More Apple iPhone Evidence? 4th Quarter 2006?

[MacRumors]

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According to Mobileread, Barron's online published an online exclusive (subscription required) reporting on comments by Johnny Chan, a Hong Kong based J.P. Morgan analyst, about the looming possibility of an Apple iPhone.

Last week, a Piper Jaffary analyst claimed they felt there was a 75% chance that Apple would release an iPhone in the next 12 months.

The J.P. Morgan reports adds a bit more substance to that claim. According to the article, Apple is working on "an iPod with phone functions" and is shopping around for a electronics manufacturer. Meanwhile, Taiwan Green Point Enterprises, the current manufacturer for the iPod plastic cases is also said to be in talks with Apple about the phone.

"The chatter about the product is all over the food chain," says Bill Shope, Chan's colleague in New York who follows Apple. He believes Apple will likely introduce a cellphone by the fourth quarter of this year.

[menziep]

Im in need of a mobile phone soon

So Come On Apple...

[EricNau]

An Apple "iPhone" would be very cool.

I hope it has features like iTunes, and all of the extras that come on an iPod (clock, calendar, notes, games, timer, etc).

[aswitcher]

Originally Posted by EricNau

An Apple "iPhone" would be very cool.

I hope it has features like iTunes, and all of the extras that come on an iPod (clock, calendar, notes, games, timer, etc).

Yeah, it must do all these - auto sync with iphoto; at least 2 gig memory; 2+ megapixel camera; Bluetooth etc

[MattyMac]

niiiiiiiiiicee

by October hopefully

[ITASOR]

Originally Posted by aswitcher

Yeah, it must do all these - auto sync with iphoto; at least 2 gig memory; 2+ megapixel camera; Bluetooth etc

Seems reasonable since they can fit the 2GB in a nano!

[ipacmm]

I will buy one if they are GSM..I really hope they are because I would never switch to a CDMA company just for a phone.

[1020]

And it will cost five thousand dollars. However, if this really does happen, they may raise the standard for other phones, which is great.

[Yvan256]

Not only am I wondering if such a phone would ever be available in Canada (though we share the same types of networks/protocols), but it would be useless to me (not to mention incredibly expensive, I assume).

I mean, I signed a 3-years contract in november 2005 and I'm pretty sure that any "iPhone" will be exclusive to a single provider only (which probably won't be Bell Canada).

I'm looking forward to a touchscreen iPod with sub-laptop functions, but not a phone with PDA functions.

[Object-X]

Other than the obvious, a flash drive iPod, an iPhone needs to sync with Apple Mail, Calendar, Contacts for it to be really useful. It needs bluetooth. And the case needs to be made of metal for strength and durability.

And why I'm at it: it should have a built in iSight camera, iChat with WiFi internet with a mini version of safari!

[Max on Macs]

I like the sound of an Apple Phone, though not "iPhone". I think it should have the same shape/size/type/colour casing as the Rev. B iPod mini did, but a camera of course on the back and a keypad instead of the whell, and a good quality colour LCD. If it was a smartphone type thing, and had a 'Zoom' like in Universal Access on OS X, had a nice OS, 2-4GB solid state memory, and was compatible with iSync and .Mac (a given really) then I'd buy it as soon as it came out. Screw it if it comes out midway through my contract, I'll pay it off and get this anyway!

[samh004]

If they do, I hope it doesn't look anything like some of those warped concepts. A scroll wheel on a phone wouldn't be of any use...

This whole idea reminds me of a B&O phone, it's really nice and slim, looks great, but because of it's shape the numbers are all out of place and it's very impractical. This is, unfortunately, how Apple would probably go, using a click-wheel or some funny arrangement, just wont cut it.

It has to be practical, use a normal keypad, but the keys have to be easily accessible (some phone they aren't that great). In this day and age I'd expect a camera, I'd expect BT, I'd expect a lot of things.. I just hope Apple's iPod hasn't clouded their judgement and ultimately left a really bad design (it should be a phone with iPod capabilities, not the other way around).

