It seems that the Apple litigation tree has borne more prototypical fruit, dropping some details and pictures of more early iterations of the iPad, as well as some design concepts for the iPhone 4 that never was. The Verge got the scoop on prototypes in the Samsung vs. Apple case today, posting shots of a number of iPad and iPhone prototypes that Apple considered during development.
In addition to modeling some phantom tech, these "highly confidential" profiles offer a bit of insight into Apple's design process. First, the inclusion of a kickstand for the iPad prototype is an indication that at some point, the aesthetics of the design became paramount to at least that functional purpose. Or perhaps the concept of the magnetic cover that doubles as a kickstand made the built-in leg obsolete.
It's also curious that the prototypes aren't assigned the iPad moniker, but were (at least in name) considered jumbo iPods. From an application and hardware feature standpoint, the iPod and the iPad do share more than just three out of four letters, each capable of media navigation and playback, Internet browsing, and application processing.
The iPhone 4 prototypes, one of which is called the N90, range from futuristic chic to throwback geometry. One octagonal model features straight-edges where sleek curves now sit, and another rectangular version converges a turtle-shelled back with a right-angled display face. Yet another takes the longer, thinner approach, perhaps to span the full length from ear to mouth for conversing, or to introduce a new aspect ratio to the smartphone game. None of the prototypes sport volume buttons on the side, while a couple do include the home button and rear Apple logo, off-center or otherwise.
What's most compelling about this visage of iPods past isn't, however, the speculation about what the iPad and iPhone could be, but what they could still become. As technology gets slimmer, and devices get rounder, could we have already reached the point when companies start making angular designs again?
Could this be basis for the Next iPhone?
We'll keep our eyes on the courtroom for more Apple legacy developments. Keep your eyes on IGN for more updates on Apple's past, present, and future of mobile devices.
Source: The Verge
Source : ign[dot]com
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