In a larger article discussing the circumstances surrounding the iPhone HD/iPhone 4G that founds its way into Gizmodo's hands on Monday, Daring Fireball provides some interesting details about what just might be the near-final production unit:
- A few weeks ago engineers already familiar with the 4th generation iPhone were permitted to use disguised versions as their daily drivers as part of the cell phone testing process.
- The N90 visible on the Gizmodo phone matches the known code-name of Apple's next generation GSM iPhone (so, um, what's the codename for the non-GSM next-generation iPhone...?)
- The DVT stands for Design Verification Test, which is Apple parlance for a production milestone.
- That means what we saw on Monday is either close to final, or final hardware for the next generation iPhone.
- There's a cryptic footnote asking what Apple would do with a next-generation iPhone that was do different, design-wise, it couldn't be disguised as a current-generation model. (Please. Please don't start slider or flipper rumors!)
If there were still any lingering doubts, cast them aside. It looks like that cool black glass and banded aluminum sammich, or something closely refined from it, is what we're getting in June.
