The Apple software engineer has been identified as the person who left the top secret iPhone prototype in a German beer garden in Redwood City, California.
According to technology blog Gizmodo, the prototype in Powell's possession had been disguised as an iPhone 3GS and his last Facebook entry read: "I underestimated how good German beer is”.
Powell, a 27-year-old North Carolina State University 2006 graduate, works on the iPhone Baseband Software, which enables the iPhone to make calls.
Images of the iPhone were first leaked on to the web over the weekend, and Gizmodo said it was now in possession of the prototype, which it had been trying to return to Apple. After an exchange of telephone calls, a written request for the return of the device from Apple was made today, said Gizmodo.
Apple is renowned for its obsession with secrecy with new products kept under such close guard that even high-ranking employees often don't know what is coming to market. While this gives it an edge against less tight-lipped competitors and generates a massive surge of pre-launch hype for new products, it has also had negative consequences.
Last year a Chinese factory worker who reported an upcoming iPhone prototype had gone missing was so frightened that he committed suicide by jumping out of a 12th-floor window.
In a telephone interview with Powell, Gizmodo said: “He sounded tired and broken. But at least he's alive and apparently may still be working at Apple—as he should be. After all, it's just a f***ing iPhone and mistakes can happen to everyone—Gray Powell, Phil Schiller, you, me, and Steve Jobs”.
Apple enthusiasts have begun speculating in forums such as Twitter about whether Powell would lose his job, while others claim the whole incident is just a publicity stunt.
"Whoever lost the iPhone 4 is definitely getting fired! Can't wait to get one!", wrote one commentator on Twitter.
Others said: “I think Gizmodo's been pranked. I really do,” and “I think that the 'left-behind' iphone4 is a well staged hood-wink by our friends @ Apple”.
Warren Chaisatien, an analyst for technology research company Telsyte, said he was highly sceptical that the device was a misplaced prototype.
"Based on our experience it has been proven that most leaks have turned out ot be untrue. I don’t think Apple would be stupid enough to leak this. The iPhone has generated a lot of interest and anything to do with this has that kind of sensational factor in there," he said.
Engadget tech blog, which originally posted pictures of the device, claims the prototype includes a higher resolution screen, front-facing camera for video conferencing, 80GB of storage and a higher resolution camera on the back with flash.
Gizmodo has also confirmed the presence of these features in the prototype. “Once we saw it inside and out, there was no doubt about it. We learnt about this story, but we didn't know for sure it was Powell's phone until today, when we contacted him via his phone,” it said.
According to Gizmodo the person who handed in the missing iPhone was seated near to Powell in the bar, and was handed the phone after Powell had left for the evening.
"I thought it was just an iPhone 3GS. It just looked like one. I tried the camera, but it crashed three times," he told Gizmodo. He claims that all attempts to return the phone to Apple had failed.
He said the iPhone didn't seem to have any special features other than two barcodes on its back. It did. however, contain six pages of applications, with Powell's profile appearing on the Facebook app.
Apple is expected to reveal a new iPhone model in June and there is speculation it will be called iPhone 4G or iPhone HD.
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Labels: Apple , Iphone
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