http://jake-moore.com/2008/05/30/3g-iphone-pic-fake-o-rly/

I've been talking to the store that sells that "case"

I was just about to post the exact same thing...

Based on the Model number and FCC ID, I would venture to say that it is NOT the 3G iPhone, but another 3rd party housing. Considering it says: A12XX and BCGA12XX.

That is a nice looking case though...

I disagree. AT&T could reasonably expect a testing period to ensure that any firmware upgrades that affect the way the phone interacts with their network do not cause problems.

Aron T - youre wrong.. they keep plenty of outdated models in stock. i still have applecare on my 12" powerbook g4, which was replaced after 2 years with the exact same model.. as well as a 3g ipod that was replaced with the same model a year and a half after the 4g was released. no one gets the newest model from applecare

Apple Care doesn't include free upgrades to new models, so I'm pretty sure if it's released after the 29th that won't be the reason. =)

Aron T:

You may very well be right about the June 29th date, but not for that reason. Apple will certainly have a back-stock of original iPhones long after the new one arrives. Whenever that is. And for exactly the reason you state. Some people did buy Apple Care and there will need to be some replacements for those, at least.

The only people that could get "free" upgrades would be those who purchase an original within 2 weeks of the new phone, and don't open it. They would get it free. If you open it you could still get the new phone by paying a restock fee.

At least this has been the case with every iPod in the past and with all of their hardware sales.

Let me clarify what I mean by a "free" upgrade...

Because the purchase of an iPhone includes one year of AppleCare the owner of the new iPhone is able to receive technical support and hardware repairs whenever there is a problem with the phone.

As is often the case with iPhone repairs the decision of the store is to simply replace the defective iPhone with a new iPhone.

This has happened to both my dad and my brother who are both on their 4th or 5th iPhones. I have never had a problem and still have my iPhone from June 29 (*knocks on wood*).

I can definitely see a situation in which Apple would try to prevent customers from using free AppleCare to get an upgraded iPhone. If you purchased an additional year of AppleCare there is really no way for Apple to avoid this issue.

I know for a fact that Apple does not keep (many) outdated iPods in-store to replace defective units. The typical solution is to repair or replace the unit with whatever is current and most similar.

For a time, yes, there will be iPhones-a-plenty to replace the "outdated" model, but I don't imagine it will be for very much longer.

ummm. this would be a plausible point only if everyone bought their iphone on June 29, 2007 (and everyone's warranty expired on Jun 28, 2008).

I would argue that most did not!

what do you think happens to the iphones that people claim defective...they get fixed and cleaned up...and ta-da a refurbished iphone for replacements. it's a vicious cycle, luckily apple is smart enough not to rob themselves of profits from this new phone.

Aron, wtf is your family doing with their iPhones? Dropping them off skycrapers? Geez!

@igors - game, set, match - good point friend.

@shostakov - Hah! My family is actually not that hard on their phone - my dad actually dove head first onto cement to save his phone from dropping out of his hand - it was quite hilarious.

The problems they have seen are with the touch-screen not registering input on certain parts of the screen after some arbitrary length of time.

Ironically, I've dropped my phone hard, twice, on the same corner and never had a single problem! (again, knocking on wood)

About time someone did something. The proposed iPhone 2.0 sounds very, very cool and a mile long line of buyers are going to brave the summer heat to buy it. You wait! Another thing, it is time too for someone to jump ahead of that octopus AT&T. The beast is everywhere. We thought the AT&T monster was buried with the split of Bell South and it was for a while but now it has risen up again with its long tentacles. Power to Apple, power to the iPhone 2.0