Verizon has reported its earnings for the 4th quarter of 2012, becoming the first of the four major U.S carriers to report its earnings. According to GigaOm, the carrier activated over 9.8 million total smartphones, with 6.4 million or two-thirds of them being iPhones.

Verizon’s earnings are strange, however, particularly because half of the total iPhone activations consisted of the iPhone 5. This means that Verizon customers continue to purchase the older iPhone 4 and 4S, despite the newer generation enjoying majority of sales at other carriers such as AT&T and Sprint.

It sold 7.3 million LTE devices the last three months of 2012, and it activated 9.8 million smartphones in total. It activated 6.2 million iPhones, about half of which were the LTE-enabled iPhone 5.

Verizon was also one of the first carriers to start widely implementing 4G LTE in most of its new smartphone offerings. According to AllThingsD, Verizon is slowing the expansion of its 3G network in order to build its 4G LTE network and add more devices. About 23% of all devices on Verizon operate on the carrier’s 4G network, justifying its dedication to expanding its LTE network and adding more subscribers.

With Verizon reporting strong sales of not only the iPhone 5 but older generations of the iPhone, it is no surprise that Apple is also reporting its best financial quarter. Last quarter, Verizon activated 3.1 million iPhones, nearly 46% of its smartphone sales. With the carrier adding more devices to its LTE network, it will be interesting to see how its sales shift once Apple releases a new generation of the iPhone.

{Via MacRumors}

Apple launched the new iPad earlier this year in March, with the original WiFi version and for the first time, a 4G version of the popular tablet. Recently, iPad users in a number of international regions have complained that the 4G advertised with the tablet isn’t really 4G as many carriers didn’t support it. As a result, Apple has now changed the name of the new iPad in those regions, now calling it WiFi + Cellular.

The term 4G was originally intended to be for the LTE-Advanced standard, however, a number of carriers such as Sprint introduced HSPA+ with a lower download and upload speed than LTE is expected to be. This claim of 4G has now led Apple to label the iPad as “Cellular”, to suggest that the device can connect to a network, but does not specify as to what type. LTE speeds are generally expected to have a download and upload speed up to 72mbps. HSPA+ has the capacity to hit 42mbps but can also drop below 30 mbps.

Although this renaming may take away from Apple’s simplistic approach, it definitely clears up any confusion as to what speeds a user can expect or what type of network is operating on the device. Currently, in the United States, the WiFi + 4G branding is still used and will likely remain that way. The question as to whether this issue would also be present in the new iPhone 5 has also been brought up, however, since Apple has not used any radio speeds in the naming of the phone, it likely will not be an issue.

{Via iMore}

FaceTime, even with the faster 4G LTE on the iPad 3 is limited mainly because of carriers worrying about the overuse of data, which can bog down the network and can ultimately slow it for other users. On Thursday, in a report, The Verge revealed that FaceTime does not work on LTE network. A notification pops up, alerting the user that they are not connected to a WiFi and that FaceTime does not operate over 4G LTE.

In June 2010, Steve Jobs noted during the iPhone 4 keynote that Apple had yet to work with carriers in order to allow usage of FaceTime over 3G or 4G. Currently, Apple limits most of their products unless they can guarantee that the users will get a seamless experience and this most certainly falls in that category. Apple will likely allow FaceTime over 4G once the iPhone receives faster 4G LTE networking. This means that FaceTime over cellular network, unfortunately, may be limited for a few more years.

On Thursday, a report from GottaBeMobile revealed that Verizon has officially unveiled pricing for iPad 3rd gen data plans. Apple released the New iPad (third generation) last week and unveiled the support for 4G LTE technology for the new iPad. Apple also announced that the Mobile Hotspot feature will now be included in iPad 3rd gen.

The Mobile Hotspot feature allows users to share the device’s cellular connection with other devices as a WiFi network. The data connectivity can then be attached to any device or notebook computer to browse the web.

What I didn’t see when I went looking for [details] is how much extra mobile hotspot costs. On Verizon, adding this feature on phones adds an extra $20/month but also an extra 2GB of data, meaning you can get up to 12GB in a month if you’re willing to pay $100.

However, a Verizon Wireless spokesperson informed me that for tablets (including the new iPad), the mobile hotspot feature is included in the data plan’s price. iPad owners won’t have to pay extra to activate mobile hotspot, even with the 1GB plan.

