Hon Hai Receives iPhone Contract?

[MacRumors]

According to the Commercial Times (mirrored by Forbes), Taiwan's Hon Hai has received a 12 million unit contract for the rumored iPhone. According to the site, the product would be released in the first half of next year, which currently echos other reports.

The article also briefly mentions Hon Hai receiving a contract for a 15" MacBook, due to be delivered next year or in January. This most likely refers to Hon Hai simply becoming another supplier of the 15" MacBook Pro rather than a new 15" MacBook model. There have been previous reports (reported by AppleInsider) that indicated that Hon Hai subsidiary Foxconn was looking to procure a 15" MacBook Pro contract.

 

[Chimera]

I think it's going to be a great MWSF this year!

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I refuse to get sucked into more iPhone rumors. I'll believe it when I see it. Otherwise I'll go about wishing I had money to spend on Mac products that actually exist.

 

[Macnoviz]

Nice.

Although a 15 inch MB would be nice (or maybe 17 inch) it would then really be a media/digital hub computer

Although the demand for a 13 (11?) inch MBP is probably stronger.


I think the iPhone is still some time away, it will probably be a no show at MWSF. But the first half of 2007 will certainly be very interesting

 

[prady16]

Its gonna be one helluva MW!

 

[puckhead193]

should be interesting....

 

[rosalindavenue]

Over the years Manufacturer rumors have proved less reliable than any other type of rumor. IMO, that 15" macbook rumor is incredibly bogus-- Apple's not going to gut 15" macbook pro sales.

 

[Chundles]

I still have a bad feeling about this iPhone thing. Is it going to be primarily for the US mobile market (old tech and where telcos decide on the features of the phones) or is it going to be suitable for use internationally (good for us but mightn't suit the telcos in the US -> Apple has a hard time competing)?

Because either way there's a problem.

 

[arn]

(page 1 for interest, as is already on many mainstream sites - cnn etc...)

 

[Teddy's]

I refuse to get sucked into more iPhone rumors. I'll believe it when I see it. Otherwise I'll go about wishing I had money to spend on Mac products that actually exist.

uhmm ...
eeer...
yeah...
well...

*this website is called macRUMORS!

 

[MacBoobsPro]

You know what? After reading that it makes me feel we havent see the vPod for a reason. vPhone anyone?

How frickin cool would that be?

Full screen video ipod with phone capabilities.

YEEEUUUUMMMMMMY!!!!!

 

[Rojo]

uhmm ...
eeer...
yeah...
well...

*this website is called macRUMORS!

Agreed.
People may think these iPhone rumors are annoying, but the people who post on the threads to say "I refuse to get sucked into these iPhone rumors" again and again and again are just as (if not more) annoying.
It's a RUMORS site, and if you don't like the rumor, just don't read/post. It's really quite simple!

 

[cwong5]

I guess I am being very silly, but I am truly holding out on a new phone. I am sick of my blackberry. it's clunky. it's ugly, and it really doesn't sync all that well even with the latest PocketMac Sync.
What I am more worried about is that the iPhone won't live up to the years of dreams and speculations.

 

[fixyourthinking]

Agreed.
People may think these iPhone rumors are annoying, but the people who post on the threads to say "I refuse to get sucked into these iPhone rumors" again and again and again are just as (if not more) annoying.
It's a RUMORS site, and if you don't like the rumor, just don't read/post. It's really quite simple!

Especially if said rumor is a given ... it's not only probable that Apple will release an "iPhone" it's a certainty. There's too many things adding up.

I like reading the speculation because it's the most anticipated Apple product for me since the LCD iMac and will be the most useful/versatile Apple product since the Pismo.

What I am more worried about is that the iPhone won't live up to the years of dreams and speculations.

I'm thinking it will exceed every expectation. I think Apple has been honing this for years to make 100% sure they get it right.

 

[Rojo]

You know what? After reading that it makes me feel we havent see the vPod for a reason. vPhone anyone?

How frickin cool would that be?

Full screen video ipod with phone capabilities.

YEEEUUUUMMMMMMY!!!!!

It would indeed be cool to have a model like that available for people.
Although I'm hoping, if that's the case, that there's also a smaller model available that's primarily a phone. For me, I just want a small phone that's not much bigger than my Razr or Nano -- but with some cool, unique features that only Apple could do.

 

[lmalave]

I think the iPhone is still some time away, it will probably be a no show at MWSF. But the first half of 2007 will certainly be very interesting

Hmm...I hope you're wrong. Apple is already behind the curve with the music phones. They REALLY need to make a big splash with the iPhone, and soon.

I'm fairly optimistic that Apple will at least announce the iPhone at MWSF. If nothing else, maybe in the context of OS X and .Mac integration. If they don't, then I think it definitely will have not been by choice. I think Apple wanted to unveil it at MWSF, but maybe they'll have to settle for a "special event" a month or two after MWSF.

How much lead time does a contract manufacturer need? Isn't it conceivable that Apple would announce the iPhone at MWSF and then have it be available a few weeks later? I mean, that would be 3 months from now, and maybe Hon Hai is already well along in their preparations...

 

[Squonk]

I'm holding out for an iPhone too. I sooo look forward to phone syncing that works as well as iPod <--> iTunes! My SE syncs fairly well, but not always. I avoid syncing to avoid the duplication of my address book.

