Analyst Speculation on $99 iPhone and Higher Resolution iPhone 3G

[optophobia]

The $99 iPhone sounds unlikely, and I frankly don't care.
Anyway I would be interested in a revised model, especially if they increase the processor to match the ipod touch.
I am hoping they do the same as last year and allow the early adopters to upgrade for the same price as the new contract subsidized price.

 

[dlewis23]

I'm so sick of hearing about this 2 versions of the iPhone crap. Its not going to happen.

Why would apple destroy their biggest plus for developers. 1 device hardware set, all apps work exactly the same.

If you have 2 different versions you kill that and then you have developers making apps for one or the other device.

And why would they come out with one that doesn't have 3G? AT&T is sacrificing the EDGE network to improve the 3G network. Here in south florida the EDGE network is just about unusable for data now I get less then 100 Kbps.

If Apple and AT&T were smart (We know Apple is most of the time, AT&T is sometimes) They would come out with a new version 1 device with a Higher Resolution screen, faster CPU and GPU, more ram and better camera. Video, copy & paste, MMS and a few other things we want, and AT&T drop the data package back down to $20.

That would make everyone happy, wouldn't hurt your developers, would give everyone a break on the billing side of things, and would stop these stupid rumors.

 

[zdobson]

This does seem very unlikely. IMO, it's not the price of the phone that prevents people from buying, it's the price of a data plan. Having two people in my household who want an iPhone means an extra $60/mo on my phone bill. I'd rather be investing that money while the market is so low.

 

[rubberduck007]

No updates = no annual plan upgrades = no retention for network carriers = bad in recession

2MP camera, are you kidding me? My old Samsung had 8, and my friend who lives in China, had a China Mob phone 4 years ago with a 12MP camera, so basically Apples joking again.
Plus the App stores a joke anyway, the person who approves or disproves apps should be shot.

It's all about the CCD chip - I dont give a knat's chuff if some Chinese mobile has a 20MP camera, the photos from it will be absolute sh*t - you want a decent hi-res/HD camera/video buy a stand alone camera - my friend has the 8MP LG Renior - pictures are not as good as my 5 year old 4MP Canon Ixus - nuff said.

 

[Michael CM1]

Sounds like fluff. I would expect a "low end" data plan to push more units over an actual low-end phone.

And for a higher-res uplevel phone? What would be the point? Unzoomed webpages are almost unreadable now, and objects are too small to touch-to-click. A bigger screen with higher resolution would be useful; not more pixels in the same size footprint.

What the iphone needs right now is a bit more processing power, and a better battery.

I'm glad I didn't have to scroll long to find this. The main drawback to a lot of people getting an iPhone is another $30/month on their cell phone bill. The extra $10/month and the theft of my 200 free texts is one thing that has kept me from upgrading to a 3G.

This whole "one data plan fits all" crap from AT&T needs to change. With WiFi at home, I don't even come close to the 5GB cap they have. I think I may use 200MB/month. I mostly use my phone for e-mail and news, and the mobile Web sites and mobile news apps don't have the insane amount of photos and videos that their normal sites do.

I don't get the reasoning behind taking a step back on iPhone models. If Apple were to release a cheaper iPhone, they would keep the 8GB 3G model and make it $150 or $100. Creating what amounts to a first-gen phone would mean different parts, different manufacturing lines, and in turn wasted spending. I don't know exactly how these things are put together, but it has to be cheaper for Apple to make the same exact phone except for the flash memory differences. Considering reports of AT&T jacking down EDGE coverage in favor of 3G, this projection also doesn't make sense again.

 

[CaryMacGuy]

I was typing a response basically saying that there was no way that Apple would release something like that but then I began to think about other products it had released. Such examples are the iPod Shuffle, Mac Mini, and (to a certain extent) the iPod Mini/Nano line.

If Apple can retain most of the fabulous user experience enjoyed by current iPhone users, there is a possibility they would introduce a $99 iPhone. I don't agree with the specs, however. I can't imagine any new mid to high range phone being introduced with less than a 2 MP camera these days. I think they are simply going to introduce a next generation iPhone at the current price point ($199, $299) and keep the existing iPhone+3.0 software update for $99.