AT&T, the second carrier for 4G LTE on the New iPad, has yet to announce specifics about mobile hotspot functionality on the New iPad. AT&T has, however, provided a statement to 9to5Mac that they are “working with Apple” on this issue, but is not offering this feature at all right now.

It is very likely that AT&T will also provide the Mobile Hotspot feature and may make it free in order to compete with Verizon. This feature will make Verizon more attractive to potential customers who also own a laptop computer or are looking to share the data network with other devices.

{via MacRumors}

As iPad 3 release date announcement nears rumors about technical specification of the third-gen iPad continue to pour in. Apple on Tuesday sent invites to the media for iPad 3 keynote event which is scheduled to be held on March 7th, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

According to a tweet posted by CNBC Apple’s iPad 3 tech specs would include a quad-core processor and 4G LTE network capability. The tweet mentioned that the keynote event would be held in New York which turned out to be false as Apple has already confirmed the venue of the event.

Rumors surrounding iPad 3 tech specs have been circulating the web since a long time and most reports and speculation seem to agree on the fact that the third-generation iPad will feature a faster processor with enhanced graphics. While most reports suggest it will be a quad-core processor, an A5X SoC image has been leaked which suggests that Apple could be looking at introducing minor changes to its custom-built processor. The company is known to be working on A6 and A5X simultaneously so it will be interesting to see the official iPad 3 specification once the device is unveiled on March 7th.

In addition to a faster processor many rumors suggest Apple will finally introduce 4G LTE networking on iOS devices with the iPad 3. Apple has not shown much excitement when it comes 4G or LTE networks as the company believes that it could cause serious strain on the battery.

iPad 3 is also rumored to have a slightly thicker back panel to accommodate larger battery so it’s highly possible that with improved battery life Apple could bring 4G LTE to the iPad.

In addition to these tech specs, iPad 3 is expected to have retina display with a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels and a much improved rear-facing camera.

When Apple announced iPad 2 they called 2011 the “year of iPad 2″ and now the company is all set to repeat its breakthrough success in the tablet market with the introduction of iPad 3. According to reports published by WSJ and iMore iPad 3 release date is expected to be announced on March 7th.

Various leaks, rumors and analysts reports we’ve covered in the past suggest that Apple’s next gen iPad 3 would feature retina display, upgraded processor and there’s also a possibility of 4G LTE networking.

4G LTE networking has been another mystery surrounding the iPad 3, with a compatible Qualcomm chipset becoming available, but international LTE coverage is still slim, and in some cases a year or more away. It sounds like Apple has 4G LTE lined up for iPhone 5 this October, but we’re still not certain if the iPad 3 will get it earlier.

Jim Dalrymple of LoopInsight also seems to agree with the release date announcement of iPad 3 being March 7th. He is known to have reported or confirmed Apple rumors with a very good track  record. The report published by WSJ also pointed to an early March launch event.

LTE rollout has been very slow and while Apple has been rumored to include faster networking in their future products iPad 3 could possibly be Apple’s first iOS device to support LTE. The Cupertino-based company has been testing LTE in iOS 5 as it was revealed in an “internal iOS test build” of one of Apple’s major mobile partners.

Are you excited about iPad 3 launch event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

CNET on Wednesday reported that Verizon is looking to make 4G LTE compatibility a requirement on all smartphones released in the future. Verizon’s 4G LTE provides faster data speeds and would be a major step up from 2G and 3G speeds currently operating on many smartphones.

This report has led to speculations about Apple releasing a 4G LTE compatible iPhone 5 in order to comply with Verizon’s network standards. Verizon’s proposal of “a hard requirement” to make all phones 4G LTE does have some exceptions, with the company noting that their Push to Talk network will remain operating on 3G speeds until further notice.

From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet, and Netbook that Verizon offers will come with LTE guns a-blazing. Yes, Virginia, that includes Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices, too.

There will be the occasional exception, however. For instance, phones on Verizon’s push-to-talk network are 3G-only for now, and will remain that way until further notice.

Verizon’s clear, unyielding stance on 4G–“a hard requirement,” according to Verizon–may partially explain why it has picked up only one Windows Phone so far.

The report also goes on to mention that Verizon is leading the market with deployment of 4G LTE, with over 200 million people in 190 markets. Verizon plans to complete its LTE roll out by late next year, and is now pushing its slow roll-out by forcing users to 4G LTE enabled smartphones. AT&T has also announced plans for a 4G LTE network but has not set any specific goals for smartphone plans and accessibility’s with the network.

