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How is Apple going to release an unlocked iPhone when Verizon and AT&T paid Apple to keep the iPhone off other networks?

Note that Verizon said they didn't pay for a CDMA exclusive.

Maybe a non-touch phone (wasn't there also a rumor of an iPod with phone capability?) Call it "The Apple Phone".

My wife hates touch phones. But she wants some smartphone capabilities. She would love something that looked like an iPhone but had buttons down the side of the screen corresponding to onscreen menus. Alas, I just can't see Apple doing a non-touch phone.

As for a smaller, cheaper version:

Almost half the US population (and many more in the rest of the world) still uses dumbphones, partly because of data plan costs. Think how many phones Nokia sells!

Or another thought: the iPhone itself started more as a feature phone, with a single homescreen and just the most necessary or desirable apps. Ever since, it's been drifting slowly away from that premise. Perhaps Jobs wants a do-over.
 
I would be interested in a smaller handset.

Same here. In an ecosystem where you might own both an Apple iPhone and an Apple iPad, you might want to use the phone without a massive data contract, and then get a data contract for the iPad where it is more useful. In this case you might just want to put a few apps and a smaller selection of music on the phone, as the iPad is the primary media consumption device. Hence you can sell an 8GB iPhone 4 Mini using last year's A4 chip and cheaper components, and a mere 320x480 screen.

This is also clearly one option that HP have explored for their tablet, hence the smaller Veer phone they have designed.
 
I would actually like this.

Then I could have Mac Pro for Desktop. iPad2 for Mobile, and iphone Nano for phone.
 
Bring on the Dick Tracy Special Edition iPhone Nano!

Dick-Tracy-Wrist-Radio.jpg
 
If this happens, no one would buy the iPod touch... unless they fancied a somewhat bigger screen size.

Perhaps the iPod Touch will evolve into this new model, or it will be a separate parallel line like the iPad Wifi and iPad 3G, for those willing to pony up a premium.
 
It will happen if Apple can find a way of pitching it as an additional phone, rather than an alternative. This is the way HP introduced the Veer, as a phone for the evening out, that syncs with your "main" (in this case Pre 3) smartphone.

If it's an alternative buy, they may feel it will be a case of them competing with themselves, rather than expanding the market.
 
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chrmjenkins said:
It's the iphone nano all over again. Smaller phones don't sell as well. Look at the pixi, aria, pre etc. All are overshadowed by phones with >3.7" screens these days. If apple did anything, it'd make more sense to make a bigger phone, not a smaller one.

I'd get a larger iPhone, more screen = more interest for me, and with retina display is ideal... Almost opted for a larger screen phone but man I am so glad I stuck with AAPL... that aside, I hear Android is simply inferior to iPhone/iPad OS. only reason Android is bigger than Apple's OS is really and simply only because so many different companies with smartphones use Android. Too bad the public is seemingly confused by that.

Ps. Buy AAPL on *any* decline in share price. It is surely going to $450.00 per share.
 
So now what happens to fragmentation and inefficiency of the apps running on the smaller iPhone?

Indeed i don't think it is true, but if it is they could make a little screen with 3GS resolution so you don't add more to the hardware mix.
 
Worst idea/rumor ever. Bloomberg should be ashamed.

most girls i see in starbucks are always on facebook. most people would be happy with a phone that does only facebook and youtube. there are pay as you go cell carriers selling $50 a month unlimited minutes/data/texting plans as long as you buy the phone outright.

apple can ignore this market, but it's a feeder market like ipods were to Mac's. people get cheap cell phones and when prices drop later as tech matures they will get better ones. if apple ignores this then android will win
 
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ChazUK said:
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I'd snap one up. Sounds interesting.

I buy at least one AAPL product left unopend since 2006. I just like collecting AAPL innovations... Wish I were able to have saved the very first Apple system from 1976. Surely one if these beautiful items will be worth quite a nice bundle 30 yesrs from now :)

Ps. Buy AAPL on *any* decline in share price. It is surely going to $450.00 per share.
 
I can picture smaller. After uber thinness there's nothing else left to accomplish that will satisfy Steve's fetish.
 
There's a difference between cheaper and less expensive that you don't seem to grasp. You get what you pay for.

I'm not so sure this would happen, although I would like it to happen, I've never understood why Apple doesn't make more affordable products.. If Apple would make more affordable Macs I think people would jump the bandwagon, the primary reason more people use a Windows machine is because it's much more affordable.

I don't think it'd too complicated making a more affordable computer while still making it look beautiful, cuz we all know Apple doesn't like to compromise design.. I just think if Apple did target that $300-600 market we would see so many more Mac users.. which would mean more people would also start developing for OSX
 
want.

ipad as phone at home, iphone nano on the go.

As a recovering smartphone junkie (10+ years), I just want to own a cellphone that gives me the ability to contact people when i absolutely need to - i do not want to be one of those people who text and walk into fountains, I don't want to use a cellphone unless I absolutely have to.

I'd love one the size of the new nano.
 
Indeed i don't think it is true, but if it is they could make a little screen with 3GS resolution so you don't add more to the hardware mix.
Yes, shrink the resolution of the 3GS into a smaller physical space and all touch targets become smaller as well.
No, if Apple wants to make a smaller phone, they trim the chrome a bit and make the screen less tall. Yes, it screws all apps but forcing developers to write apps for varying height is still the least painful way of adjustment.
 
You know what… U never know with Apple. They always surprise us. Maybe a simple phone litle smaller and cheaper could target more people out there. Yeah. A phone as beautiful as iphone4 could do some business. And could they fit in this 2,5 retina screen the same pixels as the 3gs? Maybe the problem solved. Cheers
 
"...the introduction may be delayed or scrapped, the person said. Few Apple employees know the details of the project, the person said..."

so a project that no-one knows about that will probably never see happen.

From Apple's point of view: They don't know what the market will be like in one year or two years. Having a small, cheap phone for sale may be an excellent idea one year from now, or complete nonsense. Nobody knows. But if Apple doesn't have the ability to build one, then they might lose out. They can afford to have a few guys design a small version of the iPhone, just in case. If it's never shipped, then it is a million dollars thrown away. If they don't have one when it's needed, they might lose out on many millions.
 
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