Poll:Do you think Apple should release an Apple Branded CellPhone?

[MacRumors]

Vote: Poll:Do you think Apple should release an Apple Branded CellPhone? (http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=83&ref=forums.macrumors.com)

[BenderBot1138]

Motorola makes the chips for Apple.
Motorola makes Cellphones.
Apple could make something very cool, even for a fringe of us addicted buyers...

:cool:

[springscansing]

Yay, second vote! VOTE, not post... sure someone will beat me to that.

Anyway, I say go for it! If someone sees their friend's cool iPhone and their friend's cool iPod, then they'll take a better look next time they see the iMac.

It's pretty simple. Sell the phone to sell more macs!

[Beej]

Purely from a personal perspective, I hope they don't. Because then I'll have to sell my sexy t68i I just shelled out for to buy an apple one.

Apart from that, I really hope they do...

[howard]

they so should, what an incredilbe market, everyone now has cell phones...and i mean EVERYONE, if apple made an awesome cell they could make a huge success

[Zaren]

Hate to burst your bubbble, but not everyone has a cell phone... my wife doesn't have (or want) one, and I just got rid of mine - my provider switched from analog to all-digital service and didn't inform me of this. This meant that the analog phone that I got from them less than a year ago stopped working with no advance notice. Good thing it was a pre-paid phone, and I could stop using it at any time and not pay more money on a contract.

Still, if Apple was to come out with a phone, I'd be sorely pressed to not get one, even with a contract. I doubt it'll happen... but then again, I doubted Apple would ever come out with an mp3 player :)

[BYTEBuG]

Only if it runs Mac OS X 10.2 or later, and comes with 32MB VRAM.

-- BYTEBuG

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by BYTEBuG
Only if it runs Mac OS X 10.2 or later, and comes with 32MB VRAM.

-- BYTEBuG
...and i'm sure it will...along with a built in DVD player and 42" LCD display inc. built in virtual surround sound...:rolleyes: :p

[Knox]

Certainly if they do release a cell phone I hope they brand it so that it can be sold in Europe. Not calling it a cell phone would help since no-one uses that term, at least in the UK. Roughly 80% of all adults between 18 and 50 own mobile phones in the UK and it's a similar figure in the rest of Europe so would be quite a big market.

[Bear]

Actually what I though about is a iPod/Phone combo.
[list=1]
Music goes on hold when the phone rings.
Microphone in headset cord.
Phone answer button on the microphone (similar to Nokia).
One device/headset combo to carry.
The whole unit probably would only be marginally bigger than an iPod by itself.
Whe else do you have contact info in the iPod? ;)
Why Not?
[/list=1]

[strider42]

Originally posted by Bear
Actually what I though about is a iPod/Phone combo.
[list=1]
Music goes on hold when the phone rings.
Microphone in headset cord.
Phone answer button on the microphone (similar to Nokia).
One device/headset combo to carry.
The whole unit probably would only be marginally bigger than an iPod by itself.
Whe else do you have contact info in the iPod? ;)
Why Not?
[/list=1]

that hard drive in the iPod would be a bit heavy and bulky for a cell phone I would think. Maybe one of thosee IBM microdrives (i think its them). they don't have as much capcity but are super small.

But I actually like the idea of an apple branded cell phone, so long as they aren't going to go and spend too much money making it. Using stuff they've already got worked out (the iPods controls for instance) and more or less just quickly redesigning something from a major manufacturer (or working witht hem to offer a new cell phone, so apple isn't having to eat all the costs of designing it). If it was really something that extended the usefulness of a cell phone, I would finally conisder getting one. I've held off for a long time, but its almost cheap enough where its worth it for me.

[medea]

I say yes, only it should be built by Sony Ericcsson and designed by Apple.

[barbaloot]

The only problem I see is... That I would assume it would run on SIM cards. And I go thru SprintPCS which doesn't use SIM cards. Well I guess that means I would have to change services! lol

[G4scott]

Since this obviously has to deal with the iPhone trademarks that Apple is registering, I just want to put my 2¢ in.

I don't think Apple will make a cell-phone. As cool as that would be, I doubt it will happen.

I think iPhone is some sort of software that lets you speak with people far away with your Mac, and even use video. It'd be a cheap and easy way to do video-conferencing. Besides, you can tell Apple has been working with stuff like this because of the microphone and video screen buttons somebody pulled out of the iChat application. Apple probably intended this to be a part of iChat, but they decided that it wasn't developed enough in time for the release of iChat, and that they would just let it incubate longer, so it would be much better when it actually came out.

Don't get me wrong here. I think an Apple branded cell phone would be cool, but if I had a dollar for everyone who votes on this poll, I would probably hardly be able to afford one.

[pimentoLoaf]

Nokia rules, so why buy anything else?

[MacBandit]

I would buy one in a heart beat. No matter what features it has. Even if it was $200 and the only place it could call was Roseanne's bowels.


Well, maybe not then.

[rickvanr]

i dont think they should make a cell, but id buy it just because its apple.

[Bear]

Originally posted by barbaloot
The only problem I see is... That I would assume it would run on SIM cards. And I go thru SprintPCS which doesn't use SIM cards. Well I guess that means I would have to change services! lol

GSM service in the US has a few odd bumps. And it's currently useless for me.

It doesn't need tp be a GSM phone. Or apple could do as other manufacturers do and make a version of the non-existant phone for all the major carriers.

[Bear]

Originally posted by strider42
that hard drive in the iPod would be a bit heavy and bulky for a cell phone I would think. Maybe one of thosee IBM microdrives (i think its them). they don't have as much capcity but are super small.

However if you're already carrying an iPod and a cell phone, the combination product should weigh less then both of them seperately do.

As for the IBM Micro Drives, what would you do? Carry several of them? Also, I think they're more sensitive to shock then the iPod is. Also, using Micro Drives would jack the cost up. They run $300 (US, approximatly) for a 1 GB unit.

[strider42]

Originally posted by Bear


However if you're already carrying an iPod and a cell phone, the combination product should weigh less then both of them seperately do.

As for the IBM Micro Drives, what would you do? Carry several of them? Also, I think they're more sensitive to shock then the iPod is. Also, using Micro Drives would jack the cost up. They run $300 (US, approximatly) for a 1 GB unit.

Would it weight less than both, sure. But no one is going to consider that when buying them. a cell phone has to be small and light, otherwise its not offering a whole lot of convienence over whats out there, no matter what its capacity. I mean, by that logic everyone should be buying those handspring PDA's that also work as a cell phone because its lighter than both together. But in reality, they just don't make good cellphones.

Your probably right about the micro drive being more suscpetible to shock, I don't know much about them. But something along those lines, or solid state storage, will be the only way such a thing would be accomplished. the iPod hard drive isn't cheap itself you know, even with its larger capacity, and its size just makes it unworkable I think.

I don't think its going to happen in any form anyway. If it does, it will probably be little more than apple slapping its nameplate on another manufacturers phone.

[scem0]

they should, but only if they can price it competitively. I don't
think apple would do that, but if they can, then they should.

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by strider42


Would it weight less than both, sure. But no one is going to consider that when buying them. a cell phone has to be small and light, otherwise its not offering a whole lot of convienence over whats out there, no matter what its capacity. I mean, by that logic everyone should be buying those handspring PDA's that also work as a cell phone because its lighter than both together. But in reality, they just don't make good cellphones.

Your probably right about the micro drive being more suscpetible to shock, I don't know much about them. But something along those lines, or solid state storage, will be the only way such a thing would be accomplished. the iPod hard drive isn't cheap itself you know, even with its larger capacity, and its size just makes it unworkable I think.

I don't think its going to happen in any form anyway. If it does, it will probably be little more than apple slapping its nameplate on another manufacturers phone.

If someone would produce a GPS, Cell phone, PDA I for one would have one already. I only have so many pockets.