iPhone 2 at MWSF 2008?

[blashphemy]

After working in the Mobile business here in the UK, i can tell you a few things.

1. The European model needs to have a 3G capability as there are few phones being released by the likes of Nokia and Sony that aren't

2. MMS Picture Messaging is missing from the US iPhone and needs to be in Europe. If are taking part revenew from the contracts then by not having this on would be a big loss of revenew for

3. GPS isn't a deal breaker - there are few phones like the Nokia N95 in Europe that have it - and they are selling like hot cakes, so its possible, but not essential

4. If release an updated model in Europe during Q4, and it does have extra functions, then it should add to the hype and the launch. Okay, the US iPhone has their model now. But in Europe we have to wait another 6 months min to get ours, so why not have the updated model?

What you have to remember, is that the mobile phone market is not the same as the PC market. There are new phones coming out on a monthly basis. Now if 3G capability is added and a front camera, and you up the camera to at least 3.15mp (the norm now in Europe) then MMS should be just a software update. Then just needs to do software updates.

Open to thoughts!!!

all I know is that Apple better step up production in time for the holiday season in the US, and people aren't going to like an EDGE iPhone very much when 3G iPhones are right across the pond.

 

[sailnavy]

Gps

In my opinion, GPS is a must. I'm a long time MacAddict, but I'm not buying one until it has GPS in it. 3G would be nice (I spend an hour on the train each day), but for business people GPS & Google Maps integration seems to be such an obvious step (I don't have to carry a Garmin with me).

 

[emotion]

Given the release in Europe is 5 months after the US launch and that 3G is more or less essential for 1. compatibility with all our networks, 2. market acceptance. The upgrade to 3G looks likely.

I realise that Apple has some juggling to do to keep from alienating the US market with their ancient AT&T network (with it's patchy service and outages) but they also need to prevent the iPhone from flopping here.

Not easy to deal with but the phone market is very fast moving and an upgrade 5 months in must be seriously considered.

 

[firsttube]

In my opinion, GPS is a must. I'm a long time MacAddict, but I'm not buying one until it has GPS in it. 3G would be nice (I spend an hour on the train each day), but for business people GPS & Google Maps integration seems to be such an obvious step (I don't have to carry a Garmin with me).

How's about a dock connector GPS module? Or gps dock for the car. Potentially clunky, but all it takes is a little software update. That dock connector port is brimming with possibilites. I can only imagine what the next year or 2 is going to bring.

 

[acrafton]

Can't speak to the European market but here is what I think Apple will have out in the US for the Christmas season:

1. Drop the 4GB model, replaced by the current 8GB model at the $499 price.
2. New $599 model, 16GB, 3MPX camera at $599.
3. Assorted software updates and new apps.

Adam

 

[Zadillo]

How's about a dock connector GPS module? Or gps dock for the car. Potentially clunky, but all it takes is a little software update. That dock connector port is brimming with possibilites. I can only imagine what the next year or 2 is going to bring.

You don't even need that though...... there are a number of Bluetooth GPS adapters. If the iPhone could be updated to receive a GPS signal via Bluetooth, that would do the trick.

Personally that's how I use my Treo 650; I have a GlobalSat BT-338 bluetooth GPS adapter, and pair it with my Treo, where I use the Palm version of TomTom's GPS software, and it works great.

-Zadillo

 

[sailnavy]

Bluetooth GPS

iPhone getting a GPS feed via BT still defeats the purpose. You'd have to carry two devices. I just don't see apple doing that, too clunky. They'll put GPS in it eventually, probably just needed the space or something.

If the phone is meeting it's 911 requirement for location with cell town signals, that info should be made available to the phone as a starting point for Google Maps, as most searches will be relatively local.

 

[Zadillo]

iPhone getting a GPS feed via BT still defeats the purpose. You'd have to carry two devices. I just don't see apple doing that, too clunky. They'll put GPS in it eventually, probably just needed the space or something.

If the phone is meeting it's 911 requirement for location with cell town signals, that info should be made available to the phone as a starting point for Google Maps, as most searches will be relatively local.

