iPhone Prototype Goes Missing for a Second Time…Again From a Bar
- Posted on September 1, 2011 at 7:39am by
Liz Klimas
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iPhone users often treat their gadget like their baby. So with a prototype for a rumored next generation iPhone lost — the second in the last two years — does this make Apple a bad parent?
But not only has it been lost, it’s also allegedly been lost in the same way: by being left in a bar.
The prototype, according to CNET, went missing in late July from Cava 22, a “tequila lounge” in San Francisco, and resulted in a kept-quiet but missing-child-like search. That apparently didn’t go well, as device reportedly may have been sold on Craigslist for $200. Apple then apparently traced the phone to a residence. CNET has more:
When San Francisco police and Apple’s investigators visited the house, they spoke with a man in his twenties who acknowledged being at Cava 22 on the night the device went missing. But he denied knowing anything about the phone. The man gave police permission to search the house, and they found nothing, the source said. Before leaving the house, the Apple employees offered the man money for the phone no questions asked, the source said, adding that the man continued to deny he had knowledge of the phone.
Jose Valle told CNET that neither the police nor Apple security ever contacted him. Valle, who owns the bar with his family, said however [he does] remember a man calling multiple times about a lost iPhone about a month ago. He told the man he would call him back if he ever found the phone.
“I guess I have to make my drinks a little less strong,” Valle said.
Cava 22 is reportedly where the next-gen iPhone prototype was lost. (Photo: Cava 22)
According to Wired, a prototype of the since-released iPhone 4 went missing in 2010 and was picked up and sold to Gizmodo, a gadget website owned by Gawker, for $5,000. That prototype was left in a beer garden in Redwood City, Calif. An arraignment is scheduled for today on misdemeanor criminal charges for the two men who sold the phone to Gizmodo.
The Guardian (via CNET) writes that Apple, after this first kidnapping, ramped up its security measures for prototypes:
The next iPhones go for their testing inside locked and sealed boxes so that the carriers can carry out checks on their network compatibility in their labs. It’s very high security, as you could guess; my understanding is that barely anyone inside the carriers gets to open those boxes, and even when they do the hardware is encased in a dummy body which means there’s no clue to what the actual phone will do.
Apple has not officially announced plans for a new phone, though the rumor mill is buzzing that one is in the works for a September or October 2011 release. This rumor comes from people like AT&T president saying employees should “expect things to get really, really busy in the next 35 to 50 days, so prepare your teams accordingly.”
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hbhobby
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 6:51pmSomeone in Marketing is getting a HUGE FAT BONUS!!!
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 8:24pm.
Report Post »That’s how Morgan David did their advertising.
Left a few ounces in the alley for the bums to find.
Know your target demographics.
waymoregooder
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 10:54pmi think secret sq means Mogan David – not Morgan…..
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 5:01pm1st time perceived as theft. Second time publicity stunt to drive up sales.
Report Post »jessieH
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 4:42pmIt has nothing to do with alcohol. They are being sold to the highest bidder.
Report Post »Akron1950
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 4:41pmIs that all these folks do is DRINK? It’s a wonder these IPhones even work. There is way too much drinking going on, perhaps they might try smoking a joint for a change, and open up there brains instead of getting sloshed and not knowing what there doing and staying home where there stuff is safe!
Report Post »Da Kingfish
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 4:55pmThe only reason they might work is that the Chinese make them, and not the drunken barflies that design them.
Report Post »leary1
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 4:28pmmaybe they all have drinking problems. Next time I get my hands on secret company creations, I`ll make sure to let everyone know , and leave it lying around while I get totally wasted…..NOT !!!!!
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 3:37pmIt puts into question the wisdom of those to whom Apple places trust in their latest product development projects!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why do they need to spend so much time in bars???????????
Report Post »GigEmAndGodBless
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:42pmA large portion of Apple’s demographic frequents bars, so it is perfectly reasonable to test the prototype in the environment it will likely be used in–why is this so hard to understand. My concern in all of this is clearly the pattern of irresponisble behavior on the part of employees entrusted with this device. I have been to bars, been quite drunk, and have managed to NEVER lose my phone, my keys, etc. I imagine this employee has some explaining to do.
Report Post »Da Kingfish
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 4:57pmNot really, sounds like half wit metrosexuals, normal for Apple.
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:15pmAnd we trust liberals with national security. They can’t take care of a phone….
Report Post »fuzzymcgee
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:13amWho takes a prototype to a bar?
Report Post »Shouldn’t the “prototype” be locked in a building somewhere?
and I’ve never lost my phone.. *oops* seems like they want to leak it out
jkendal
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:35amIf I were that person’s boss, they’d be fired in a heartbeat. Taking a prototype of the world’s most popular phone to a bar is just plain stupid…..
Report Post »Zombiefilmfan
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:00pm@FUZZYMCGEE
Report Post »They must test the mobile device by allowing the device to be mobile. They will test reception, among other things. Though I would agree that taking a mobile device to a bar to test would be a lousy decision due to the consumption of beer resulting in forgetfulness. ;)
VRW Conspirator
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:45pmit is a plant….plain and simple…oldest trick in the advertising and PR business….purposely “leak” information….deny deny deny….let the press pick up the story of the “stolen” material…demand grows…anticipation grows…and then “magically” the new product is announced at the height of the mania….
I have been waiting of the I-Phone 5 for over a year after I found out that the 4 would not be 4G compatible…and the updated 4 still didn’t have 4G capability…but with AT&T buying T-mobile (trying to if the DOJ is blocked by the courts) and T-mobile being the largest 4G coverage provider in the nation..AT&T wouldn’t have to build a 4G network…just assume T- Mobile’s…then release the 4G I-Phone and spank Verizon again – now that Verizon has the I-phone too…
Apple is notorious for this type of hype…so is Microsoft by the way..the person that “lost” the last I-Phone 4 and that lost this supposed new model…did so purposely on orders from the top…..
I have known for over a year that an I-Phone 4 with 4G or new I-Phone 5 with 4G would be out by Christmas of 2011…those involved or that pay attention to the tech sector and the chatter surrounding it are not surprised of a “supposed” new I-Phone due out in the next few months….hopefully they fixed the antenna location problems and the video and digital camera problems and megapixel size issues…just like they are moving the flash away from the camera lense
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:08amApple’s gonna have to start alcohol screenings for the people that are assigned their prototypes.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 10:24amI see a pattern here
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 10:21amFool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
It’s a plant. Apple’s doing this to get hype. Some PC/tech gadget website will release some pictures. Apple gets free analysis/reviews that helps it know how to spin it when the real release occurs.
Report Post »IvanK
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:02amIf ever found to be a plant, I would hope the 2 facing charges…. Sue the Cr@p out of Apple!
Report Post »Im a huge Apple fan – I make my living from their products – but what i see here makes no sense… No corporation in their right mind would EVER let a product like that out of their sites… Unless of course, the purpose being to generate mass hype hysteria that has made them Billions of dollars in the past?
Follow the money!
MBA
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 10:15amUh! Maybe you should stay out of bars! Duh!
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