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How the Latest iPhone Leak Landed Online

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

It's a story about a mobile accessory salesman, a cafe, and a mysterious stranger with a flashy new gadget.

It was mobile phone accessory salesman Tran Manh Hiep who filmed and uploaded the video of the fourth-generation iPhone seen Wednesday in a Vietnamese cafe. After word on the street of someone flashing the unreleased mobile phone reached his ears, he immediately rushed off to the Ho Chi Minh City cafe and inspected the device for himself.

He was surprised to find out that it was the real deal... or so he claims.

"It's a real iPhone because when I plugged it into a Mac, it recognized it as an Apple product," Hiep said Thursday. "It looks almost exactly the same as the one that appeared on Gizmodo's web site, but it looks newer and has no screws."

Hiep declined to provide details about the mysterious stranger who actually flashed the iPhone, However Hiep stressed that he didn't have a clue as to how the individual came across the device. Rather, he was informed of the iPhone 4G's presence by a fellow Vietnamese mobile phone dealer who coincidentally owned that particular cafe.

Hiep said that he came under fire after the video and photos of the iPhone 4G were released on the Internet. Forum members said that the device could easily be a fake Chinese model. After all, counterfeit phones have no trouble sneaking into the country. Still, Hiep is convinced that the device is genuine, especially after iTunes recognized the iPhone as an authentic Apple device.

Looking at the big picture, it seems rather unusual that Apple has lost a second iPhone in the last few months. However any type of speculation that the company was intentionally planting prototypes out in the wild were quickly dismissed after police raided the house of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen. With that said, it may be that someone on the inside is getting big bucks for sneaking out the devices. If that's the case, Apple needs to pull some weeds.

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pr0m3th3us 05/14/2010 12:10 PM
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Can apple really do anything about this since it's in vietnam?

EvilMonk 05/14/2010 12:12 PM
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Not again? Lets see how Apple will be abusing to get it back.
Will they send a batallion of delta forces now?
Bets are on!

Anonymous 05/14/2010 12:14 PM
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Who cares about iPhone's anymore, so over it.

aaron686 05/14/2010 12:17 PM
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A guy killed himself over a missing Iphone in the Foxconn factory...no joke.

darkknight22 05/14/2010 12:21 PM
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looks like the iGoons are going to VIETNAAAAAMMMM

rooket 05/14/2010 12:22 PM
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Not unless they want to be knee deep in jungles infested with VK.

nforce4max 05/14/2010 12:28 PM
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What they going to do? Sending in the troops in blue isn't going to work this time around.

PT88 05/14/2010 12:32 PM
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I reckon this is a new viral marketing ploy by Apple, and it appears to be working

DM0407 05/14/2010 12:34 PM
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Quote :an apple really do anything about this since it's in vietnam?


They shouldn't have been able to do anything in the US... Ive had a Ipod stolen, wheres my police force?

ps12 05/14/2010 12:40 PM
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Apple's upcoming products secrecy has gone from the cream of the crop to epic fail.

ps12 05/14/2010 12:37 PM
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Apple's upcoming products secrecy has gone from the cream of the crop to epic fail.

akoegle 05/14/2010 12:48 PM
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[Quote]If that's the case, Apple needs to pull some weeds.[/Quote]

If that's the case, Apple needs to achieve a new high score on Whack-a-Mole

Fixed

akoegle 05/14/2010 12:49 PM
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Quote :If that's the case, Apple needs to pull some weeds.


If that's the case, Apple needs to achieve a new high score on Whack-a-Mole

Fixed

Kelavarus 05/14/2010 1:16 AM
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Quote :However any type of speculation that the company was intentionally planting prototypes out in the wild were quickly dismissed after police raided the house of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen.


Bull. I'm sure plenty of people are still of the opinion Apple was intentionally doing this for publicity.

Zoonie 05/14/2010 2:04 AM
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Quote :If that's the case, Steve needs to stop smoking weed.


Fixed.

Anonymous 05/14/2010 2:31 AM
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Steve jobs had sex with an intern who was secretly a ninja. That's how it happened.

Yuka 05/14/2010 3:00 AM
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Apple, remember the 70's? ROFL!

Cheers!

wifiwolf 05/14/2010 3:05 AM
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aaron686 :
A guy killed himself over a missing Iphone in the Foxconn factory...no joke.



Or someone made it look like he killed himself...

soldier37 05/14/2010 4:48 AM
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evolve60 05/14/2010 6:04 AM
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Who's going to make an app called "Conflict Vietnam: The Apple wars"?

TheKurrgan 05/14/2010 6:21 AM
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soldier37 :
You Apple/Iphone haters make me lol. So abusive towards something you know nothing about other than what other negative people and articles say about it. Go crawl back under your Verizon or T mobile rocks I say move along. Obviously your so retarded and f'ed up you cant stop from coming to Apple news stories and talk shi . Morons, get a life and a real phone or stop whining like little punks.


