Gizmodo Editor Makes a Deal in Stolen iPhone 4 Case
San Mateo County officials have withdrawn the search warrant previously issued for Gizmodo editor Jason Chen in the case of the stolen iPhone 4 prototype, after Chen agreed to voluntarily provide any information requested by authorities.
Over two dozen devices including computers and cameras were seized from Chen’s home in April after Gizmodo purchased a prototype iPhone 4 unit belonging to Apple engineer Gary Powell and ran an exclusive on its website. 21-year old Brian Hogan discovered the test unit after Powell misplaced it in a Silicon Valley-area beer garden. Hogan proceeded to shop it around to a number of tech blogs and publications (Wired turned it down) before selling it to Gizmodo for $5,000. Hogan was later apprehended by authorities. The phone was eventually returned after Gizmodo requested and received a letter from Apple to confirm the device belonged to them.
Gizmodo’s parent company Gawker contends that as a journalist, Chen is protected under California’s shield laws, a point now moot since Chen agreed to voluntarily provide information to authorities. However, criminal charges could still be filed against Gizmodo, Chen or Hogan.
Who knows when the great iPhone 4 prototype saga will have an end but at Friday’s press conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs couldn’t resist a dig at Gizmodo: “You know, sometimes websites buy stolen prototypes and put them on the Web. And we don’t like that.”
What do you think?
Pictured: The iPhone 4 prototype as it appeared on Gizmodo’s website earlier this year.
Google will unleash the Nexus One, the new Google smart-phone on Tuesday January 5th! The company has asked journalists to attend a gathering at its headquarters in Mountain View, California on Tuesday. Google is planning a press conference, a presentation, a Q&A session, AND a demo session and the meeting is supposed to last for three hours. Big news is coming.