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Apple Working on Cheaper, Smaller iPhone and MobileMe Overhaul
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I really hope these rumors are false, or that this is a prototype they don't have production plans for. If Apple's still a sensible company they'll just start selling each refresh's low-end iPhone off-contract instead of risking more App Store fragmentation with a new form factor.
I would adopt a smaller iphone. I just want a small, robust phone that dials, can make texts and maybe read/send email - but nothing special there, just for emergencies. And maybe maps. But Sans apps and well anything else really I don't want to watch video on it, i don't need a big screen, or surf the web.
I will have an ipad for everything else.
I will have an ipad for everything else.
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I don't think MobileMe will be free. Apple is not a philanthropic organisation. I see Mobile Me receiving more free parts. Perhaps something social to jump on that bandwagon.
I use my Mobile Me purely for document storage. Mostly because it's cheaper than Dropbox and integrated better with iOS and OSX. (Switched from dropbox recently). I'd be pretty annoyed that I just paid 150 bucks on my family plan just to see every guy and his dog get it for free. There better be some refunds on my unused time there or customer support is going to get a tough one.
Maybe they'll just make a tiered pricing system with perhaps 1/2 GB free and over that you pay a fee. Would make sense.
I use my Mobile Me purely for document storage. Mostly because it's cheaper than Dropbox and integrated better with iOS and OSX. (Switched from dropbox recently). I'd be pretty annoyed that I just paid 150 bucks on my family plan just to see every guy and his dog get it for free. There better be some refunds on my unused time there or customer support is going to get a tough one.
Maybe they'll just make a tiered pricing system with perhaps 1/2 GB free and over that you pay a fee. Would make sense.
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Don't care about the smaller phone, but Mobile Me definitely needs to be free.
Don't care about the smaller phone, but Mobile Me definitely needs to be free.
Why do you need an iPhone? There are hundreds of so called 'dumbphones' which will already do exactly what you are want.
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Free MobileMe? Uh, no :|
Not after I paid it for three years. Like a previous commenter said, it's insulting to paying customers when suddenly everyone can go and get a free MM.
Free MobileMe? Uh, no :|
Not after I paid it for three years. Like a previous commenter said, it's insulting to paying customers when suddenly everyone can go and get a free MM.
Yeah, you are right. But I'm sure if Apple did one it would be amazing. I do already have an iphone, I find alot of it not being used after the novelty of it wore off.
I don't need a smaller cheaper phone!!! I'd be willing to pay full price for the one that is shipping now. What I need is a cheaper plan that meets my needs.
If they were to offer tiered pricing on more affordable plans - like the goPhone then I'd buy an iPhone - even if I didn't get the inflated subsidy. I don't need unlimited calling, I mostly do texting and occasionally access the internet when I'm away from home. I shouldn't have to pay $90 a month for that just to use an iPhone. A cheaper smaller phone is not going to get me to sign up!
If they were to offer tiered pricing on more affordable plans - like the goPhone then I'd buy an iPhone - even if I didn't get the inflated subsidy. I don't need unlimited calling, I mostly do texting and occasionally access the internet when I'm away from home. I shouldn't have to pay $90 a month for that just to use an iPhone. A cheaper smaller phone is not going to get me to sign up!
I would only use MobileMe if it was free. No way in hell I'm paying for that service when I can use Dropbox or Windows Live Sync for file storage, and Google for email, calendar, and contact syncing.
MobileMe needs more than just an overhaul. It needs starting from scratch. Even if it was 100% free, the only thing most people would use is find my iphone/pad. Everyones already got an email account, and most people (I'm talking about the majority, and not those that live in the Apple Advert fantasy world) will never use photo galleries or calendars on a regular basis.
As it currently stands, MobileMe is mediocre junk with a fancy UI. To top it off, its crap if you're outside the US. Upload/Download speeds are appallingly slow. until they get geocentric locations they will continue to fail on this front.
As it currently stands, MobileMe is mediocre junk with a fancy UI. To top it off, its crap if you're outside the US. Upload/Download speeds are appallingly slow. until they get geocentric locations they will continue to fail on this front.
Let me answer this one...
An iPhone allows you access to applications that will make your life easier. Those applications are not available on dumbphones. Yeah, you can get a iTouch, but then you would have to carry 2 devices. One for apps, the other to text and make the occasional phone call. Apple is missing a huge market here!
ffs what the hell are those cock chimps in cupertino thinking??!!
give me a 4.3" screen !!...not some cheap, dumbed down 2.5" screen that i'll need "a file to sand down my fingers" so i can work it!!!! MORONS!!!!
give me a 4.3" screen !!...not some cheap, dumbed down 2.5" screen that i'll need "a file to sand down my fingers" so i can work it!!!! MORONS!!!!
That's just silly.
If you've paid in advance, they'll refund you.
If you're talking about the past 3 years, then you got your money's worth. All of the people who will get it if/when it becomes free didn't have it while you had it and were paying for it. You won't be paying for it if it becomes free.
What's the problem?
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A smaller iPhone... I just don't get it. Which aspects of the current iPhone will it be lacking? Only one camera? Smaller battery? No flash? A slower processor? I would guess that it would have to be missing something in order to separate it from the iPhone 4/5.
Maybe the smaller iPhone won't have a Home button (there were rumors a couple of months ago about Apple removing it), and the screen will take up (almost) the entire front of it.
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I think if they can put the iPhone 4 specs into a smaller form factor (as has been suggested, lose the top and bottom bezels), put the home button in software (or my preference would be on the side of the device) then this could work.
I think if they lose software functionality/features (a la the most recent iPod Nano) or make the screen smaller compared to the full iPhone it starts getting very problematic very quickly. Even on small 'dumbphones' people like to be able to text quickly, in fact I'd guess a lot of the market for smaller phones text more compared to users of full-sized smartphones who probably primarily use e-mail anyway.
I think if they lose software functionality/features (a la the most recent iPod Nano) or make the screen smaller compared to the full iPhone it starts getting very problematic very quickly. Even on small 'dumbphones' people like to be able to text quickly, in fact I'd guess a lot of the market for smaller phones text more compared to users of full-sized smartphones who probably primarily use e-mail anyway.
Start whittlin' down those fingers!
Cuz if a 7" tablet is too small for human fingers, certainly a smaller iPhone is WAY too small to be usable!
(To the overly literal: no, I don't really believe in this argument - but Jobs does)
Cuz if a 7" tablet is too small for human fingers, certainly a smaller iPhone is WAY too small to be usable!
(To the overly literal: no, I don't really believe in this argument - but Jobs does)
Exactly. So if this rumored new cheaper iPhone is only $200 at full price then that's what I would prefer to do. I'll pay the $200, and take a no-contract data plan any day over a "free" phone with a contract.
I was delighted when Apple invited me to test it, I just love it, and look how well it fits in my hand.
And Angry Birds is surprisingly playable!
iPhone nano? Sounds good. But where's my eyePhone?
I'd also love to see MobileMe go free. It seems like a useful service that could be nicely integrated with everything Apple, and could encourage people to move from just having an iPhone to having a mac at home as well... it's just something I was never interested in paying for.
I'd also love to see MobileMe go free. It seems like a useful service that could be nicely integrated with everything Apple, and could encourage people to move from just having an iPhone to having a mac at home as well... it's just something I was never interested in paying for.
Those "c*ck chimps" have been pretty good so far at predicting what the market wants and designing exactly the right phone for it.
Right now, the current iPhone is too small! C'mon Apple, forget the nano, give us the iPhone Classic (w/a 4.3" screen).