Apple Tells FCC: There's more to the iPhone than the Public Knows

 
Apple tells the FCC that there's more to the iPhone than the public knows and wants them to commit to a 45 day short term confidentiality that will freeze internal photos of the iPhone 4. What could Apple be holding back? Apple's FCC letter is enclosed in this report for your review.

Apple to FCC: Formal Short & Long Term Confidentiality Request

Note this specific Apple statement below: "Although Apple has begun to market the device publicly, these documents reveal technical and design information that has not been publically disclosed in such marketing and that is protected by Apple as confidential and proprietary secrets."

 

Also Enclosed in the FCC Document: Regulatory Label for iPhone 4

 

The information noted above was obtained from the FCC document BCG – E 2380A dated June 7, 2010 and just recently revealed. 

Yesterday, MacRumors pointed to a recent WWDC session that revealed that the iPhone 4 would sport 512 MB RAM. If that point pans out, then that would confirm Apple's main point made to the FCC. Yet the question that begs to be asked is: What other technical details could Apple be holding back from the public prior to release? Do you have any ideas? Let us know by making a comment below. 

 

Our Report is also Being Covered By: MacSurfer, Apple Investor News, MacDailyNews, The Register UK, igeneration France, iSpazio Spanish, Fortune CNN Money, MacPlus France, iLounge, TiPb, Techmeme, AppleInsider, MacNN, PhoneDog, iPhoneclub Netherlands, IntoMobile, AllNewsMac, Edible Apple, Phonesreview UK, AppleReport, BENM Austria, iPhoneHellas Greece, MacLife, iPhoner Italy, Softnation Germany, Macerkopf Germany, iPhones-Russia, MacTalk Australia, BlogdoiPhone Brazil, iSzene Germany, Macworld France and more. 

 

Update June 22, 2010: Information that Apple Wanted to Keep Secret

Los Angeles Times Busines: "Apple Inc. is now collecting "precise," "real-time geographic location" of its users' iPhones, iPads and computers. As some readers have noted, Apple has added a "Location Services" page under Settings ... General that allows users to prevent apps from using location information (as we covered here.) However, there's nothing to indicated that these settings prevent Apple itself from gathering and storing location data from Apple devices," states David Sarno of the Los Angeles Times. Also see InformationWeek on this point.

 

Whether this geo-location tracking clause appears in the new iPhone 4 manual that Apple requested to be kept under wraps by the FCC for 45 days is not known at this time. Yet it stands to reason that in order to activate the iPhone 4, you will have to agree to this clause which supports the need for secrecy and the positon that the Los Angeles Times report is taking. Update June 24, 2010: Confirmation: the geo-location tracking clause is in the manual. See the last clause of the iPhone 4 manual (of part one).

 

On one hand it's good. If you were ever stranded on a road and unable to communicate on your iPhone, the geo-location technology could still allow authorities to track your location. On the other hand, it's a privacy issue - and it appears that Apple isn't giving you a choice. We covered "Privacy: A Burning Issue," here.  Update, June 24, 2010: Washington law makers now want answers from Apple about this clause.  

 

Update, June 23, 2010 Re:  The iPhone 4 Teardown by iFixit 

In step 8, iFixit states: "While we're not too busy, let's talk RAM. Unlike the iPhone 3GS and iPad, who are both equiped with 256 MB, the iPhone 4 has a whopping 512 MB!"

So there you have it, iFixit confirms another secret that Apple tried to hold back via their letter of confidentiality to the FCC.

Update, June 23, 5PM Mountain Time: See new information about "Video Calls" in Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide just released  and a day ahead of the iPhone 4 launch.

 

Comments

[Katherine]

It also supports 1700MHz 3G with support for WIND in Canada and T-Mobile in the USA.

Soon it'll be available unlocked via Apple Stores in Canada, and also from the provider WIND.

People in the USA will also be able to buy these phones and use them on T-Mobile USA.

[marcus jones]

My take on this is that it has to do with a future lawsuit against Gizmodo.

[Allan]

There are some Blackberries that are both GSM/CDMA.
ie: The Blackberry 8830

There is even a iDEN/GSM phone the Motorola i930

[Dan]

I'm voting for a non-event.

[Chuck Gunther]

Could the front facing glass be used for barcode scanning and facilitate quick check-out and credit card use all in one? This could revolutionize any shopping experience, from grocery stores to who knows what.

[Gommer]

Maybe iPhone 4 will already support LTE networks!