14 DAY TRIAL // Hours ahead of the iPad’s big debut, knowledgeable sources leaked a couple of pictures purporting to show a prototype of the Apple tablet-to-be. In those photos, a second, much smaller device could be spotted, but all eyes were on the iPad at the time. As it turns out, that device is allegedly one of Apple's fourth-generation iPhones, according to people with an extremely accurate track record.
Citing people with an impeccable track record in such matters, AppleInsider digs up a week-old picture spurring beliefs that Apple is also testing iPhone 4, while the imagery reportedly shows “a prototype of one of the handsets due to hit the market in roughly five months [...] Like the iPad, people familiar with the matter claim the fourth-generation iPhone will run a version of Apple's homebred silicon, which melds ARM's latest multi-core Cortex reference designs with Imagination's upcoming GPU components into a fine-tuned, customized SoC (system-on-a-chip) package.”
AppleInsider tried to get a higher quality picture from Engadget, although its efforts were in vain. However, the tech-focused site has also found code names of a next-generation iPhone (N89) and iPod touch (N90). It credits “ingenious tipsters” nosing around the Frameworks of the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK.
Back to the picture in question, Apple appears to be keeping the original form factor, although under-the-hood enhancements are imperative. Apple's fourth-generation iPhone has reportedly been described as an A+ upgrade to the handset lineup.
Although the poor image quality makes this rumor all the more questionable, Softpedia kindly asks that you point your attention inside the red circle, on the device, and near the earpiece seam. It looks as if the next-generation iPhone (if we’re even looking at one), will have a built-in front camera, although the white dot could easily be a reflection from other objects in the room (perhaps the very light source hanging above the prototype units).
What do you guys think? Are we looking at Apple’s next iPhone model, or should we not bother our heads with this too much?
