The accompanying wired article (http://www.wired.com/2011/05/gps/) was published May 2011, says the device was found in 2005, and the teardown suggests parts were as old as 1999.

It's history (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/history/5250?page=3) shows the first edit to be on April 13, 2011 @ 3:31 PM.