Exclusive: Is this leaked pic the Verizon iPhone 4 — with 4G (LTE)??

An anonymous source has just given us an interesting nugget: A photo of what looks like the Verizon iPhone. And that’s not all — check out the upper left corner. See what it says there? That’s right, “Verizon LTE.” In other words, this looks like it could be a Verizon iPhone that supports the carrier’s 4G network.

Click the pic to enlarge

Unlike previous fuzzy or out-of-focus leaked pics, this is an extremely clear image. But is it real? Well, we asked the tipster where the photo came from. He wouldn’t say specifically, but he did mention that the MacBook in the background belongs to a Verizon engineer in the Pacific Northwest region and that the handset is running iOS 4.2.

One aspect of this photo is the exterior of the device. The sides of the phone look dark to our eyes, not completely metallic like the current iPhone 4. (Edit: It could be a shadow casting, as some readers have suggested, but it’s hard to tell. Take a look and tell us what you think.) If it is indeed different, it could suggest a different fabrication, either layered on top of the metal banding or used instead of it. Given the existing phone’s signal attenuation woes, it’s not hard to imagine that they’d revamp that.

As far as I can tell, the pic hasn’t been messed with. Then again, I’m admittedly not a Photoshop expert. (If you are, please weigh in here.)

So what do you think? Real or fake? And if it’s real, what could this mean? That the iPhone 4 isn’t landing on Verizon right away, but waiting until the carrier’s 4G/LTE network is more established? Or that this 4G handset may later join a previously released, 3G-compatible ViPhone, planned for early 2011? Join the theory thread, and leave your impressions below.

And if there’s any more clarification on this, you’ll know as soon as we do.

.

ADDITION 1: Are you a Photoshop nerd? Check this out: We looked at the levels, curves and other settings, and didn’t see a thing altered. What else would you check out for authenticity? If you’ve got thoughts on this, be sure to leave your suggestion in the comments.

ADDITION 2: As some users have pointed out, jailbreakers can change the top banner text with apps like MakeItMine. Good call. Keep the debunking coming.

ADDITION 3: The tipster says that the person who originated this pic is “currently working on trying to obtain some more images off the hard drive that may include some other shots including [settings]…” When or if that happens, we’ll follow this up. For now, though, take all this with a grain of salt.

Tags: ,

Post comment as twitter logo facebook logo
Sort: Newest | Oldest

GUYS look at where the time should be... ITS JAILBROKEN!!! Lol it's obviously fake

You can do this with a jailbroken Iphone you turn your data off gettin rid of the 3g and you download a cydia app called makeitmine it allows you to write whatever you want in place of your carrier and banner area on your phone.

there is an app (once jailbroken) that allows you to edit the text next to the bars. lol..this was a horrible try to convince ppl that its the new verizon phone..lol.

Its a fake it looks like the phone is floating.

The iPhone is also floating for whatever reason

This is a jailbroken iPhone 4. If you look, next to battery indicator, it shows the battery percentage, which does not show on a stock iPhone running 4.2. Apple's press shots for the iPhone 4 confirm this: http://www.apple.com/iphone/gallery/#gallery01

This has to be real! I mean, there's no way any AT&T phone has 4 bars ;)

Um, couldn't you just modify a screenshot in Photoshop, then load it on the iPhone and show it full screen in the photo app? I may do this just to mess with you morons.

Anyone else find it curious that the picture was taken a little offset to as to show only the left side of the phone (volume buttons) instead of the right so we could see if the SIM tray is no longer there?

Well here's the thing it's possible it very well can be a testing device. Not the code. Tagnt6532a. T. could stand for testing and agnt6532a. could stand for testing agent and what ever there number maybe that is associated w. there verizon id/ badge number.. ? and if you did jailbrake the phone i really dont think you can have it say something in the middle like that.. just my guess.

Yea you can, it's called changing the banner. I can take screenshots if you wanna.

This is interesting, I just might have to MakeitMine

To reproduce, is very simple actually. First, download MakeItMine from Cydia (If jailbroken) Then, go into settings and disable Wifi. Also disable 3G and Cellular Data. Then go into MakeItMine, and change the banner to Verizon LTE. Congrats, now you have a Verizon iPhone. XD

This phone is missing some Apple included apps though like Compass, Voice memos, the iTunes store. Also, if this is running 4.2, shouldn't there be Game Center somewhere on there? As much as I wish this were true, I just don't think it is.

While I'm all for a Verizon iPhone, two things bother me about this picture. - Since there currently isn't any Verizon LTE service, the only place you'd have service is in a lab - but if you were in a lab, you'd have five bars. Four bars of an as-yet-nonexistant service? Hmmm. Second, the "Tagnt6532a" where the clock should be. If this is a test phone, and that is an id tag, the Verizon engineer would have to be crazy to let this photo be posted.

Image is not photoshopped...at least not to add the Verizon name. I'm no jailbreak expert but I am a graphics professional. If it is fake, it must from a software hack.

Wow peeps and peepets its makeitmine. Just to start look how many pages he has until i see a video uncut then i will put my money out there. ( Many pages means that there has to be something on there. I would be willing to bet one of those somethings could be cydia.