Yeah, just saying I think it would be nice until they can get GPS built into the iPhone to at least allow it to receive a GPS signal from a bluetooth GPS device.

This would also be nice of course for early adopters, so people with current iPhones could take advantage of it as well.

 

[The new member]

Found this: (sorry I can't give you the weblink..)

News comment for iPhone to Quanta (By Capital Sec. Esther Chiu)
For today news "iPhone", it just short-term impact to Quanta no mater it iPhone order. The reason for this order cannot support Quanta's recover lost NB orders from Dell. In fact, I will revise down the Quanta 2008 NB order from 30mn units to 27mn units due to lost Dell and Sony orders since 4Q07. On the other hand, from our channel check, Dell switch the Server order to Wistron since 4Q07.

However, I do not think the Quanta fundamental view can support you to strong buy at this moments. TRADING is good idea but do not put too much hope in long-term when we cannot see any good signal in 2H07-08.

For PC stock pick: I favor to Hon-Hai(2317TT, TPNT$292), Foxconn tech(2354TT; TP NT$409), Wistron(3231TT; TP NT$68) and Acer(2353TT; TP NT$79) for these stock solid fundamental view to support stand up in 2008 ground.

News: Market had been discuss that Apple release iPhone second generation orders to Quanta(2382TT), its start to ship in Sep.2007-2008 for 5-7mn units. We projected this iPhone contribute to Quanta 2007EPS around NT$0.3-0.5. To 2008 EPS is around NT$0.8. Overall, we see the NB account to 80% of Quanta 2007-08 total revenues so that make us to neutral on this iPhone news. The big concern is still cannot support us to think about that can compensation to Quanta from lost Dell NB and Server order and others’ NB order since 4Q07. Neutral.

 

[Ugg]

Found this: (sorry I can't give you the weblink..)

It's such a bad translation it's sort of hard to tell what's being said " ship in Sep.2007-2008". What?

However, this would make sense for the European market since it's doubtful that Apple would release a prehistoric EDGE phone on the advanced 3-G system.

 

[natejohnstone@g]

Europe and US to have SAME iPhone

Correct me if this is not possible for some reason, by it's obvious that when Europe gets the iPhone that it will be better than the current 1st gen US iPhone (3g, etc.). Now, why can't Apple just release that exact phone in the US then as the 2nd Gen iPhone worldphone? Am I missing something here? Personally I can't buy an iPhone until it works in Europe and Japan as well as the US.

To the whiners who will complain that Europe will have a 3G iPhone before the US does...suck it. Europe always has better phones than the US, that's just the way it is. We have the best of everything else first, so in this one area we have to deal.
And to the other whiners who will complain about their EDGE iPhone when the 3G comes out in 6 months...again, suck it. That's the way the market works. You buy a new MacBook Pro and in a few months a better model is out, and the phone market is MUCH faster than the computer market. Don't worry, you'll be able to sell your used iPhone somewhere and pay $200 or less to upgrade if you need to.

 

[whooleytoo]

Correct me if this is not possible for some reason, by it's obvious that when Europe gets the iPhone that it will be better than the current 1st gen US iPhone (3g, etc.). Now, why can't Apple just release that exact phone in the US then as the 2nd Gen iPhone worldphone? Am I missing something here? Personally I can't buy an iPhone until it works in Europe and Japan as well as the US.

Well, given AT&T have a 5 year exclusive, and their 3G coverage is still quite sparse and will take some time to improve substantially; there's not a huge point in releasing a 3G iPhone in the US for some time.

In Europe, on the other hand, a 3G phone is virtually a prerequisite, suggesting the Euro version will leapfrog the US version, until AT&T's coverage improves.

To the whiners who will complain that Europe will have a 3G iPhone before the US does...suck it. Europe always has better phones than the US, that's just the way it is. We have the best of everything else first, so in this one area we have to deal.

A situation which is likely to change, if the iPhone takes off. It's likely to act as an equaliser between the US and Europe/Asia's phone markets; unless the other manufacturers responses to the iPhone are very impressive.

 

[blackcrayon]

iPhone getting a GPS feed via BT still defeats the purpose. You'd have to carry two devices. I just don't see apple doing that, too clunky. They'll put GPS in it eventually, probably just needed the space or something.