By late 2013, 4G LTE may become the standard on many US carriers including Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, making 3G the current 2G. As smartphones demand more speed and reliability, 4G LTE is definitely the next big step in cellular data.

{via MacRumors}

While a number of previous reports have dismissed any speculation that iPhone 5 / 4S will support 4G (or LTE) networks, an Apple partner in the United Arab Emirates believes it will – claiming the company is in talks with Apple over 4G chipsets to support the high-speed wireless network.

According to GulfNews, the head of corporate communication for a wireless operator in Dubai called etisalat, has confirmed that the iPhone 5 / 4S will launch later this year, and that it will support 4G networks:

Yes, we are in talks with most smartphone manufacturers including Apple on the rollout of the 4G handset, iPhone 5 later this year. As the first telecom organisation to roll out the 4G network, LTE, in the Middle East, we have already started talking to them for the handsets and chipsets in them.

Despite claims that his company has been working with Apple directly, we’re skeptical the iPhone will go 4G this year – or with its fifth-generation. It’s highly unlikely Apple would go through all of the work that it will take to implement 4G into the next iPhone, when its two biggest carriers in the U.S. don’t completely support 4G networks.

It’s likely that by the time AT&T and Verizon roll out their LTE networks, we’ll be closer to the launch of the sixth-generation iPhone and the feature would be largely wasted on the fifth.

{via 9to5 Mac}

Today BGR reported that according their “source” AT&T is installing “large display” at their corporate stores in order to prepare for the iPhone 4G / HD launch.

We’re told that this is most likely a new iPhone display as there isn’t anything else that’s dedicated to a single device that would require the resources this display will.

Apple’s next gen iPhone is rumored to be unveiled during WWDC 2010 which will kick off on June 07 with Steve Jobs keynote presentation.

Will Steve Jobs introduce Verizon iPhone 4G? What are these large displays for? Let us know your thoughts.

Apple’s WWDC 2010 is scheduled to kick off on June 07 and Steve Jobs is widely rumored to unveil the new iPhone 4G / HD. If you have been following news reports and rumors about the new iPhone 4G then you would probably have a very clear picture of how the next iPhone will look and  know the exact hardware specification which will be offered.

The prototype leak and iPhone OS 4 beta code has revealed some interesting information about upcoming features and heres a round up of what we know so far.

iPhone 4G Hints in OS 4

• High resolution camera

The values for video capture in the third beta hint at a high resolution camera which could record 720p high-definition video.

• Front-facing camera

iPhone OS 4 beta code had various references to error messages which prompted the user about video call being disconnected because the local Wi-Fi connection was lost.

• LED Flash

Various news sources have confirmed that the code in iPhone OS 4 had reference to titles like “Flash is disabled” The design of the leaked iPhone 4G prototype also confirmed that next iPhone will support a camera with flash.

iPhone OS 4 Features Round Up

• Home Screen

This has been one of the highly anticipated features for iPhone and Apple will finally allow you to customize the home screen of your device with new wallpapers in the background.

The average number of iPhone apps a user installs is increasing as more and more apps are made available. iPhone OS 4 will enable you to manage your apps with ‘Folders’ You will be able to group 9 apps in one folder to save the number of icons appearing on your home screen. This will also enable users to easily access the frequently used apps and games.

• Messaging

iPhone OS 4 will imporve the SMS app and now you’ll be able to Limit character count, Repeat alert, Show preview, Toggle MMS and group messaging and Toggle subject field viewer.

• Tethering

The fourth beta of iPhone OS 4 had an option in the settings menu which suggests that AT&T will finally be offering internet tethering on iPhone.

• Multitasking

Apple provides seven multitaking services as APIs to developers which include Background audio, Voice over IP, Background Location, Push Notifications, Local Notifications, Task Completion and Fast app switching. These APIs will allow you to stream internet radio using Pandora in the background while you surf the internet and receive incoming Skype calls even when when the app is not active.

Multitasking is only supported on iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3rd gen and iPad.

• Enhanced Mail

Mail app on iPhone OS 4 will include Unified Inbox, Multiple Exchange Accounts, Fast inbox switching, Threaded messages and the ability to open attachments with apps. This will certainly make emailing on iPhone much more efficient and provide an enhanced user experience. iPhone OS 4 will also add support for Gmail Archive.