I havent read anything in here that is particularly bashing or hating on apple. Merely stating opinions making fun of Jobs being the worst of them. Most of the statements have merit and with none of us being in the know could easily be arrived at. You, on the other hand have flown plenty of insults out. Your comment airs what you clearly feel is your own superiority to others, and a blind following ==without objective opinion of technology== to a brand.
As the old saying goes, those who live in glass houses aught'nt throw rocks, allow me to cast one back to you.
As a moron, who owns a phone (HTC Hero) and "real" phone (iPhone) I can tell you that my non-real phone does in fact accomplish every business need / communication need i require, and does it rather well. Beyond that, with my non-real phone I can run several apps at one time, including my much loved pandora while checking email and all that what not. The only difference I can plainly see between the two is the appearance -- something which seemingly only a moron understands is a matter of opinion as to ones superiority over the other. That said, the non-real phone has a battery which can be replaced with a higher capacity battery, thus lasting longer than my "real" phone, as well as saving me from buying an entire new one after about 8 months and my battery is not what it used to be. My "non-real" phone also can run applications I write, or others, without a (matter of opinion here, if you can comprehend) nazi dictator ship determining what it can and cannot run. All that said, I happen to like my iPhone very much, but I am not blinded by the fact that it has an Apple logo on the back to the point I dont acknowledge other products can infact not only compare to, but beat it -- All being relative to a matter of opinion. And as to the carrier comment, Verizon is a VERY prominent carrier that has very real advantages currently over AT&T's network in many locations. T-Mobile is also viable, but not to the same extent as Verizon. You may LOVE AT&T because of that non-overburdened tower less than a half mile away, but you would be fortunate to have that luxury - and not everyone may have that.
All this written on a Macbook Pro, BTW.

greenprince 05/14/2010 6:56 AM
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this is the cheapest cost advertising. good job. well done JOB. Save the Apple's money again.

Zingam 05/14/2010 12:08 PM
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" With that said, it may be that someone on the inside is getting big bucks for sneaking out the devices."

And that person's name is? Jobs? Steve Jobs???

Zingam 05/14/2010 12:16 PM
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pr0m3th3us :
Can apple really do anything about this since it's in vietnam?



Yes! They can send the US Navy and restart the Vietnam war. :)

Just imagine: Mobile Phone Wars

Historical text:

The First Mobile Phone War

2010 Apple's iNavy armed with iCarriers carrying iBombers attack Vietnam over a stolen iPhone
2011 Apple's iMarines storm Taiwan to destroy the enemy base - HTC HQ.
2012 Apple's iSpaceships attack China...
December 2012 Apple's iNuke destroys the Earth - the End of the Earth according to Maya calendar conspiracy fans happens.

iGood iLuck, iPeople! iEnjoy iYour iLife, iWhile iYour iStill iAlive!

Clintonio 05/14/2010 12:45 PM
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soldier37 :
You Apple/Iphone haters make me lol. So abusive towards something you know nothing about other than what other negative people and articles say about it. Go crawl back under your Verizon or T mobile rocks I say move along. Obviously your so retarded and f'ed up you cant stop from coming to Apple news stories and talk shi . Morons, get a life and a real phone or stop whining like little punks.



I have a real phone. It's called the HTC Desire.

Funnily enough, it is better than the iPhone. People refuse to accept it, but HTC and Google have pretty much superceeded Apple, but people refuse to admit it in fear of being wrong.

Marco925 05/14/2010 2:27 PM
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how does such an iPhone get left in vietnam? of all countries...

eccentric909 05/14/2010 3:20 PM
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soldier37 :
You Apple/Iphone haters make me lol. So abusive towards something you know nothing about other than what other negative people and articles say about it. Go crawl back under your Verizon or T mobile rocks I say move along. Obviously your so retarded and f'ed up you cant stop from coming to Apple news stories and talk shi . Morons, get a life and a real phone or stop whining like little punks.



Do you ever say anything constructive on these forums? Either you're bashing on people who don't worship the iPhone or you're ranting about President Obama being such a big bad nasty man who is stealing your soul.

Can you ever post on topic, or with a tone that isn't dripping with pure hatred of anyone who doesn't think exactly like you?

worl 05/14/2010 3:24 PM
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Many bothans died to get us this information

tester24 05/14/2010 7:07 PM
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worl :
Many bothans died to get us this information


Funniest post ever! I got people looking up from their cubicals I was laughing so hard...

On one note I agree that it could be publicitiy. However not being a fan of apple products (I work with them everyday in IT) I could care less.

maestintaolius 05/14/2010 7:43 PM
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worl :
Many bothans died to get us this information


Excellent, +1 good sir.

PT88 :
I reckon this is a new viral marketing ploy by Apple, and it appears to be working


I've been suspecting this for quite some time now. Every time this accidentally (supposedly) happens, apple gets a ton of free advertising.