The new iPhone SE is expected to launch from Apple next week, and apparently the first device has been spotted in the wild. However, there are a lot of question marks hanging over its appearance.
The above image claims to show off the iPhone SE, in all of its 4-inch glory. It has the rounded edges inherited from the iPhone 6S, with the smaller size and power button location of the iPhone 5S. So far, so good.
It takes the tangible form of every floating rumor we've heard about Apple's upcoming 4-inch device. But that's where the story starts to get a little fishy.
Dead on arrival?
This unit in question was discovered at a shop in Huaqiangbei, an area within Shenzhen, China that's buzzing with consumer electronics sales. We're told by a spokesperson that the device "cannot be powered on" and that the associate working at this particular stand said that it "should be the one Apple is going to launch."
While Apple has been a lot more 'leaky' in recent years, it's hard to believe a prototype model would have found its way on sale already.
Next up on the list of why we think this iPhone SE leak is bunk, the speaker grilles drilled into the bottom of the unit lack dimension, slant awkwardly and are squeezed awfully close to the Lightning port, which would spell bad news for the durability of the product.
Beeep, the folks who forwarded us the leak, recorded their own footage with the purported iPhone SE. And, even the leakers themselves aren't too confident about the device that they saw being genuine.
So while this is very likely to be a quickly-created device made from various rumors online, it does look an awful lot like the final device we'll probably see in Cupertino next week - just without the suspicious deformities in the construction.
To see the real thing, as well as a lot more product announcements, tune in with us next Monday, March 21 for Apple's event.
Image credit: Beep
