A Misplaced iPhone 4G Stirs Up Controversy
When it comes to new technological developments on their product lines, companies tend to be secretive and protective of their latest stuff. Businesses often limit or restrict information about their newest products to have a competitive edge over their rivals and carefully plan out the release of their latest developments to make the biggest profit possible from them. Thus, information leaks and misplaced product prototypes are normally quite frowned upon in regards to their newest stuff. Apparently, an employee of Apple forgot these important facts about the proper handling of new merchandise when he brought a next-generation iPhone to a bar in Redwood City, California last month and accidentally left it behind.
This employee works for Apple as a software engineer who is responsible for the iPhone Baseband Software, the program that allows the phone to make calls. On the fateful night of March the 18th, this software engineer decided to spend his evening enjoying imported ales at Gourmet Haus Staud since this day just happened to be his 27th birthday. His reason for taking the new iPhone from outside the premises of Apple was to give it a field test. Of course, he prepared for this field test by disguising the new phone as a 3G iPhone and even discussed the test run briefly on his Facebook profile. Then he forgot about the new phone during his night at Gourmet Haus Stud and left it there before returning home.
Later on, this iPhone 4G was found by another man at the bar, who took it home and realized the significance of the find after he removed the phone’s fake 3G jacket. Afterward, the next-generation iPhone found its way into the hands of Gizmodo, who bought it for five thousand dollars weeks later. Of course, the tech blog also took the opportunity to post their own story about the iPhone 4G discovery this past Monday as well. Then, a letter signed by Apple General Counsel and Senior VP Bruce Sewell was issued to Gizmodo, formally requesting the safe return of the new iPhone prototype. So, Gizmodo Editorial Director Brian Lam sent a friendly reply to Apple, promising to give them the phone back after the opportunistic tech blog posted Apple’s letter on their website. At this time, it is unclear whether or not Gizmodo is facing legal repercussions for being in possession of the next-generation iPhone. Well, this whole situation was certainly more than a simple information leak. Personally, I wonder how it could affect the future of Apple’s smartphone product line and if that software engineer is facing certain disciplinary action for his mistake last March.
Yesterday, I posted something about how I was crushing a rumor about Barnes and Noble teaming up with Plastic Logic to create an e-book reader. Unfortunately, I don’t know how true that is, because these photos that you see here have leaked onto the net. 