Is this a matte black iPhone? (answer: probably not) Update: more pics
By Laura June 
posted February 12th 2009 3:39PM
posted February 12th 2009 3:39PM
So, this is sort of fun. The leaked photo above appears to be of a new iPhone back -- in matte black. Sure, we have to be highly suspicious of all kinds of purported evidence of new products in general, and we've heard enough crazy Apple rumors over the years to fill an issue of US Weekly. Regardless, this one's worth at least considering: it's got a model number, A1303, that's previously unseen, but has all the other requisite data, including FCC ID numbers, that we've grown to know and love on the back of real, actual, undoctored iPhones. Look, it's probably fake. Discuss.
Update: Some more pics have surfaced -- check one after the break and the other at MacRumors. Seems a bit early for these sorts of leaks to us, but crazier things have happened.
[Via Electronista; thanks, Ryan]
Update: Some more pics have surfaced -- check one after the break and the other at MacRumors. Seems a bit early for these sorts of leaks to us, but crazier things have happened.
[Via Electronista; thanks, Ryan]
Isn't there a way to verify just from those FCC numbers?
Nothing matches those numbers in an FCC search.
A simple Google search followed by an FCC ID search reveals no products matching ID numbers on the picture. So yeah, probably fake.
why would anyone want to verify something they can speculate about?
Most certainly fake.
Firstly, matte black is so 2004, think Motorola V3, and as someone else mentioned Apple has already dropped the Matt Black MacBook.
Secondly the type is far to big and prominent. Compare it to the current 3G iPhone where the type is very small and fine.
Lastly, I'm not sure about different international versions, but my Aus 3G only has model no, not the other numbers.
Matt Black is fine at first, but it quickly becomes greased in such a way that it can't be easily cleaned. Also matt finishes tend to be polished glossy where the are handled more or get more wear, so you end up with a patchy uneven finish.
Who is Matt Black and why is his MacBook so special?
maybe apple is getting in on its own cases
I think may be missing something here... not the matte black, but the text size: Look at the back of the current 3G iPhone. Notice how much room the text fills relative to the width of the phone. If (and its a big if), the font size are the same as the 3G, then you are looking at the iPhone nano.
I can't believe only one person noticed the lack of ports on the bottom. That alone is really making it look fake.
Also, if you lay your iphone down on a table at the same angle you can see that this puppy would have to be twice as thick as the current 3G, unless it's a shot of an iPhone laying on a mirror (but then where are the ports again?).
Unllikely to be real for those and all the reasons already mentioned.
Maybe this is the $99.99 iPhone.
I'm still waiting for the new 3rd generation iPhone.
I just wonder, is it possible to put speical camera flash around the camera lens? Is it going to be intefering with the picture or there is a smart way to do it? If do, then I guess a circular camera LED flash around the camera rim looks cool u know?
camera hole doesnt even match up
Maybe it's a CDMA iphone.
Actually, to me, it sorta looks like a case....
Bottom of the e on iPhone is flat. Fake.
I wouldlove to have a matte black. The shiny seems to always be dirty
My helmet is matte black and it looks awsome. Problem though is that it looks like crap even faster than the mirror backs of the first gen iPhone. When you get a scratch on it or you sort of polish it by using certain fabrics it has a tendency to leave sort of stain looking spots on it. I sure hope it doesnt happen on this because it looks really nice.
(Helmet is a Shoei XR1000 if you wonder about the quality)
There's no serial number on it. While that could've been photoshopped it makes you wonder how much else of the picture was also.
Real or fake? Not sure but let me tell you something, thats totally plastic.
THERE WILL BE NO NEW iPHONE! GET OVER IT!
If this is the real deal...then really Apple? Still no camera flash?
Does the iPhone 3G have the IMEI number printed on the back? That's clearly missing here, but I don't have the 3G so I can't check. If there's no IMEI, then perhaps it really is a CDMA variant. That would make me muy happy!
Otherwise if it isn't a CDMA version then I'm getting the Pre, and Apple can suck it!
Just answered my own question with a Google image search. It was a nice thought for the 30 seconds it lasted.
Guess I'm getting a Pre
:-P
remember a while back, when we found those red and pink phones? well, guess what. The EXACT SAME PERSON makes white and black housings in a matte color.
www.ecaseshop.com
I am i the only one to mention that if this is real it could be more than just a mat finish. Maybe even a thin rubber coating (1/16" or so) it would stop sliding and scratches.
Honestly I could care less what it looks like i just want a better camera and a real button to snap photos.
Not real - Anyone that has taken their 3G iPhone apart should know this.
Of course, I guess that's really not most of us. Errr, most of you.
I'm the dumb one that did JUST THAT, in hopes of intalling one of those 3rd party after market housings. That's EXACTLY what this is. An after market housing.
Either that, or the next version of the iPhone has EXACTLY THE SAME internal layout as the current version - right down to the tolerances and points of plastic ribbing. This looks identical (talking about the inside shot on the READ link) to the 3rd part housing I tried to install - I have it right here in front of me.
Only on Engadget would this be news. It not even in a different color, just a finish.
What we all need to know is how many iPhones thick is it? (That seems to be your standard unit of measurement for everything else.)
Probably a fake. No side rocker button on the left (the right side if you are looking at the back view, no ports either. As to the FCC ID, you would not see that even if it were real. When Apple released the iPhone 3G the submission date to the FCC shows 6/9/2008 and the date available is 6/9/2008 as well. The Ipod Touch 2G was submitted to the FCC on 9/8/2008 with a date available of 9/9/2008 (the actual release date). It will not appear in the ID search until right before it is released. You can go to the FCC site here http://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid/ and then enter BCG as the grantee code and you will get all of Apple's submissions.
You can tell it's just a case, looking at the camera hole there is no camera there its just a shadow of the case that you can see.
Personally, I wouldn't care if Steve Jobs himself was posing with the leaked photo. I won't take any interest until I see a nice little "32GB" on the back.