11-18-2006, 08:54 AM

Fri Nov 17, 2:45 PM ET
With reports and rumors of Apple Computer's long-anticipated cell phone entry gaining intensity, the company is trying to maintain its traditional veil of secrecy. But news is leaking out: The Commercial Times newspaper in Taiwan this week reported that Apple has placed an order for 12 million "iPhones" with its longtime manufacturing partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.


But what will the device look like?

Nick Holland, a senior analyst at Pyramid Research, said Friday that he doesn't expect to see any major surprises in the device, which he figures will likely track the latest technology available today. "I expect it will be an iPod primarily," he said. "And you'll also be able to call someone."

Holland said he has no inside information on Apple's closely-guarded plans, but it's clear the firm has learned from its experience with the Motorola ROKR phone linked with Apple's iTunes music downloading site. "The ROKR holds just 100 songs," he said. "That's not enough." The ROKR hasn't been enthusiastically promoted by Apple in recent months, he noted.

Holland says a combo cell phone/music player should be able to play 600 to 700 songs, meaning that a successful device should have memory of at least 5 Gbytes. Handsets with 10 Gbytes of flash memory have been introduced in Korea recently.

"I expect Apple to follow the general trend against the Swiss Army knife approach" of having many different functions in a single device, Holland said. He looks for a "dual function device" -- perhaps one phone and music player and another smartphone device for data.

He added that Apple will have to walk a fine line with service providers, who are increasingly offering their own music to cell phone users. "Downloadable music is becoming a big earner for telcos," Holland said. "And I can't imagine Apple would let go of its hold over iTunes. So they have to work this out."

The entire cell phone/music player business is getting more competitive with the passage of time, Holland said, noting that "Walkman branded" Sony-Ericsson phones with flash memory have made a strong showing in the mobile phone/music player market.

The Commercial Times said its source reported that Apple planned to introduce its cell phone during the first half of 2007. Hon Hai Precision -- its trade name is Foxconn -- has been a longtime contractor for Apple.

Neither Apple nor Hon Hai would comment on the reports.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20061118/tc_cmp/194500001

11-20-2006, 04:54 AM

I read about a few issues with it. The memory is being kept down so that it doesn't steal iPod sales. I've seen figures of 150 songs banded about.

You also can't wifi with iTunes and you can't use your songs as ringtones as it'll damage the ringtone market.

11-20-2006, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Alexis

The memory is being kept down so that it doesn't steal iPod sales.

That makes sense. I'd thought that if they bought out a decent iPhone I wouldn't need a new iPod.

11-20-2006, 10:16 AM

I'd love to see a smart phone device, that is also a music player and a phone. I've got a treo 650 and I can listen to music on it and with an expandable SD card slot, I can have as much space as I'd like. But since it is an older device it doesn't come with wifi and I'd love to see this phone include that.

What would really be cool is to take what the new 750's have and let the apple people sprinkle sexy dust on it. I'd buy one in a heart beat.

11-23-2006, 02:38 AM

I do not think they have a choice of keeping the storage portion down. Competition from likes of Nokia is already putting out 4GB storage. Just a matter of time I think before MP3 player and phone converge together fully.

11-23-2006, 12:13 PM

anyone have an idea of what it might look like?

11-24-2006, 06:37 PM

****, Just when I bought a long time coming new Mobile Phone, due to arrive on my doorstep this month. Had i Waited longer i might have been seen as "cool" being ahead of teh trends, because you know with apple, itll be cool to have one!!!

11-24-2006, 08:17 PM

I am holding out, i need a new phone, but this one suits me just fine but if apple releases one and my carrier has it, I will be purchasing one.

11-26-2006, 10:05 AM

I don't really see a huge attraction to a "iPhone" device.
My HTC Hermes/iMate JASJAM/SPV M3100 can handle everything I need it to do plus its free on contract.
Apple's last offering with motorola was so laughably bad that it is already being discontinued in many retailers here.

Plus this new device, should it arrive will be overpriced, a muggable item and probably inconvenient to use.

Thanks
Alex

11-26-2006, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by alexmaccoll

I don't really see a huge attraction to a "iPhone" device.
My HTC Hermes/iMate JASJAM/SPV M3100 can handle everything I need it to do plus its free on contract.
Apple's last offering with motorola was so laughably bad that it is already being discontinued in many retailers here.

Plus this new device, should it arrive will be overpriced, a muggable item and probably inconvenient to use.

Thanks
Alex

I don't see the attraction either. I would rather a "palm" like device with no phone. But if they do release an "iphone" (And I think this is very unlikely too many carrier restrictions and no current FCC filing) I would want it to just be a phone. I have W600 because it was cheap and handled podcasts. (I don't listen on the phone, but like the idea and use it for demonstration.) I really want just a nice, well designed phone, slim, small (candy bar) with a decent GUI and reasonable calendar and contact syncing. My phone will never replace my ipod, no matter who makes it because my ipod goes everywhere with me, my phone does not.

bone

11-26-2006, 02:00 PM

I personally am looking forward to it, for no other reason than perhaps someone will finally create a decent UI for a phone. To this date no company has managed to make a powerful, simple, and elegant UI for a cell phone.

I'd say most tend to be utter garbage. Apple might finally be the first company to do it right.

11-26-2006, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by boneheadz

I really want just a nice, well designed phone, slim, small (candy bar) with a decent GUI and reasonable calendar and contact syncing.

Ditto. I'd like to see Apple's design ethos in a phone, but which cocks a snook at every other phone out there, which is trying to be 3-5 things at once and usually good at none of them.

11-26-2006, 02:04 PM

I don't really see a huge attraction to a "iPhone" device.
My HTC Hermes/iMate JASJAM/SPV M3100 can handle everything I need it to do plus its free on contract.

Well none of those phones can sync natively with OS X and iTunes for one thing... plus I'd hardly call Windows Mobile a "nice" UI...

I think Sony Ericsson does it best at the moment, but there Smartphones are too big & bulky and they insist on including Joysticks on their candybar's that tend to stop working after around a year.

*Sigh* time to get my K750i fixed I suppose.

11-26-2006, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by alexmaccoll

Plus this new device, should it arrive will be overpriced, a muggable item and probably inconvenient to use.

Not like all other mobile phones and iPod-style devices, then.

By they way, your "TC Hermes/iMate JASJAM/SPV M3100" is not free; the cost of the handset is factored into the cost of your contract.

11-26-2006, 03:25 PM

What i think apple is doing is trying to gear the new ipod for movies more? so maybe people would still buy an ipod for the movies, rather than use just a phone.