iPhone Nano Rumors Revived in Otherwise Quiet Lead-in to Macworld

[.:R2theT]

I think the form factor would be good for those who don't like the "bulky" iPhone currently, so people just want a smaller phone, but with the same functionality, and I see this phone offering just that. Plus this "might" be able to get us to $99 price points, especially if it comes equiped with 4GB of memory, and have a $199 8GB model, or make it $149. With nice aggressive pricing like that Apple would surely dominate the market with it.

It seems unlikely that Apple would be able to make this device this small with the same level of functionality and hit any meaningful reduction in price point without giving up a lot of gross profit.

This rumor seems like BS to me. I think I would believe Apple would bring back a 4 GB version of the current model or just plain lower prices to gain more market share. I don't see this thing working to expand Apple's phone line without muddying the water. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[dougelo7]

Screen Inconsistencies

Okay, I haven't read all the comments, but I've skimmed the first page and it appears that I'm the ONLY one to notice this.

Why does the pictured iPhone have the old Calculator icon, but the new App Store and iTunes icons? Obviously a poor computer render.

 

[kdarling]

And yet whatever gets released will be hyped out of control, Apple's stock will tank right after the keynote, and everyone will herald the end of Apple Inc. Just like every single event.

For those who haven't read it yet:

The Apple Product Cycle

 

[odedia]

they can keep the screen resolution at a smaller screen (like the did with the iPod nano). that way, all App store apps will work.

 

[Tallest Skil]

For those who haven't read it yet:

The Apple Product Cycle

Oh, yes, that thing. I love it.

 

[iTattoo]

My prediction for the $99 iPhone:

iPhone 8GB - $99 announced at Macworld, available immediately
iPhone 16GB - $199 announced at Macworld,available immediately
iPhone 32GB - $299 announced at Macworld, available "in a month or two"

Similarly, iPod Touch will be upped to 64GB at the top end, with the 8GB version being EOL'd, and each model will slide one spot down the price spectrum, ie, 16GB will be the same price as the old 8GB and so on. This new product announcement will come at the same time as the the availability of the 32GB iPhone, so likely no mention at Macworld of this.

The iPod nano, is in its last year with a click wheel, and will become some sort of iPod Touch Nano, but likely not until the September refresh, and similarly with a 64GB flash based iPod Touch, the Classic's days are numbered.

 

[neilw]

In addition to the major screw-job this would do to app developers (and confusion in the app store no doubt), to me the big issue is how Apple is actually going to make this so much cheaper than the iPhone. Other than a slightly smaller screen (which wouldn't save that much), where else will the money be saved? I don't think that many iPhone features could be left out without seriously compromising it.

Now, if a new iPhone were to come out with some significant enhancements, and then the "nano" were to inherit the feature set of the old iPhone, and perhaps be cheaper, then *maybe*. But I don't see it, at least not yet.

If it's not significantly cheaper, I'm not sure there'd be any reason to do it.

 

[Santa Rosa]

...and there is no way Steve would allow an Apple product to ship with a stylus nowadays.

My new Nokia 5800 came with a stylus, and it's incredibly useful at times. If I don't want to use it, I don't take it out of its slot.

The handwriting system is also VERY good on my phone, which is great if you aren't using the Romanized alphabet.

Is Steve the head of Nokia, um... no. Just because Nokia is doing it, certainly doesn't mean Apple will.

 

[franzmueller]

Makes sense ... an entry level iphone for kids without internet but big enough for SMS , just a plain phone .... when they get older they are used to touch screens and will upgrade to the iphone .

Have fun

Saludos

 

[Tallest Skil]

My new Nokia 5800 came with a stylus, and it's incredibly useful at times. If I don't want to use it, I don't take it out of its slot.

Who wants a stylus?! You have to get 'em, and put 'em away, and you lose 'em... Yuck!

Stylus? I don't think so. This is the only problem I have with the ModBook; you can't use your hands. A MacTablet would have an iPhonesque screen, which would rock.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I would love an iPhone nano. My plan is/was to get rid of my iPhone (which I've owned since day one) sometime in the next month or so in favor of a regular old cell phone, most likely from Sony Ericsson.

As a person or two has mentioned, it is the cost of the plan for me that is the reason for me planning to move to another phone, and the reason why many, I would think, are unwilling to grab the iPhone. Might Apple want a bit of this market?

I don't *need* the internet on my phone (although, I'll admit that it is very, very nice). And, obviously, if I'm considering another phone, I don't feel the need for a bunch of games or other apps on there either. What I want, ideally, is simply a phone that syncs beautifully with my Mac and looks good. The SEs usually fulfill the latter requirement (in my eyes) and do an alright job with the former. I would just like to see a bit more integration.

I would buy an iPhone nano.

 

[Santa Rosa]

I would love an iPhone nano. My plan is/was to get rid of my iPhone (which I've owned since day one) sometime in the next month or so in favor of a regular old cell phone, most likely from Sony Ericsson.

As a person or two has mentioned, it is the cost of the plan for me that is the reason for me planning to move to another phone, and the reason why many, I would think, are unwilling to grab the iPhone. Might Apple want a bit of this market?

I don't *need* the internet on my phone (although, I'll admit that it is very, very nice). And, obviously, if I'm considering another phone, I don't feel the need for a bunch of games or other apps on there either. What I want, ideally, is simply a phone that syncs beautifully with my Mac and looks good. The SEs usually fulfill the latter requirement (in my eyes) and do an alright job with the former. I would just like to see a bit more integration.

I would buy an iPhone nano.

