Early iPhone 'Prototype' Looked Radically Different

 By 
Samantha Murphy
 on 
Early iPhone 'Prototype' Looked Radically Different

The iPhone may be sleek and light in the hands, but according to newly surfaced photos, it once looked quite different than how we know it today. While it was undergoing development, it was larger and even had Ethernet and USB ports.

Tech site Ars Technica has obtained pictures from a former Apple staffer of what it is calling "a super-early iPhone prototype," circa 2005. But what these pictures reveal is a fascinating look at how the device looked while it was still being tested.

Mashable Image
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What's most striking about the pictures is the device's size. The concept measures in at 5-inches by 7-inches, the report says, and is much more in line with the iPad mini (5.3 inches by 7.87 inches). It's also much thicker (two inches). Besides it being much bigger than what we're used to now, it also has many features included on standard PCs, such as USB ports, an Ethernet port and a serial port.

However, it's important to note that Apple wasn't planning on releasing the device as shown in the pictures -- some features were included to make the development process easier. But a source told the publication, "at that early date no one knew what [the final device] would be."

For a deeper look at the surfaced pictures, click here.

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