 

[=MuLti-CeLL=]

Not Likely.

They are saying this would boost sells with a cheaper EDGE version?

Ok so lets think about this. AT&T is downgrading the EDGE network to strengthen the 3G network here in the states correct?

The 3G iPhone was released and spread out to countries all over the world and is still expanding out. Most of these other countries have powerful 3G, 4G networks so they can now justify buying a 3G iPhone atleast because it can keep up data-wise with other competative phones available to them. Correct?

Why on earth would they release a cheaper $99 phone and think the world would all of a suden embrace this new downgraded, slower device even over the current version or a newer, more featured version?

......No.

 

[Sehnsucht]

Not this worthlessness again...

Different screen resolution = no App Store.
No App Store = no point in sales

Also, they would both have a data plan.

The new iPhone's display will not be 1080p. However, (what I'm assuming they mean by this) the screen will stay the same physical size, but have a higher number of pixels (and probably be a higher-quality LCD backing). This wouldn't mess with the screen size, aspect ratio or whatever, it would just look sharper and more colorful. That's really all they can do, because as you said, a different-sized screen would f*** up the apps.

 

[spencers]

Not happening.

 

[Sehnsucht]

Yeah but id like pictures bigger than my thumb thanks.

Done

 

[Sehnsucht]

It's all about the CCD chip - I dont give a knat's chuff if some Chinese mobile has a 20MP camera, the photos from it will be absolute sh*t - you want a decent hi-res/HD camera/video buy a stand alone camera - my friend has the 8MP LG Renior - pictures are not as good as my 5 year old 4MP Canon Ixus - nuff said.

What he said.

 

[ChrisA]

I hope that the $99 price is true and that the size is smaller. That would be perfect for me.

Does it really matter what the "price" is. With cell phone "price" really means "down payment" because they are including payments over time for the phone in the monthly bill. Either way before you leave the store with your phone you have to sign a $2,000 contract.

What would happen if the "price" were zero. They could do that be adjusting the monthly payments up only a few $$ over 24 monthes. Whould people sign $2200 contracts just to get a free iPhone?

 

[SFgadgetman]

This is Bull

Shiitake

I think paying $30 extra a month to the same people who provide my home internet service is KaRazy. Sorry ain't gonna do it. Not even if they come out with an iPhone that'll give me a blow job.

 

[Bentov]

It's all about the CCD chip - I dont give a knat's chuff if some Chinese mobile has a 20MP camera, the photos from it will be absolute sh*t - you want a decent hi-res/HD camera/video buy a stand alone camera - my friend has the 8MP LG Renior - pictures are not as good as my 5 year old 4MP Canon Ixus - nuff said.

Heh, yep, but people don't get that. I had a pic I took with my oly 2100 ultrazoom, 2.1MP, but people always thought it was taken by a film camera. People don't understand the tech, so they just like numbers that increase over time....I weep for those that want 12MP crammed into a sensor that is like 5mmx5mm

 

[pubwvj]

I don't see the point in a higher resolution screen. The current model can already do such small details I can't make them out.

Hmm... Okay, I figured it out. This is not about the iPhone current size. This is about the next size up. A higher pixel count screen would be useful if the screen were 2x larger in each dimension. Presto, a tiny tablet Mac.

 

[=MuLti-CeLL=]

There will be no downgraded iphone. The only possible way to offer $99 phone is to offer older generation and new, upgraded version. The same thing we see with current offer of white macbook vs alu macbook.

Exactly.

If there is going to be a $99 iPhone I believe it would be the current 3G priced down to 99 bucks with a new, more powerful/more feature packed iPhone released at the current $2-300 pricepoint.

I might even be going more overboard with saying the $99 iPhone have the option of a $20 data plan with the new one stuck at the $30 data it is now.

