iPhone 5 ‘Designed Before Steve Jobs’ Death’

Steve Jobs’ influence on Apple products has continued after his death in 2011, after a company executive revealed the designs for two smartphones existed before Tim Cook succeeded Jobs as CEO.

The comments were reportedly made by Apple government liaison officer Michael Foulkes to the San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who wants mobile manufacturers to work together to create a system that would reduce smartphone and tablet thefts in the region.

Steve Jobs influence

Foulkes told Gascón that researching and implementing any such method would be a long and laborious process and that designs for its next two smartphones, most likely the iPhone 5 and iPhone 6, preceded Tim Cook’s ascension to the top of the company.

Steve Jobs died aged 56 in October 2011 following an eight year battle with pancreatic cancer and his death came less than 24 hours after the iPhone 4S was announced. Cook was announced as his successor a month later and oversaw the launch of the iPhone 5 last September.

In the UK, operators already work together to prevent stolen phones from being reused. Their networks identify a mobile device’s unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, meaning that phones stolen in one country cannot be used in another.

Gascón told the San Francisco Examiner he was disappointed with the outcome of his meeting with Foulkes, describing it as “underwhelming” and that Apple’s government liaison officer was almost like “someone who’s been trained in the art of doing a lot of talking and saying nothing.”

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