Cheaper iPhone 4 'N90A' Photos Leak from Foxconn Factory

[Geckotek]

Steve Job's Apple did this.

But it ain't his Apple anymore, now it's Tim Cook's Apple and if he wants to use a flat Gen number system rather than all the antenna tech, "S" etc then guess what, he's the boss and he gets what he wants

you act like Steve Job's is completely gone from Apple. Not only that, Steve was most likely still very involved in most of the decisions around these current product launches. That and Tim knows making big changes will make investors nervous.

Don't look for any changes from "Steve's Apple" to "Tim's Apple" right away.

 

[pjhamill]

omg seriously?

don't you guys find it retarded? apple is not the kind of company that would go, we are launching iphone 5 on the FIFTH, of MAY. that's seriously cliche and lame.

I think he was joking....

 

[charlituna]

If I was "Taking over" I'd want my 1st product announcement to have a real BANG to it, in a "I'm hitting the ground running" type of way.

That can also backfire. A lot of folks loved Steve Job's Apple and they are scared poopless over the notion that anyone else would come in and start changing things up all over the place and ruin a 'great' company.

Steve was about slow and steady change of the hardware with the radical stuff being mainly software. Evolution over revolution most of the time. When there was something really great that was ready for prime time then they had a revolution but not before they felt it was ready, regardless of who had been using it for the last 3 years already.

A minor tweak of the internals with the same form factor and crazy new software is very Steve. And fits with the notion that he was still the boss while the design etc was taking place. So it makes sense that that is what we would get even though Steve turned the helm over to Tim. But regardless, having a very 'Steve' like design even if Tim was the one that made the choices, could show that this is still the Apple folks know and love and just because Steve isn't there at the helm doesn't mean anything is changing. That this isn't like in the early 90s when Steve was booted out and Apple almost completely imploded

 

[pantss]

anything thinks the limelight would be on ipod touch on 4th october and not the iphone?

 

[Geckotek]

There have only been four models of the iPhone, that's to small of a data sample to use words like 'usually'.

But it is still a precedent and must be taken into consideration. It appears to me that Apple has taken a stand that only a redesign deserves a new model #.

 

[djpuma]

i hope they fixed the goddamn antenna issue if it's only a 4S.
I took my 4 back after 1 week cause of this and I won't get a 4s if it's the same form factor especially if the antenna issue is there.
Some say there wasn't one, but my phone had it.

 

[Geckotek]

anything thinks the limelight would be on ipod touch on 4th october and not the iphone?

The invite says "Let's talk iPhone"

 

[iFrodo]

The 5 or not the 5, that is the question! Orange switzerland believes in the 5: http://smartphone.orange.ch/Lang/Change/en_CH

 

[charlituna]

iPhone 5 will be released tuesday with a delayed introduction and will start production and be available in about a month..

Or we just haven't heard any rumors about production and they have a few hundred thousand already put away. with another few thousand being produced every day

or they are going to try something new with how they sell phones. Say starting at 12.01am on the 5th you can put your name down for an iPhone and what model and store you want to pick it up at. You will get an email at some point starting the whatever of October (likely at least a week later) telling you that you have any time the next day to go to the store you picked and buy your phone. If you don't get it that day, your phone is going to the next person in line and you will have to add your name to the bottom of the list. There will be zero walk-ins. You must reserve. And there's a limit of two reservations at a time per person.

That way they can pace out the shipments and the sales so that the stores aren't packed beyond fire code rules, they don't have to hire 5 times the security and they don't have cities and malls pissed at them about the lines.

who knows at this point.

 

[rtabdo]

The more I think about it, the more I honestly think that Apple will introduce a newly designed iPhone. Let me explain my reasonings.

1. The 3GS/3G argument is flawed imo, because the 3GS came out in June 2009 when the iPhone had no competition at the time. It wasn't till Jan 2010 that the Nexus One came out and starting giving Apple real competition. We are in a different time now where people are buying hardware for not just OS, but for hardware, too.

2. Upon asking my family and friends how they would feel if the new iPhone looked the same and was faster with a better camera they all said something along the lines of: "That's not cool, I want something different. If they look the same, why wouldn't I buy the iPhone 4 which is a great phone already"

3. Think about when people purchase a phone, they prob don't spend A LOT of time digging into the OS, they play around with the hardware itself. The OS is something that you appreciate AFTER you have the device for some time. Why do you think so many people buy Android phones and then after a few weeks of using it, realize it's not the greatest OS? You need time with an OS to appreciate it.