• iBooks

If you love reading eBooks on the go then you will finally be able to access the iBooks library on your iPhone running OS 4.

• Orientation Lock

iPhone OS 4 will add software support for orientation lock which will make reading eBooks and performing various actions on your iPhone in the orientation set by you and will not rotate the screen when you change your angle of viewing.

• Spelling Correction

iPhone OS 4 will add new iPad-style spelling correction features to iPhone and iPod touch. If you misspell a word it will be underlined with red color and you will be able to correct it with suggested words which will appear in blue color.

• Game Center

With more than 50,000 games and entertainment titles on iPhone and iPod touch Apple realized the importance of native social gaming network. Game Center will include Matchmaking and leaderboards too.

iPhone OS 4 Rumors

• Bing Search (read more)
• Facebook integration (read more)

As WWDC 2010 gets closer iPhone 4G rumors continue to take new twists and turns. The possibility for new mobile networks for the iPhone have always been weak but as Android continues to grow Apple might be forced to re-consider their strategy and finally end AT&T exclusivity in the US.

If recent rumors about the reason behind AT&T raising Early Termination Fees (ETF) for its customers are to be believed then the introduction of iPhone 4G might open the gates for new mobile networks like Verizon and Sprint to officially support iPhone 4G.

James Kendrick of jkontherun today claimed that one of the ‘reliable’ sources who works for Sprint confirmed that “Sprint will be getting the iPhone this summer”

It is worth noting that when Sprint’s Chief Financial Officer Robert Brust was asked about offering iPhone he said “we’d love to have it”.

Do you want Verizon and Sprint to get iPhone this year? Will WWDC keynote event by Jobs finally lead to the entrance of new mobile networks for iPhone 4G? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Those guys at Apple.Pro have got another scoop. This time it appears to be a bunch of white parts, including home buttons and front panels for the new iPhone 4G / HD.

With Apple ramping up to produce millions of these iPhones for sale over the next few months it is inevitable that some of these stock piled bits and pieces of iPhone 4G will start to leak out. Especially on that side of the world.

I am left wondering what surprises Steve will have left for WWDC 2010!

Is Black and White iPhone getting boring now? Would you prefer some more colors? Let us know in the comments…

Yesterday we published few mocked up pictures of White color iPhone 4G / HD which were recreated by an Italian website based on the details of the prototype device.

iSpazio has gone ahead and used their creative skills to show us how the new iPhone 4G will look in white, black, pink, light blue and green color. The initial photos of the “lost” iPhone 4G didn’t appear to be as good as the picture above.

There are high chances that Apple will unveil the new iPhone 4G in black and white color options however, we might not see any other color being offered.

Pick your favorite iPhone 4G color and leave a comment below and you could win Pebble Jump HD (iPad game) promo codes!

[iSpazio] ]]> https://touchreviews.net/iphone-4g-hd-colors/feed/ 9 https://touchreviews.net/white-iphone-4g-hd/ https://touchreviews.net/white-iphone-4g-hd/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 21:42:30 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=6743 Read More]]>

Earlier this week we reported on rumors about Apple introducing new iPhone 4G / HD in white and black color options. A Taiwanese website had managed to get hold of spare parts of the iPhone 4G prototype and published images of the white color front panel of the new iPhone.

There have many reports which state that the fourth gen iPhone leak by Gizmodo has proved to be a major loss for Apple in terms of iPhone 3GS sales however, it is worth noting that almost every year around WWDC speculation about Apple’s new products and services reach a new high. So, the actual impact of fourth gen iPhone leak would probably have little or no impact on actual sales. Any person who follows or has studied Apple’s yearly product timelines would wait for the Worldwide Developers Conference official announcements. When David Pogue questioned Phil Schiller about Apple’s withdrawal from Macworld Expo in 2009 he noted:

He noted that Apple marches to certain annual product cycles: the holiday season (Novemberish), the educational buying season (late summer), the iPod product cycle (October), the iLife development cycle (usually March), the iPhone cycle (June).

We have seen many fancy concept pictures of Apple products in the past but this time the details about iPhone 4G are clearly perceptible. Italian website iSpazio recently published their concept pictures of the white color iPhone 4G (or HD) and it certainly looks stunning.

Do you like the white color iPhone HD or would you like to see more color options? Let us know in the comments section.

White iPhone HD (Concept Pictures)

Almost everyday we read news about iPhone 4G / HD rumors and we can expect many more in the near future as Apple’s WWDC 2010 gets closer.

