This week the world reflected on the advent of the iPhone, as the iconic handset’s 10th anniversary rolled around.
And while much has been made of how the phone developed in the years following its launch, we’ve now got a look at some designs Apple was considering prior to the iPhone’s arrival.
Ken Kocienda, who helped develop the first iPhone’s software keyboard, took to Twitter to share photos of two prototype designs for the handset.
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The former Apple employee worked on ‘Human Interfaces’ at the company before becoming self-employed this year, and says he had the prototypes in his desk for the last 10 years.
https://twitter.com/statuses/880451736049139712
It remains unclear why the devices were referred to as “Wallabies”, but we’re certainly glad Apple chose not to pursue the chunky, plastic, ipod-esque designs shown in the photos.
Kocienda added in a further tweet: “Returning this hardware was tough, like saying goodbye to old friends.”
He also made clear the two devices in the photos were not standalone handsets, adding: “The Wallabies were just touchscreens driven by a Mac and a bare motherboard through a 30-pin connector.”
Related: 10 hilarious Reddit comments about the original iPhone
We’re sure there were other prototypes being considered at the time – after all, the final design looks nothing like the devices showin these latest shots.
Kocienda revealed in a further tweet that these were the the only two prototypes he’d seen, adding: “There could have been more I didn’t know about.”
But it is fascinating to see how the phone could have looked, even if the designs in question aren’t the slickest handsets we’ve ever seen.
Let us know what you think of the designs in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
