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Peek at lost-and-found iPhone seals deal on Droid Incredible

By | April 19, 2010, 3:12pm PDT

Summary: Details of a lost-then-found next-generation iPhone makes it easier to buy a Droid Incredible.

Thanks to the carelessness of the person who is likely, by now, a former Apple employee, the world has apparently been given a 60-day advanced peek at the next version of the iPhone.

Photo Credit: Gizmodo

In case you missed it, a device that appears to be a next-generation iPhone was found at a bar in the San Francisco Bay Area and has landed in the hands of Gizmodo, which coughed up a lot of images and details about this found device.

Now that I’ve seen the coverage and seem to have a good idea of what’s coming down the pipeline from Apple, I’m feeling pretty good about walking into a Verizon store next week and buying HTC’s Droid Incredible, which has been getting some pretty good reviews.

During a news event to reveal details of the iPhone OS 4.0 earlier this month, I saw what was coming to the software side of the device. I wasn’t overly impressed - but had been holding out to find out 1) how the hardware side might change and 2) whether the company would finally announce a deal with Verizon.

Assuming that the lost-then-found device is authentic - and all indications point in that direction - I don’t think the Verizon issue really matters anymore. In recent months, I’d already started leaning away from the iPhone and more toward one of the many Google Android devices hitting the market. I still had some iPhone envy - but that’s out of my system now.

None of this is to say that the new iPhone isn’t an attractive smartphone with a lineup of new features. If you like your iPhone now, you’ll surely love what the next generation has to offer.

But for me, it’s just not enough to lure me away from what Google is offering with Android - a good user experience, a variety of hardware types to choose from and a choice in carriers.

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Topics

Apple iPhone, Sam Diaz, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

Sam has been a technology and business blogger for more than 18 years.

Disclosure

Sam Diaz

Sam Diaz has nothing to disclose.

Biography

Sam Diaz

Sam has been a technology and business blogger, reporter and editor at ZDNet, the Washington Post, San Jose Mercury News and Fresno Bee for more than 18 years. He's a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and a graduate of California State University, Fresno.

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You completely missed it
dogbreath1 Updated - 20th Apr 2010
My investment advice was for author Sam Diaz, who has an ethical
obligation to disclose any conflict of interest behind his bizarre
conclusion.

The Nexus One has a pathetic 512 MB ROM with only 320 MB available
to the user. The incredible 'roid is not much better, if at all. (The
official specs say it's no better.)

"Considering I rarely put music / media on my smartphones 6gb is
suffient for most users."
Speak for yourself. 6 GB is pathetic. Even the lowest end iPhone 3G at
$99 has more available memory than that.

CDMA isn't even close to being as widespread as GSM.
CDMA phones are technologically incapable of roaming into GSM.
Only so-called "world phones" can do this; most CDMA phones are
not world phones.

Yes, international calling and data rates are not cheap, but this is a
convenient option for the iPhone family and not at all for 'roids.

iPhone battery life is actually good and is much better than the 'roids,
due to the power inefficient approach to multitasking taken by
Anroid. If Anroid users would stop the multitasking, they'd be
roughly on par with the iPhone's better battery life, but this is asking
too much for most users. (btw: The iPhone already multitasks, but
limits it to certain apps, like the Phone and iPod apps, where it can do
so efficiently. And with iPhone OS 4.0, power efficient multitasking will
be available to all apps.)
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
Android surges ahead - Incredible!
gjafg 19th Apr 2010
Android is rising at a rate that will eclipse the iPhone in sales. Incredible devices like the 'Incredible' will sell like hotcakes. Apple must be worried.
0 Votes
+ -
Exactly
MobileAdmin 19th Apr 2010
Apple is about to learn a hard lesson. The cellphone market is nothing like selling iPods. Outside of the forward facing camera and apparently higher resolution screen (which is not limited to Apple) there is nothing other device can replicate or surpass.

So like before - it's all about Apple's EcoSystem and if you value that or not. The App's that matter will be cross platform so unless some killer Apple only app comes along (doubtful considering the way their treating developers) their market share will be in decline as more Android devices ramp up (across every carrier) as well RIM refreshes their product line over the summer.

Apple is the king at strategic "leaks" and the only thing saving them at this point is the hope for a Verizon iPhone. Frankly its doubtful that will occur this year (if ever).
0 Votes
+ -
I doubt they'll go to Verizon..
storm14k 19th Apr 2010
The market is about to get tight over there. Its
about to get tight all over the place. Rumor has
it that the Galaxy S will go to all carriers. The
Xperia X10 is going to AT&T. The Dell Mini 5 is
going to T-Mo. And I'm sure Verizon will have
something up their sleeve to combat the Evo...its
not gonna be the Incredible. The iPhone will
easily be forgotten in all of this.
0 Votes
+ -
true
jeffk464 19th Apr 2010
I know I'm getting one.
0 Votes
+ -
If this was an intentional "leak"...
storm14k 19th Apr 2010
...then it may have very well backfired for Apple. It
seems mighty suspicious that all this was held until
right about the time the reviews would start rolling in
for the Incredible. The whole lost it in a bar thing
sounds fishy too.

But the funny thing is how people jumped on it and
called it ugly and a cheap knock off. Many said Apple
would never build something like that. However they
took the phone apart and apparently its internals are
Apple parts and they are put together with good fit and
finish. Aside from that the phone looks like a Mac
laptop to me. So I'm doubting that its a fake
personally. Either way it seems to not be a turn on for
many people and if this IS announced as the phone then
Apple will probably be in trouble this summer.

