iPhone Nano keyboard? See where this is going?

[notintheleast]

Just you wait, when the iPhone Nano is released, together with built-in copy/paste functionality, all the full-size-iPhone owners are going to scream.

You mean release the nano with copy and paste, but not add it to the full size iPhone..... You don't really think that is likely do you?

 

[cellocello]

virtual keyboard that you move over

cant be any worse than using a numeric keypad for this

You mean just scroll up and down with the clock wheel and select letters one by one? Like how searching is done on the iPod right now? YOU would want to do that for a long name / number?

How would you "dial" a phone number? Same scroll-and-select methodology?


Doesn't this seem like a clunky inelegant solution to a problem that just barely exists?

Every soccer mom (and everyone else) will eventually own an iPhone. The price is going to drop, the plans will change (this isn't up to Apple, BTW), the mold is being set. The iPhone will be the new RAZR in time ... why would Apple trip over themselves to release a crippled phone *right now*?

 

[iMacmatician]

Every soccer mom (and everyone else) will eventually own an iPhone. The price is going to drop, the plans will change (this isn't up to Apple, BTW), the mold is being set. The iPhone will be the new RAZR in time ... why would Apple trip over themselves to release a crippled phone *right now*?

The base price has already dropped quite a bit. It's not hard to see it dropping even further. The iPhone can be made a bit smaller by reducing the space around the display, and/or with a slightly smaller 3.2" display. It can also be made thinner by making various compromises that the iPhone nano advocates are saying.

 

[cellocello]

The base price has already dropped quite a bit. It's not hard to see it dropping even further. The iPhone can be made a bit smaller by reducing the space around the display, and/or with a slightly smaller 3.2" display. It can also be made thinner by making various compromises that the iPhone nano advocates are saying.

The price will continue to drop. This was clearly the plan all along. Will it drop to $99 in 2009? Maybe not. In 2010? Very likely, I'd say. I believe it's more likely that Apple will release higher end phones to fill the high-end, and the "normal" iPhone will just continue to go down in price.

You feel the iPhone has extra space in it? And that the designers simply decided to not make it as small/thin as they can? The Touch has no 3g, no edge, no GPS, no camera, no bluetooth -- will the "iphone nano" be much smaller than a Touch? How much of a size advantage is there really?

Futhermore ... the "nano camp" seems to be divided. Mini-iPhone or iPod Nano style phone --- which is it guys?

 

[acfusion29]

Or they just enable landscape texting for the iphone nano and all will be forgotten. I'm pretty sure an iPhone nano is coming. The writing is all over the walls.

And no, an iPhone nano wouldnt kill the sales of the iPhone they would compliment each other just like the iPod and iPod nano

What walls? These companies saying that there is an iPhone nano because tehy make cases means NOTHING.

I mentioned this in another thread, but I'll say it again.. How bout if Apple sent out false information to these manufactures saying an iPhone nano would be coming with this and this specifications? I'd do it if I was a huge company to see how much I can trust them. If Apple says not to disclose any info on the iPhone, then the companies shouldn't. I'm pretty sure those companies got in **** prior to the 3G coming out.

 

[TheSpaz]

I don't understand why these companies put up future products (unannounced) on their site anyway. What are they thinking? For all we know, they could be speculating a release of an iPhone nano because right now it's the only logical thing to come out after the iPhone. Make a cheap one that people will buy... who don't necessarily want huge phone bills, but would still love to have a Phone/iPod hybrid that syncs with iTunes seamlessly. It's not that hard to figure out.

The difference is... there's a ton of people here saying "How would it be possible?"... well, does anyone remember the original iPhone mockups? NOBODY was even CLOSE to what actually came out. We're not Apple... we cannot say what they will do next, but for some reason, *when* they do it, they usually exceed our expectations and come out with products that are years ahead of the competition and the iPhone is proving that. Just because the software isn't all there yet, doesn't mean that they won't continue improving it and adding new features for a long time.

