Apple's Mobile Me to be an MVNO?

Of course we can't in any way, shape, or form vouch for the validity of these shots, but an anonymous tipster mailed in (and also apparently hit up our pals at TUAW with the same material) about having a friend who came over to show off his new cellphone (pictured), a one-in-fifty test unit for trying out Apple's Mobile Me service, which is apparently an Apple MVNO slated to run on Cingular and to be launched in February -- hey, that's the story, we're just passing it on. So apparently this friend heads to the throne and our tipster snaps up the friend's Samsung SGH-X497, pops off the battery, and grabs the given blurry shots of the Apple-branded SIM, which was apparently stamped with:

xx/50 Test Unit [digits written in sharpie]
Apple Computer
Internal Test MM1.3.a

Of course we've talked about an Apple MVNO since what seems like the dawn of time, but between the blurry camphone shots and how well we know Apple for sending out test units into the wild before a Stevenote goes down, well, we'll let you decide whether this thing is the real deal.

[Rus @ Jan 31st 2006 9:53AM]

Ummm ... in case you didn't realize it ... that is an iTunes Music Store Gift card in the sim slot ... not a sim card

[joe friday @ Jan 31st 2006 9:57AM]

Apple's not using the eon ipod commercial colors anymore, probably even for testing. It appears to be a used itunes gift card, cut to the shape of a SIM, with gaussian blur to eliminate the bad cutting with oversized scissors (no noise on these pics? is this taken with a noise-free 320x240 webcam?).

Believe me, if anyone had real pics of an upcoming mac product, they'd post a 5 megapixel image AT LEAST. Hardcore mac fans dont use cheap cameras.

[Glancing Aft @ Jan 31st 2006 10:00AM]

BS

[Sasha S. @ Jan 31st 2006 10:01AM]

I would say this is a fake. I am telecom consultant and I know that this kind of tests are never done with external users. Especially when a company like Apple is concerned.

Besides, there is not a single reason (technical or otherwise) why can't Apple test the service from within Apple campus.

My impression is that this is a F-A-K-E! Also why would Apple want to mess with mobile service? It does not make any sence. (Not that Apple would not make the best of it).

[John Doe @ Jan 31st 2006 10:04AM]

BS....My automatic response to any fuzzy pictures at this point. I have a cheapass camera in my phone and it can take better pictures then this. If you can't take even a somewhat OK photo don't bother wasting everyone's time.

[Ben @ Jan 31st 2006 10:11AM]

It's obviously shopped, that's why every photo is blurry. to hide the cheap cut & paste. i find it hard to believe that someone with a camera couldn't take a sharp picture

[Greg Smith @ Jan 31st 2006 10:17AM]

I agree with all these 'fake' commenters, and no one wants a Apple phone more than me. I would think that Apple would at least test with Moto phones.

[A-Pow @ Jan 31st 2006 10:21AM]

FAKE. Notice the comparison between the 2 images. The Apple logo on the top is slightly off from the one where the phone is horizontal. Not to mention when he made the second image it wasn't rotated enough and framed out on the landscape to match the direction change. Fake. Not even a good Photoshop fake.

[Zeek @ Jan 31st 2006 10:26AM]

lemme guess. He took the photo with the phone in the photo, so that's why it's blurry.

[Another John Doe @ Jan 31st 2006 10:26AM]

If this were real, why aren't there pictures of the front? Why would they have made specially painted SIMs anyhow if it is only a test?

[karl @ Jan 31st 2006 10:30AM]

Why are these shots of supposed new stuff ALWAYS blurry? I mean jeez, it's like bigfoot or UFO photos. Just absolutely pathetic.

[Gogh @ Jan 31st 2006 10:31AM]

"3. (no noise on these pics? is this taken with a noise-free 320x240 webcam?)."
_______________

Have you ever heard that cameras without macro, snap really blurry and noiseless pictures when they are taken too close to target.

[labelexec @ Jan 31st 2006 10:32AM]

If Apple was going to be a MVNO they definitely wouldn't go with a GSM provider that uses UMTS. UMTS is much slower than EV-DO. Apple will likely be more inclined to go with Verizon with EV-DO.

[John Hinds @ Jan 31st 2006 10:48AM]

Fake, it's just a sim card shape cut out of an iTunes gift card.

[John Proffitt @ Jan 31st 2006 10:51AM]

I'm suspicious of the photo, but I'm kind of expecting the private label phone service thing, with or without the iPhone everyone has been waiting for. Really, it's a logical step -- Steverino brings flat-rate simple pricing to online music, then follows that up with flat-rate simple pricing for cellular service, then maybe introduces the iPhone at a later date or never. The number one problem with cell phone services, bar none, is the whacked pricing structure. Verizon, Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. all run screw-the-customer pricing models and do their best to hide that fact. Apple could come in, sweep the industry with a clean, simple pricing model, and maybe (or maybe not) introduce a phone later.

