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There's an iPhone in this 17th century painting and everything you know is a lie

Probably an early generation model

There's an iPhone in this 17th century painting and everything you know is a lie
26 May 2016

Can you even remember when the iPhone was first released? It’s become such a constant presence in our daily lives, it’s hard to imagine the human race functioning without it.

Well don’t Google it, because Apple CEO Tim Cook has got the answer for you - and it’s further back than you might think.

Flashing a blurry image of this 17th century painting to a room full of journalists at Start-Up Fest (never a high priority on our festival calendar, to be honest), Tim announced “"I always thought I knew when the iPhone was invented, but now I’m not so sure anymore."

"Last night Neelie took me over to look at some Rembrandt and in one of the paintings I was so shocked. There was an iPhone in one of the paintings."

The original painter, Dutchman Pieter de Hooch, described the mysterious block as “a letter” - but nah. Hoochy. Come on mate. That’s an iPhone.

You can tell it’s an early model by the rounded, metallic sheen at the top. Safe to say that this isn't a conspiracy anymore - it's a bulletproof fact.

Far more controversial is the precarious nature in which she's holding that iPhone. 346 years later, and it's still making us cringe out of our skin.