 

[Andrew K.]

I don't understand why these companies put up future products (unannounced) on their site anyway. What are they thinking? For all we know, they could be speculating a release of an iPhone nano because right now it's the only logical thing to come out after the iPhone. Make a cheap one that people will buy... who don't necessarily want huge phone bills, but would still love to have a Phone/iPod hybrid that syncs with iTunes seamlessly. It's not that hard to figure out.

The difference is... there's a ton of people here saying "How would it be possible?"... well, does anyone remember the original iPhone mockups? NOBODY was even CLOSE to what actually came out. We're not Apple... we cannot say what they will do next, but for some reason, why they do it, they usually exceed our expectations and come out with products that are years ahead of the competition and the iPhone is proving that. Just because the software isn't all there yet, doesn't mean that they won't continue improving it and adding new features for a long time.

ahahaha yeah those mock ups where funny, even apple showed one of them at the original iphone keynote. It's just like the new mock ups for the nano using the ipod nano and adding a phone , WHY WOULD A PHONE HAVE A SCROLL WHEEL?!!!! Of course it will look like the iPhone 3G! and the keyboard is the only thing I am wondering about .

 

[ChrisWilder07]

Landscape, maybe?

Maybe the release of the iPhone Nano would begin the landscape typing for texting, email, and every other app


Possibility, maybe?

 

[jruppert]

Thats kind of what I was hinting about

Maybe the release of the iPhone Nano would begin the landscape typing for texting, email, and every other app


Possibility, maybe?

I beleive that each of the products come from a different product house and are treated as such, although the core software is the same. Why not take a flyer on a keyboard nano Iphone. Does anyone have the cost of what the new nano's take to manufacture? Add $20 for the keyboard and your done. They recieve more commission than that per unit sold by AT&T, and its recurring revenue, rather than one time. Plus you still have itunes and apps.

Like I said, they may take a flyer on it, or not.

 

[Demosthenes X]

The price will continue to drop. This was clearly the plan all along. Will it drop to $99 in 2009? Maybe not. In 2010? Very likely, I'd say. I believe it's more likely that Apple will release higher end phones to fill the high-end, and the "normal" iPhone will just continue to go down in price.[/B]

You keep on bringing up the price of the handset, and ignoring the fact that the handset is only a tiny portion of the total cost of ownership. The iPhone mandatory data plan in the US is an extra $720 commitment - that's a lot of money.

An iPhone nano, without mandatory data, would be substantially cheaper over the life of the product. And that will always be true.

Not everyone wants, needs, or can afford a full-featured phone with a data plan. Why can't you wrap your head around this basic, fundamental fact?

 

[cellocello]

You keep on bringing up the price of the handset, and ignoring the fact that the handset is only a tiny portion of the total cost of ownership. The iPhone mandatory data plan in the US is an extra $720 commitment - that's a lot of money.

An iPhone nano, without mandatory data, would be substantially cheaper over the life of the product. And that will always be true.

Not everyone wants, needs, or can afford a full-featured phone with a data plan. Why can't you wrap your head around this basic, fundamental fact?

Um ... cause not every carrier in the world forces data plans on people?

The "monthly cost of ownership (in the US)" has nothing to do with Apple and everything to do with at&t.

Why can't you wrap your head around this basic, fundamental fact?

 

[Luke1robb]

It is all rumour ....

Man, I'm honesty shocked so many apple enthusiasts think Apple is going to release a keypad-toting candy bar phone in the near future.

Boggles the mind, actually.

I could'nt agree more. To me, its so obvious that this proposed iPhone nano will ever come out, at least how people think it will. People are just on crack thinking this thing could actually come out.

 

[Demosthenes X]

Um ... cause not every carrier in the world forces data plans on people?

The "monthly cost of ownership (in the US)" has nothing to do with Apple and everything to do with at&t.

