The Vergecast Version History: iPhone 4
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Dec 28, 2025 
Walt Mossberg, a longstanding tech columnist known for influencing mainstream technology coverage, joins the discussion on the iconic iPhone 4. They delve into its dramatic path to launch, from being lost in a bar to becoming a technological milestone. Topics include the introduction of FaceTime and its implications, the infamous Antennagate scandal, and the ensuing media frenzy. The podcast also reflects on Apple’s approach to secrecy, the iPhone 4's lasting legacy, and even debates what features from the past should be revived today.
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Gizmodo's Bar-Found iPhone Leak
- Gizmodo published a lost iPhone 4 found in a bar and disassembled it, sparking a massive leak and legal fallout.
- Nilay Patel and others recall fierce competition and ethical debates among gadget blogs about that scoop.
Don't Pay For Leaked Prototypes
- Avoid paying for anonymous leaks and prioritize ethical sourcing of devices when covering tech scoops.
- Nilay and Walt stress returning prototypes and handling sources with compassion to avoid legal and moral fallout.
How The Prototype Was Acquired
- An Apple engineer left a prototype at a bar and the finder eventually sold it to Gizmodo for $5,000 after failed return attempts.
- The sale and disassembly crossed journalistic ethics lines and provoked Steve Jobs' fury and police involvement.