Apple iPhone coming?

[DigiDutch]

I read more and more rumors about the announcement of the Apple iPhone on Sept 7th..

What do you guys think it will be, or what would you like it to be?

Being an Apple fan I'm very curious what they have come up with...

[DrDeltaM]

The iPhone is one of the longest rumoured Apple devices in history I guess :-)

I wouldn't mind it being released soon tho, my 5 year old Ericsson's battery is only going for 2 days anymore now

[pan60]

i need a new phone, it would be interesting to see.

[max cooper]

I'd hate to associate listening to music (something I like) with my cell phone (something I usually hate.)

[GilWave]

Jobs talks up Apple cell phone

By Kasper Jade, at AppleInsider.com
Published: August 10, 2006 11:05 PM EST

Apple Computer chief executive Steve Jobs has been boasting about his company's much-rumored iPod cell phone amongst inner circles, AppleInsider has been told.

The remarks are uncharacteristic of Jobs, who is often regarded for his obsession with secrecy -- especially when it comes to unannounced products from his own company. But it's been said that Jobs' own excitement over the device has produced a number of zealous ramblings amongst personal acquaintances dating back to this spring.

One person familiar with the ongoings believes the Apple cofounder has commissioned the release of cell phone prototypes to at least two potential OEM manufacturing partners in recent months. Current designs are said to conform to Apple's integrated model and leverage its tightly-knit digital media franchises, that person added.

Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a second informant has told AppleInsider of an incremental buzz surrounding the phone, which has heightened in recent weeks. The informant, who flourishes a nearly unblemished track record in predicting Apple's future music directions, has said the device is slated to turn up earlier than some people may be expecting, in the form of a "big bang" introduction that will catch even some insiders off-guard.

By now, the notion of an Apple-branded iPod cell phone has grown from rumor to expectation, fueled in part by analysts on Wall Street who have become increasingly vocal in their convictions that Apple is developing such a device.

Upon exiting a meeting with the company's leadership earlier this year, Bear Stearns analyst Andy Neff said it was his belief an iPod phone was "in the works." Similarly, Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, recently stated his "firm" belief that Apple has been working on cell phone technology.

Wu said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company is likely to adopt an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) strategy, where it will not own a licensed frequency spectrum, but instead resell wireless services from larger providers under its own name. Such an approach would allow Apple to maintain tight control over the phone's user experience, he said.

However, Wu is like a handful of analysts that are doubtful Apple will be able to roll-out its mobile strategy until mid-2007 at the earliest. Instead, the analyst believes the company is still working out its go-to-market strategy and may need the additional time.

For Apple, a long-running concern about offering an iPod cell phone is the risk that it may cannibalize the low-end flash player market, which includes its 1GB and smaller capacity iPod digital music players.

"The company has said it is possible that a music-enabled phone could cannibalize the demand for a lower priced iPods," PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster recently told his clients. He equates the conflict to the inclusion of digital cameras in cell phones, which did not impact demand for higher end cameras, but weighed on the lower-end market.

"While we continue to believe there is a high chance that Apple will launch an iPhone in the next 12 months, the company says that the right path for Apple is to continue to pursue devices with one primary feature and not focus on multiple functions in one device," Munster said.

Still, Apple has been known to make diversionary comments in an effort to safeguard its future product plans. During a conference call with media and analysts in October 2004, a member of the company's executive team stated that Apple had no plans to enter the sub-$800 PC market and would instead focus its efforts on its booming music business and related products. Less than three months later, Apple introduced its first sub-$500 computer: the Mac mini.

For these and other reasons, the mainstream media has been unwilling to relent in its probes into the possibility of an iPod cell phone. At times, even Jobs appears to have been caught slightly off guard by the barrage. At the launch of the Apple Store Fifth Avenue in Manhattan this May, a CNBC reporter abruptly asked the Apple chief when consumers would be able to buy an Apple iPhone.

"You know, we never talk about unannounced products," said Jobs, "...but if we ever do announce something like that I'd love to talk to you about it then."

Jobs may have been speaking literally, say insiders, who note that he is unlikely to proceed with plans to bring the device to market unless all the pieces fall smoothly into play at the right time. "It must function as seamlessly as it looks," said a source. "That's the only way he will have it."

The mercurial CEO has watched new product initiatives span well into their respective development cycles before deciding to pull the plug for one reason or another. A known perfectionist, Jobs has also gone on record in saying that he is just as proud of the products Apple has shipped over the year's as he is with the company's deciscion not to ship others.

But it's looking increasingly unlikely that Apple's mobile initiative will fall by way of the ax. Perhaps the most telling piece of evidence to this end came during the company's quarterly conference call last month. During the call, an analyst pressed members of Apple's leadership for their thoughts on the tremendous growth Sony has realized with its relatively new Walkman phone. Apple's chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer fielded the question by saying, "We don’t think [...] phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is, but over time that’s likely to change." He then added, "And we are not sitting around doing nothing."

[topslakr]

I can certainly see Apple moving toward bringing an iTunes enabled phone to market. What I would like to see though is for apple to bring a smart phone to the market to compete with Windows Mobile 5. Apple is set to release OS X 10.5 early next year and with it comes OS X Server 10.5. The big new feature in Server, at least is my book, is the addition of a full calendering component. If Apple could release a phone that will sync my email and my calendar over the air like win mobile 5 does for exchange I would be in heaven. They seem to want to begin competing in the enterprise communications arena and to me an Apple smart phone would be a really great way to start breaking in that market. I don't see it happening but.. a guy can wish right?