We recently reported that Apple seeded the fourth beta of iPhone OS 4 to developers which featured many new wallpapers for your homescreen and in the settings menu it had options for internet tethering.

9to5Mac is reporting that the iPhone OS 4 SDK code has enough evidence to convince us about the fact that the next generation iPhone (4G / HD) will feature LED flash. They also go onto to speculate that next gen iPod touch and iPad will also support a camera and LED flash.

The recent iPod touch prototype leak by Vietnamese website Tinhte also confirmed that new iPod touch will support a 2 megapixel camera however, there was no reference or evidence about LED flash.

Apple iPad has been often criticized because of the lack of camera but now it seems almost certain that second generation iPad will support a camera.

Earlier today we reported that iPhone 4G / HD front panel images published by Apple.Pro (Taiwanese website) suggested that Apple might offer the new iPhone in white and black color model.

Now HardMac is reporting that their ‘contacts’ in China have sent them images of first protective skins made specifically for iPhone 4G.

The protective skins in the image above have the same rounded corners which we have earlier seen in the leaked images of iPhone 4G by Gizmodo and Vietnamese website Tinhte.

According to previous rumors, iPhone 4G will probably be introduced during this years WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) with Apple’s custom A4 processor, high resolution display and a front-facing camera.

Foxconn is reported as aiming to produce 24 million 4th generation iPhones this year alone. And is expecting to start shipping them in June. The suggested split for these massive volumes is around 4.5 million for the first half of 2010. With the balance coming in the second half of 2010.

Will this mean we’ll see a staged roll out, and perhaps initial supply shortages, like we did with the iPad? Higher screen resolutions and other features of the next iPhone could well compound ongoing production and supply problems that Apple has already had to endure with the iPad.

These dates and plans also tend to suggest that a roll out at WWDC is likely. Details on the new iPhone’s tech. specs. are also being fleshed out.

Apparently the new iPhone 4G will feature In-Plane Switching LCD display panels which also have Fringe-Field Switching, at a suggested resolution of 640×960. Suppliers for this component are named as LG Display and Prime View International.

FFS (Fringe Field Switching) is a feature that will improve eBook functionality by improving viewing angles and display quality in sunlight. IPS (In-Plane Switching) also helps with better viewing angles for display panels.

The processor in the new iPhone will most likely be an updated Apple A4. Which is basically an ARM Cortex A8 core which has been optimised for Apple’s needs. But one big difference will be 512MB of RAM, double that of the iPad, and definitely aimed at improving multi-tasking capabilities, with lots of spare memory space for switching, and stashing images. Something the iPad has problems with in apps like Mobile Safari, even with 256MB of RAM.

Apparently Apple has been working to allow more space for battery technology to improve battery life in the new iPhone also. Batteries are rumored to come from Simplo Technology and Dynapack International Technology.

Apple seems to be doubling up straight away on a lot of suppliers to stymy supply problems right off the bat. Rather than as a last minute effort, as they did with the iPad. Lets hope that extra forward planning goes better for them this time.

Are you worried about iPhone 4G supplies? Do the specs sound good to you so far? Let us know in the comments.

AppleInsider are reporting that the SDK gives developers access to API calls for capturing video in 720p format. That is in a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, as opposed to the current iPhone’s capturing in 640×480. Some people are even more convinced now that the new iPhone will be called the ‘iPhone HD’ because of this. One thing to be aware of is that you are not going to see this feature on any current iPhone model, just as multi-tasking is restricted, or not available at all on earlier iPhones.

BoyGeniusReport is saying that file transfer to the new iPhone is possible via iTunes, much in the same way as on the iPad. Which suggests that we are never going to see an official way to mount any iDevice on the desktop as a drive like we used to be able to in the old days of pre-Touch iPods.

On the subject of iPods, the new iPhone OS has a kind of “widget” for controlling the iPod application. If you swipe to the left in the multi-tasking screen on the device you get a set of iPod controls. As well as an orientation lock button.

The orientation lock is another feature taken from the iPad. But this time it is a software switch, as opposed to an actual switch on the outside of the device. We also reported on that and the ability to close apps in the multi-tasking screen, kind of in the style of a Task Manager, earlier this week

What’s your guess for the iPhones new name? Let us know in the comments.

MacRumours is reporting some interesting tidbits pulled out of an analysis of the latest iPhone OS 4.0 SDK.