I would just get an iPhone EDGE and unlock it if it was me. Then you can still use an iPhone, with any plan you want, and since you dont need the internet having an EDGE iPhone wouldn't be a problem.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Could this be why Big Steve was asking the developers to get ready for Resolution independence about... oh... 2 years ago?

Yeah, what's up with that? I was hoping I'd be able to zoom the Leopard UI as much as I wanted without any pixelation or loss of quality. Hell, they gave Delicious Library a design award for going entirely vector...

Anyway, I don't want the iPhone to get smaller, I want the iPhone bill to get smaller. I could actually afford it if it were, say, $30/mo including Canada's bull**** $6 "access fee". I feel so cheated. As Yahtzee of Zero Punctuation famously said (about something else altogether), Rogers "couldn't have missed the point more if they'd fired in the wrong direction and the point was in another country altogether".

I hate wireless in Canada. We're talking burning passion here. I thought the iPhone was supposed to revolutionize the industry. As it stands now, the iPhone just made it more pretentious.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Anyway, I don't want the iPhone to get smaller, I want the iPhone bill to get smaller.

Not Apple's problem, though.

 

[franzmueller]

As a person or two has mentioned, it is the cost of the plan for me that is the reason for me planning to move to another phone, and the reason why many, I would think, are unwilling to grab the iPhone. Might Apple want a bit of this market?

I don't *need* the internet on my phone (although, I'll admit that it is very, very nice). And, obviously, if I'm considering another phone, I don't feel the need for a bunch of games or other apps on there either. What I want, ideally, is simply a phone that syncs beautifully with my Mac and looks good. The SEs usually fulfill the latter requirement (in my eyes) and do an alright job with the former. I would just like to see a bit more integration.

I would buy an iPhone nano.

I agree 100% with you .. a simple phone ; camera , SMS and ipod with a nice & clean interface ( smart & easy to use ), no monthly data plan , no GPS or games ( get an ipod touch ) and if you can watch a vid on a Nano it will work also on that phone too.

My guess : it will sell like hot potatoes


I would get it for my wife and for me as a second phone right away

Saludos

 

[Kwill]

The distance from my ear to my mouth has not shrank that much. Perhaps this smaller model is for children.

 

[Small White Car]

Makes sense ... an entry level iphone for kids without internet but big enough for SMS , just a plain phone .... when they get older they are used to touch screens and will upgrade to the iphone .

Have fun

Saludos

Except that the smart-phone market is growing while the regular-phone market is dying as the only models that sell must be free or close to it.

So no, I don't think it makes sense that Apple would try to enter a dying, over-saturated market where making money is very difficult.

 

[Santa Rosa]

The distance from my ear to my mouth has not shrank that much. Perhaps this smaller model is for children.

iChildPhone - Cant see it catching on, then again...

I'm going to start a rumor that Apple are going to release a phone watch at Macworld 09. That would be more interesting than iPhone Nano...

 

[Kwill]

Oh great more iPhone c**p, How about some decent desktop hardware updates?

It's just a third-party case drawing. How do you know it's not for a new Mac mini?

 

[alphaod]

I'm being totally original. Multitouch trackpad accessory for computer. Computers have hidden feature: boot into mini screen without loading full OS to check emails, weather, calender.

 

[cleanup]

I don't see why Apple couldn't release a basic touchscreen phone that's not a smartphone, ie. doesn't have access to all the applications on the App Store, maybe it doesn't have 3G. It's just a little iPod touch-like device with a phone in it. Maybe this is where the "mini/nano" line is going.

 

[Small White Car]

I don't see why Apple couldn't release a basic touchscreen phone that's not a smartphone

Because although the growth of the smartphone market is slowing, it's still growing.


On the other hand, the regular cell-phone market is shrinking.

It seems like everyone on this board would just love for Apple to leave a growing market with phones selling for hundreds of dollars and money is being made to enter a shrinking one where prices are falling.

It's not going to happen.

 

[cleanup]

Because although the growth of the smartphone market is slowing, it's still growing.


On the other hand, the regular cell-phone market is shrinking.

It seems like everyone on this board would just love for Apple to leave a growing market with phones selling for hundreds of dollars and money is being made to enter a shrinking one where prices are falling.

It's not going to happen.

That second article says that the mobile handset market as a whole is shrinking. That includes smartphones. Apple either needs to lower prices (which I'm sure they'll do on their standard iPhone) or introduce more affordable alternatives that will be more attractive to the penny-pinching, not-so-concerned-with-features-anymore consumer who's probably already in debt as it is. Not everyone can afford a $200 smartphone plus a $60+ phone bill. The iPhone costs you nearly $2000 to own over your two-year-contract, even subsidized as it is. That's tough. On the other hand, I could get a $50 handset on a $30 or $40 bill and spend about $1000 over two years, which is still expensive, but at the very least affordable. And then there's PAYG, where I could be spending as little as $700-800, even if my phone costs $300-400. iPhone power users typically demand the sort of service that requires a high cost of owning their phone, but a lot of people I know are starting to reduce their data usage on their Blackberries and iPhones because it's so ridiculously unaffordable. Releasing a phone without these capabilities, but still with the wow-factor and appeal of the iPhone, wouldn't be a terrible move.

 

[sangosimo]

I think the size of the current iphone is perfect. making a smaller device would detract from it's usability imo

 

[Small White Car]

On the other hand, I could get a $50 handset on a $30 or $40 bill and spend about $1000 over two years, which is still expensive, but at the very least affordable.

This is 100% correct. This type of phone will continue to exist.

But you still haven't answered this question: What's in it for Apple? Why should THEY make this phone?

Why would they want to start making devices with a razor-thin profit margin when every other part of their business is based around items with fairly large profit margins?