Second Generation $249-$299 iPhone in September?

[MacRumors]

Commercial Times (as reported by Digitimes) claims that Taiwan-based Wintek has won the contract for touch screen panel orders from Apple for its second-generation iPhone.

The report claims that this second-generation iPhone will begin shipping in September from US$249-$299.

The report is consistent with a previous Commercial Times claim that Apple would be shipping 5 million iPhones in September with a different outer design.

No other rumors point to a "second generation" iPhone at such an early timeframe, though there has been talk of next-generation iPods in that timeframe.

Article Link

[mkrishnan]

LOL figures, as I finally actually got to interact with a first generation iPhone for the first time today.

[PlaceofDis]

iPhone Nano anyone?

[Tom B.]

Surely it would be something like an iPhone nano, rather than an actual second generation iPhone. A real second generation iPhone would annoy a lot of early adopters if it appeared this soon.
I wonder if that JP Morgan analyst that got fired for saying an iPhone nano would come out this year will get his job back if it comes true.

[mkrishnan]

Originally Posted by PlaceofDis

iPhone Nano anyone?

Please, for the love of dog, can we not see that picture again?

[iBookG4user]

I doubt it, it's too close to the release of the original iPhone.

[devilot]

Originally Posted by Tom B.

I wonder if that JP Morgan analyst that got fired over saying an iPhone nano would come out this year will get his job back if it comes true.

Nah, he'll just receive a ton of fantastic job offers from other companies.

I half hope this happens and half hope it doesn't. I do because it'd be more affordable but mainly because it'd probably have simpler feature set that would more than suffice my needs and wants. Hope it doesn't happen because if I can get a hold of a coupon to Apple, I'm gonna do my darndest to get the current iPhone.

[NDLaHam]

I'm thinking if this information is true that it could be mistaken for the widescreen iPod that is always rumored to come out.

Recent rumors point for iPod updates to take place in August or September so that would make sense for this rumor to be for the new iPod.

The price, $250-$300 seems too cheap for iPhone 2.0. Sounds more like the price of an iPod to me. 8 gigs of flash, R&D and everything else just ain't that cheap. A portable hard drive and software development already built off the iPhone for a iPod, seems more reasonable for the price.

A new iPhone this soon also seems unreasonable. Plus to have the design change and a new manufacture making the panels doesn't add up either. Maybe this new design and panels is for the new iPods. Does anyone remember the iPod patents that showed side touch panels.

Personally I can't wait for a touchscreen iPod to come out. I love the iPhone but I need the 80 or 100 gigs for all my media. Plus I can't switch my service now nor can I afford 60 bucks a month.

I would hope this is referring to iPod updates.

[Rocketman]

I don't have any direct info on this one, surprisingly, but I would speculate this is an iPod Nano with basic phone capabilities but without the web and wifi and EDGE stuff, unless it is modem mode to your laptop.

I still expect a larger than iPhone device with a dual display and larger form factor.

Are there any 3rd party credit card swipe devices for iPhone yet?

Rocketman

[crees!]

Originally Posted by PlaceofDis

iPhone Nano anyone?

Any smaller than what's out now I think would be too difficult to type on.

[The Bruce]

Well it would be in line with my apple experience. I get the first product and marvel at what those who wait get. Oh well, I love and use my Apple ][. I hacked it to an Apple ][e( kind of ).

[PlaceofDis]

Originally Posted by crees!

Any smaller than what's out now I think would be too difficult to type on.

landscape mode, the current version should have it imo.

[bdj21ya]

Touchscreen iPod just seems SO much more likely than a new iPhone design (nano or otherwise). Assuming this rumor is to come to ANYTHING, here are my odds:

1. iPhone redesign: 0% chance. It is too soon, the price would make NO sense, and it would have to be submitted to the FCC quite soon, assuming a U.S. release. If past experience is any gauge, we'd have a special event by now to prevent people discovering the device from the FCC first.

2. iPhone nano: 0% chance, for the most of the reasons of number 1, plus the fact that it would be too small to have any meaningful purpose to a touchscreen. Why release a product that doesn't improve ANYTHING?