They have found error messages in amongst some of the more mundane messages usually found on the iPhone. Some of which clearly talk about things like :

The video call could not connect because a remote Wi-Fi connection could not be established.

and

The video call disconnected because the local Wi-Fi connection was lost.

There also seem to be references to video conferencing in game error messages too, which would suggest that video calls could be integrated into game social networking or even games themselves.

One thing to note about all these messages though is that they all refer to Wi-Fi. This may not be significant. But it tends to suggest that perhaps video calls are not something that phone companies are happy to have running over their networks.

Sound familiar?

Are you excited about these video conferencing features in iPhone 4G? Do you expect to be able to make video calls over the mobile network? Let us know in the comments.

Jason has also written an account of what occurred when he returned home to find police in his house.

It seems that REACT, a “high tech” police force in California who specialise in tech related crime, have decided that Gizmodo, or its employees, may have committed a crime when obtaining the iPhone 4G prototype.

It is being widely reported that Apple are one of the 25 companies who sit on REACT’s committee, with some bloggers consequently dreaming up all kinds of conspiracy theories.

It also seems that the legal battle lines between the authorities and Gizmodo have been drawn. But they are somewhat confusing. The police are investigating the possibility of a felony having been committed. Which means they are trying to ascertain if a high value item not belonging to either party has changed hands illegally. i.e. Did the iPhone 4G finder sell property that did not belong to him, to Gizmodo. Whilst Gizmodo are arguing that they are journalists and that they and their sources should be protected under related journalistic laws.

Interestingly the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Internet’s leading digital rights advocacy group, has come down on Gizmodo’s side saying that the search warrant acted on by the police is illegal.

Whatever happens it should be very interesting to see how this all pans out in coming days..

What is your opinion? Did Gizmodo break the law? Or have REACT overstepped their bounds? Let us know in the comments.

Follow our complete iPhone 4G coverage here.

Here are the legal documents and Jason’s side of things : [gizmodo.com] ]]> https://touchreviews.net/lost-apple-iphone-4g-prototype-legal-police/feed/ 7 https://touchreviews.net/apple-iphone-4g-real-fake-update-2/ https://touchreviews.net/apple-iphone-4g-real-fake-update-2/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:17:34 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=6200 Read More]]>

Well, give me enough rope and I’ll hang myself! I was positive this “lost” iPhone 4G was a hoax. But a new twist in the iPhone 4G San Jose Bar fiasco has unfolded today.

Engadget have come back blazing with all guns and a plethora of videos and teardown images for a device they are absolutely certain is an Apple iPhone prototype.

Yesterday we were convinced that this was a Japanese parody of an iPhone. But if the pictures of internal components (in the device Gizmodo now say they have in their possession) which bear the Apple logo are correct, this thing was indeed made by Apple. Or at least with parts from Apple’s iPhone suppliers.

I am still not 100% convinced of all this. It’s ugly. So at best it is a prototype. The fact that Apple legal have not come down like a ton of bricks on Gizmodo is a little strange too. Gizmodo have admitted toady that they bought what are stolen goods. And apparently have had it for some days.

We are going to leave it there for today, and keep a watching brief as this unfolds. Less than this brought down famous Apple rumor site Think Secret. And I think Gizmodo are skating on thin ice whichever way this pans out.

If it’s a huge hoax then they are going to look silly. But if it is an Apple prototype that Apple are “very interested in getting back”, according to John Gruber, then I see lawyers getting involved very soon.

What do you think? Real or fake? Are Gizmodo out on a limb here? Let us know in the comments.

Follow our iPhone 4G coverage here

The interesting thing is that this year the ban is in June. Which signals that perhaps the iPhone 4G will launch a little earlier than its previously expected debut of July.

The Apple WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) is rumored to be set for June 28th through July 2 this year. This information comes from a “Corporate Event” booking having been spotted in the Moscone Center Calandar. This is the normal “code” for the booking, and has proved reliable in previous years. Based on those dates many people assumed that new hardware and the new iPhone OS would debut there. But Apple does not always wait until the developer conference to release pivotal items. It is a developer conference after all, and does not always deliver important new hardware announcements.

Nothing is set in stone, and this is all rumor at the moment. But with Apple releasing the iPhone 4.0 OS as a Developer preview much earlier than perviously expected perhaps Apple’s schedules for the rest of the year are set to similarly surprise us.

What’s your guess? Let us know in the comments