The unfortunate Rokr E1

In late 2006, as speculation over the impending launch of the first iPhone sent the tech press into a frenzy, everyone wondered what Apple's design department had up its sleeve. Predictions were rampant over what the handset would do and what it look like. And since Apple isn't a leaky ship, we could only guess on both fronts.

On December 20 of that year, I assembled this photo gallery of the most popular iPhone concept designs I had seen. They were just rumors, and we would find out all the handset's details once Macworld 2007 commenced three weeks later. But for a few days they were all we had.

So now, on the occasion of the iPhone's fifth birthday, I'm posting the slideshow again to offer you a look at what Apple's handset could have been. At the time some were plausible, and some were ridiculous, and none of them quite compared to what we got.

No, this first handset wasn't a concept design, but I couldn't leave out the infamous Motorola Rokr E1. Technically, it was the first iPhone when Apple CEO Steve Jobs joined Cingular execs to unveil it in September 2005. And wow, was it a hot mess.

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