Before yesterday, ideas flew wildly about what Apple’s rumored iPhone would, could, and might look like. Here is a compilation of side-by-side comparisons, concept, to official.

This concept had the same idea as many concepts - that being that the iPhone would have a slide-out keypad, and an iPod-like face. This concept of course is far from reality because the iPhone is closer in size to a 5th generation iPod than a 1st generation Nano.

Here’s an interesting concept, but it looks like they only got 1 thing right. The product name.

Modeled after an earlier generation iPod, this iPhone concept is not bad, but Steve Jobs would hate using those tiny keys to type with. He’d rather have a lush touch-screen.

Here’s a concept that didn’t fare too badly again the real deal. The artist correctly assumed that the screen would be large, touch-sensitive, and in the shape of the unit would be iPod-like. Other than that, not so great.

I thought this one was funny, because it was actually not that far off from Jobs’ gag unveiling at Macworld 2007. This phony rotary dail iPhone was shown on screen before he went into further detail about it and showed the real thing.

So, is the touchpad thing projecting the screen like an LCD projector, or are they attached? The thinness factor looks unbelievable, probably as fragile as a wheat thin.

This concept design was actually fairly accurate. The ear piece at the top of the unit is about the same size and shape, and it does have a bigger screen, the wheel in the middle of which indicates it is touch sensitive. One of the few concepts that was black based in colour like the official Apple iPhone design. Too bad it had keys.

This concept is obviously not a serious attempt at guessing what Apple’s new iPhone would look like, but who with a vintage style and good taste in their right mind wouldn’t love one of these? It’s sleek, shiny, and looks like the old iMac’s base with a phone on top instead of a monitor. Very cool. Maybe something like this in the future for the corded market from Apple?

Another concept design which attempts to copy the Nano layout. Apple hasn’t ruled out that a future Nano-like iPhone release is possible. With buttons and a smaller screen though, less than likely.

A Nano concept design with a slide out for keys and a conferencing camera. The idea of the self-facing video-conferencing camera is good, but using it to talk to Phil Schiller, not so good.

Steve Jobs said in his January 9th keynote at Macworld that nobody likes a stylus. In his mind, Steve Jobs was also wanting to say that nobody likes Steve Balmer.

The iEgg. The concept was actually more acurate than a lot of the other concepts for how the iPhone would be marketed. Notice the hand that’s holding it? That brings in both the concept of size comparison, as well and adding a human element. As far as the rest of the concept, iEgg does not make a good crack at it.

This concludes the iPhone Stuff comparison of pre-Macworld 2007 fan iPhone concepts, to the real iPhone. Which one is your favourite?