Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

3G iPhone in May, Another Device at WWDC?

Tablet CPU

Well if Apple is releasing a tablet then it would be the perfect platform for PA SEMI's PWRFICIENT CPU unless Apple goes with the Xscale. Then again the PowerPC ISA is much more advanced/cleaner then the x86 and much harder to crack, would be a perfect fit. Having Hypertransport 3.0 vs Intels FSB would also shrink down the amount of hardware for a smaller form factor, not to mention more bandwidth between CPU and memory.
 
Ok. It's coming sometime between today and end of June.
Moving on, the fact 8GB was discounted and that present iPhone barely available suggests:

--production of existing EDGE only iPhones will be discontinued due to economies of scale in production
--new iPhones will be available for activation on an EDGE only plan, primarily in areas where 3G not operational, but possibly in all areas (remember, existing EDGE iPhones will have to work everywhere with same or better quality as exists now)
--minimal hardware upgrade to camera
--new iPhone could begin shipping almost immediately, EDGE ONLY activated, on upgraded 1.x.x firmware, with 2.0 and apps before end of June. This also explains aapl's strange post-3/6 accounting

This solves gap problem and moves product out the door, especially for new users. It allows existing users who intend to upgrade to have it in hand waiting for 2.0 release when AT&T has more staff on hand. It's the software/apps, not the hardware, that will be the most important, and that will come at WWDC.
 
jnc said:
Confusion? One's a phone, one isn't.
Click to expand...

I didn't say I was confused, I'm talking about the average person. And confusion maybe isn't the most appropriate term --- how about "lack of differentiation". Think about it, it's always been sort of awkward that both devices were so similar. It would make sense to get rid of the touch and upgrade it to a larger, although still somewhat pocket-friendly tablet. This would provide a better product lineup, in addition to a future iPhone-nano
 
mccldwll said:
--new iPhones will be available for activation on an EDGE only plan, primarily in areas where 3G not operational, but possibly in all areas (remember, existing EDGE iPhones will have to work everywhere with same or better quality as exists now)
Click to expand...

3G does not run extra. Data is data.
 
I have to agree that my hopes are for a May release of a 3G iPhone, but I can't see it happening without a major press event: even if it were just a 3G chip and that was it, Apple would want the press to build up to it; after all, many many many people will have held off for the 3G and there Apple will want the world to know about it. In the UK the BBC has often reported Apple releases on their technology pages (usually main article), but they have never done it unless there was an event surrounding it.

Then there is the 2.0 firmware release with a confirmed June date: we have all seen that the latest version of 2.0 includes 3G on/off. Having said that, there is no reason that Apple can't release a 1.XXX version since we all know that their accounting practices will allow for a FREE update at a later date (grumpy iPod Touch owner here).

Anyway, my hopes are going to be dashed as I want a 3G, 32GB, GPS (with TomTom software), 5MP flash enabled camera, firmware V2.0 and MS Office for iPhone version of the iphone and I ain't gonna get it.
 
backdraft said:
Well if Apple is releasing a tablet then it would be the perfect platform for PA SEMI's PWRFICIENT CPU unless Apple goes with the Xscale. Then again the PowerPC ISA is much more advanced/cleaner then the x86 and much harder to crack, would be a perfect fit. Having Hypertransport 3.0 vs Intels FSB would also shrink down the amount of hardware for a smaller form factor, not to mention more bandwidth between CPU and memory.
Click to expand...

Both Apple and their customers could care less about how advanced or "clean" the instruction set on the CPU in their computer is. All that matters is speed, cost, and power efficiency. And to assume Apple would go back to using POWER-based chips for anything they do is far-fetched at best. It would have to provide exclusive, game-changing benefits. I would assume the have spent all their time optimizing the OSX libraries and kernel for x86 since the transition and now the ARM fork. As for PA SEMI, I though that horse was dead long ago; Apple did NOT buy them for their current products or technology.

And where did HyperTransport come into this? Agreed that Intel's FSB is crap, but that will be gone with Nehalem.




mccldwll said:
...
new iPhones will be available for activation on an EDGE only plan, primarily in areas where 3G not operational, but possibly in all areas (remember, existing EDGE iPhones will have to work everywhere with same or better quality as exists now)
...
Click to expand...

If history and current practices are any guide, there won't be any type of differentiation between EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA when it comes to access plans. At least in the USA, none of the carriers distinguish between EDGE and UMTS when you are adding data packages to a cell phone plan or for using laptop data cards. There is no "EDGE only" or "3G" data package, data access is data access, no matter the technology you utilize to connect. I had a 2G Treo 650 with unlimited data, then I upgraded to a Treo 700W with 3G data, and nothing had to change on my contract at all.
 