MacBook 15 - no way. I agree with all previous posts.

 

[lmalave]

I guess I am being very silly, but I am truly holding out on a new phone. I am sick of my blackberry. it's clunky. it's ugly, and it really doesn't sync all that well even with the latest PocketMac Sync.
What I am more worried about is that the iPhone won't live up to the years of dreams and speculations.

Hmm...I'm in the same boat. I have a very passable Sony Ericsson phone, but I'm holding out for the iPhone for as long as it takes. I was hoping for January, but if I need to wait until March or April, then so be it.

I'm much more optimistic than you, though. What dreams and speculations are you afraid that the iPhone won't live up to? Here's all you need to know: the iPhone will almost certainly have the same scrollwheel interface as the iPods, and almost certainly will behave exactly like an iPod until its phone features are needed. I think Apple will be aggressively marketing the iPhones as essentially next-gen iPods, with phone features included. I think the make-or-break features for the iPhone are:

- Must be as easy to use as a music player as the iPod
- Must be easy to use as a phone:
- should have easily accessible, physical numeric or QWERTY keypad for easy calling and text-messaging
- should have good reception and call volume

Given the requirement to both be an iPod-like music player and an excellent phone, I think the iPhones will both be slider phones. I think the smaller one will be similar in form factor to the iPod nano, except twice as thick to accomodate the fact that it's a slider and needs a numeric keypad. I think the larger one will be the similar in form factor to the full-size iPod (and hopefully no thicker), and will slide open to reveal a QWERTY keyboard (since rumors are that the larger one will be branded as a "PDA" phone).

I can't wait! I'll probably be tempted to get the "PDA" phone since I'm a consultant and often can't check my email from my client's office.

P.S. I have a feeling that the PDA phone, despite its similar form factor, won't be hard-drive based like the iPod. I think space will be at such a premium that Apple has to make it a flash-based device. So maybe the "nano" iPhone has 4 GB of storage, whereas the "PDA" iPhone has 8 GB or even more of storage. Or maybe they both have 4 GB storage as a base, except the "PDA" version has expandable storage like a miniSD card slot. Ok, having expandable storage seems like something the Apple marketing department wouldn't allow, but this is a Mac Rumors site - I can dream, right?

 

[lord patton]

I agree, a 15" MacBook is highly unlikely.

Would it really eat into MBP sales, though? From perusing these boards, most pro types wouldn't touch a 15" MB with integrated graphics with a 10 foot pole. (And even if it did eat into the sales, just 'cause a MB has a lower cost, doesn't mean it has a lower margin).

But there are plenty of folks who would like a larger screen than 13" MB offers, but don't want to pay two grand for notebook.

A lower cost 15" notebook would fill a hole in their product lineup. So too would a 13" or 12" MBP. IMO, both are likely first half of 07.

 

[BornAgainMac]

More like CNNRumors. I see more Apple rumors from them lately.

 

[bigandy]

Would it really eat into MBP sales, though? From perusing these boards, most pro types wouldn't touch a 15" MB with integrated graphics with a 10 foot pole. (And even if it did eat into the sales, just 'cause a MB has a lower cost, doesn't mean it has a lower margin).

But there are plenty of folks who would like a larger screen than 13" MB offers, but don't want to pay two grand for notebook.

A lower cost 15" notebook would fill a hole in their product lineup. So too would a 13" or 12" MBP. IMO, both are likely first half of 07.

did you misread something? doesn't it say it's likely to be another supplier for the 15MBP?


the iPhone thing would be good if it happened, but it better be GSM so it works somewhere other than the US...

 

[lord patton]

did you misread something? doesn't it say it's likely to be another supplier for the 15MBP?


the iPhone thing would be good if it happened, but it better be GSM so it works somewhere other than the US...

The article says MacBook. MacRumors interpreted this as meaning MBP. At any rate, I'm just speculating that a 15" MB would be a good thing (so far in this thread, that's the minority opinion).

 

[dnedved]

I hope this isn't true because I'm hoping that the phone and video ipod are one in the same. If they don't converge soon Apple will have nobody but themselves to blame!

 

[JMax1]

Especially if said rumor is a given ... it's not only probable that Apple will release an "iPhone" it's a certainty. There's too many things adding up.

I think it is a certainty too. There is way to much demand for such product for apple to sit on their butts and say "Naw, we're not in the market."

 

[lmalave]

I hope this isn't true because I'm hoping that the phone and video ipod are one in the same. If they don't converge soon Apple will have nobody but themselves to blame!

Why would this be such a good thing? It seems very un-Apple like. A video iPod and a phone are different devices that should have different form factors. For example, for a phone you *really* need a physical keypad. A touch screen based keypad won't cut it. Early Treos had touch screen keypads and they suck. The market has moved on and Treos, Blackberrys, and every other PDA has physical keypads. There's no way Apple would design and market an inferior user experience. People want physical buttons.

Also, for a phone you want to make it as small as possible, whereas for a video iPod it need to at least be large enough to accomodate a larger screen. So despite the patent pictures of "touch sensitive bezel" full-screeen iPods that have been released, I think the video iPod will turn out to look a lot more like the Zune. It makes sense to just shrink the scroll wheel and make the screen bigger. I think apple will increase the screen size to about Zune size, and with the Zune orientation. The difference is the video iPod's screen will probably be 640x480, to match what's already downloadable from the iTunes store.