More Apple Phone Rumors and Speculation

[MacRumors]

A few interesting Apple Phone related rumors have emerged over the past few days.

• Charles Wolf expects Apple will sell the iPhone as an unlocked device through Apple stores.
• Gizmodo (spanish) claims that Steve Jobs and the Telefonica president will meet soon to discuss media distribution and the Apple iPhone
• Skyworks is expected to provide "front-end modules" for the iPhone. The front end module amplifies and filters voice and data signals for mobile phones.
• One study claims that 16 percent of Americans (about 40 million) say that the iPhone is a "great idea" for them personally.

Less than a week to go before Macworld San Francisco. Here is a summary of iPhone rumors to date.

[moesker007]

Please Come Out At Macworld :d

[MattyMac]

Originally Posted by moesker007

Please Come Out At Macworld :d

Seriously this would be great.

[shelterpaw]

I couldn't find what phone features the study implies. The PDF doesn't mention the features. Seems like an awfully high number for something no one has seen, well no one outside of Apple.

[brendanryder]

Originally Posted by moesker007

Please Come Out At Macworld :d

that would make my life!!!!

[coumerelli]

yum. and make it work with iTV -- somehow.

[SFNE Freak]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

• One study claims that 16 percent of Americans (about 40 million) say that the iPhone is a "great idea" for them personally.

Do 16% of Americans know that it would probably be impossible to price it at less than $600 unlocked?

[Schnebar]

And I was almost ready to calm down and pretend it wont come out so if it did I would be extreamly happy...

But the rumors keep comming in to get my hopes up..

[mdntcallr]

hey i just hope they are a Treo/blackberry killer.

I need keyboard/pda functionality mac compatiblity

Anything extra is a big bonus.

[swingerofbirch]

It's amazing to me how "real" the apple cell phone has become--not just to enthusiasts like us--but to the mainstream media and public at large.

It seems like the rumor of an Apple cell phone is based mainly on the feeling that it would be a natural and sensical move for Apple to make. It reminds me of the little chemistry I remember from high school: scientists (maybe Einstein?) would discover an element and from its properties be able to declare that they knew other elements existed and those elements' properties without ever having found them.

[LastZion]

I just bought a silver KRZR, but would sell it in a heartbeat. Please please please come out!

[Compile 'em all]

I am 101% sure an iPod Phone will come out. Mark my words my fellow Macrumors

[Nar1117]

Correction: 16% of Americans polled say that the iPhone is a "great idea" for them personally.

No polling agency can talk to all 300 million americans.

[adamcz]

I'm willing to bet all my money that 16% of Americans will not buy this thing.

[Warbrain]

I could see Apple seriously selling this phone unlocked while keeping the price down a bit. Apple would kick-start that market of unlocked phones that has so far been dormant in the United States.

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by SFNE Freak

Do 16% of Americans know that it would probably be impossible to price it at less than $600 unlocked?

Its a piece of electronic, it does not have to be that high. I think you are used to te overpricing that is going on.

How much are the radio component in quatities of 12 million units?

[Lynxpoint]

The other day the evening news had a story about the rumor mills craze over the iphone.

I can not recall ever seeing talk of a rumored product making the news before.

Amazing how much life the "iphone" has.

[geerlingguy]

It seems the 'iPhone' / 'iPod Phone' device is being hailed and praised as the 'next big thing' from Apple that will 'revolutionize the market' for cell phones.

In my opinion, the only contribution Apple could reasonably make is to take their already successful (and *simple*) iPod, and add a *simple* way to make a phone call on it... and *maybe* send a text message/email. I don't think it will have 'smart phone capabilities' (besides iPod funcationality).

IF (yes IF, not when...) Apple releases some sort of phone, it will be an iPod with the ability to place a call. Not some sort of PDA or web-browsing jack-of-all trades. I think someone mentioned this in another thread earlier, but I just wanted to restate it, as I don't think that Apple would do well to make some sort of ridiculously complex smart phone. I would estimate the price to be around $299-399, with 4/8GB flash or something like that.

The only way I would buy one is if it gave me the ability to easily place a phone call (perhaps by selecting a contact in my Address Book), receive a phone call, and play music. Video isn't really that important to me on a device as small as a phone / iPod - and I don't think video chat would be extremely important, either. All that would do is jack up the price a couple hundred more.

[Georgie]

Originally Posted by adamcz

I'm willing to bet all my money that 16% of Americans will not buy this thing.

Duh, that's an obvious sure bet. The question is, what will the other 84% of Americans do. Will they buy an Apple iPhone?

[CEAbiscuit]

Actually I think video chat would set the iPhone apart and make it a "hot"... however, I can't say I see it happening in the short term. Hope I'm wrong.

[Georgie]

This is just wishful thinking, but I certainly do hope the iPhone has PDA-like functionality. Actually it'd be great if it were much like the Nokia N73, but Apple-ified.

Tight synchronization with iLife apps is an obvious must (I'd love to sync my phone and have my recently-snapped photos be automatically imported into iPhoto). And the iPod-simply music playing experience is also obvious. I'd like to do all synchronization via bluetooth, though transfering songs may understandably require a cable connection. I also need a phone I can connect my MBP to use as a modem when I can't find a hotspot. And lastly, to accompany a good push-email IMAP app (or at least gmail), a qwerty keyboard would be great. The keyboard isn't make-or-break for me, but I'd really like one.

Tight sync
Decent camera (>= 2MP please)
Solid bluetooth connectivity
Email functions

That's what I hope. But that's all, I just hope. I'm really looking forward to the Keynote.

[ppnkg]

I really don't understand why an ipod+phone should cost $600+. What's so complicated about adding a phone function on the ipod? What I have at the moment is a benq-siemens s68, a very simple elegant candy bar phone with bluetooth and lots of other stuff but without a camera (which is not really necessary - I had a camera phone before and I rarely used the camera). You can buy in the uk for £99 (that's about $190) + 2gb ipod nano at $149, that's $339. (2gb: why would you ever need to have more than 2gb of music on your phone? Do you ever really listen to all those songs?). That's not bad at all, it could be even cheaper, and so you'll have apple in the cell phone market with a phone that can appeal to almost everybody.

What a simple ipod phone from apple must have? well apart from looks (which is reasonable to expect from apple) and reliability, something like addressbook and ical + the essential gadgets+ you get an ipod with it. And It shouldn't be difficult for apple to pack all that in an easy to use interface.

At least that's what I think.

[ppnkg]

sorry I sent the same message twice

[Counterfit]

I'm still not sold on it even existing.


And I doubt 16% of America even knows about the possibility of there being an Apple phone.

[Arcus]

As soon as they are available , I will be buying two. No doubt. No hesitation. Don't care about the price.