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Apple and Softbank to develop Cell Phone iPods?

:rolleyes: I feel the same. If they dont release the phone with all the features that are already on most cell phones, then I think they are going to fail. If they just want to do a iPod phone, then they should just redo the ROKR phone. (or whatever the hell it's called(
KTYS said:
No one will replace their full featured keitai with a phone with only a music player feature. If Apple does release a phone with only the iPod feature, it doesn't connect with how you said "people just don't want to carry around with more gadgets than they have to", because then we'll need another phone for the features not included in the Apple phone.

If Apple is going to sell the phone in the U.S., maybe Phone+iPod may be fine. But in Japan, a phone that is not feature-rich is not acceptable. It would result in a complete failure, and may even lead to people moving away from Apple entirely. (That's what happened to Vodafone. Lost a lot of customers because they didn't do the Japanese Way)

Like I said, to us, a cell phone is a "Handheld Computer". You wouldn't replace your current Mac with a typewriter, just because it's simpler to use, would you?

Edit: Well, SoftBank says it's not true: http://www.softbank.co.jp/news/release/2006/060515_0001.html
Click to expand...
 
KTYS said:
If Apple is going to sell the phone in the U.S., maybe Phone+iPod may be fine. But in Japan, a phone that is not feature-rich is not acceptable. It would result in a complete failure, and may even lead to people moving away from Apple entirely.
Click to expand...
...and still, iPods seem to be selling like crazy in Japan, without any of those features you speak about.
I think you look at it the wrong way. I dont think Apple will sell a phone with music capability, but rather and iPod with phone capability, i.e. emphasis on iPod.
Apple is a huge player in the portable music player (PMP) market. If they tried to enter the cellphone market they would be a very very small player compared to Nokia/Moto/LG/SE...
I believe Apple would get better sales if they remain in the portable music player market and add phone capabilities, rather than trying to enter the veritable hornets nest the cellphone market is today by building a Newton like phone (we all know how that ended).
Moreover, judging from Apple long history of minimalistic gadgets, I seriously doubt we ever will see a full-fledged whistles-and-bells phone.
 
Dr.Gargoyle said:
...and still, iPods seem to be selling like crazy in Japan, without any of those features you speak about.
I think you look at it the wrong way. I dont think Apple will sell a phone with music capability, but rather and iPod with phone capability, i.e. emphasis on iPod.
Apple is a huge player in the portable music player (PMP) market. If they tried to enter the cellphone market they would be a very very small player compared to Nokia/Moto/LG/SE...
I believe Apple would get better sales if they remain in the portable music player market and add phone capabilities, rather than trying to enter the veritable hornets nest the cellphone market is today by building a Newton like phone (we all know how that ended).
Moreover, judging from Apple long history of minimalistic gadgets, I seriously doubt we ever will see a full-fledged whistles-and-bells phone.
Click to expand...

I think I've said this many times, but Apple is not going to sell the phone in the U.S. for now.... they're going to sell it in Japan.

Will you give up your Mac for a typewriter?
Nobody will give up e-mail, digital camera, etc just to be able to play protected AAC files (unprotected AAC files are already compatible with some phones)

Sorry to say, but "iPod with only a phone feature" idea of yours is nonsense. You should come to Japan sometime and experience how great a "feature-rich keitai" is :)
 
KTYS said:
Sorry to say, but "iPod with only a phone feature" idea of yours is nonsense. You should come to Japan sometime and experience how great a "feature-rich keitai" is :)
Click to expand...
I live and work 500 meter from the main research facility where all the phones for SonyEricsson are developed and I probably get play with new the pre-production phones long before you see them. Ok, all these phones have bugs, but assuming the bugs will get fixed before production... am I still not impressed. The UI is a complete mess. The complexity of the UI is at least the square of the number of features included in the phone.

Moreover, we have had UMTS here for a couple of years which has more or less all the features keitai has. I admit it was fun to playing around with it in the beginning, but after a while the novelty wears off. It is then minimal added value and the inferior quality of the entire concept becomes obvious. Most people just dont think it is worth the trouble to fight the UI to get that little. Ok, if the personal trusted device (PTD - replaces creditcards so you can pay via network/BT a stores) ever goes live, I personaly might reconsider. Still, nothing has happened since Nokia started that project some odd 10 years ago, so I am not holding my breath.

...one more thing, I didnt comment the typewriter analogy because it just doesnt fit. It is more whether you prefer an amphibious car that doesnt do anything very well or a ferrari that does one thing very well.
I know what I prefer and apparently so do you.;)
 
either this is real or a very well done hoax: http://www.shampoopoo.com/pictures/iphone.jpg
only real conflict is, it's not to the same packaging style Apple is producing.

over the years of being in the CG industry, i have seen so many interpretations on what people want the "iPhone" to look like that the idea has become wornout. google image search "iphone" and you'll see hundreds of them.
 
This story was reported in the Connect lift-out of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. Now, the Tele's a bit of a rag but it generally gets it's facts right.

Have to wait and see what comes of it I suppose.
 
AbigailWilliams said:
either this is real or a very well done hoax: http://www.shampoopoo.com/pictures/iphone.jpg
only real conflict is, it's not to the same packaging style Apple is producing.

over the years of being in the CG industry, i have seen so many interpretations on what people want the "iPhone" to look like that the idea has become wornout. google image search "iphone" and you'll see hundreds of them.
Click to expand...

That's really, reeeeally old. It's a mock-up by I think iCreate magazine for their "What if Apple released" bit at the back of the magazine.

The mock up is based off a Sony Ericsson phone.
 
hah ohh boy. i was just nosing around GIS and that looked to be the most believable.. looking back at the older pages it seems like as soon as the iPod was released people wanted a cell phone version of it.

it's just rediculous, the demands people want nowadays.. but that is what keeps the industry alive and to strive. what's next.. an Apple Car :p
 
the only way I will buy an iPod is....

This is what I've been waiting for.

BUT
The only way I will buy an iPod with video is if there is a phone built into it or as if the phone is a plug in ad on to the ipod.

If this were the case I could do away with my cell phone, PDA, and shuffle.
But I wouldn't buy just an apple phone i don't have enough pockets as it is:rolleyes: .

BTW the phone would have to be GSM (takes a SIM CARD) otherwise there would be no point in apple making it (too restrictive with carriers).
 
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