A YouTuber wanted to buy a used iPhone. However, he was quite surprised when he held a very special model in his hands, which was never officially released and probably should never have reached the public.
The YouTuber Apple Demo specializes in prototypes of various older and newer devices in his videos. For his current video on YouTube, he wanted to purchase a used, regular iPhone. In a video on YouTube, he explained that he had acquired the device on Xianyu. This is a Chinese sales site that specializes in used items.
And that’s where the strange things started: The seller himself didn’t know much about the offered device, other than that it had been found in an electronic waste recycling facility and then ended up for sale.
An old prototype from Apple with haptic buttons
What is so special about the device? When the YouTuber examined the iPhone, he realized that it was a prototype. The special thing is that it does not display the Apple logo, but two overlapping circles.
This figure is known by the Latin name vesica piscis (in German: Fischblase). It is not the first time that Apple has used it for its prototypes; for example, it has been seen on one of the first versions of the Airtag:
Which model is it? There is also a problem here, as the assignment cannot be clearly established. The French magazine Jeuxvideo.com explains that the model has similarities to two iPhones:
- According to the serial number, the device was manufactured in May 2021, before the iPhone 13 Pro.
- However, the shape of the camera resembles that of the iPhone 14 Pro, so it could be a 14 Pro.
- The iPhone 13 Pro was released on September 24, 2021, and the iPhone 14 Pro almost exactly one year later on September 16, 2022.
Why does the prototype exist? One can only speculate, as Apple has never officially released its prototypes and this device was also supposed to be destroyed before someone fished it out of the recycling station. And this device had a specific purpose: It was meant to test a new type of button: Instead of having two clearly separated buttons as in recent models, there is a combined haptic volume button here.
Does the prototype turn on? The prototype that the YouTuber bought used cannot be switched on. Therefore, it cannot be checked which system is installed. However, the YouTuber explained that when the model is connected to a Macintosh, it is at least recognized under the name “Bender”: Some other Apple developer boards are referred to as “BENDER-Boards”.
Elon Musk wanted to use a specific device from Apple for his purposes: With the so-called AirTags, he wanted to monitor his servers. However, he overlooked a limitation that Apple has imposed on the AirTags. He can only link a maximum number with his Apple ID. More on this directly at MeinMMO: Elon Musk bought hundreds of AirTags from Apple to monitor his servers – But he overlooked an important detail
