This Could Be Apple’s New iPhone: Do You Like It?

If you were not convinced with the images that were published over the weekend of Apple’s new iPhone then you might be convinced with the videos.

Gizmodo has just announced breaking news that they’ve got their hands on Apple’s next generation iPhone, which was found in on the floor of a San Jose bar inside of an iPhone 3G case.

They have also disassembled it to confirm that it is definitely real. John Gruber who had called some of his sources in Apple had also found out that the device is an actual unit from Apple and apparently Apple is very interested in getting it back.

Here are the new features in Apple’s new iPhone or iPhone HD:

• Front-facing video chat camera
• Improved regular back-camera (the lens is quite noticeably larger than the iPhone 3GS)
• Camera flash
• Micro-SIM instead of standard SIM (like the iPad)
• Improved display. It's unclear if it's the 960x460 display thrown around before -- it certainly looks like it, with the "Connect to iTunes" screen displaying much higher resolution than on a 3GS.
• What looks to be a secondary mic for noise cancellation, at the top, next to the headphone jack
• Split buttons for volume
• Power, mute, and volume buttons are all metallic

Gizmodo has also observed that the new iPhone has a glass or shiny plastic back, 16% larger battery so hopefully improved battery life, and a slightly smaller but apparently higher resolution screen as mentioned earlier.

According to the person who found the device, it was running iPhone OS 4.0 but apparently Apple remotely killed the phone before Gizmodo could get access to it so unfortunately they couldn’t play with it.

Here are some of the photos of the device below:

If you’re not convinced with the photos then you can checkout the video of the device:

This is the first time someone has got their hands on a prototype of Apple's next generation hardware as far as we're aware. It'll be interesting to see how Apple reacts to it. 

We will keep you posted on this developing story and update this post with more details.

Update 1:

Here is a summary of the changes in Apple's next iPhone:

• The back is entirely flat, made of either glass (more likely) or ceramic or shiny plastic in order for the cell signal to poke through. Tapping on the back makes a more hollow and higher pitched sound compared to tapping on the glass on the front/screen, but that could just be the orientation of components inside making for a different sound

• An aluminum border going completely around the outside

• Slightly smaller screen than the 3GS (but seemingly higher resolution)

• Everything is more squared off

• 3 grams heavier

• 16% Larger battery

• Internals components are shrunken, miniaturized and reduced to make room for the larger battery

Update 2:

Here's a nice hands-on video of the device:

We can’t wait to get our hands on Apple’s new iPhone running iPhone OS 4. Let us know your thoughts about the new features in Apple’s next iPhone. Do you like it?

Thanks everyone for the tip!

Update 3:

MG Siegler of TechCrunch has an interesting article, which questions whether it was legal on Gizmodo's part to pay (rumored to be $10,000) for the lost next generation iPhone prototype, and publish the hands-on videos. Apple hasn't commented on the story so far, it will be interesting to see how they react. Gruber predicts: "Apple's response will either be (a) to grit its teeth and take this silently, or (b) full blast, all legal weaponry set to kill."

Update 4:

Gizmodo has just reported how Apple lost the next iPhone.

Update 5:

Gizmodo has published a letter sent by Apple requesting them to return the device, thus confirming that the authenticity of the prototype iPhone. AppleInsider believes Gizmodo could face UTSA lawsuit. 

[via Gizmodo]