Rumour: the iPhone 4 unofficially unveiled?

The web site Gizmodo US have got their hands on what they state is a prototype of the future iPhone which is planned for release in June. Is this to be believed?

Having discovered a prototype of the next generation iPhone in a bar, the story is a little hard to swallow considering how Apple jealously guards their secret products. Is this a coincidence that is too good to be true? It appears that this story seems to be just a little too perfect.

The site Gizmodo nevertheless claims that they have got their hands on a prototype of the future Apple handset, assuring readers that this isn’t one of the numerous clones already available in Asian markets. The device was "camouflaged" in a shell which made it look like a standard iPhone.

Besides working off the information provided about the devices general look, it is impossible to really know if this is a prototype closely resembling the final version or if the form factor really will be different. It is also impossible to have additional details through the OS as this can be remotely erased. Gizmodo claims though that the iPhone OS 4.0 really is running on the device.

The device still has to keep certain elements so as to retain the same iPhone charm, although the supposed future iPhone will nevertheless radically change certain aspects which were seen on the three predecessors. Taking onboard a design which is a little more "square" on the sides, it brings with it a micro-SIM card like the iPad tablet, rather than a traditional SIM card.

By opening the device, Gizmodo notes that the components are signed Apple, which suggests that this really is a device issued by the firm. This new iPhone will have a digital camera on the facade for video conferencing, and a better quality camera than that seen in the iPhone 3GS on the back.

The display seems to also come with a higher resolution, perhaps 960 x 640 pixels, as has been previously suggested, from where the possible iPhone HD name comes from. The handset could also have a second microphone which cancels out ambient noise so that telephone call quality is improved, like what is already available on certain Smartphone’s like the Google Nexus One.

The presented device still has buttons on the side, but these appear to be rounder than before. Another change is that the back of the prototype is flat, unlike the rounded shells used on previous iPhone’s, with the battery taking up more space than before.
 
If this really is a prototype of the new iPhone, then we can’t imagine Apple sitting idly by with their arms folded, especially considering the way in which Gizmodo appears to have gotten their hands on the device. While this may be a good way of increasing the general interest for the future iPhone, Apple already have a lot on their plate with their iPad tablet continuing to appear in the news.