Apple Loses Another 4th-Gen iPhone

An anonymous reader noted that Apple appears to have lost another of its 4th generation iPhones. This doesn't seem like the most efficient distribution mechanism, Steve. Wonder if the SWAT team will get called in.

Comments

Just a thought

[sheph]

Couldn't be intentional to drum up interest?

Re:Just a thought

[natehoy]

The early prototype for what eventually became the Palm Pre, Blackberry Bold, and Nokia Symbian phones.

Some people still buy them out of nostalgia for the good old days when you weren't bothered with having to tether, were protected from the confusion of too much choice in applications, didn't have to deal with the hassle of replacing batteries, could concentrate on doing only one thing at a time and your phone supported this by not multitasking, and when "(whatever memory is installed in the phone) is enough for everybody".

Ah, memories.

Re:Just a thought

[Dracker]

Probably not, for two good reasons.

-Apple has taken legal action against the journalist at Gizmodo reporting on the previous prototype. This would not have happened if the leak was intentional.

-Apple is not stupid. They know about the Osborne Effect - that releasing too much hype and information on new products causes immediate losses as people who would have bought the current product sit and wait for the new product's release instead.

Re:Just a thought

[cowscows]

Or maybe with Apple currently being more successful that it's ever been, and the iphone being a hugely popular device right now, the temptation to learn or share privileged information is just well beyond anything that Apple has seen before?

Apple would have zero problems getting more "legitimate" news coverage if they wanted it. They're always so careful with the aesthetics of their marketing, why would they want to leak grainy photos and poorly lit videos by random people when they could easily get crisp clean front page covers of a dozen different magazines/website? I guess they could be trying some sort of "underground" marketing strategy, but that doesn't make sense for a company where image is very important.

Re:Just a thought

[gotpoetry]

You make valid counter points, but people often adjust thier behavior to the capibilities of a device.

"Doesn't have multitasking" - I won't listen to Pandora while I read email.

"No replaceable battery" - I won't use it on the plane to watch that movie, that way I can make sure to call a cab when I land.

"It can be tethered now" - I have AT&T and they don't allow tethering, but the AT&T 3G network is so crappy I won't even bother.

Re:LOL WUT!?

[zarzu]

because steve will have a hard time convincing obama to go to round two with vietnam?

Re:They need to stop arresting the FINDERS

[Darth Sdlavrot]

What ever happened to finders keepers??

If Apple is gonna keep losing their 4G iPhones, I seriously think law enforcement needs to stop helping them. Apple is careless and that's the price they pay.

Kindergarden playground rules don't apply in the Real World. IANAL, but I do know that from a legal standpoint I can "store" my property anywhere I want and it doesn't cease being mine just because you can pick it up and carry it off.

Oh look, I found your Porsche parked on the street. I'll just take it home with me. Finders keepers. I don't think so.

lessons from the past

[kylant]

The iPhone-liberators have certainly learnt from the past:
Instead of exposing themselves to corporate controlled police action again they decided to export the phone to a free country before publishing their victory.

Wait, there is something seriously wrong about this...

Re:Part deux

[kiwimate]

even assuming foul play, pickpocketing != robbery.

robbery implies threats of violence.

So if someone breaks into your house while you're away on vacation, you can't say that you've been robbed?!?!?!?

This is one of those areas where /. readers love to pontificate on the precise meaning of words and totally lose sight of what the intent might be.

So, if someone breaks into your house, they can:

* take pictures of every page of your diary;
* write down your social security number and any passwords they might find;
* take a copy of your spare set of car keys;
* format your hard drive;
* ...after they've copied all the files, including your final draft of the book you're writing for O'Reilly.

But in the world of /., nothing tangible has been taken from you, so it's not theft or stealing. (It's not even copyright infringement, in the cases posited above.) Neat, huh?

Re:Part deux

[Anonymous Coward]

yes, and the word you're searching for is trespassing

don't let your shallow language knowledge hinder you on your way to dig.

Re:Part deux

[Anonymous Coward]

ally lose sight of what the intent might be.

So, if someone breaks into your house, they can:

* take pictures of every page of your diary;
* write down your social security number and any passwords they might find;
* take a copy of your spare set of car keys;
* format your hard drive;
* ...after they've copied all the files, including your final draft of the book you're writing for O'Reilly.

But in the world of /., nothing tangible has been taken from you, so it's not theft or stealing. (It's not even copyright infringement, in the cases posited above.) Neat, huh?

Yeah, and if I see someone fail to stop on the red lights, I can't call it hit-and-run! And have you even tried to call jaywalking embezzlement? People behave as if words had some kind of agreed-upon meanings!

Re:Part deux

[toooskies]

It's breaking and entering, identity theft, and unauthorized access to a computer. Those crimes probably involve a longer amount of jail time, combined, than simple robbery.