The other iPhone 4 story that captured headlines several months ago had a development today when a judge withdrew a search warrant that allowed local police to enter the home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen and take his computer equipment.
As a refresher, the issue at hand was Gizmodo’s payment for what was believed - and later confirmed - to be a prototype of a yet-to-be-released iPhone 4, left behind in a bar by an Apple employee who was testing it. The argument over whether the phone was lost or stolen or whether Gizmodo violated any laws - aside from ethics - by paying for it has yet to be resolved.
Immediately, however, local law enforcement was criticized for serving a warrant instead of a subpoena because Chen was a journalist. That, of course, led to a debate over a journalism protections by the law.
Going back to today, the Wall Street Journal reports that Gizmodo has agreed to cooperate with local officials in their investigation and to voluntarily turn over materials that a court appointee deems appropriate. The materials seized from Chen’s home - which have not been accessed, pending a resolution to the matter - will be returned.
Related coverage:
