iPhone and iPad prototypes reveal Apple design process

Early iPhone designs have emerged, showing what the people at Apple were thinking when they designed the iPhone and iPad.

The early designs for the iPhone and iPad have emerged in court documents submitted for the legal spat between Apple and Samsung, which reveal that Apple was inspired by Sony, of all people. The Verge has collected various versions of what could have been the iPad, and a now decidedly odd-looking slimline iPhone concept.

The iPhone prototype is labeled the N90, and is much slimmer than any final version of the iPhone -- it's barely wider than the dock connector in fact, and has a much smaller screen that only takes up half the phone.

It looks like a Qwerty phone without the keyboard, which I'm guessing means either the bottom of the phone had some kind of touch-sensitive thing going on, or the designers of this concept didn't think a phone would ever be used for watching videos and other things that require a bigger screen.

The two-tone casing on the back isn't a million miles away from the silver and black frame that encased the very first iPhone.

Another iPhone concept features sharply-angled corners, making it look a bit like a prop from a sci-fi film. 

Various iPad designs have also been revealed, including a number of twists on the humble kickstand to support the tablet without using your hands. We've also seen pictures of the iPad prototype with dual dock connectors that sold on eBay for £6,500 in May.

Another interesting note is that many of the concepts are labelled iPod, suggesting Apple was considering keeping the new designs within the established branding.

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