Get Ready to Call iTunes

[MacBytes]

Category: Tunes
Link: Get Ready to Call iTunes
Posted on MacBytes.com

Approved by Mudbug

[rdowns]

Normally, I'd yawn a this but since I got a new Acura TL, I want a BT phone. The car supports BT phones via a hands free controller on the steering wheel, heads up display on dash and sound through stereo.

[blasto333]

I might get a cell phone now!

[Wonder Boy]

i dont care about itunes support. so far, ive probably downloaded 50 songs. ive never been in a situation where i needed to have a song or cd so badly i'd pull over on the side of the road or stop in my tracks on a walk and downloaded the newest hit.

i just want an apple quality cell phone with a elegant interface that makes syncing that much easier. oh ya, i wont buy anything over $250. and even that is pushing it.

[autopilot]

i hope that apple design really comes through on this project. a really clean, functional design will be a nice change from all the other ridiculous cell setups you have now.

stick to the basics, and do everything WELL. i won't mind paying a premium price if the phone is anything like what i would come to expect from apple.

[thex]

phone with iTunes compatibility and media card slots? maybe this is the "flash iPod" that we're hearing about...

[Stella]

Motorola phones suck.

Hopefully there will be a port to other more popular phones such as Nokia and supporting Symbian pretty soon. Symbian being the Number ONE smart phone OS in the world by far.. surpassing microsoft shite by 50%.

SonyEricsson are pretty popular too.

In fact most European mobile phone companies are more popular than american ones.

However, Since these aren't american companies one can assume Apple aren't pairing with them.

[Omad0n]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

i just want an apple quality cell phone with a elegant interface that makes syncing that much easier. oh ya, i wont buy anything over $250. and even that is pushing it.

odds are that unless you're getting a discount for a contract, it'll be a bit more than that. So you may be waiting quite some time till they become an older item. Getting the latest in phones is an expensive endeavor.

[maya]

Originally Posted by Omad0n

odds are that unless you're getting a discount for a contract, it'll be a bit more than that. So you may be waiting quite some time till they become an older item. Getting the latest in phones is an expensive endeavor.

The internals of almost every mobile have not changed much only the exterior form and features. Phones are easy to design and however its to make it compete with the rest that is a challenge. If it took a re-wire of all the internals on a mobile it would cost more that what you would pay today and most of what you pay today is PROFIT for the companies who make and sell them.

[Omad0n]

Originally Posted by m a y a

most of what you pay today is PROFIT for the companies who make and sell them.

I agree with you on the making part, as far as the carriers are concerned (sprint/Nextel, Cingular, T-mobile, etc.) they're loosing money on selling them and make the money back in contracts and waht not.

[techgeek]

Originally Posted by m a y a

The internals of almost every mobile have not changed much only the exterior form and features. Phones are easy to design and however its to make it compete with the rest that is a challenge. If it took a re-wire of all the internals on a mobile it would cost more that what you would pay today and most of what you pay today is PROFIT for the companies who make and sell them.

I have developed mobile phone software for several big names in the industry and I can tell you the margins are pretty tight!
A new phone is a major project involving hundreds of people. Phones don't get smaller or develop new features by themselves you know. Companies put a lot of resources into development of hardware and software plus all the testing and type aproval that is involved.
Even a trivial development of adding a new camera to an existing phone (and restyling the case) was a 6 month project and at it's peek involved 8 software engineers.
I'm currently working on a new platform that has been in development for the past year and it's going to be at least 6 months to a year before our customers release phones based upon it.

[Wonder Boy]

Originally Posted by Omad0n

odds are that unless you're getting a discount for a contract, it'll be a bit more than that. So you may be waiting quite some time till they become an older item. Getting the latest in phones is an expensive endeavor.

youre probably right. guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[lmalave]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

i dont care about itunes support. so far, ive probably downloaded 50 songs. ive never been in a situation where i needed to have a song or cd so badly i'd pull over on the side of the road or stop in my tracks on a walk and downloaded the newest hit.

i just want an apple quality cell phone with a elegant interface that makes syncing that much easier. oh ya, i wont buy anything over $250. and even that is pushing it.

I think you're missing the point. The main point is not to let people buy songs with their phone. The main point is simply to let people play MP3 and AAC files on their phone. In just a couple of years, Apple is going to be facing a huge threat from mobile phones that come equipped with built-in MP3 player and an SD card slot, not to mention a camera. It makes sense for Apple to partner up with a mobile phone company. Apple would provide software (iTunes) and perhaps design expertise. Ideally Apple would be able to work out a co-branding agreement a la Sony Ericsson. Can you say MoPod?

