Purported working iPhone 6 appears online, shows new Passbook icon depicting mobile payments

9/6/2014

A user on Weibo has uploaded a set of photos and a video of what looks like a working iPhone 6. The device’s software does not have the same tells as the Android fakes seen many times before. It features a new looking Passbook icon, that adds a top red bar depicting a ‘credit card’ icon. Assumedly, this is linked to Apple’s widely-reported mobile payments initiative.

Further images of the device show that is running iOS 8 (build 12A365), a build of the operating system that is not available for developer testing. It is unclear whether this is the build number of the GM. More information below.

The video from the user has been reuploaded, as it is hard to access directly, but is the main reason as to why this leak has any legitimacy. Note the smoothness of the transition from the passcode screen to the Home Screen — Chinese clones do not replicate iOS’ smooth animations this well.

Although these photos must be treated with extreme skepticism, an accompanying (but brief) video of the phone shows no signs of deception. The iconography and animations follow Apple’s official iOS 8 behaviors exactly, something which the fake Android clones always overlook. This is either a really good fake, with meticulous attention to detail not seen before from Chinese fakes, or this is the real deal. Aside from the new Passbook icon, the rest of the OS seems the same — except from being stretched to fill the larger 4.7 inch display.

Apple will officially announce the new iPhone 6 at a special event on Tuesday.

Update: Four more videos of the iPhone 6 in action: