Apple uses an iPhone prototype to test new features, and such a test device was recently found.
iPhone prototype found by AppleDemoYT
AppleDemoYT has found an iPhone prototype that came from an electronics recycling factory. The test iPhone is unique because it does not have an Apple logo, but a symbol that resembles two half moons. It’s a symbol that has been seen before on prototype Apple devices, for example on an early version of the AirTag. It is a mathematical form that results when two disks of the same radius intersect, called ‘vesica piscis’ in Latin.
Technical specifications and unique features
It appears that the iPhone prototype uses parts from the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, but there are other parts as well. For example, there are buttons that do not click when you press them. It is known that Apple has been working on buttons with haptic feedback for the iPhone 15, but that feature has never materialized until now.
The iPhone prototype has a single, combined volume rocker instead of separate buttons. There is also a modified SIM card holder that is shorter than normal and is secured with screws. Some parts, such as the camera, are not functional. There are also only a few wires connected to the circuit board. One wire goes to the charging port, another to the buttons. The circuit board itself has a unique layout and looks like a cross between that of the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro.
When you turn on the iPhone prototype, a message appears about the microcontroller initialization being completed. If you connect it to a Mac, it will be called ‘Bender’, which is a Futuramareference appears to be. He doesn’t respond to touch.
A 2021 iPhone prototype
Based on the serial number, it appears that the device was manufactured in May 2021. So that’s before the iPhone 13 Pro, which was already completed at the time. The camera island looks similar to that of the iPhone 14 Pro, so it could be a 14 Pro. However, the mix of parts makes it difficult to identify.
According to AppleDemoYT, it is a test device for experimental features rather than a specific iPhone model. It could be designed to test the technology of the haptic button, a feature we may see on the iPhone 17. Whatever it was used for, this iPhone prototype offers an interesting look at the testing Apple conducts when it considering new features.
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