Why can't you wrap your head around this basic, fundamental fact?

No, not every carrier does. But AT&T certainly does. And given that the US market is one of the largest and most important in the world, catering to it is a good business decision. Sorry, but the "not all carriers do it" line means nothing. It's enough that one of Apple's largest markets is stuck with mandatory data plans.

Whether the monthly cost is Apple's fault or AT&T's fault doesn't really matter. Your logic here would be like Toyota making cars that get 2 MPG, and then saying "well, high gas prices have everything to do with oil companies, not us". But of course, they don't do that. They respond to market conditions by offering fuel-efficient vehicles.

Sorry, but every "reason" you've given for why an iPhone nano "isn't coming" is based on fallacious logic and a complete lack of understanding of how a business works.

Again, not everyone in the world wants, needs, or can afford an iPhone 3G. Right now those customers are going elsewhere for their wireless needs. If Apple introduces a lower-cost device, they increase their market share and increase profits. How, pray tell, is that a bad thing?

 

[cellocello]

No, not every carrier does. But AT&T certainly does. And given that the US market is one of the largest and most important in the world, catering to it is a good business decision. Sorry, but the "not all carriers do it" line means nothing. It's enough that one of Apple's largest markets is stuck with mandatory data plans.

OK .... which makes you think Apple would make some non-data phone as a "work-around" to this?

Whether the monthly cost is Apple's fault or AT&T's fault doesn't really matter. Your logic here would be like Toyota making cars that get 2 MPG, and then saying "well, high gas prices have everything to do with oil companies, not us". But of course, they don't do that. They respond to market conditions by offering fuel-efficient vehicles.

..wut?

Again, not everyone in the world wants, needs, or can afford an iPhone 3G. Right now those customers are going elsewhere for their wireless needs. If Apple introduces a lower-cost device, they increase their market share and increase profits. How, pray tell, is that a bad thing?

Well, to begin, Apples DOES sell lower cost items. Whatever a person wants to spend, they can. But, if someone wants to make calls and send texts and stuff, they're in iPhone territory. The specific desire to have something that's not an iPhone, and not an iPod Touch, and not an iPod Nano but still a phone and still have internet on wifi (or whatever feature) and this and that is just .... too specific. Unrealistically specific.

Apple makes a phone and they're going to keep making phones. I agree with you. "Cheap things" are also coming. I agree with you. They ARE going to keep increasing their market share - but not by releasing crippled iPhone Nanos right now. The current iPhone will look like a silly basic dumb phone in like 5 years (probably a lot less), and will be priced as such.

Just give it a little time man. Apple's got better stuff than this coming.

 

[Demosthenes X]

Well, to begin, Apples DOES sell lower cost items. Whatever a person wants to spend, they can. But, if someone wants to make calls and send texts and stuff, they're in iPhone territory. The specific desire to have something that's not an iPhone, and not an iPod Touch, and not an iPod Nano but still a phone and still have internet on wifi (or whatever feature) and this and that is just .... too specific. Unrealistically specific.

So, what... you're argument as to why Apple won't make a lower-cost device is because they do make lower-cost devices? Interesting logic...

Your claim that an iPhone nano is "too specific" is absurd. Look at the market for cell phones. What do the vast majority of them do? Calling/texting, music, camera, "mobile" internet... some can play videos and do a fuller web experience. I guess all those manufacturers that make these phones don't really exist, since those expectations are "unrealistic".

I've said it many times before: there are plenty of good reasons to think an iPhone nano will not be coming. Apple is well known for ignoring certain markets (e.g., the headless iMac). But the argument that there is somehow "no market" for an iPhone nano, which is continiously raised as a reason for it not coming, is not a legitimate argument. There is a clear, well defined, and large market for an iPhone nano-like device.

If you deny the existance of this market, please explain what those people buying phones like the LG Shine are doing? Because apparently, the market their shopping in doesn't exist.

 

[cellocello]

Too specific for Apple, man. It's just how they do things. They don't slavishly chase after every last stalwart hold-out. Sometimes you gotta just look forward. Steve has said as much himself. Leave the old stuff behind.

Does Apple offer FM Radio, SD card ready, 512-meg built-in MP3 players? Or pebble style players will simple LCDs and built-in speakers? I'm sure there's a huge market of people who buy stuff like that. Every day, tons get sold. TONS of companies make mp3 players like that. Right? So ... why only make ONE (UI based) flash mp3 player? Why JUST the Nano? Right? Shouldn't Apple be chasing THAT rather sizable market, too? Creative and iRiver are chasing it ....

The Apple product line is pretty lean, well thought-out and generally has little overlap, within reason. Sure, some companies make dozens of makes and models - but some don't. From what I can see, Apple doesn't. Some companies could learn from Apple, IMO. *cough*bigauto*cough*

Talking and surfing the net and every else is still pretty advanced stuff in the grand scheme of things (compared to just playing music, for example) - doing it on a less capable interface than the iPhone, and doing it well, is tough. And I don't think Apple is interested in peddling a phone that's any less capable than what the iPhone currently is.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree ..... (and wait for Jan .... and then summer )

 

[Demosthenes X]

The difference is, even while Apple does not cater to every market, they also have not made a habit of only producing one product in a given class.

They produce three distinct models of desktop computer (and those three have a number of options within each range).

They produce three distinct models of laptop computers.

They produce four distinct models of mp3 players.

So having only one model of cell phone seems to run contrary to their current strategy. By the logic of "they won't produce a device less capable than their current offerings", they never would have produced the MacBook air. Or the Mini. Or the Shuffle. All of those devices were introduced last, and all are the least powerful in their class.

In fact, Apple seems to release their Halo product and go backwards, not vice versa. Think of the iPod: they released the original, then they released the Mini, and then the Shuffle. The iMac came before the Mini. When they switched to Intel, they introduced the MacBook Pro before the MacBook.

The logic that Apple does not go backwards holds only if we're discussing the same product. It does not mean Apple will not release a lesser, lower-tier product like an iPhone nano. (And even when discussing the same product, they've gone backwards in some respects... e.g., slower base processor in the Aluminum MacBook).

I really don't think your logic holds as a reason for Apple not to do this. If they don't, I think the simplest reason will hold true: they don't want to. Few people expect Apple to release the xMac, even though there is a market for it and it would certainly sell. The reason: Apple doesn't want to.

You don't need a bag of poorly considered reasons as to why the iPhone won't happen. You only need say, Apple might not do it. And that's perfectly true. I've simply presented a number of reasons they might do it - but as I've said before, they may well choose to leave that market alone.

 

[paulsalter]

Every soccer mom (and everyone else) will eventually own an iPhone. The price is going to drop, the plans will change (this isn't up to Apple, BTW), the mold is being set. The iPhone will be the new RAZR in time ... why would Apple trip over themselves to release a crippled phone *right now*?

Do Apple care about international markets

The only time I see a RAZR is on US tv, so if what you say abov is true, the iPhone is going to be bigger in the US, but a big flop in other countries

Why do I need the plans to change, its available on contract and PAYG at the moment

Some big improvements need to be made if the iPhone is going to be the phone the majority have

Not sure what US usage of phones is like, but in the UK there are many that just want a basic phone, the features of the iPhone are no interest
A basic phone in the shape of a nano would be just right

 

[cellocello]

I don't know what it's going to take to get you guys to stop "comparing" the iPhone to the iPod line of products .... but whatever.

I'll just let time prove you wrong, I guess.

--

EDIT - I guess it's worth pointing out that, functionally, all their laptops run the same OS and "do" the same things. Not that you care about such details.

And to the other guy .... you don't remember RAZRs going from $600 to $300 to $99 to free? And you don't remember when everyone had one? Oh well .. I'm think about I'm about done with this Nano sh*t anyhow.