[johnpaul191]

Originally Posted by lmalave

...... Ideally Apple would be able to work out a co-branding agreement a la Sony Ericsson. Can you say MoPod?

that's funny you mention that since their bluetooth phones seem to be the most fun with OS X.

remember a few months ago when Apple had a job posting looking for someone to hire to the iPod division that has wireless experience? maybe this is related to that? iPod + bluetooth syncing + cell phone

makes more sense than trying to sync a 40 gig iPod over bluetooth.

[brap]

Frickin' huge news. I can't wait.

No, seriously, I need a new telephone now. It seems all the rumours and snips of informaiton are finally coming together. Awesome!

[sunilraman]

Originally Posted by johnpaul191

that's funny you mention that since their bluetooth phones seem to be the most fun with OS X.

sony ericsson all the way !! woot woot woot

[johnpaul191]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

i dont care about itunes support. so far, ive probably downloaded 50 songs. ive never been in a situation where i needed to have a song or cd so badly i'd pull over on the side of the road or stop in my tracks on a walk and downloaded the newest hit.

i just want an apple quality cell phone with a elegant interface that makes syncing that much easier. oh ya, i wont buy anything over $250. and even that is pushing it.

RTFA! it specifically says the phone would be able to connect to a windows/mac desktop machine via cable or bluetooth to transfer files. this makes it sound like they are not (at least for now) pushing it as a mobile way to buy music, just a way to always have some songs with you. it makes it sound like you will use iTunes to transfer some songs or playlists. i'm sure it will support iSync (as Moto phones generally do) so you will also be able to sync iCal and Address Book.

[centauratlas]

Not Motorola again. I hope they do better with phones than with the PPC. Given their previous performance against Nokia, I hope they are turning things around or that Apple has significant design/engineering control. ;-)

It has a ton of potential, I just hope Apple ensures that Motorola gets it right!

[XForge]

Originally Posted by centauratlas

Not Motorola again. I hope they do better with phones than with the PPC. Given their previous performance against Nokia, I hope they are turning things around or that Apple has significant design/engineering control. ;-)

It has a ton of potential, I just hope Apple ensures that Motorola gets it right!

The last Motorola phone I had was great; the Nokia phone I got from Verizon is a screaming piece of crud. So, YMMV I guess. If the price is right I would totally love to own an iPhone, even though I'm not really a gadget junkie.

[freddiecable]

don't think apple will exclude themselves from other manufacturers by making a "real phone" - but rather include and develop their technology for different manufacturers. living in sweden, having some contact with sonyericsson - I know apple have something going on with them. I can see different brands with apple "content"...

sonyericssons phones has really become useful and enjoyable! there is much difference from only a few years ago...and they are more "appleinspired". the se-ceo is very "pro-apple" and they got more machines from apple at the office...etc

thus - i hope iTMS branded with lots of cellphone-makers...

[jaw04005]

Thats great, but I hope Apple & Motorola work with all the major players (Cingular/Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint) to bring the phone to the market. When are cell phone companies going to realize that we don't want to sign a new contract everytime we get a new phone?

[Porchland]

Originally Posted by joshuawaire

Thats great, but I hope Apple & Motorola work with all the major players (Cingular/Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint) to bring the phone to the market. When are cell phone companies going to realize that we don't want to sign a new contract everytime we get a new phone?

When you realize that mobile carriers subsidize expensive phones with contracts.

[noel4r]

an Apple phone? this is gonna be cool. my contract w/ AT&T is about to expire. i think i'll wait for this one. hopefully it's a GSM phone.

[Stella]

Originally Posted by noel4r

an Apple phone? this is gonna be cool. my contract w/ AT&T is about to expire. i think i'll wait for this one. hopefully it's a GSM phone.

If its not GSM then apple will lose a significant of potential customers ( GSM being the most popular standard throughout the world).

It would be very unfortunate if Apple didn't port iTunes to other phones such as Nokia, SE, Siemens, Acatel ( sorry, spelling) and other popular manufacturers.

Motorola is too limited.

[jholzner]

One of the big deals will be ring tones! Right now they cost 2 or 3 bucks for a hacked up song that kinda sucks. Now we will be able to use any mp3 or iTMS purchased song as the ring and for $.99 for the whole song instead of the rip off that's goin on now.