[macbones]

It will be a Vonage style phone. It will work via .mac. It will replace your home phone, and also work from wireless hotspots. It won't be on a major network like verizon. They are greedy and want a huge chunk of the download business. So it will be wifi based. You will be able to keep your current home #, because these are now portable by law. Just buy the phone and cross off your home phone bill if you are a .mac member. And to boot, when you travel you can use it at hotspots. Oh, it has a camera, you can video chat with it.

I'm good, no?

[johnbro23]

Apple will integrate their touchscreen technology with the iPhone/iPod. The iPod will have full screen video. It will have a touchscreen clickwheel that fades in and out. It will have a number pad interface that fades in and out as well for cell phone use. Even if this product was $500, I would definitely buy it.

This iPod is the future. It is definitely possible. Slapping a 30GB hard drive into the Razr (and a slightly larger battery) will only make the device as thick as the 60GB iPod. This is totally doable.

[Detlev]

OK, but an iPhone has to be cutting edge and provide useful functions. Things that would get me to buy an iPhone (and these might sound insignificant but if you are a business person on the road they add up and I think some people will agree that Apple can do sub-par at times):

#1 and most important: don't sell it through one distributor with one service. A majority of people already are signed up and under contract with a service. It's a pain and expensive to keep moving around. If they had to they better work with a company that allows free calls between users.
• Internet access—websites, news feeds, email, text messaging, SMS, IM, etc.
• It's gotta synce with all, or at least a majority of the apps, not just Mac apps. Fact is Apple has NO market share in this market and most users are not just going to drop everything for a pretty white phone which brings me to ...
• Sorry, white is not going to cut it. A cell phone gets more abuse than an iPod. It's gotta be tough, real tough. Tough enough to be tossed, dropped, scuffed, puked on, get wet, left in the car in the middle of the summer (or winter for that matter) and still keep playing/working. Oh, please don't make it look like the Motorola.
• Bluetooth or whatever. It needs to have solid wireless connectivity to other phones, the Blackberry, PocketPC, and/or computers without using minutes.
• Multiple models from the beginning. I'm not interested in another $400 cell phone.
• I don't need no stinking camera but connectivity to a camera would be very useful. That way I can back up the CF Card.
• Battery life needs to be great. Better than anything Apple has done to date. This thing could be real useful and going all the time. A couple hours is not going to cut it.
• Silent ringer. I don't need to hear Ne-Yo play when I'm in a meeting or with a client.
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE and whatever else is out there. Don't limit the phone to some 48 metropolitan U.S. cities. Think different Apple. Build it right from the beginning.
• Downloadable games. Hey everybody needs to do something on the train.
• Hands free funtionality. Duh!
• A dial pad that makes sense. Some phones are just ridiculous.
• It's gotta sound good on the other end.

[deadturtle]

Lets just hope Apple doesnt become Sony. Lots and lots of arms and legs all flailing (and failing). I mean more Apple branded devices are good, but Apple has always been quality over quantity (well until the 'pod took off), but with 'pod hi-fi, rumors of another ipod coming out and some sort of phone thing, not to mention as of yet unheard rumors for the end of the month, mac with remotes.... etc etc Apple may wish to solidify some of their products before leaping off into new waters (maybe finish the transition to Intel??) I would hate to see them become all arms and legs working on different project with no cohesive theme other than the branded label. Heaven knows we'd all hate for iTunes to become SonicStage.

[bigjohn]

unless they partnered with a sony-ericsson or someone who has cel phone knowledge, this product will underwhelm just like the last 4 products have

[mozmac]

If you want the best phone/iPod, you need to take the best computer maker and put them with the best cell phone maker.

Apple needs to team up with Nokia. No more of this Motorola BS. They're phones have gotten poor reviews ever since they first started making them. If you don't believe me, just read around on Cnet and Amazon. Nokia has far better customer reviews, wihch are what really count.

An Apple/Nokia phone....I want one.

[bbyrdhouse]

A phone would be a good thing. Although my carrier would not make it available. (Stinking Centenial Wireless, I will be glad when my contract is up)

It would also be neat for it to have a feature that would let you autosync with your .mac account.

