
How Apple Lost the Next iPhone - transburgh
http://gizmodo.com/5520438/how-apple-lost-the-next-iphone
======
qeorge
FWIW, Gray is a close friend of mine and a wonderful engineer. He's been
passionate about Apple since the day I met him, and tirelessly defends the
company when I give him a hard time about their policies.

I truly hope Apple doesn't fire him over this. Any company would be lucky to
have him, but I know Apple is where he wants to be.

~~~
timcederman
Any further back-story you can provide on how this happened? I'm guessing not.

The consequences to Gizmodo for all of this should be interesting.

~~~
qeorge
No, and I'm sure he doesn't want to/can't talk about it. Techmeme was the
first I'd heard of it.

Even when we talk candidly, he's always been _fiercely_ loyal to Apple and
respectful of their IP.

A worse thing couldn't have happened to a better guy.

------
ugh
I don‘t really understand why it is necessary to show a photo of the guy and
give out his name. Seems sleazy.

Tell the story if you must but show some restraint, maybe?

~~~
qeorge
They should be ashamed. This benefits no one.

Edit: I'd like to highlight TUAW and Slashgear, who have both shown more class
and decency than Gawker and their ilk by choosing not to plaster his name and
photos all over their articles. Unfortunately, they seem to be the exception.

------
dasht
There is a subtle, cool point in the story as gizmodo tells it:

The fellow what left the bar with the phone called Apple repeatedly, and "all
he got for his trouble was a ticket number". I bet the gawker lawyers said, at
some point, "when you write this up, be sure to mention that we have that
ticket number." That's ample support for a fairly broad subpoena if Apple were
to decide to take action.

Oh, you should also notice that they _aren't_ putting out a call to identify
the Random Drunk Guy. That's a bit unlike them, unless they are already in
contact with that person.

Oh, and: Apple's counsel saying "where and when can we pick it up" -- Apple
knows they have no cause of action here. Otherwise, they would just send
'round a sheriff to collect it.

So, is Apple now going to repudiate that ticket number? Or do we all agree
that an appropriate and honest attempt was made to return the phone, that
failed because of negligence by Apple, and that any money paid for the
transfer to the press is, at the very, very least - perfectly legal?

(As for Gray, I would hope that Jobs et al. would do what any decent boss
would do if the stated facts are right: console the guy, remind him that shit
happens and that the firm highly values his work, make fun of him at a staff
meeting and mention at his next performance review how happy everyone was that
he reported the phone missing as soon as he realized it.)

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doron
Gawker has some serious explaining to do.

Its sleazy to pay and it is sleazy to make fun of guy. The possible public
service that the news offers, which can be debated, is overshadowed by this
corporate espionage mode of operation.

With that said, the extreme paranoia apple exacts on media, only serves to
make this more acute, Apple carefully mandated scripted "magic" moments also
feel sleazy at times, and heavy handed.

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asimjalis
Could the leak be part of Apple's marketing?

~~~
TomOfTTB
Even if Apple would do something like this, which I don't think they would,
Gawker media's the last company they'd ever give it to.

~~~
ciscoriordan
If they just let the phone out into the wild instead of micromanaging the
leak, they wouldn't control what company broke the story.

