We’ve seen plenty of iPhone and iPad prototypes as the legal battle against Samsung unfolds. Most of them were left prototypes for a reason, visually speaking. But this latest one caught my eye in a different way.
Apple yesterday revealed that the iPhone was birthed from a 2003 research project for the iPad. This CAD-rendered design, which shares a lot in common with the iPad 1, seems to be part of that. But the hard edges along the face give this a different flair; along with the curved metal back, this design looks positively space-age. It’s also slightly reminiscent of the HTC One X. Imagine you never invested a second or a cent into a single smartphone ecosystem. If you saw this phone, would it be enough to convince you to buy it? I think I would. [The Verge]