"verizon engineer's macbook" does not explain the magic , shadowless levitation of the phone above the keyboard. The perspective lines of the laptop & phone are not the same.

if you have a macbook you can use the pinch to zoom function on your trackpad to zoom in the picture and you can clearly see the shadow of the phone on the macbook.

I know for sure, based on working with particular companies, the big 'V' is getting an iPhone in January. There is too much uncertiancy here because you can jailbreak a phone and put 'Sleestak Jones Verizon LTE 4.5G'

I just did this with my iPhone 3GS using MakeItMine. Not so hard,you know.

That's not iOS 4.2 nor 4.1. Both of them have folders and calculator can't show as it is. That's not Verizon iPhone.

You can move folders to any screen you want. I have 4.1 and my calculator looks exactly like that. There is nothing in hat picture that suggests its not 4.1, period.

First, I think everyone believes the verizon iPhone is coming in late January - AT&T contract is over at the end of this year and clearly if they extend it - they'd be gloating about another extension ... And since it's not June 2011, apple is NOT going to offer a much difference form factor for anyone ... Yes, it might be darker or slightly different in color but to the user holding it, it'll be the same ... Now when you have a photo of a coma chip nestled in the back, that is the clicncher but otherwise, it's pretty easy to fake since we know it'll look pretty much exactly like the current one until iPhone 5 is out ...

ALL FAKE. FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE. GOD why are you people so gullible and desperate for Verizon??!? This is a JAILBREAK phone. Plain and simple.

Why I can see the metal among keys of the keyboard behind the speaker hole?

Are you kidding?... this is so obviously photoshopped....

You are so obviously full of it. As someone who makes a living using Photoshop and other photo/video software (even hired for forensic wok in the past), I can assure you that this photo shows absolutely no evidence of being photoshopped. I'm not saying that this is 'real' in the sense of being a Verizon phone, but I would bet my career on the fat that this image hasn't been modified. Considering you can change the carrier name relatively easily, it would also make absolutely no sense to spend the time making such a perfect image.

It looks like a used phone to me. From what people have said they can change the name at the top left after jailbreaking. I noticed that the home button seems to have specs of 'dust' inside, making me think that the phone has been used for a long time, long enough since iphone 4 released to get dust in there, if possible. If it were new, I doubt they would have enough time to put in pockets or go in a desert or something. Just a thought.

If you look very closely on the left side of the phone above the volume buttons, there is no silent switch. Seems fake to me.

It's fake, I work for Telus in Canada and when a network is in testing we use a numerical carrier name (to identify the celltower) not a stock Telus LTE branding that is added later for the end user.

When i jailbroke my iphone i had the option to go into cydia and download Verizon logo and it makes it to where you can change at&t to verizon he probably did the same thing

yeah i have the app to change my carrier and change the text where my clock was in the center...my phone now says im on verizon LTE...so i dont believe the rumors

NOTICE their is no game center which means it is probably not on anything higher than 4.0.2 but most likely 4.0.1 because it is the easiest to jailbreak.

You have to look more closely. There are more pages so he could have easily moved Game Center. You'll also notice the utilities folder is not on the screen either.

It's not difficult to Jailbreak 4.1 either. Lets count the ways: Limerain Greenpoison Pwnagetool Redsnow It may not be as 'simple' as 4.0/4.0.1, but all of them essentially hold your hand through the entire process. Anywho, I think it's safe to say that GameCenter is likely moved, as there are more pages and settings is moved as well.

The phone is obviously darker on the edges. If you look you'll notice the camera light or whatever light source is casting a glare and the light shining on the device reveals the edges are black.

Err, *cough* 'MakeItMine' *cough* Nothing to see here folks, move along now.

Are they coming out with the i phone or not?

Like Michael said, the MakeItMine jailbreak app by Erica Sadun allows you to change the carrier name to whatever you want it to be and this could easily be faked on any jailbroken iPhone in seconds. You need far more evidence than this to postulate a Verizon iPhone. Terrible reporting.

I don't think it's as much reporting as it is asking an open question: "Do you think it's real or not?" I'm not convinced either, but, we like to get your opinions.

By jailbreaking an iPhone, you can put whatever you want in the carrier field. You can see they've also replaced the time in the top info bar. And it's the exact same phone. The sides are the same steel, but they appear in shadow because the sole light source is coming down from above (the camera), putting the sides in shadow. Nothing to see here...

Very interesting but what if it's just running iOS 4.0 and is jailbroken to display the Verizon LTE. Jailbreaking allows you to change that little carrier mark to what ever you want. But what doesn't make sense is that the edges of the device do look different from the current iPhone 4. So maybe it is real but no one will know till Steve and co say it's real. Good read though. :)

Ahhh, yeah thats right. I was pretty sure it was too good to be true right now, and that it had to have something to do with an already jailbroken iphone.

I think the dark edges are becasue its dark casue if you look at the corners of the pics. I also think on the ipod touch there is a app you can change what it says in the corner. Idk if its on the iphone but yeah idk just thinking of ideas i could be completly wrong.

Learn how to type properly. I can't understand a thing you said, moron.