 

[coolpal]

I am not entirely convinced about the $99 iPhone, but it makes sense to some, especially for those who are out of 3G coverage most (or all) of the time. And the $15 data plan is the existing price of the unlimited data plan for any non-3g non-smart phones (and orig iPhone.. the extra $5 is for 200 text messages).

The $99 iPhone sounds unlikely, and I frankly don't care.
Anyway I would be interested in a revised model, especially if they increase the processor to match the ipod touch.
I am hoping they do the same as last year and allow the early adopters to upgrade for the same price as the new contract subsidized price.

..I highly doubt AT&T (in the USA) would allow upgrades at same price as they did when 3G iPhone came out... I am saying this, 'coz the orignal iPhone wasn't subsidized and was a special kind of deal b/w apple and at&t.... since the 3G iPhone is subsidized and is like any other phone they sell, they wouldn't let you upgrade unless you are upgrade eligible (22 months into 24 month contract)...

All said, I am still waiting to upgrade my original iPhone.. the new version better be a good update. I just didn't feel the need to pay $15/mo more just for 3G speeds which I hardly care for most of the time... and GPS chip which wouldn't replace my GPS in car.. so I was able to live without it.

pal

 

[Nor*Cal]

No CDMA???

I can't wait till 2011, hurry up...

 

[nick9191]

We will see some kind of iPhone Nano. It would be foolish for Apple to sell just 1 model of phone. The Nano would retain the same screen size as the iPhone, but like the Macbook Air would be much thinner and lighter. Think of the current iPod Nano's, but with a 3.5" screen.

$149 8gb
$199 16gb
+ Contract

3G, No GPS, aluminium "nano chromatic" curved body, 2mp camera.

Then an iPhone Pro.

16gb $299
32gb $399

4mp camera with video, flash and focus, aluminium curved body, turn by turn GPS.

All models will have the same screen size and resolution as all other previous iPhones.

 

[jbernie]

Have a model withouth GPS and limited to smaller capacities is definately one way to distinguish the low/high end models.

That being said, given how sales in Europe did a whole lot better with 3G I would really really doubt the likelyhood of going back to Edge for data. It would really go against Apple's desire to make great phones. The low end phone would have to support 3G otherwise it will be ridiculed in all places.

Make it 8GB max no problem, drop GPS?, no problem, keep the current screen resolution and give the high end models are higher resolution? no problem. Drop 3G and make it Edge only? Fail!

 

[fourthtunz]

If the cheaper phone helps apple with it's bottom line, go for it!
I'm very happy with my og I-phone the only reason I will upgrade is when they make it at least 32 gig and build in the ability to record video.
Ok, a little upgrade on the camera would be nice but not if they put the price up. The original Iphone camera works great. I use my real camera when I want great pics.
I have Internet at home to but having email and internet and texting for an extra $30 is great! I use my internet on my iphone almost as much as my home service.
$66 a month for texting, phone that works anywhere in the US and internet is a great deal I think.

 

[beeh]

I think they need to do something lower to get people like me who want the PAYG option because I don't spend enough to get a £35/month contract but also don't want to spend £350 on a phone.

I'd love them to release a PAYG iPhone...

 

[dubhe]

A low end iPhone that looks and acts too similarly to the high end iPhone would devalue the latter. I don't see it happening.

BUT, I could see a low end iPhone for somewhere like China, with no option for high end iPhones. Different phone, different market.

 

[casik]

I don't see much changing for the new ones when they come out... i think it a given that they will for sure be 16GB and 32GB (hoping so at least) and a higher speed processor. I would like a form factor change (just a little thinner and not as thick of a bezel, and hopefully a improved battery life... maybe a screen with a few more DPI to sharpen out the screen a little.

 

[GotMyOrangeCrus]

Personally I am happy with where the iPhone is currently at and I agree a thousand percent with his statement. I dont think they should make a 99 dollar iPhone. As he stated that is not what Apple is about. They have never been about selling as many computers or products as possible. They have always been about quality products for those of us that are willing to pay for quality products. I for one hope that aspect of the company never changes.