HP-01 prototype: What a bargain!

[PANAMATIK]

I do not know why a prototype should have this value. Besides in my eyes it should be easy to produce a prototype by replacing the back cover by a CNC produced new piece, which looks identical. But I'm not suspecting anything bad.

I like to ask, whether somebody knows why inside of the HP-01 at both edges of the circuit board are small metal or tin pieces instead of normal wires to connect some golden pads. I made a picture of the left side of the board. They are covered with epoxy electrical isolation material. The right arrow shows another pad which is covered with black plastic, obviously another isolation material.

It could be a protection against short circuit with the outer metal ring, which is only one millimeter above. But then just the epoxy alone could have done the protection. Why did they use this piece of metal?

Any idea?

Bernhard