Cheaper iPhone Nano?

[Le Big Mac]

One analyst is predicting an iPhone Nano late this year:

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...0070709?rpc=44

[JoeJoe]

Beat me to it!

I think this is great news. Especially for us AAPL owners!

[Sobe]

we should get a running list on all of the things an iPhone nano won't have that it should!

I'll start: Where's the GPS?...or not.

[rockstarjoe]

I have been thinking about this for a while. I think the Iphone Nano is definitely coming in the near future. I think it will have a similar form to the current Nano, and it will be less "internet" oriented. It will still be full screen with multitouch. Of course it will have phone functionality and iPod functionality, but I'm not so sure about Safari, Mail, Maps, etc on there. They wouldn't be that usuable on a small screen anyway. In fact, I don't even see how the keyboard would work on there. And considering the fact that, other than size, Apple will need to find some way to differentiate the products and lower the price, they will probably subtract some features from the iPhone Nano.

[Troyte83]

I would be suprised if they didnt make different models. Just imagine an iPhone nano for 130 bucks with a rebate. It probably wont have safari browser or 4gigs of memory but it will be probably be 1 gig with some some sort of touch screen. Chances are it will sell more than the regular iPhone.

[j/k/Andy]

It will be a flip phone, 2 or 4 GB, will support Nike+, no or very limited internet, no touch screen, will have improved IM and text, sub $200/$40 and geared toward the 12-20 age range.

The Nano made ipod sales numbers, could do the same with iphones

[Sobe]

Originally Posted by j/k/Andy

It will be a flip phone, 2 or 4 GB, will support Nike+, no or very limited internet, no touch screen, will have improved IM and text, sub $200/$40 and geared toward the 12-20 age range.

The Nano made ipod sales numbers, could do the same with iphones

a $200 4 gig nano iphone with texting and IM would be killer in that age group.

Don't even need the net or email really. Not on that device.

[Icebird]

Originally Posted by j/k/Andy

It will be a flip phone, 2 or 4 GB, will support Nike+, no or very limited internet, no touch screen, will have improved IM and text, sub $200/$40 and geared toward the 12-20 age range.

The Nano made ipod sales numbers, could do the same with iphones

Nah, I doubt Apple would make a flip iPod phone. I see it being just a small version of the iPhone. About the size of an iPod Nano, maybe a little bigger. Same one button to go to home screen. And it will have SMS, pictures, maybe calendar, calculator, settings(airplane mode), no wi-fi probably, bluetooth, iPod for sure, maybe the google maps, and definitely the touch screen. And since you would only need the keyboard for texting, unless they had notes or something, it will probably be an landscape on-screen keyboard with same smart technology.
If they use the on-screen keyboard though, they will have to make it big enough to be able to actually use it, so it'll be interesting to see how small they are able to make it.


My other idea is that it could be a little thinner than the iPhone and have maybe 1-2gb memory but same screen size. And have the same features I listed above with just the SMS application, pictures, and no full-fledged internet features like the iPhone. Maybe just a portable version of safari like most mobile browsers on Edge. This would make the on-screen keyboard part work, and they could still keep the cool feel with the multi-touch screen.


Oh, and I think they would price it $300-350.
That would justify getting an iPod Nano and a phone in one bundle.

[Rojo]

Argh - the iPhone nano rumor returns!

I still don't get why Apple would make one. If you remove all the cool things that make the current iPhone what it is today, then what's left? A nano that somehow makes phone calls? What's interesting/innovative about that?

rockstarjoe mentions something the size of a current nano, but with a fullscreen touchscreen -- but also points out how internet, a keyboard, etc, wouldn't quite work. Yes... exactly! It makes no sense.

j/k/Andy thinks it will be a flip-phone. But again.... why? Where's the innovation? What makes this different than other flip-phones on the market? Other than being from Apple? Sure, it might look prettier, and be ever so slightly easier to use -- but Apple didn't spend all this money, all this time, and all this research and development just to make yet-another flip-phone. It makes no sense.

I seriously think people here just want something that's MADE by Apple, but is cheaper than the iPhone -- but aren't really thinking much beyond that, and aren't taking into account the reasons why Apple wouldn't do something like this. WHY would Apple bother with a product that just has their name on it, but works/functions like most other phones out there?

I honestly don't think the iPhone is going to be THAT much smaller for a while. Thinner, maybe. Lighter, sure. But the screen size is probably going to stay the same -- at least until foldable screens get invented sometime in the future. This rules out a "nano-sized" phone for the time being...