If Steve builds a simple phone service with simple pricing, I suspect he'd attract a lot more fans.

[funkright @ Jan 31st 2006 10:52AM]

This is a Samsung phone, it's the same one, of many, I have in my work collection, model X497 in Canada.

[jahue @ Jan 31st 2006 10:55AM]

I really dont think cingular would have a special sim card for the mac phones. AND LOOK AT THAT PHONE DO YOU THINK APPLE WOULD PRODUCE A PIECE OF CRAP LIKE THAT. come on guys the designers for apple are better than that!

[Tom @ Jan 31st 2006 11:19AM]

no one is suggesting that apple made the phone, if u read the article it says its a samsung phone.
anyway its fake...did anyone pay for this photo? otherwise, wot the hell is the point in faking it?

[Donald @ Jan 31st 2006 11:45AM]

"lemme guess. He took the photo with the phone in the photo, so that's why it's blurry."

The X497 isn't a camera phone.

[Joe @ Jan 31st 2006 11:58AM]

This is so not up to Engadget's standards unless it was under the "Keepin it real fake" heading. No way is this news other than some jackass got Engadget and TUAW to actually publish the crap.

[jacob stevens @ Jan 31st 2006 12:12PM]

@12
While a good point about the UMTS vs EVDO , I suspect there is a good chance Apple would not go w/ Verizon Wireless purely based on VZW's insane business practices (look it up, specifically GIN and crippled bluetooth)

And @ the "its blurry" comments, most phones do not have a macro setting, this pic is taken far too close NOT to use a macro setting.

I hope Apple does it, @*&$ the big 3 and their "screw-the-customer pricing models"

-jacob

[wheelsee @ Jan 31st 2006 12:27PM]

so what exactly would they be testing here? the 497 is a bargin basement phone with no multimedia features...definately doesnt fit in with Apple's plans of being a multimedia hub...

-wC

[phlavor @ Jan 31st 2006 12:51PM]

You know, I have to laugh at how quick everyone is to yell, "Photoshop!" and then give inane observations when it comes to supposed spy pics. No one thought the Mirrored Drive Door G4 pictures where real until it came out the next day. Everybody called BS on the current G5 cases too. The strongest argument was that it was completely against Apple's design philosophy.

I'm not saying these things are always right, far from it. But show a tiny bit of faith people. Do I think it's for real? I don't know. But I hope so. My SE616 has seen better days.

[nosoupforyou @ Jan 31st 2006 1:01PM]

If this truly is a SIM card for a new Apple MVNO, you know what that means.

Microsoft MVNO.

[ucif @ Jan 31st 2006 1:09PM]

I am a spammer: [e-mail]

[Muller @ Jan 31st 2006 1:29PM]

this is a fake. I worked at apple testing hardware for over 5 years, and they would never put their logo on an externally tested project.

[nosoupforyou @ Jan 31st 2006 1:31PM]

Hey ucif, you haven't even seen the actual phone. For all we know the pictured Samsung x497 could have a custom Apple OS. Don't be too quick to judge. This could even turn out to be a hoax.

[Bo Kristensen @ Jan 31st 2006 1:49PM]

I found a better picture of that SIM card!

http://ipodmechanic.com/images/IMG_3042-med.jpg

[Jimbob @ Jan 31st 2006 2:14PM]

Apple are notorious for secrecy, they are not going to let something this big be out in the wild and traceable to them.

[Donald @ Jan 31st 2006 2:23PM]

Another reason why it makes sense to use a GSM mobile if Apple wants to get into the cellphone market: Who's to say that they're not going to become an MVNO in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Asia) as well? Or at least have the option for consumers in that part of the world to import the phone.

[foQ @ Jan 31st 2006 2:32PM]

Grab one of the images and rename it to a .txt file. Now open it. See the "JFIF
 d d ?Ducky
 < ?Adobe" in there? This tag says that it was an image CREATED by an Adobe product. To me, this says it's faked, but everybody is entitled to their own opinions.

[Ravi @ Jan 31st 2006 2:45PM]

Its too easy to notice the messed up sides of the sim card. Look near the apple logo :|

[R Hunt @ Jan 31st 2006 2:50PM]

This story is getting aggregated by Google news right now... I would seriously consider updating it to reflect that this is OBVIOUSLY a hoax. The reputation of engaget is at stake if you allow something this ridiculous to be published on your site.

[eric @ Jan 31st 2006 3:04PM]

i think poster #27 is absolutely right. apple would NEVER put their logo on an externally tested product for obvious reasons (this being one of them). On a product like this, i'm willing to bet that the superficial design of the SIM card is the last step.

