Vincent Nguyen (of SlashPhone and SlashGear fame), has posted what he claims may be a leaked photo of Apple’s cellular phone on aMobileME.com:
Who ever coined the phrase “the devil is in the details” must of have been a genius. When I got the tip in for the image of the Mobile Me phone below, I immediately resized and crop the image without even bothering to look at the “whole” picture. Keep in mind that I got two tips in right around the same time; one was the video and this one. All this took place about 2 hours prior to announcement of the iPhone by Linksys. Looking over the image now, I missed a few key details. Do you notice the blurb on the bottom left?
“Setup note: This board should”
This image looks like it’s something an ad agency is putting together for Apple. So in my mind I’m thinking that Apple gave a bunch of info and images to the ad agency to play with…why else is this blurb in there?
Full article with larger images here.
And more about it here, too: http://www.amobileme.com/another-plausible-iphone-design-18108.php
[Thanks to approximately 5,000 MacDailyNews Readers for the heads up.]
This is a rumor and this photo could be a fake, but we cannot currently discount it (like most we see).
A few points to support its validity:
• The camera could be on the back side of the phone
• The text could be a work in progress
• The “iPhone” could be a placeholder name
One big point that may show it’s a fake is that it’s still there online. No demand by Apple’s legal eagles to take the image down should cause skepticism about this image’s validity.
Related articles:
RUMOR: Second leaked Apple ‘iPhone’ image shows chameleonic trackpad – December 21, 2006
Linksys announces iPhone family of Voice Over IP handheld phones and devices – December 18, 2006
RUMOR: Apple on track with ‘iPhone’ release, no delay – December 16, 2006
Fortune: Steve Jobs’ Apple ‘iPhone’ could upend entire US wireless distribution model – December 15, 2006
RUMOR: Apple ‘iPhone’ may include JAJAH VoIP software – December 15, 2006
RUMOR: Apple ‘iPhone’ details surface as release date grows closer – December 15, 2006
Report: Skyworks selected to supply ‘Front-End Module to Apple’s new iPhone’ – December 15, 2006
Broadcom wins SoC bid in ‘upcoming stealth phone’ coming soon from ‘major consumer device company’ – December 15, 2006
Gizmodo guarantees ‘iPhone’ will be announced on Monday – December 14, 2006
Report: Apple expected to debut ‘iPhone’ – December 14, 2006
Analyst describes Apple ‘iPhone’ featuring metal case in multiple colors with virtual click-wheel – December 14, 2006
UBS analyst: Apple may launch MVNO, serve as own carrier for ‘iPhone’ – December 13, 2006
Apple using ‘iPhone’ as diversion? – December 11, 2006
Apple’s ‘iPhone’ silence drives rumor mill crazy – December 08, 2006
BusinessWeek: Wish List for Apple ‘iPhone’ – December 08, 2006
Apple ‘iPhone’ could cause Nokia, Palm, Motorola, and RIM to really start to sweat – December 07, 2006
Apple shares fall as CIBC sees ‘iPhone’ release delayed – December 07, 2006
Analyst expects 16GB flash-based Apple iPod video player, 4-8GB flash-based ‘iPhone’ models – December 07, 2006
Prudential: Apple ‘iPhone’ to sport iPod click wheel; video iPod by Q2 – December 06, 2006
RUMOR: Apple’s smart phone project to feature ‘extensive integration with Mac OS X’ – December 05, 2006
Apple begins ‘iPhone’ production – December 05, 2006
Apple needs to think different about data security for ‘iPhone’ – December 05, 2006
NVIDIA graphics chip for next-gen Apple video iPod delayed? – December 04, 2006
Kevin Rose: Dual-battery Apple ‘iPhone’ coming in January; $249 for 4GB, $449 for 8GB – December 03, 2006
Apple applies for ‘Mobile Me’ trademark – January 11, 2006
they wouldn’t tell the ad agency that its called iPhone, if they’re in the process of creating marketing they’d already have a name locked down.
Unless the trackpad is backlit with characters, it would be an awful lot of pain to type characters. (text messages)
But, the above design is highly possible one!
everyone is used to trackpad on the laptop; also you can track the finger above the trackpad even when the finger is not touching the trackpad.
As long as the trackpad is back-lit; a lot would be easier.
Although the above design is a fake, it is a good possbility.
Fake! Chop! Bogus! Not real!
fun. dumb. fake.
Doesn’t look cool enough for an Apple product. Amateur spoof.
looks cool. I don’t think it would be that functional though. I’m gonna say fake. Good one though. Very nice.
Apple has a huge design team that does a lot of their own marketing materials aside from the iPod campaign. I find it hard to believe that an outside agency worked on this. Looks interesting though, can’t wait for MacWorld!
First off, that thing is ugly, mostly because of the large grey “trackpad.” Would it be possible it’s not actually a track pad but rather a grey box to cover up some innovative control feature? Who knows….
MW: Zipper … let’s unzip the wrap on Apple’s phone, baby!
No qwerty – fake
Who the hell cares? Jeez I can’t believe how eager Mac people are for “rumors” to make their day. It’s as though there is nothing else going on in their lives.
Give it a freaking break. IF there is going to be an “iPhone” from Apple, THEY will announce it. Until then, all this focus on “rumors” is b*llshit. How can a rumor-monger refer to Windows users as the great ‘unwashed’, when they spend so much time chasing NOTHING.
I am quickly losing any interest in MacDailyNews. THIS isn’t news. In fact, this is the last straw. MDN’s bookmark has been removed.
Let me know if MDN decides to become a news site, and not a purveyor of unsubstantiated crap.
Boy Mr. Gregg Thurman. You must be having a poo poo day. MDN reports what it thinks will be interesting to its readers. News is put in as news, rumors are clearly marked as rumors.
Hmm, have a nice life.
Super Fake
It’s ugly and awkward. That should be the chief clue that it is fake.
The grey screen for iChatAV or GPS route planner?
apple doesnt have an ad agency that they would send things to. everything is done IN HOUSE. FAKEY McFAKERSON.
The straightness of the design would make it painful to use. Looks like a nano that’s been “touched-up”.
How I know this is another fake is because Apple’s phone will certainly have, like the true, upcoming video iPod, a wide screen.
Steve is all atwitter over HD and he will not release any more hand held devices that are not 16×9.
Trust me on this one, guys. It’s 100% for sure and I’m not wrong.
If this is real (hope it’s not), I’m having trouble imagining how it might work. Assuming the grey rectangle is a touchpad, similar to those found on laptops, how does it control what’s on screen? I can how the placement of a fingertip/thumb might ‘highlight’ the correspondingly located on-screen selection – but what then? Do you tap to select the item? If so, it all just seems like too much effort imo – and the ‘tapping’ as selection method might be cumbersome when trying to accurately select one of the alphabet letters from that tightly bunched group.
Not that I think it’s not, but I SERIOUSLY hope that’s fake.
That would be a pretty terrible interface and the waste of space below is completely pointless.
Fake:
It’s says no buttons when in actuality there is one big button.
Smile.
Many abilities. No buttons… Many abilities?! That’s an awful line… i hope that tag line is fake cuz it sucks ass!
sux
Thanks, Gregg
Yes, indeed, “it’s as though there is nothing else going on in their lives.”
Oh, the irony.
We’ll be sure to let you know “if MDN decides to become a news site.” In fact, I’ll be sure to get right on that.
Have a great Christmas, in the meantime. We’ll miss you.
Fake. I highly doubt the keyboard layout would be A, B, C, etc. and not QUERTY.
FAKE.
The unit in the middle is narrower than the others.
The black border around the screen clearly tells you it’s fake.
Good try though.