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In Samsung’s defence to alleged iPhone copying, these designs leaked from the trial claim to show that Samsung came up with iPhone-like designs way before the first Apple smartphone was released in 2006. Samsung's F700 smartphone had been in pre-production long before the iPhone and that many of its design characteristics are similar to that of, what they claim to be, a later released product by Apple.

We can’t be the only ones to think Nokia Lumia when feasting our eyes on this early iPhone prototype (on the right) that has more than a striking resemblance to the Finnish company’s latest Windows Phone range. Running on iOS then known as iPhone OS, it also gives us a glimpse at the concept of what apps initially looked like on a homescreen.

Possibly dating before the iPhone, this grainy pic is one of many that show what appear to be early prototype visions of the iconic iPad we know today. Clearly a much thicker device than the Apple tablet that finally made into the public domain, it is believed that this is the product that the late Steve Jobs referred to in an interview back in 2010 and had been worked on in the early 2000s. The working prototype was apparently put on hold to focus on instead on creating the first iPhone.

Designed back in 2005, some time before the iPhone was released in 2007, the ‘purple’ prototype was used in Apple’s defence against Samsung’s claims that the Cupertino company had copied Sony design concepts (in the previous slide) for its first iPhone smartphone.

Prior to trial proceedings, Samsung revealed that Apple industrial designer Shin Nishibori was instructed to look at an iPhone prototype inspired by Sony design elements and this what he came up with back in 2006. Interestingly the design factor looks very iPhone 4-esque and also has the words ‘Jony’ inscribed in the back which is likely to be related to a certain Jony Ive.

A whole host of iPad prototypes have also been unveiled revealing that the Cupertino company had explored various design possibilities for the first Apple tablet including one that incorporated an almost edge to edge display and one with a screen that folded over the front of the device.

Imagine if the iPhone ended up sporting a more movie-friendly widescreen display? The concept of a bigger display was clearly thought about by Apple during the iPhone-making process judging from this design that also featured a curved white back.

Before the iPhone entered our lives, Apple decided to test the waters with the Motorola ROKR boasting support for iTunes, and now Samsung has unveiled these early iPhone prototypes that share a striking resemblance to the Android-powered Motorola Photon 4G. We actually quite glad this never saw the light of the day.

More early iPad designs suggested that Apple toyed with the idea of featuring a kickstand positioned centrally on the back of the device. Other notable designs to emerge included an Apple designed tablet sporting a 16:9 screen ratio.