Latest iPhone 3.1 beta points to mystery product

The latest beta version of iPhone OS 3.1 released to developers contains configuration settings for what is thought to be both a prototype and release-ready version of an as-yet-unannounced Apple product. Found in the updated USBDeviceConfiguration.plist file, which lists details about the USB configurations of various hardware models along with their Device IDs and product names, were two listings for a mysterious “iProd.” The first, iProd0,1, was first discovered in a beta version of iPhone OS 3.0 in March, and given its 0,1 designation, was thought to be a prototype. It has been joined in the latest 3.1 beta by iProd 1,1, the preceding “1” typically standing for a first-generation shipping product. In addition, the iProd 1,1 listing includes the a different ConfigurationDescriptor than the 0,1 model, but one it shares with iPhone models—“standardMuxPTPEthernet.” This suggests the product may have gained high-speed network capabilities, although Ars Technica states that the iPhone uses this interface for tethering capabilities. Notably, the presence of the “iProd” in the iPhone OS USB listing suggests that the device—believed by some to be a new Apple tablet—will run iPhone OS rather than or in addition to Mac OS X, however, the specific features of the device remain unclear.