Sure, the Apple v. Samsung patent trials have been a treasure trove for fans who like seeing prototypes of their favorite gadgets, but what about a look at the guts of one of the earliest iPhone prototypes available?
Ars Technica is reporting that a former Apple employee has made public photos of an iPhone prototype from early 2005, a full two years before Steve Jobs stepped on stage and pulled one out of his pocket.
As you may recall from Walter Isaacson's official Steve Jobs biography, Apple was actually planning the iPad well before the iPhone -- and the latest set of photos certainly confirms that, with a five-by-seven-inch display and a body that was nearly two inches thick.
"Seems large now, but at the time it was really impressive seeing basically a version of OS X running on it," the unnamed source explained.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about this prototype is the inclusion of USB, Ethernet and even serial ports -- although these were never intended for the final product, but simply made it easier for engineers to work on the unit while in development.
Needless to say, Apple would spend the next two and a half years refining the product before unleashing the original iPhone to the public on June 29, 2007.
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(Image courtesy of Ars Technica)