3. Touchscreen iPod: 97% if this rumour is to amount to anything, this is where to look for it. We'd already have this by now if it wasn't for Apple's focus on the iPhone launch. Look for a widescreen iPod, no internet capabilities, but POSSIBLY youtube over wifi, as well as a couple other wifi goodies.

4. The unknown: 3% chance of this being something none (well most) of us wouldn't guess because we lack the vision. I guess that Mercedes device could be coming a little sooner than reported .

[Martin C]

Originally Posted by bdj21ya

Touchscreen iPod just seems SO much more likely than a new iPhone design (nano or otherwise). Assuming this rumor is to come to ANYTHING, here are my odds:

1. iPhone redesign: 0% chance. It is too soon, the price would make NO sense, and it would have to be submitted to the FCC quite soon, assuming a U.S. release. If past experience is any gauge, we'd have a special event by now to prevent people discovering the device from the FCC first.

2. iPhone nano: 0% chance, for the most of the reasons of number 1, plus the fact that it would be too small to have any meaningful purpose to a touchscreen. Why release a product that doesn't improve ANYTHING?

3. Touchscreen iPod: 97% if this rumour is to amount to anything, this is where to look for it. We'd already have this by now if it wasn't for Apple's focus on the iPhone launch. Look for a widescreen iPod, no internet capabilities, but POSSIBLY youtube over wifi, as well as a couple other wifi goodies.

4. The unknown: 3% chance of this being something none (well most) of us wouldn't guess because we lack the vision. I guess that Mercedes device could be coming a little sooner than reported .

+1

Great post bdj, I think you basically summed up this thread.

[puckhead193]

i hope this is true. I'm waiting for the second gen.

[ToneFREQ]

I think it is VERY possible that there will be a second iPhone model coming soon. Hasn't anyone considered that Apple might release an iPod/phone with no data capabilities (no email, browser, texting). They get the cost low because it won't be multi-touch. Lack of data becomes the big diferentiator. It would sync contacts and calendar appointments/reminders like existing ipods and satisfy the needs of a great many people who don't use smartphones today and have no real desire to move to a smartphone. It keeps people from having to carry two devices and opens up a new market segment. Besides this, AT&T & FCC would probably require minimal testing/approval phase because it would use the same phone radio transmitter as the existing iPhone.

[kalamus]

Im going to have to agree with the iPod folks here. If this rumor is true about them winning the contract for the screens then its definately NOT for a scaled down iPhone. It would never happen this close to the launch of the original product. It would 100% be the new gen iPod. No question.

If the prices also hold true then perhaps the difference in price would be 80 gig and 120 gig.

I cant say this enough. The G2 iPhone is not in the near future (next several months). Period.

[boss1]

It just doesn't make sense. a 6th gen iPod with touchscreen would eat up the growth rate of the iPhone, I'm sure many here would argue but it still doesn't make it any less true. It's too soon. And it's too soon for a mini iPhone. Not because there isn't a market for a less expensive iPhone but because the 1st one has a ton of work needed in it's current form. Plus the 1st iPhone hasn't even hit it's target sales in Europe so what would happen to those numbers if a 2nd gen was announced?

[MacFly123]

It's pretty obvious that they are misinterpreting this info and that it is really the new iPod Video that those facts are about. HELLO!!!!

[megfilmworks]

My guess is a Nano with just phone and itunes, smaller touch screen. Aimed at the teen crowd for the holidays.

[boss1]

I forgot to mention Google. This wouldn't happen to do anything with all those Google branded phones we've been hearing about would it?

It's a stretch but this might be possible. Manufactured by Apple like the HP iPod a while back. But this would be a phone distinct from iPhone ?

[nostaws]

ad my voice to the chorus singing next gen. ipod NOT iphone

[MacinDoc]

Originally Posted by nostaws

ad my voice to the chorus singing next gen. ipod NOT iphone

Agreed. The next gen iPod is overdue...

[spazzcat]

Sounds like 6th gen ipod to me. No way they would ship a new gen of the iphone this soon.

[xUKHCx]

While i agree that it could easily be the next gen iPod there is one other thing that it could be.

How about a slightly revamped iPhone for the European market, i.e. 3G, At the same time released in the US with a price drop on the iPhone range.