[MacRumors]

JP Morgan analysts claim that Apple is planning on launching a cheaper version of the iPhone in the 4th quarter of this year that "could be based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player".

The analyst (Kevin Chang) cited unspecified "people in the supply channel" as well as a recent U.S. Patent application as his sources for the information.

"We believe that iPod Nano will be converted into a phone because it's probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phone without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano," he said noting that the new phone could have "rather limited functionality."

The "iPhone nano" patent application was widely cited last week as evidence of a possible iPhone Nano:

It describes a simple touchpad that can display different symbols for different modes of the device and the ways to operate such a device. These different symbols are illuminated as different modes of the device are selected and are used to operate iPhone Nano in that mode.

The patent application, however, was filed in November 2006, and may simply represent different iterations of early iPhone plans than actual future devices.


Article Link

[quigleybc]

What's an iPhone...

JK

this sounds sweet....I'll take two, oh wait I live in Canada....nevermind

[xelphy]

Yea I don't see a point to this... Yea the iphone is tough enough to type on, i can't see a nano having a keyboard at all... Therefore an iPhone minus the cool stuff is just uh.. an expensive phone.

[p0intblank]

There's no way the iPhone nano is coming out this year. Quote me on that.

[iMichael72]

The frenzy continues!
The wife will love it. Heck, she loves my iPhone!

[Poff]

A small formfactor iPhone would be nice, but without SMS it would be dead.. :/

[thecritix]

Originally Posted by Sobe

a $200 4 gig nano iphone with texting and IM would be killer in that age group.

Don't even need the net or email really. Not on that device.

agrees.

apple would never release it for less than $200, certainly not $130.

[gugy]

that's great news.
Apple needs a cheaper iPhone to attract more buyers. The price tag of $499 and $599 is too high for most folks. The iPhone nano should cost $199 to $299. That would be more realistic.
They will sell like crazy.

I just wish they had two choices of carrier, like AT&T and Verizon.

[theheyes]

iPhone/smartphone

iPhone Nano/mp3 mobile phone

Done right, it would work very well I think. Not everyone wants an all-singing smartphone. If the "iPhone Nano" manages to combine the phone and the non-video iPod without compromising either, it will be a winner.

[narco]

Not sure exactly how Apple will design a non-touchscreen iPhone and keep their simplicity. I just hope they don't use the click-wheel to scroll through letters, or have one button you have to press multiple times to go through each letter. I don't want a phone that would make text messaging like putting in codes for the NES.

Fishes,
narco.

[xelphy]

I can see this being aimed at high school and younger kids -- a cheaper version that has text and... please lord add iChat -- i mean how is this not out yet?

Anyway -- its at a good price point for the kiddies, get em hooked on Apple early! Plus they're fingers are the only ones small enough to type of a mini screen!

[CormacMaclaggan]

It would be hard to type on a key board any smaller than the one that is on the iphone, my guess is that it might only have a numeric keypad rather than a qwerty but who knows. all i know is that its time to buy more AAPL

[shiunn]

how big will the screen be? will there be any fun in flicking through your address book on such a small screen?
what about wifi? how would you surf on such a puny screen?

[freddiecable]

Apple has to differentiate it's "phone-line" eventually. A 2.5" iPhone is feasible no? I for one - would rather have a 2.5" than a 3.5" iphone. Smaller than 2.5" widescreen would create usability trade-offs drastically.

[Kidd38s]

Originally Posted by Rojo

I still don't get why Apple would make one. If you remove all the cool things that make the current iPhone what it is today, then what's left? A nano that somehow makes phone calls? What's interesting/innovative about that?

What does the ipod do that most other mp3 players can't other than have a great design and work seemlessly with itunes? Both of those concepts/features could transfer really well to a less expense phone.

[guzhogi]

Originally Posted by thecritix

apple would never release it for less than $200, certainly not $130.

Agreed. I feel Apple's becoming more of the high-end computer company, which is sad. Mac OS X is awesome, but it seems like all Apple cares about is selling its high-end pro(sumer) stuff rather than making affordable, low-end products. I keep hearing that Apple discontinues the low end stuff either b/c it's either not selling well enough (good low-end stuff that's too expensive) or selling too well and cannibalizing higher end stuff. It seems like Apple wants to make at least a 40% profit on everything. Cool as it may be, it's just too expensive for people who don't make that much $$.