The iPhone that was never released.

A rare prototype of the iPhone 16 Pro comes pre-installed with the first beta version of iOS 19, without Liquid Glass.

iPhone 16 Pro prototype with the first build of iOS 19. Photo: AppleInsider .

The AppleInsider website shared photos of an unreleased iPhone 16 Pro. This device is from the EVT (Engineering Validation Testing) development phase and comes pre-installed with the first beta version of iOS 19.0.

The device is owned by a collector named Kyolet. Unlike its official release name, iOS 26, the iOS 19 version on this device does not have the Liquid Glass interface, although the settings contain a setting called "Sensitive UI".

During its development phase, Liquid Glass was codenamed Solarium. This term also appeared in the internal testing application Livability, used to enable/disable experimental features. Even when enabled, the operating system interface remained essentially the same as iOS 18.

Although vastly different from iOS 26, the iPhone with the iOS 19 beta still reveals some internal features that may appear in iOS 27 or subsequent versions.

The Livability app shows a list of features planned for WWDC 2025, Fall 2026, and even WWDC 2027. New features revolve around messaging, photos, wallet, and disability support.

Many of the testing tools for Apple Intelligence and the Workout Buddy feature on the Apple Watch also appear on the device. This is normal because some tools are developed over a long period, sometimes for years.

The Livability app includes features for scheduling product launches according to a timeline. Photo: AppleInsider .

The iPhone 16 Pro prototype also comes pre-installed with PurpleRestore 4. This application, previously only available for Macs, is used by Apple engineers to install the operating system on phones.

According to MacRumors , the mobile version of PurpleRestore 4 could be used to develop a wireless factory reset feature, first introduced in iOS 18.

The prototype iPhone 16 Pro also contains many apps related to Apple Intelligence, Private Cloud Compute, and Siri. Other tools include settings for HomePod, voice settings, AI scoring, and more.

The device also revealed that iOS 19.0 was the original name Apple used. This suggests the decision to switch to iOS 26 came rather late. However, the exact time when Liquid Glass was developed and internally tested remains unclear.

EVT is part of Apple's product development process. After conceptualization and design, models undergo drop tests and durability checks. Following durability testing, the project moves on to prototyping, aiming to create a fully functional device containing all the necessary hardware.

Settings related to Liquid Glass on the test iPhone. Photo: AppleInsider .

The hardware in the Proto device is still the first version, meaning there are many changes compared to the final version. In some cases, the modifications come from the casing or the connection ports.

The next crucial phase after Proto is called EVT, short for Engineering Validation Testing, which focuses on perfecting the hardware. Similar to Proto, this phase includes sub-processes such as EVT-1, EVT-2, etc., to differentiate between revised versions.

After EVT, the device moves to the DVT phase, which stands for Design Validation Testing, ensuring that the product hardware functions normally and is free from external or structural defects.

After the entire development phase is complete, factories begin mass production of the devices before the launch date. The hardware models are tested before shipment to ensure normal operation. Any device delivered to customers by Apple or retailers can be considered mass production (MP).

Source: https://znews.vn/chiec-iphone-chua-tung-ra-mat-post1611837.html