Robert

[Kenny Gioia]

"The company has said it is possible that a music-enabled phone could cannibalize the demand for a lower priced iPods," PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster recently told his clients.

That's a pretty silly argument.

The iPhone will probably be expensive when it is first released.

So only hi-tech geeks will buy it.

Do you know a hi-tech geek who already doesn't own an ipod?

By the time the iPhone is cheap enuff, they can phase out the flash based ipods.

For me, my ipod nano crazy glued to the back of my super thin flip phone will have to do.

[Berolzheimer]

Hmmm, I was planning to buy a new Treo this week, maybe I'll hold off a little longer. Being without for 3 more weeks is gonna kill me though.

[dave-G]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5qGn7kIkMA

note: not real ... but clever and interesting.

-dave

[Dickens]

Originally Posted by dave-G

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5qGn7kIkMA

note: not real ... but clever and interesting.

-dave

That's cool! Also, a very well done presentation for "not real".

[Jules]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

FCC aproval today also...

[cajonezzz]

So ya gettin one Jules? I'm gonna check it out. My blackberry just went DOA, so i figure if this iphone is all that... and IF I CAN TYPE ON THE TOUCH PAD. then it's a no brainer.

can't wait for it to get to like 60 gig of ipod storage... then we're talkin.

hope it dosen't suck, and there is a nice holster of some type ala the blackberry so i don't have to put it in a pocket.

can't wait!@

[Dirty Halo]

Gotta say, one of the few things in life that gives me plure please is music.
One of the things I hate most about life today is "the cell."fuuck

Not sure I want the two combined.

My feelings, at least.

What happens when you're REALLY into the groove of a song and a call comes in?

-a

[TEMAS]

I like it, but can you plug a soundcard into it? Really, is there a USB port and can you record audio to it?

[Killahurts]

Well let's just cut to the chase - is the thing a recording studio or not?

[TEMAS]

Originally Posted by Killahurts

Well let's just cut to the chase - is the thing a recording studio or not?

Exactly. Well, not exactly. But it would be good if one could plug an external digital I/O interface/soundcard, which would then mean any converter, any pre and any mic could be used with it. The next question is whether it can run Logic.

[Mike O]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

Gotta say, one of the few things in life that gives me plure please is music.
One of the things I hate most about life today is "the cell."fuuck

Not sure I want the two combined.

My feelings, at least.

What happens when you're REALLY into the groove of a song and a call comes in?

-a

Even the Teo has an "off network" (no phone) mode. Jobs surely will have this covered 3 years later?

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by DrDeltaM

The iPhone is one of the longest rumoured Apple devices in history I guess :-)

Actually it's second to the rumour of a Logic update

[T_R_S]

Someone was selling one on eBay last week it went for over $1000.00
Good grief! I can't imagine websurfing or need to read an email that bad.

[TEMAS]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

Someone was selling one on eBay last week it went for over $1000.00
Good grief! I can't imagine websurfing or need to read an email that bad.

Not for that price, but at the RRP ($550/$600 I think) I definately can.

Firstly, I don't know what its like everywhere else, but in London its pretty easy to walk around with a laptop and find a free internet connection. Secondly, I don't know if you guys have heard of Skype, but this is a free audio and video internet phone service. So, whats to stop me using Skype to make free calls, even free video calls [Edit: to any other Skype user anywhere in the world] as well as free internet browsing when I'm out and about, or even at home? Maybe this is slightly wishfull thinking at the moment, but this is surely gonna be possible so long as you can find an open connection, which you already can in most town centers.

[MattiMattMatt]

The whole iPhone thing is just a rumor.

Apple makes computers!

They're not gonna come out with a phone.

(the next thing you know there's gonna be rumors of an Apple DAW!!!)

[T_R_S]

eBay: Pre-Sale Apple iPhone (8GB)-BNIB (item 330124992229 end time May-28-07 12:02:42 PDT)

The real silly thing is that you don't get until the offical release date.
Ebay seems to attrach a lot of peole who can't read the bold print on the auction.

[SoundEng1]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

eBay: Pre-Sale Apple iPhone (8GB)-BNIB (item 330124992229 end time May-28-07 12:02:42 PDT)

The real silly thing is that you don't get until the offical release date.
Ebay seems to attrach a lot of peole who can't read the bold print on the auction.

They Are out of their minds! $990.00 for cell phone!? no way! They could keep it.

[severe]

Apple and AT&T began their iPhone TV ads today.

[Mind-Over-Midi]

Originally Posted by SoundEng1

They Are out of their minds! $990.00 for cell phone!? no way! They could keep it.

Yeah, that phone gives me a serious tech-no-geek boner, but fortunately the price (and the ATT only thing) cools my lust quite a bit. If you get one of these little beasts and are using in the city, I'd really watch my back, as at almost $1000 I'm sure they will be high on the snatch-and-run list of would be thieves.

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by Mind-Over-Midi

Y If you get one of these little beasts and are using in the city, I'd really watch my back, as at almost $1000 I'm sure they will be high on the snatch-and-run list of would be thieves.

Yeah, I've thought about that too. What kind of security exists for this thing?

And if you use it to it's fullest potential, can you imagine the possibilities for identity theft?

I'm thinking I'll get one after they build in a remote controlled device that can electrocute the thief who possesses the phone. stike

[Poopants]

They're not close to $1000, they're 499 and 599. That close to $1000 price was just the jacked ebay presale (bull$h!t) price.

[A33]

Apple store is being updated now!!

[severe]

And at today's WWDC.

[Jules]

Apple Unable to Find iPhone Partner in Europe? - Digital Spy Forums