 

[Theaser]

I don't know what it's going to take to get you guys to stop "comparing" the iPhone to the iPod line of products .... but whatever.

I'll just let time prove you wrong, I guess.

--

EDIT - I guess it's worth pointing out that, functionally, all their laptops run the same OS and "do" the same things. Not that you care about such details.

And to the other guy .... you don't remember RAZRs going from $600 to $300 to $99 to free? And you don't remember when everyone had one? Oh well .. I'm think about I'm about done with this Nano sh*t anyhow.

Point is, Apple won't fight off cell phone competitors with just one model. We would love to have an iPhone that doesn't have an EXPENSIVE DATA PLAN. 60 bucks a month with no voice plan included up here in Canada. People are grumbling in Japan (Where almost everyone owns a high tech cell phone) that iPhone doesn't have a TV Tuner. You NEED MORE MODELS to compete and satisfy different types of consumers. If you think that the iPhone Nano based on rumors isn't for you, then wait until Apple comes out with something that fits you.

 

[cellocello]

Point is, Apple won't fight off cell phone competitors with just one model. We would love to have an iPhone that doesn't have an EXPENSIVE DATA PLAN. 60 bucks a month with no voice plan included up here in Canada. People are grumbling in Japan (Where almost everyone owns a high tech cell phone) that iPhone doesn't have a TV Tuner. You NEED MORE MODELS to compete and satisfy different types of consumers. If you think that the iPhone Nano based on rumors isn't for you, then wait until Apple comes out with something that fits you.

I don't even know why I'm responding, I'm really just repeating myself at this point ....

But of course more models are coming. Of course Apple is going to create a line of phone products. Is a crippled iPod-looking/styled phone coming, and soon of all things? No sirree bob.

 

[Theaser]

I don't even know why I'm responding, I'm really just repeating myself at this point ....

But of course more models are coming. Of course Apple is going to create a line of phone products. Is a crippled iPod-looking/styled phone coming, and soon of all things? No sirree bob.

I'm as mad about these threads as you are, but depending on rumors, iPhone Nano is imminent. People would love to talk about what it would be like now. We did not suggest iPod looking styled phones.

 

[cellocello]

I'm as mad about these threads as you are, but depending on rumors, iPhone Nano is imminent. People would love to talk about what it would be like now. We did not suggest iPod looking styled phones.

Whatever man ... This is just going in circles. Go through my post history if you want my stance on all of this.

I'm not going to keep going over the same points (over and over) with different people.

 

[Theaser]

Whatever man ... This is just going in circles. Go through my post history if you want my stance on all of this.

I'm not going to keep going over the same points (over and over) with different people.

Agreed.

 

[Demosthenes X]

Whatever man ... This is just going in circles. Go through my post history if you want my stance on all of this.

I'm not going to keep going over the same points (over and over) with different people.

Yeah, and you keep repeating fallacious logic. Such as "Apple isn't going to release an iPhone nano because they do market smaller, lower cost product" and "Apple is not going to make an iPhone nano because other iPhones are coming". I'm really quite confused as to how you can believe that Apple will offer a broader range of cell phones, but ignore the large market for inexpensive cell phones.

They offer a product for every class everywhere they compete. Three laptops (four, if you count the plastic MacBook separately). Three desktop machines. Four iPods.

In each case, they offer a simple, basic machine (Mini, plastic MacBook, Shuffle), an intermediate model, and a "Pro" model. And no, all those devices do not do the exact same thing - if they did, they would not exist. They do similar things, but as you move up, you gain more features and better performance, just like moving from an iPhone nano to an iPhone you would get a larger, more powerful device, more applications, more storage, etc.

The reason you keep repeating yourself is because your arguments are flawed, and since their indefensible once you think about it for 20 seconds, you can only repeat the sane tired, flawed argument.