Ben's Talk3G Blog

Well, it's likely that folk who don't even own a computer know all about the 4th generation iPhone by now, courtesy of Gizmodo. The more I look at the pictures and videos the more I can appreciate the subtle design cues in this device, which is a marked departure from the current design ethos seen in the iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPod Touch, iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook. You get the idea; the removal of 'complex' curves from this prototype makes it stick out like a sore thumb in Apple's currently harmonious lineup, and I can't help but wonder if this is just one that was never supposed to see the light of day or whether Apple design is once-again moving on. Got to keep ahead of the times and all that.

What bothers me, however, isn't this dilemma of where Apple is taking its product line. It's that I've seen what could be the spectacle of WWDC, expected some time in June. Note that the next iPhone probably wont reach our shores until an August timeframe and this thing is going to feel pretty run-of-the-mill by then. All the magic and excitement will have well and truly petered out.

Where's the fun in that? How do any of us benefit from seeing this device now?

Given how much Apple invest in design and media strategy I actually feel for their multi-billion-dollar enterprise at the moment. While misplaced, it's hard not to when you consider the big boost rivals now have in getting similar products to market. It wouldn't surprise me if HTC have a device out that looks the spitting image of this by July.

But, of course, this being Apple we wont know if this is the next iPhone until they announce it. Perhaps it's one of several new devices, creating a range of iPhones? There'll be much speculation, but going by the apparent completeness of this prototype my expectation is that any such hopes will be dashed (leading to a bigger-than-usual anti-climax) and we'll get exactly what we're seeing now.