Apple had announced its first iPhone back in 2007. However, prior to the release of its game changing handset, the company was also working on a number of prototype models in secret. Now, one such prototype has emerged and it is quite unique to say the least.
The prototype was shared by Tony Fadell (via TechCrunch), who was also behind the development of the iPod back in the 2000s. Recently, Fadell has been sharing details regarding his time working at the Cupertino based giant. Apparently, before the first iPhone, the company only had the iPod as a mobile device. So when working on some of the early prototypes, the brand was exploring the idea of adding the functionalities of a phone into an iPod.
Thus, one of the prototypes had a unique design, which included the iconic Click Wheel. Notably, this could even double as a number pad as well. Fadell stated that this early model was built by a third party manufacturer in the early stages of “iPod Phone” development. This model included a built in camera and a color scheme that resembles the actual first iPhone. A swivel would help users quickly change the bottom of the iPod to convert it into a phone.
Apparently, Steve Jobs himself had strongly insisted that the team would create an iPod phone rather than build a completely new device. The reason for this was due to the popularity of the iPod’s iconic design, which included the Click Wheel. However, it was soon realized that it wasn’t good experience when using the Click Wheel for the phone. Thus, it shifted to a large full touch screen design and a Mac OS X based operating system.
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