Would love it if this rumor came true but it doesn't jibe with the AT&T employee vacation blackout June 15-July15. Perhaps announcements vs. availability is the key here.
 
2 things

First, I really like mccldwl's logic. Especially, the reference to Apple's accounting. I also wondered why they had to defer all iphone revenue starting 3/6. So, I think we might see the 3g iphone ship this month with 3g disabled until 2.0 software. However, I still say June 10 more likely.
Second, I think the two bridges ad for wwdc has implied to me that touchOS and MacOS are two different product lines. I don't think they'll converge. I don't think you'll ever see a tablet that runs MacOS. However, I speculate we will see more and bigger products running touchOS. Specifically, a TABLET. Furthermore, Steve will never port touchOS to x86 devices because HE DOESN'T WANT THEM TO RUN WINDOWS. That's why Apple will, in fact use the newly acquired chip technology soon, if not immediately.
BTW AAPL to jump $10 today.
 
winterspan said:
If history and current practices are any guide, there won't be any type of differentiation between EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA when it comes to access plans. At least in the USA, none of the carriers distinguish between EDGE and UMTS when you are adding data packages to a cell phone plan or for using laptop data cards. There is no "EDGE only" or "3G" data package, data access is data access, no matter the technology you utilize to connect. I had a 2G Treo 650 with unlimited data, then I upgraded to a Treo 700W with 3G data, and nothing had to change on my contract at all.
Click to expand...

You may very well be right. However, data usage on iPhones much, much higher than on other phones so might be a way to nickel/dime consumers (another $5 for 3G) and not tick off people in the hinterlands who don't have access to 3G, but otherwise would pay same amount as the "city folks."
 
I doubt the new product will be a "something for everyone" product. With the exception of the new line of notebooks and desktops that came with the Intel chips, the new products announced in the past few years have catered to a specialized crowd, instead of the average guy looking for a computer or mp3 player. This can somewhat be seen with the iPhone and iPod Touch, a bit more with the Mac Mini and especially with the MacBook Air. Unless they introduce a powerful but scaled down sub-$1000 notebook or something similar for the budget-conscious consumer who needs more power than the Mini, the new products will something amazing for the niche that needs it, but won't appeal to everyone. Also, for those who say that Apple wouldn't create a product that doesn't function out of the box, the MBA is pretty useless without another machine. Same with the iPod. With the Back to My Mac feature of Leopard, I wouldn't be surprised if we see more thin client like products to encourage people to become a multi-Mac household and get a .Mac subscription.

I thought some sort of deposit was required for a pre-order, if not the whole cost up front. Although I know they won't have a problem moving the iPhone, not requiring anything from the consumer is kind of risky no matter what product you're selling. That being said, I still don't doubt a pre-order of the iPhone, with a ship date in June. It would affect sales numbers but the number of units sold wouldn't suffer as much. It would be nice if they came out this month, though. I didn't really want one when they first came out but I'm thinking about getting one now. I don't like to get products when they originally release, though, and I need it at the end of June, so this would give me a month to decide.

And while I'm somewhat skeptical about it being released before WWDC, mostly because I can't imagine what bigger news they might have, I also doubt they would go for a month without sales just so people couldn't return them when the new one came out. For people who really need a phone and just casually decided on an iPhone, if they aren't available they'll completely lose those customers. Apple has always released product updates without much warning. The MacBook Pro is constantly getting updated, and I'm sure other products, too, but I don't really follow them. Anytime you buy a Mac you should expect something new in a few months. I don't think there would have been as big an uproar about the iPhone if it was just an update, but it was an update along with a price drop.

As for getting the new iPhone if you take your old one in for problems, I think it's possible. When I first bought my iPod the person who sold it to me said not to get the engraving because if something happened and it needed to be replaced it would be replaced with whatever model was currently out there. The engraved one would be sent for repair, even if it was major. Also, I ended up with a MBP because I was having problems with my PB. This was after they stopped selling them, but refurbished ones were still available. The genius gave me the option to repair or replace, since there were other factors involved, but I don't think he had enough clout to get me a brand new machine if it wasn't their policy to replace them with what is current. And considering the iPhone stock is depleted, it would be a bad business move to hold on to some just for those people who happen to have technical issues with the phone right after the new one comes out.
 
