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Why Can’t Apple Just Drop the ‘Leaked’ iPhone 4G Inquiry?

Why Can’t Apple Just Drop the ‘Leaked’ iPhone 4G Inquiry?

Last week the judge who issued the search warrant for Gizmodo blogger Jason Chen’s home office unsealed the supporting affidavit at the request of Gizmodo parent company Gawker Media and several other media organizations.

According to Channel Web, the search warrant authorized seizure of evidence relating to theft or vandalism of the iPhone prototype, as well as “to buying or receiving stolen property.” All of those offenses are felonies.

The documentation also reveals Detective Matthew Broad applied for the warrant based on information given to him by Apple representatives. They claimed at the time that loss of the iPhone 4G prototype and the subsequent release of photos and details about the device were “immensely damaging” for the company because sales of current versions of the iPhone would fall off as customers wait for the new version to be released.

Interestingly, though, in a Channel Web story posted just Monday writer Andrew Hickey takes issue with that claim. And I agree with him. He says:

Apple buyers and consumers know a new iPhone will hit in the summer of 2010. They’ve known it since they plunked down the dough for a 3GS. That’s how Apple works. For Apple to claim that early details of its latest smartphone creation leaking to the public will have a “huge” negative impact current sales is short-sighted.

Hickey then points to iPad sales numbers as an example of the company’s “sales prowess” and urges Apple to look at the leak as free advertising rather than a threat to its empire. (Besides, if President Obama’s recent quip that iPhones and iPads are bad for democracy doesn’t even warrant a response, why do a few pictures and a description of the coming iPhone’s features require a criminal investigation?)

It’s great advice, considering you can’t put the cat back in the bag, but I doubt Apple will take it. The powers that be in Cupertino love control too much for that.

[Thanks: http://www.itbusinessedge.com]

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