Leaked 3G iPhone pics hit the web - iPhone 2 to get video chat, available in Red... maybe

Cue the dramatic music, please.

Last year, around the time the iPhone was originally announced, iPhone mockups and allegedly leaked images flooded the web.

This year, things are different. Apple’s WWDC 2008 is so close we can almost taste the geeked-out sweat from the throngs of Apple fans and haters itching to get their first peek at Apple’s next-generation iPhone. And, you know what that means. 3G iPhone rumors are really getting out of hand.

3G iPhone 3G - iPhone 2 pics leaked

The newest 3G iPhone rumor to hit the i’nets involves allegedly leaked marketing materials showing “real deal” pictures of Apple’s iPhone successor, the iPhone 2 or iPhone 3G, if you will. From the looks of the leaked pics, iPhone hopefuls have to look forward to their 3G iPhone rocking video chat, and it’ll be available in a nice, bright shade of Red. The iPhone 3G looks thicker than the current iPhone, which is in line with the “thicker” 3G iPhone rumors. But, the tapered edges are way thinner than the current iPhone, which is in line with the “thinner” 3G iPhone rumors. Both rumors satisfied at once? Nice.

That is, if these pics are legit.

3G iPhone 3G - iPhone 2 pics leaked

We’re seeing the iPhone 3G sporting the tapered-edge design that’s been widely expected for a good while now. There’s also a pleasantly surprising front-facing video call camera, and pictures showing a 3G video call in progress. Now, is all that and the new “RED” color option on the real?

Well, a few blogs have picked up on these “leaked” images that were forwarded to TechCrunch. Some are holding these pics as truth, while others are calling foul. If TechCrunch‘s “tipster” is on point, we’re not only going to see some serious specs on the next-generation iPhone, but we’ll be getting some iChat video support for Windows XP. That’s right, Windows XP.

3G iPhone 3G - iPhone 2 pics leaked

On the flip-side, others are calling these “leaked” pics a bunch of hooey. The images are said to be the Photoshop-work of some talented designer. The “real” iPhone 3G reportedly lacks any sort of front-facing camera – that extra “optical sensor” apparently won’t be taking any video or pictures.

So, who’s right and who’s wrong? We have no idea, but these pics sure are pretty to look at, aren’t they? Keep in mind that last year we saw iPhone mockups left and right, but none were of this caliber. Did Apple drop the ball the second time around? Or is this the same old story, happening all over again?

Suffice it to say that, just days before the official 3G iPhone announcement, we still know little more than we did months ago.

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

sam

Looks nice to me. Just hope it has MMS and video capture.
MIKE

it looks quite real to me, but where is the white iphone!? i want it !!!!

and about its thickness, i think its going to be as slim as iphone 1 is, cuz if you look carefully they re-placed the volume and silence buttons a lil bit to the front, so there are more room for the back cover to show off
sam

Yeah, but I think it's fake. I say this not to be racist but I don't think Apple is going to choose someone with the name Carlos Rodriguez to be placed on their biggest product to date.
Andrew

I could almost believe this. I think those white ones from a while back turned out to be developer units sent to Orange France didn't they? I can't really peak my interest in these though, not when we'll know for sure (probably) in 48 hours. With all the iPhone buzz on the internet knocking up some relatively decent looking photos and 'leaking' them seems to be an easy way to wind people up and get easy website hits. Even setting them up as a mock-up website suggests that it may not be final and excuses the faker of any shortcomings on the images.
Will Park

The biggest question to credibility is whether or not Apple would let this kind of leak happen. The company is known for crazy product information security – Steve Jobs has things locked down. There's rarely any sort of leak or loose-lipped blurb from any Apple employee or officer ("rarely" being the key word here).

If this leak is for real, then it's the biggest leak out of Cupertino to date. I'm down with a RED iPhone myself – we'll have to wait a couple more days!
Evan

The "RED" trademark is actually for the product RED company launched by Bono of U2 where specific companies market items, that are colored red, and a portion of the money goes to an AIDS fund. Apple is already apart of this and has the RED iPod nano. This could be legit, or a clever mock-up.
hifaash

I just downloaded those pictures about 3G iPhone… when looking at its properties I dont find any detail about the camera used to capture those images but details shows it has been edited using "Adobe PhotoShop CS3"… anyone can check this out…. may be those pictures are not real… Apple can make it much better…
ice

really look forward it…and also hope the unlocked edition released soon~
Philip

Apple would not put a square box around the camera on the front of the iphone. Apple is into disguising and hiding things. Why would the end user care where the camera is on the front.
jason

The picture of the phone in the hajax website looks ike a normal iphone with a faceplate on it
jared

i think it's fake. why would apple put two cameras on the device? look at the picture, there is a camera on the back too.
sam

Jason is right. that picture of the '3G iPhone' is fake. You can clearly see the aluminum backing on it.