gotten used to the design either though... it does have some resemblance with the MBPs, so would fit in design wise, but I just don't think it works as a design on a small device like an iPhone.
I think even Apple would have a hard time blocking news from a rumors site. In fact didn't they end up paying the owner of ThinkSecret so that he would shut down his site?
Fabian
Sorry if this has already been posted here but there's a BBC article about this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/maggieshiels/2010/04/iphone_intrigue.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/maggieshiels/2010/04/iphone_intrigue.html
The entire back of the iPad is aluminum. It's all one piece, the back and the sides. The iPhone 4 "prototype" has a different structure, it has a glass front and a ceramic back. You can't make it so that the ceramic easily snaps off, therefore the metal part needs an opening on the side. If the ceramic AND the front AND the metal were all seamless, there would be no way into the thing... it's not like you can use the magnet trick they do with the iMacs on a pocket sized device with sensitive components millimeters from where the magnets would be.
Ive probably mumbled a lot of curse words over having to accept this not-so-seamless compromise, but sometimes reality has to take precedence over ambitious pipe dreams.
indeed, this is probably a key reason why most products were manufactured in countries where cheap labor is abundant. i'd love to see american products have the made-in-america stamp, but i think the cost to make this happen would be prohibitive—the majority of consumers will not be able to afford such products. my guess is that if all parts and labor of the least expensive ipad was made in the united states, it could probably be at least be between $1000 and $2000.
it'd probably be many more years before the cost of labor becomes expensive in china; and china itself and other countries would have to shop around for another country that has cheap labor-perhaps africa(?).
anyway, back to the topic: i still think that this was a pr stunt
I always thought apple started producing the iPhones about a month before they launch. So that means they couldn't redesign it, but they can remove features from the iPhone, kinda like they did with the iPod touch when they removed the camera from it.
60 years ago, some business exec said the exact thing about chinese manufacturing. It's shameful that so many Americans have become apologetic pessimists willing to argue their own defeat.
I am imagining them MADE IN AMERICA. I see new factories and plants that are more efficient then the 5-10 year old electronic facilities in China. I see a new generation of engineers and designers reinventing the assembly line here. I see smart inventory systems that recycled used material and all processes are housed on one campus. I see thousands of jobs created. I see a company like Apple, which has already gotten us to accept paying a premium, getting us to accept the quality made at their OWNED plants.
If Apple is truly the BMW of computers, then they can make their product at home. BMW created state of the art facilities that rival the manufacturing of all the automotive makers. I would like to see an American company with the guts to make this sort of investment and vision. I think Apple is in an EXCELLENT position to actually make this happen.
Next time you tell someone else to do or think something because you no longer believe; stop. Think different.
I second that, been saying it, I still get that nagging feeling someone is pulling our chain.
I dont know what you mean by "nicer in size", but just so you know it, the size of the screen is actually slightly smaller than previous iPhones. Nice, huh?
Why am I reminded of that song that was drilled into my head back when I was a child...
Two of these things belong together
Two of these things are kinda the same
Can you guess which one just doesn't belong here?
Now it's time to play our game (time to play our game).
Now I know I'm dating myself with this one but...
Will the REAL iPhone Prototype PLEASE STAND UP!
Because there won't even be a legitimate 4G network in the U.S.
Also, the 4G baseband chips that are available now likely wouldn't meet Apple's low energy consumption requirements.