iPhone 4 REAL? Or FAKE?

iPhone 4G REAL OR FAKE????

By Michael Van Hoesen

         The picture shown here is from an iPhone 4. Or at least it is presumed an iPhone 4. This iPhone was supposed to be unveiled sometime in June like its older cousins the 3GS, 3G, and the original iPhone.

The questions are, is this real, and if this is real, how did it get out of Apple's hands? Apple is known for bolting prototypes to desks, and putting them in armored safes, guarded 24/7. So, let's get the facts straight. This iPhone was found at a German bar in California on March 18th. This prototype was in the hands of an engineer by the name of Gray Powell.  Powell went to a bar by the name of Courmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City, California. He had this iPhone cleverly disguised as an iPhone 3GS. Late that night he left the bar and stumbled home, leaving the new iPhone sitting on a barstool. Another person picked the iPhone up, and soon figured out that it was Powell's. The next day, the iPhone had been remotely disabled. Then, this person handed it over to someone else, who eventually figured out that it was not an iPhone 3GS, but something different. Knowing this, he was able to sell it to Gizmodo for 5,000. Gizmodo then took detailed pictures and made a video (included) describing all of its new features.

Some of the new features included a camera in the front, a glass back, a LED flash, a flat back rather than the traditional curved iPhone. Here is where it gets interesting. Gizmodo then received a letter from Apple saying that they had a device that was Apple's property and they requested its immediate return.

Even though this story seems legitimate, some things just don't add up. First of all, Apple is amazingly secure with all of their prototypes. It would seem unlikely that one was just able to get out. Also, it has been confirmed that Steve Jobs personally knew where all of the iPhone prototypes were at that time. 
          The strangest and most unusual thing in my opinion though, is that Gray Powell was never fired. He is still and engineer for Apple. Apple is known to be one of the cruelest companies, and if you screw up, you are out of there, and with such a big screw up, it amazes me that he still has a job. What do you think? Do you think that this really was a mistake, and this devise was not meant to be let out, or do you think that this is a clever plot set up by Apple PR to make us think that this is it and totally surprise us with the real thing, like they did with the pricing of the iPad?