If you have not already heard, Gizmodo has a prototype 4G iPhone that was “found” by a guy at a bar, full story is here. The short story is that a Apple tech guy goes to a bar and forgets his 4G test phone there. Sounds like the first line of a bad joke, right?
Cute story but I think it is total bullshit. Apple is way too careful to have some kid “testing” the radios on a phone outside of the office. There are hundreds of ways of doing this without having the full 4G out on the streets. For a company that chains iPad’s to developers desks, why would they let a guy out with what is currently their most secret project.
Seems like just a well orchestrated leak for Apple. They have to be feeling pressure from Android and others, in fact from what I am told iPhone sales are sort of flat right now. While the iPhone is still a great phone it has become old and dusty. There has really not been a huge feature update since it was launched, yes the 3GS is faster but other then that the top of the line iPhone you buy today is very similar to the one that launched in the summer of 2007.
This leak will now help to freeze the market. People that were thinking of a new phone, say Android, Windows 7, Blackberry, might now think twice and wait. The 4GS features, like a forward facing camera, matched with the newly announced 4.0 software upgrade will make this a killer device.
I was actually starting to get itchy for a new phone, seeing this I will now wait.
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It is strange I have to admit. Why would such a secretive company let anyone walk around freely with their upcoming device?
From what I understand, there was some lapse in the security at Apple HQ. What happened exactly is not clear.
The most compelling reason that I can think of that Apple did *not* leak the device deals with how Apple has always been in careful control of what the world knows and doesn’t know about it’s products.
Allowing this device to slip into the hands of a publication like gizmodo means that Apple can’t carefully leak information to it’s exact specification. So Apple presumably has less control over the flow of information.
Also, Apple’s competitors now know what they will be up against this summer. While it doesn’t change the product cycles necessarily, it will allow them to devise advertising and marketing campaigns to combat a device that is no longer a mystery.
You know, that phone was left at one of my local bars! I just had to be in Orlando that night…
Can’t agree more… Lots of people will now wait. Smart move by Apple.