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Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 11:30 pm
Evidence shows Apple testing next-gen iPhone
Hidden strings in Apple's latest iPhone firmware reveals that a major revision of the hardware is in the works and is even being tested online.A poke around the latest iPhone firmware by Mac Rumors has found a product string for iPhone 2,1, a version of the handset that has never been publicly available or else visible in previous firmware.
The 2007 launch iPhone identifies itself as iPhone 1,1, while the current iPhone 3G lists as iPhone 1,2, indicating that it's a minor revision of a similar design. As with similar practices for Macs, Apple's choice of 2,1 implies a major update for the handset; the second-generation iPod touch is listed as iPod 2,1 and includes slightly faster internal hardware as well as a significant external redesign.
And while such company-produced leaks rarely hint at the state of the future hardware, a developer tracking ad views from PinchMedia claims to have seen requests coming from iPhone 2,1 devices; the discovery suggests that test iPhones are functioning at a level which lets them connect to the web.
Apple has until now provided few clues as to its 2009 plans for the iPhone and has left most of the talking to its individual component makers, which could potentially offer more advanced graphics, newer ARM processors or new communications chips that would permit faster 3G cellular data.
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Previous Comments View All
If I wasn't so married to Rogers' 3 Year Contract I'd go buy a new iPhone! I like new things 
If I wasn't so married to Rogers' 3 Year Contract I'd go buy a new iPhone! I like new things
Well if there is a new phone, Rogers and fido (and I assume most carriers) will let you upgrade for the price of the phone or something less than that.
The thing I don't think Apple or any of the carriers have thought of is that the 3G phones will either be junk or re-sold to others and if resold, then the carriers will pretty much have to start activating and accepting people with iPhones that were not bought on the spot at their stores. At least it would be quite an outrage not to considering the environmental implications.
Why is it news that Apple is working on an update? Obviously Apple is always working on an update. It wuld be news if it wasn't.
Why is it news that Apple is working on an update? Obviously Apple is always working on an update. It wuld be news if it wasn't.
Because people get bored and need something to argue... er... talk about?
Why is it news that Apple is working on an update? Obviously Apple is always working on an update. It wuld be news if it wasn't.
good point, but i think it became news because everyone is so curious as to what the next version will be like.
I am quite happy with my iPhone 3G. Main things that could be better are:
- Battery life
- File transfer speed (e.g. uploading a movie)
- Answering: I would like a dedicated hard to push button for answering a ringing phone
- GPS: takes too long to home in on you
- Orientation-change detection: not reliable enough
- Screen turns off when you're speaking: I don't like this behavior, could it be a preference setting.
"...the discovery suggests that test iPhones are functioning at a level which lets them connect to the web..."
OOOOOOHH MY GOD!!!!!! NOOOO WAYYYYY!!!! WOW. Connecting to the worldwide interweb?!?!?!?!? Wow it's so ahead of the times...
Come on, can we get some real tech news? Sometimes I feel like Apple is getting "old" and I have been a long-time fan.
would it make at&t's coverage better? if not, i'm still screwed for another 1 year or so 
Give me an iChat enabled iPhone and I'm in.
Of course AT&T would probably raise monthly rates for such a device that would suck down their network.
Ooh! That patent for putting a camera behind the LCD screen would come in handy for that!
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Give me an iChat enabled iPhone and I'm in.
Of course AT&T would probably raise monthly rates for such a device that would suck down their network.