The iPod still doesn't have a microphone, FM transmitter, FM tuner, or a host of other gadgets but Apple expects you to use a "clunky" additional device from a 3rd party... So the same thing could happen with the iPhone at least at first. I really only need the GPS in my car so I wouldn't really be carrying that additional device many places...

 

[Cleverboy]

Yeah, just saying I think it would be nice until they can get GPS built into the iPhone to at least allow it to receive a GPS signal from a bluetooth GPS device. This would also be nice of course for early adopters, so people with current iPhones could take advantage of it as well.

I agree 100%. Built-in is the way to go, but as a stop gap, let's cut out the arbitrary Bluetooth limiting. The existing iPhone should be able to not ONLY: 1.) Use Bluetooth capable STEREO headphones... but should ALSO be able to 2.) Use Bluetooth GPS receivers, 3.) User Bluetooth capable keyboards. 4.) Download camera files and upload ringtons via Bluetooth.

Built-in... sure, but let's not limit the existing hardware arbitrarily, right? To ignore this aspect of Apple's currently Bluetooth limitations would be terrible. What is the point of Bluetooth 2.0 support, if you can't "communicate" wirelessly with anything except a headset. Communication speeds (aside from component size) is one of the BIG advantages to 2.0 support in the first place. Also, external GPS receivers would help to NOT punish he first adopters, while still having "built-in" features (due to being all-in-one) make the new iPhone models more attractive.

~ CB

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I could easily see them announcing it there, then having to have the same amount of lead time that Friday's iPhone had, i mean that would be a year sense introduction

That was my first thought on this... but it might just kill sales of the current model - unless Apple announced a decent upgrade policy for current owners of the iPhone.

As I have mentioned in other threads, we are entering in to uncharted territory about how we view cell phones. Meaning that we are used to cell phones hanging around for 2 years mostly before an update - during that time the cell phone is sometimes given away free.

Then we have the history of "minor" Apple upgrades. So IMHO we might see in the next 12 to 18 months a bump in ram from 4 and 8GB to an 8 and 16GB model (perhaps an 16 and 32gb bump in that time frame).

It will be interesting to see how Apple may reshape our thinking of how we buy cell phones. Myself and I think many others look at a cell phone purchase being for the two year contract. Anything quicker than that may hurt Apple in the end.

 

[GamecockMac]

Okay, take this for what it's worth, as I am quoting from a friend-of-a-friend who works for Microsoft...

"Apple loyalists, you may also want to buy the first or second gen, because guess who Apple partnered with on the 3rd gen set to release next summer? Microsoft! I got the thread internally that we won the business connectivity solution for the iPhone so it can be connected to Exchange, Groupwise and Notes enterprise email systems. That means next year you can expense the iPhone as a business related item and I imagine there will be a lot of companies jumping up on that one."

 

[legacyb4]

Barring actual physical hardware changes, the beauty of the iPhone is that the entire interface, buttons and all, are all software-based which means that Apple could roll out a near-2nd gen phone without necessarily having to replace the hardware (much like upgrading your OS).

Now I wonder how much fuss people would kick up having to pony up $100/year to get a "new" software phone without having to actually replace the hardware?

I disagree, look at how far that phone technology has advanced over the last 2 years, particularly in the premium market. Apple can't afford to let a device stagnate for that amount of time. Apple needs to be as aggressive as their competitors in this field, or else they might not as well bother.

 

[lpmusix]

Finally, someone who agrees with me. That is the ONE feature I am most concerned about. Exchange would be nice, iChat (esp. video iChat over WiFi) too, but GPS is critical.

Isn't it required by law to be in all phones now anyway???
Here's one of MANY links: http://www.maps-gps-info.com/gpcp.html

Seems like they've crippled the features again!

Cingular/AT&T uses triangulation for E911 positioning data.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Cingular/AT&T uses triangulation for E911 positioning data.

Do you know if this is only available for 911 calls, or it is something Apple and Google can use to for a simulated GPS solution? Thanks....

 

[Verita]

Hello from the future , humans. I Can Confirm This Happened. Take me to your leader.