White iPhone 4 Spotted Running on T-Mobile Network

Below is a picture of a white iPhone 4 and it is running on T-Mobile. Boy Genius got pictures of a prototype. We now know that a white iPhone is finally coming. Boy Genius says that this iPhone 4 is powered by a “test version of Apple’s iOS” with some special apps that are not on regular iPhones. One is called Radar and the other is a directory of the Apple employee directory. This prototype is named model N94. Verizon’s was N92 and AT&T’s is N90.

Boy Genius has lots of speculation about what this might be. For now all we know is this picture shows us that Apple is probably testing out a phone with a radio that works with T-Mobile. But why?

Some might explain this by citing the impending T-Mobile merger with AT&T if they get regulatory approval. Apple and AT&T will need to provide all the former T-Mobile customers with phones that run well on those networks. But AT&T already confirmed that they will be replacing any unlocked iPhones running on T-Mobile with AT&T models since they will use the added T-Mobile equipment to support their 4G network upgrade.

It is also unlikely that these are just mockups. They look too authentic. It could be that Apple is testing the iPhone on T-Mobile as part of preparation for the launch of the new iPhone 5 for later this summer or fall. Boy Genius points out that it would not make sense to release an iPhone for T-Mobile now since AT&T will just be replacing it when the merger goes through. However, that will likely take a year to work through and might not ever happen due to possible governmental opposition. In the interim Apple could sell a ton of T-Mobile phones.

It is also possible that there are no present plans to partner with T-Mobile and that Apple is just doing internal testing on other carrier’s networks to prepare for potential partnerships somewhere off in the future. This device may have been created before the T-Mobile/AT&T merger was announced.

Be sure to see the full gallery of images at BGR.