Yahoo Finance Australian teenager leaks Apple prototypes
Sonny Dickson, a teenager from Melbourne, has apparently caught Apple's ire by leaking images, information and ideas straight from internal sources weeks before they are officially announced.
Plastic iPhone pic.twitter.com/OroixwbpHi
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) July 15, 2013
"Specialising in leaked images and news is intriguing because it provokes thoughtful discussion," the iOS developer says on his website, SonnyDickson.com. "In a world where information is readily available and rapidly obtainable, we strive to bring you the stories you want to read faster than any other site."
Recently, he revealed photos of plastic iPhone shells in various colours, which are rumoured to be part of a mid-range handset that the company plans on releasing later this year. He also tweeted a box of what appeared to be packaging materials labelled "iPhone 5C".
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Dickson also posted photos of an alleged iPad mini prototype to Instagram and Twitter in October last year, predating Apple's official announcement of the product.
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) October 9, 2012
He also releases internal information about the group's operations. His most recent blog post details the operations of MediMac, a small division where he says Apple "develops, tests and perfects all of their prototypes".
In an interview with Fairfax, Dickson said that the company, which is notoriously meticulous about controlling leaks, "watches me every single day. They always want to know what I know."
He also sells Apple device prototypes, claiming that he has "changed [the buying and selling process] so I don't have to touch the devices any more" — a switch he made in January when he says he learned that the company was set to investigate.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the Fairfax story.