Then again once Jobs holds it in his hand all Apple
fanboys will forget everything they've said about it
and swear its the most beautiful gadget ever made.
0 Votes
+ -
Uhh..
tk77 19th Apr 2010
Except over at Mac Rumors they have a poll asking what you think of the
phone. over 38k "fanboys" have voted that the phone is a little to much
better then the current one.

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/19/macrumors-poll-design-of-
the-leaked-next-generation-iphone/
0 Votes
+ -
Yep...
storm14k Updated - 19th Apr 2010
...all after Gizmodo started to show proof that
it may be real. I was just talking some somebody
about this. On one site...Boy Genius it
may have been there was an article saying thank
goodness the thing wasn't real when everyone was
saying it was a fake. About three articles later
when it started to look like it was real all of
a sudden they're doing an entire review of the
hardware and explaining how its expensive
looking and shows good quality. Basically sh*t
turned to sugar once they found out it was
Apple's real ideas. Nobody thought it was better
than the current one or even that Apple would
design something "so ugly" before that point.

Matter of fact....go read comment #16 on the
article you posted. It says it all.


Personally I always thought the thing looked
good. It fits in with their laptop line. Its
more sophisticated and masculine.
0 Votes
+ -
For your information...
tonyhunterajh 20th Apr 2010
I am what you would call a "fanboy" of Apple. No matter what you guys say, Apple produces high-quality and superior products. And yes... I do know how much they cost, but fortunately for me I have a job that lets me afford them. Anyhoo, I think the new iPhone form factor is terrible! I am a Verizon customer and I am not sure I would get this new unit even if Verizon did carry it - I am not impressed. The Droid Incredible has my attention right now. And just for kicks I will throw in that any Microsoft Win Phone is totally out of the question for me!
0 Votes
+ -
Hey, Sam
Userama 19th Apr 2010
Just curious--what features, etc., would it have taken to get you
to fall off on the iPhone side of the fence as opposed to the DI
side?
0 Votes
+ -
Did Gizmodo not crack it open?
etheti 19th Apr 2010
Where are the pics of the inside? And the specs of the
processor/RAM/HD?
0 Votes
+ -
too bland to be true?
soulquarian 19th Apr 2010
I've never been an Apple fan but I really don't think
they would follow the 3GS with something so ordinary, so
unassuming. Sounds like a someone is pulling a big joke
on all of us.
0 Votes
+ -
Not Totally True
rhonin 19th Apr 2010
Look at the 3GS.

I picked one up as I broke my 3G.
Ig not for the frustration my wife was having with the speed and period shutdowns (crashes) of her 3G, she would still be on it instead of a new 3GS.

Right now I am holding off as I plan on staying with ATT and want to see what the summer Android and iPhone roll out with.

Score as of this moment: leaning toward Android.

.
0 Votes
+ -
While you're at it...
dogbreath1 Updated - 19th Apr 2010
why not add to your investments in Google and Verizon?

Better be happy with your 'roid. The ETF is $350 on Verizon. For that
price, you could almost buy an iPhone 3G for every member of the
family!



BTW: I don't care what seals your deal, because if it's only 6.6 GB
storage, poor battery life, a funky display, CDMA (only good in U.S. and
Japan) and low priority on OS upgrades, well, that's incredibly bad. In
comparison, the iPhone 3GS is marvelous.
0 Votes
+ -
Consumers Investing
MobileAdmin 20th Apr 2010
Do you really think the average consumer of smartphones are following the stock ticker and the value of the company they buy their phone from?

Considering I rarely put music / media on my smartphones 6gb is suffient for most users. And unlike Apple there is likely a MicroSD slot to expand if you need more.

I wouldn't exactly trump iPhone battery life, it's pathetic.

While CDMA is not as widespread as the GSM standard most Verizon phones are capable of roaming via GSM due to partnership with Vodafone and SIM inside many devices (unsure on the latest Droid). Have you ever traveled internationally with iPhone it's not cheap. Average trip consuming data your looking at an average of $250+ dependant on international destination. Better pray free WiFi is around or you won't be using your iPhone much.
0 Votes
+ -
You completely missed it
dogbreath1 Updated - 20th Apr 2010
My investment advice was for author Sam Diaz, who has an ethical
obligation to disclose any conflict of interest behind his bizarre
conclusion.

The Nexus One has a pathetic 512 MB ROM with only 320 MB available
to the user. The incredible 'roid is not much better, if at all. (The
official specs say it's no better.)

"Considering I rarely put music / media on my smartphones 6gb is
suffient for most users."
Speak for yourself. 6 GB is pathetic. Even the lowest end iPhone 3G at
$99 has more available memory than that.

CDMA isn't even close to being as widespread as GSM.
CDMA phones are technologically incapable of roaming into GSM.
Only so-called "world phones" can do this; most CDMA phones are
not world phones.

Yes, international calling and data rates are not cheap, but this is a
convenient option for the iPhone family and not at all for 'roids.

iPhone battery life is actually good and is much better than the 'roids,
due to the power inefficient approach to multitasking taken by
Anroid. If Anroid users would stop the multitasking, they'd be
roughly on par with the iPhone's better battery life, but this is asking
too much for most users. (btw: The iPhone already multitasks, but
limits it to certain apps, like the Phone and iPod apps, where it can do
so efficiently. And with iPhone OS 4.0, power efficient multitasking will
be available to all apps.)

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