4. Imagine going into a NOISY Apple store and trying to demo Assistant feature to others. I don't think it'll be a great way to demonstrate that feature, no matter how awesome it is (I'm also assuming it's going to be badass) with the crowd and noise at Apple stores.

5. In 20 months of Android being serious (since the Nexus One) it has managed to moved from the number 5 spot to the number 1 spot. One of the big reasons is because they have different devices. I think Apple see's this and knows that there needs to be two CLEARLY different devices. One being a cheaper iPhone 4 for people who look at price, and one for people who are all about the latest and greatest.

I know this is long but real quickly imagine this scenario:

iPhone 5 new hardware, iOS5 with all it's new cool new features including Assistant, AND available on Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. Also, a cheaper phone for everyone who cares about that lower tier price bracket.

If Apple does that, how many people will really walk into a store and NOT buy an iPhone? It'll be hard to pass up.

 

[charlituna]

Exactly. And moreover Tim Cook himself mentioned during the last financial results that Apple will be releasing a new revolutionary product in the last quarter and will have a major positive impact during that period.

No he didn't. On either count. He said there was going to be a product transition that would affect the Sept numbers. He didn't say it was a new product or if the change was positive or negative.

That there were no new iPods announced when they have "always" been in Sept could be what he was talking about. Or at least a part of it.

----------

Thanks. Thats what im trying to say. This does not mean there will be or wont be a new redesigned iphone, but has to be something major.

Yeah. He was hinting at the loss of sales for the new iPods that were not released, making the numbers lower than expected. It was his way of saying ahead of time for folks to have faith because there is a plan and Apple thinks it is a good one (releasing the iPhone the month, quarter and fiscal year after said 'bad' month but he wasn't going to mention that part)

 

[Niteace]

Most people seem convinced of the iPhone 4S being released.
Maybe its a small thing but I can't understand them not calling it an iPhone 5, like I read somewhere else here, its iOS5, 5th Gen, A5 Chip, and then what will they call the 6th gen? I felt like the 3gs was called that to being the naming scheme back in line.

 

[mouse.]

Apple HAS to release new hardware to keep mindshare.

mmmm, I'm not sure that apple HAS to.. Whether or not they do a redesign, people are going to buy it. An improved iPhone is still an improved iPhone. Sales will be made.

anything thinks the limelight would be on ipod touch on 4th october and not the iphone?

............ um.. no. It will be about the phone.
Edit: Wow haha, just as I wrote that the news just brought up Apple's announcement of the phone in "Less than 48 hours!"

rtabdo : I like your reasoning. We will see.

 

[StyxMaker]

guess your right. too bad though it would be nice to see made in the USA for a change.

Buy a cast iron skillet, they're made in the USA.

 

[bkushner]

Pretty sure those were debunked, and believed to be photoshopped.

pretty sure i have not seen a reference to these being debunked.

 

[charlituna]

you act like Steve Job's is completely gone from Apple. Not only that, Steve was most likely still very involved in most of the decisions around these current product launches. That and Tim knows making big changes will make investors nervous.

I'm well aware of the fact that Steve isn't gone etc. But really, what numbering system is used on a product line is hardly a major decision. It isn't like Tim has decided to start licensing iOS to other hardware companies.

 

[sulpfiction]

I still have hope. That meaningless photostream icon early on means something. No way it would look like that and be labeled a "generic icon". Also the fact that it looks exactly like the "leaked" design documents say it should. I think it's too much of a coincidence.

If I am wrong it will be a horrible Tuesday for me. I love my 4 but I want something new to look at to go along with all the new internals I'll be playing with. I am really not all that excited to be staring at my new iPhone 4S that looks exactly like what I am holding right now. Times have changed and it's also time for change.

I still bet we are all in for a big (good) surprise on Tuesday. This event has to be huge for Apple. And although the internal upgrades are going to be nice, the truth is that design sells just as much as function. Thats a stone cold statistic. So if half the people buy based on design, iPhone 4S is not going to sell as well as a redesigned iPhone 5 with those same internals. I just think it makes NO sense whatsoever to announce a spec bumped iPhone 4. Especially with all the "pretty" Androids coming out around it. Tons of people will skip right over the 4S whether it's a better phone or not, and say "wow..look at that 4.3" over saturated android screen..it's so bright and nice". And buy it based on that alone. I know 3GS did very good, but that was a different time. Apple almost has to change the design right now....Right now more then ever. And quite frankly, I bet the house we are going to see something beautiful on Tuesday.

