You all must know about the iPhone 4G prototype which was leaked to the world buy the guys over at Gizmodo, we lovingly named the occasion the iPhone 4G Gizmodo Scandal. We according to an article over on information week, the Gizmodo leak may hurt Apple.

Apparently in a meeting with investigators, George Riley, Apple’s lawyer stated that Gizmodo’s publication of photos and descriptions of the prototype device were “immensely damaging to Apple and that Gizomdo’s story could convince people not to purchase current products and wait for the new iPhone release, and “thereby hurting overall sales and negatively effecting Apple’s earnings.”

However apparently the lawyer couldn’t come up with an estimated loss figure yet, but thinks the figure was “huge.” No formal charges have yet been filed over the iPhone 4G leak although possible crimes of stealing trade secrets and malicious damage to the device by opening it up and receiving stolen property could be brought.

Although it would be difficult to bring a charge of stolen property, which is a felony, considering in an interview with cops, the guy who lost the iPhone 4G stated it was “unlikely” the iPhone prototype was stolen from his bag.

So, Apple says the iPhone 4G incident has cost them revenue due to people holding off purchasing their goods and waiting for the iPhone 4G to be released, but what’s to say that as the iPhone 4G release gets closer, people wouldn’t have held off from purchasing the current iPhone 3GS anyway? Seems like anything to grab a few bucks out of Gizmodo as a type of compensation to me.