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In the Taiwanese NCC registration database, a photo of the device is identified as “A2657,” in the form of a compact, dark-colored box about four inches long, more than an inch wide, and roughly the same thickness.
On one end is the ethernet connection, which appears to be a button, while the other has the same ethernet port and a white USB-C connection. There’s a very visible seam the entire length of the case, as if the device could be split in two, but it probably doesn’t have that capability.
At the top is the Apple logo, along with the words “Development Use Only” and a pair of QR codes, one of which simply conveys a printed reference number, the other doesn’t seem to include any usable data. As the text suggests, these QR codes may be for Apple’s internal use.
At the time of discovery, the device was found to include support for Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth, along with 32GB of RAM and 1.5GB of internal storage. It’s also thought to run software, possibly a version of iOS, since firmware is mentioned.
While there was some speculation when the device first surfaced, these subsequent images have cemented the idea that this won’t be an item sold to the public. It may be a device for retail sale, or used internally as part of a development or testing process.
Given the dual Ethernet ports on both ends and the extra USB-C connection, it could potentially be used to manage or monitor network traffic.
Apple regularly submits hardware for testing, following regulatory rules for devices, but while most reports are for items intended for sale to the public, sometimes for devices Apple’s own use, like this time.