 

[bkushner]

It's not really a fair comparison, since the iPhone 4 was completely outed and disassembled (gizmodo leak) well, before the production ramp. So there was no real demand for production photos.

arn

yeah right, no demand. you might convince yourself with that.

 

[Datalinks]

Most consumers have not sworn an oath of allegiance to Apple. If the hardware falls behind that of competitors and their software starts to seem too 2007 then they will buy something else, like the Galaxy S2, which seems to have what we are all waiting for. In addition the iOS is, in my opinion, fine for a phone but too limited for tablet computing. I just hope they don't start resting on their laurels.

 

[Piggie]

you act like Steve Job's is completely gone from Apple. Not only that, Steve was most likely still very involved in most of the decisions around these current product launches. That and Tim knows making big changes will make investors nervous.

Don't look for any changes from "Steve's Apple" to "Tim's Apple" right away.

IMHO I'd imagine Steve has rather more pressing matters on his mind at the moment, eg. staying alive, as opposed to the shape of the next phone.

 

[kdarling]

simplest answer... because they aren't being manufactured

On the pro side of there being an iPhone 5, here's a piece of really slim evidence:

When the SFPD gave out a press release email about Apple's recent lost item, Reuters noted that the press attachment was called "iphone5.doc".

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Apple would be INCREDIBLY stupid to not release the iPhone 5.

 

[andiwm2003]

A crappy spec bump you say? Yeah, GPU being 8x faster, a dual core CPU with double the RAM, and a much better camera is a crappy spec bump. *sigh*

the CPU/GPU speed bump is irrelevant to most customers. the iPhone4 is fast enough for everything (except of 3D gaming, but that is a niche market). So for the average guy a better camera is all they get when they upgrade from an iPhone4. But most people upgrade from an iPhone 3GS so to them it's still a good upgrade.

 

[w00dmann]

Can Apple be this stupid?

If indeed Apple only releases an iPhone 4 on Oct. 4th with souped-up innards, it will constitute the single biggest mistake Apple has made in the past 15 years. Don't believe me? Just look at the comments from people on this forum, they are laced with bitter disappointment and this is from die-hard Apple fans! Imagine what fickle Joe Q. Public will think of this?

It's bad enough that Apple just sat on their fat a**es for a full 18 months without releasing anything new, and then fail to release a new iPad this year in the face of mounting competition, but to blithely toss out the same basic iPhone model after this length of time would be grossly arrogant and abusive to customers. It would be Apple saying "meh the old model was good enough for you before, it should be good enough for you now, take it or leave it I don't care either way". The smartphone industry is just moving far too fast, with too many exciting "new" models being released by Android competitors for the old iPhone 4 form factor to hold the public's interest any longer. People want something new and it behooves Apple to give it to them, else they WILL lose mindshare and marketshare.

I have difficulty believing Apple would be that stupid. If they are, I will be shorting this stock straight back down to $300.

 

[Young Spade]

Or we just haven't heard any rumors about production and they have a few hundred thousand already put away. with another few thousand being produced every day

or they are going to try something new with how they sell phones. Say starting at 12.01am on the 5th you can put your name down for an iPhone and what model and store you want to pick it up at. You will get an email at some point starting the whatever of October (likely at least a week later) telling you that you have any time the next day to go to the store you picked and buy your phone. If you don't get it that day, your phone is going to the next person in line and you will have to add your name to the bottom of the list. There will be zero walk-ins. You must reserve. And there's a limit of two reservations at a time per person.

That way they can pace out the shipments and the sales so that the stores aren't packed beyond fire code rules, they don't have to hire 5 times the security and they don't have cities and malls pissed at them about the lines.

who knows at this point.

That is actually pretty interesting; it would beat rushing to find a ride and camping out at the ATT overnight. I would actually prefer that; the ability to ride my bike however many miles it is to the nearest ATT at the crack of dawn, get the iPhone 5, and then flaunt it around during lecture like I was the king of Scotland.