Speaking of .mac I visited the Chicago store today and got a 1 year subscription for $69.

I would never have gotten one at $99.

[dethl]

As much as I would love to see Apple put their own cell phone, I'm still wondering if there will be CDMA support (aka-Sprint/Verizon). I enjoy Sprint very much (great coverage where I live in comparison to all other carriers). I would pay full price for one of these new phones in a heartbeat (so I don't get that lame 2-year-contract crap) if Apple would release a Sprint version. But until I see news that Apple will go CDMA along with GSM, I'm marking this negative.

Yes, biased, but I am not switching to another carrier just to have an Apple-branded phone. But should one come out for Sprint I would be more than happy to drop my current phone (Samsung-I500) in a moment's notice.

EDIT: Grammar nazi attacks!

[Jaffa Cake]

Hmm... forgive my ignorance when it comes to product design/manufacture, but if Apple is indeed in the process of "shopping around for a electronics manufacturer" and is "in talks" with other companies for the bodies, is it realistic that the product could be on the shelves as soon as the end of the year?

[GilGrissom]

Originally Posted by Jaffa Cake

Hmm... forgive my ignorance when it comes to product design/manufacture, but if Apple is indeed in the process of "shopping around for a electronics manufacturer" and is "in talks" with other companies for the bodies, is it realistic that the product could be on the shelves as soon as the end of the year?

Ye I see your point. Could make it very hard.

Correct me if I'm wrong here (as I may easily have the number wrong!) but didn't Apple say development of the nano started about 9 months before release? If so then it is possible that they could get it out by the end of the year...JUST! (Also bearing in mind any delay there is in this news gettings to us).

Agreed though, it's still very tight. But if they are shopping around they could have most of the bits they need, the development is perhaps done so it's just manufacturing partners they need?...though granted I know nothing about the whole process so this could be all total rubbish! Feel free to correct me anyone! (Maybe it's just my undying wish for an iPhone!)

[Jaffa Cake]

Originally Posted by Gil_Grissom

If so then it is possible that they could get it out by the end of the year...JUST! (Also bearing in mind any delay there is in this news gettings to us).

Of course, if all this is true they may just announce it at the end of the year – when Apple unveils a new product and when they actually ship it are two entirely separate things...

[plastikimo]

It wouldn't be pointless to make a phone, and its not out of the blue. They have obveously been working on this whole thing for a while. I think it wont merely be a Phone, cus that would have come out by now. I think they are also developing an entire wireless network. Probably "MobleMe" independent of any 3rd party carrier.

People would buy the phone (mos def $300), subscribe to the serveice (around $50/month) which would provide not only a cell phone network but an internet network too, for your laptop/desktop, ridding the need for modems or ISPs.

It would be the thing that will truly take you're life on the go. I have (and im sure millions of other people have, also) been waiting for a phone to perfectly sync with my mac (mail, music, photos, maybe videos, contancts, calendars, docs, and mostly iChat. also maybe an integrated PhoneBook so we dont have to pay $2 to call 411 that would hyperlink to mapquest xpress or something to get directions, all from your phone). Laptops are ultra portable, but i dont wanna pull out my powerbook on the bus just to ask my friend a question or to look up a number. Nothing beats a handheld for these things.

This will be huge. And it's exactly what apple needs. And no need to worry about their computers, they will always be their #1 proority.

[satty]

Originally Posted by plastikimo

...
It would be the thing that will truly take you're life on the go. I have (and im sure millions of other people have, also) been waiting for a phone to perfectly sync with my mac (mail, music, photos, maybe videos, contancts, calendars, docs, and mostly iChat. also maybe an integrated PhoneBook so we dont have to pay $2 to call 411 that would hyperlink to mapquest xpress or something to get directions, all from your phone)...

I would expect some sort of .mac for mobile (mobile me), too. Apple has to expect a much higher number of users than for .mac and therefore it makes so much sense that they have bought this big data centre.