10 juicy details from the iPhone affidavit

How the cops cracked the case of the missing fourth-generation prototype, step by step

Click to enlarge. Source: San Mateo Superior Court

Here's what we know now that we didn't know before the court released a San Mateo detective's 10-page sworn statement of facts:

• When Gizmodo posted photos and videos of Apple's (AAPL) top-secret iPhone prototype, Steve Jobs got right on the horn to Gizmodo's editor, Brian Lam, and read him the riot act. He wanted the thing back, but was mostly worried what Gizmodo's story would do to sales of the iPhone 3GS.
• Lam comes back with a smarmy "off the record" e-mail. He won't return the dingus without a story he can run with -- like a letter from Apple legal saying it's the real deal. Then he makes a pitch for better access: "The thing is, Apple PR has been cold to us lately... I know you like walt [Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal] and pogue [David Pogue of the New York Times], and like working with them, but I think Gizmodo has more in common with old Apple than those guys do."

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Posted in: Apple, Brian Lam, Gizmodo, iPhone, Jason Chen, Lost, Missing, Prototype, Stolen

• Did Apple call the cops on Gizmodo?

  Let's look at the question of who got the ball rolling in the case of the missing iPhone

  Judging from reader comments, it's clear that a lot of people following the story of the lost iPhone prototype assume that the California police task force launched their investigation -- and raided the home of Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor who ended up with the device -- because Apple (AAPL) asked them to.

  In MORE

  Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 27, 2010 6:41 AM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Gizmodo, Jason Chen, John Gruber, Lost iPhone, Stolen iPhone

• Police raid Gizmodo editor's home

  Cops break open front door and seize computers in investigation of lost iPhone prototype

  It looks like the police are taking this pretty seriously.

  Armed with a search warrant, members of California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team broke into a private home Friday night and seized computers and other electronic equipment, according to a report posted Monday on Gizmodo.

  The home belonged to Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor who published photographs and videos MORE

  Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 26, 2010 5:37 PM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Gizmodo, Jason Chen, Lost iPhone, Police, Prototype, Stolen iPhone