The Internet is going crazy today over Gizmodo’s “This Is Apple’s Next iPhone” post.
As the story goes: “guy finds what looks like an iPhone 3GS in a protective case sitting on the floor of a bar in San Jose [which Gizmodo said late Monday was Gourmet Haus Staudt, a German specialty store and beer garden in Redwood City]. He pops the case off and, lo and behold, it’s not the iPhone 3GS at all, but a brand-stinkin’ new, unreleased iPhone. He sends some pictures to Engadget, and then sells the unit itself to Gizmodo for the aforementioned rumored price tag of $5,000. Giz [Gizmodo] then spends a few days attemption to prove that it’s real before posting it.”
My first thought after reading this story: “How convenient.”
And then several red flags went off in my head.
1. Why didn’t Engadget buy the rights to it? If it was the first to receive images of the device, it had a head start to figure out whether this thing was/is real. Perhaps it did do due diligence and it didn’t find anything worthwhile. Perhaps it did do due diligence and its findings were wrong — it was/is in fact real.
2. Even if Engadget’s initial findings made them non-believers, I can’t believe the rights to the device were sold for only $5,000. Once the buzz started last Friday, I’d think Engadget would want in on the action, whether or not it was totally sure it was real. The hype and rise of the story, to me, would seem too tempting (and profitable) to pass up. Afterall, most blogs live off of pageviews and visitors.
3. The story for how it was discovered just doesn’t seem plausible. ” A “guy finds what looks like an iPhone 3GS in a protective case sitting on the floor of a bar in San Jose.” That’s sloppy and careless, something Apple is definitely not known for.
4. Perhaps I’m wrong. But if I am, I highly doubt that this is “Apple’s Next iPhone.” The final iteration may have some similar characteristics, but I don’t believe that this is The Next iPhone. Why? Because I just don’t believe that Apple and Steve would let an unreleased, finished Apple product ever wind up in a bar in San Jose.
I just don’t believe it.
Update: Gizmodo has released the identity of the alleged “culprit.” His name is Gray Powell, and he’s a 27 year old Software Engineer at Apple. Gizmodo states that he is a 2006 graduate of North Carolina State University.
This information only makes me further believe that this device is very unlikely to be the finished, “Next iPhone.” In my opinion, I just don’t think Steve would give such a responsibility to a 27 year old.
It may be a prototype, but I think it’s very unlikely that this is The iPhone people will be standing in line for next.
I think it’s more likely that Apple is trying to deceive.
UPDATE 2: Apple has sent a letter to the Editorial Director of Gizmodo, Brian Lam asking for the device back. My question now is: Was this an early or late stage prototype?