I dont see the iphone coming out sooner than expected, and I dont really care, but the rumor of another device that could come out at wwdc makes me listen. Remember the days of the iPod-Introduction? First, they went for the (now called Classic) High-End-Model with harddrive, screen, menu, extras and so on. Then, the went down the stairs a little bit and made the IPod mini with less features but with higher acceptance in the consumer market. Last, they went for the shuffle, the "cheap" product for those who like just want the device to play music. Nothing else.

I think apple is progressing with the iPhone the same way. First, a device for fans, for customers that need everything, an maybe even object of prestige. The iPhone surely was a bang in the smartphone-market, thats what they wanted. Now, they have their first experiences, they know, what functionality is needed, what customers love the most and then, they scale down the phone to a stripped down phone having just the features appreciated the most for a much lower price.

I would highly appreciate a scaled down iPhone, maybe I even would buy one. No Internet and therefore no 3G, no games, no videos, no photos, no widgets, no whatsoever. Just phone, texting, addresses, a simple music player, just the things that are used nowadays by most people. Later on they could go further down just having a phone that do the phone-stuff and texting, for a few dollars. Imagine how thin and nice this products could be. If they stuck with the current iPhone with stuff I never even think of using it like right now, this will never end in my pocket.
 
Out of iPhones

Local AT&T store is stocked with iPhones here in town, both models and still gets them shipped from Apple .

Supposedly AT&T is going to have the lower price on the iPhone if your plan says your qualified for the an upgrade or your a new customer. Substantial savings.

Also besides the 3G, GPS and a 5 mega pixel camera is what we are hearing , mite be nothing mite be something.

BB9000 is coming out and the 3G iphone. I'd be betting end or May at the latest than again it could be Tuesday the 13th of May.

Also the company that was awarded the contract is new so maybe it will take a little longer or NOT.

Either way its going to be interesting to read and see whats going to coming out as a 2nd gen iphone and the internal workings
 
Out of stock online

I would say the current stock level online at the Apple Store speaks volumes. Does anyone actually thinking Apple would sit for an entire month with no units to sell? Either they have more stock of current gen iPhones on the way, or they will announce the new model very soon, perhaps tomorrow. Even if they cannot deliver these phones until June, they'll start taking orders.
 
joeshell383 said:
While what you said was true, it is misleading, and I wish you would have framed it better. There are some places with no coverage, but they are rare and getting rarer by the month. The percentage of the population without any cell coverage at all (not talking about technologies or carriers) is virtually zero. There are enough misconceptions about U.S. wireless infrastructure as is it.
Click to expand...

Depends on where you are. In areas of low population density there's often spotty or non-existent coverage. The entire area where my wife's parents live is entirely unserviced by anybody. Her grandma's house has one bar of the lowest quality GSM service.
 
swarmster said:
2. What if Apple's going to sell the iPhone themselves, possibly unlocked, and then a month later AT&T starts selling it through their stores, locked and subsidized. Regarding their exclusivity contract: do Apple stores qualify as competition? As long as there isn't another version specific to another carrier, isn't it still exclusive? Also, I wouldn't put it past Steve to have sold AT&T on 5 years exclusivity for the "iPhone", but then neglect to mention or promise anything about the "iPhone 2". The new version may not be exclusive at all.
Click to expand...
This is one of the most interesting speculations on here.
 
3G iPhone worthy of WWDC Keynote?

I really cannot see how a 3G iPhone is worthy of a keynote address. Unless of course it has a redesign or a laundry list of other new features. They already had a iPhone 2.0 firmware presentation, so doesn't seem to make much sense to have another. So it makes you wonder.
 
Rot'nApple said:
I don't think Apple is crowding it's "message" of simplicity. If you look at it from the standpoint of an iPhone being released and then some other gadget being released shortly after, then yes it could seem like product overkill. However, it didn't stop Apple from creating a variety of iPod choices, so why would this be any different. Especially, if you look at from the perspective that this can be the beginning of Apple's family of "multi-touch"? Just like the iPod has the shuffle, nano, classic and "Touch" in various capacity sizes and colors. The Multi Touch family could be looked at this way... iPhone, Touch iPod, Maybe some multi touch tablet versus a multi touch laptop and a multi touch "Wii" like 'gaming system' game pad or something. Who knows what's up Apple's sleeve, but if you categorize it as a "Family of Products" versus one product announcement after the next then it doesn't seem that Apple is losing it's way or crowding it's "message" of simplicity.
Click to expand...

When you put it like that, it sounds almost too good to be true. You sure you don't work for :apple:PR?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back