[yet another Matt @ Jan 31st 2006 5:08PM]

This is has been mentioned in nearly every post, but so im gonna re itterate too. I would be seriously amazed if this is the new apple phone, if not for the very tacky aerial alone. Anyone worked out what this phone really is yet? Looks like a panasonic or something

[greenline @ Jan 31st 2006 6:27PM]

Well that is not a very good picture regardless if it is real or not. I would like to hear from whoever sent it in, and see why they couldn't take a better picture. I mean if some dude had it at their house, then they would of had plenty of time to take a few shots to get a good one, it's not like it was some "spy" camera phone situation at a inside presentation or something. I need more before I believe it. AND it does look a lot like a giftcard. Poor form.

[Paul @ Jan 31st 2006 6:34PM]

Hey! Did you hear?! Hot off the Press...

Apple has commissioned the Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and a famous family of Jackalopes to market this product.

Blurry, bullsh*tted sensationalism has never witnessed this kind of star power coming together ever before.


Cheers, Paul-F


-----
Canada Relocation as Easy as 1, 2, 3...

1. http://www.nupad.ca
2. http://www.relocation-canada.com
3. http://www.relojobs.ca

[Brian @ Jan 31st 2006 6:35PM]

This explains itself..... i think we can setle this one http://wingspeed.0catch.com/apple_sim.jpg

[Paul @ Jan 31st 2006 6:38PM]

Hey! Did you all just hear?! Hot off the press...

Apple has commissioned Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and a famous family of Jackalopes to promote this new phone!

Blurry, Bullsh*tted Sensationalism has never seen this much star power come together for a cause before.

Cheers, Paul-F

[thejohnfloyd @ Jan 31st 2006 6:44PM]

looks just like a samsung phone that i saw at the cingular store...

[acidreflux @ Jan 31st 2006 6:57PM]

being a mvno, it doesnt necessarily require Apple to build a phone. and as mentioned before, it is a samsung phone. so what would apple being selling? itunes with no headphone jack, videos with pathetic streaming, long distance over your included long distance. oh wait, they are the new virgin mobile. yeah, apple is just gonna bust right into the phone biz. sure.

second of all, seriously why would a computer manufacturer jump in the phone business. first, you just dont implement technology and jump in. your business model needs to be put in place, your personnel needs to be trained or aquired, you need billing structures, etc. as with the cable companies, it is not a surprise when they start recruiting phone company execs before their product launch.

along these lines, with no sneek peak or analyst before this, no new job postings at apple, i would be very leary. not to mention that some readers here feel very confident that it is gc in the tray. dubious, at least.

[rashmi @ Jan 31st 2006 7:35PM]

The level of control over branding, user interface and device designthat Apple would have over the device is greater than other MVNOs or wireless operators.

Sure if this is fake, it makes perfect sense for such universal brands.ESPN and Virgin tried, but google may conquer and so can Apple!

Why can't apple or jump into this? google wi-fi hotzones, google logo on the motorola handsets, google content, ads, google voice, google buying telco networks, infrastructure and agreements with service providers....isn't all this a part of their MVNO game? Google takes a plunge with a 'zero' telecom background. Billions are left bewitched - including you and me:)

[Aaron Fisher @ Jan 31st 2006 9:24PM]

Why would Apple go Analog. GSM is worldwide, one unit for one world.

[dianamac @ Jan 31st 2006 10:18PM]

Just like photos of the sasquatch & flying saucers, it's mysteriously blurry.

[Andi @ Feb 1st 2006 6:05AM]

a secret tipp:
go to flickr.com and search for the tag "mobileme"

[Raider @ Feb 1st 2006 10:00AM]

Like the first poster said. It is a iTunes gift card you can get at basically any store. Cut up into the shape of a sim card and shoved into a phone.

[rashmi @ Feb 1st 2006 2:20PM]

Saw 'apple mobile'- looks cool!

[Brice Smith @ Feb 1st 2006 3:26PM]

i hex dumped the picture in was made in photo shop stoopid liars

[Nick @ Feb 1st 2006 6:31PM]

Everyone who believes this: you can buy a brand new, unlocked, apple G6 cellphone from me, with 56gb of internal memory and blu-ray memory card slot for only $999!
Send money via paypal (for your own protection!) to [e-mail]

[JoeyDG @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:18AM]

What a load of C_AP! Like apple would actually approve anything where you had to actually remove the battery to insert a gift card. This is a piece of paper cut-out from off their inkjet printer and cut and pasted over the sim card. Then they used the fuzz feature of iPhoto to fuzz it all over the place so it wouldn't be so obvious. What a cool idea though.