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I doubt that we will ever see video recording capability on the current iPhone (that is, as an official release from Apple).

And you base this assumption on what? Please, I'd love to see any sort of evidence that may even justify this statement.

Apple is unlikely to provide new functionality like that when they can use those features in future products to promote "new and improved" iPhone hardware. Thus, I'd say that features such as video recording, voice-activated dialing, or any truly significant improvement in functionality will have to wait until the second generation iPhone (and you'll have to buy a new handset to get those features).

This one makes no sense at all. First of all the iPhone was developed with an upgradable platform for a reason. Apple releases software updates for EVERY product that can take one.

Just look at the iPod marketing, very minor feature upgrades via software, new functionality only with new models or generations of hardware.

What other than "minor feature upgrades via software" could you do to an iPod. It's a music player, obviously if they want to add a touch interface a new product has to come out.

It doesn't make any difference whether the current iPhone can do this or that (in theory or in a "proof of concept"), Apple isn't going to spend time or money to make the existing iPhone any better than it is today.

That is not true at all, especially because it will be years until the iPhone with 3g comes out. Apple won't just give up on a product less than a year into its release.

The only significant features that Apple has added thus far (ring tones and the Apple WI-FI store) are both revenue generators and unless Apple can make money directly off of recording video there would be no justification to add this feature to the existing product. Sorry, but that's just the reality of doing business.

Yes the ring tones and the music store are money generators, but they're also luxury features. And can you imagine a phone that doesn't have downloadable ring tones in this day and age? Your claim that Apple won't add video because it won't make Apple money is ridiculous. As for the reality of business, if that's a the way you do business, you won't be very successful. As much as a company wants to make money, they have to give back to the customer, it's good business.

Apple developed the iPhone on an upgradable platform for a reason, and with the SDK coming out in february, anything will be possible. If video functionality doesn't come out as a software update to the current camera program, I'm sure there will be a video program available through Apple if that's how the apps are going to be distributed. If not, then there already is one.
 
also, apple have stated that their embedded products (appltv / iphone) will have 2 years of software updates garanteed. This is shown somehow in the earning reports also (cant remember the term, but its something to do with why the 802.11n upgrade had to be a paid for update)
 
Don't be expecting too much

I still maintain that it's being way too optimistic to think that Apple will provide video recording capabilities on the current generation iPhone hardware. Further, as to the timing of the next generation iPhone all reports that I've seen suggest that this will happen either next summer or early in the second half of next year. Thus, if we don't see all these great new features that everyone seems to expect from Apple (for "free") within the next six months you can probably "forget about it."

Thus, the best that we can probably expect is the SDK in January/Feburary next year, and perhaps some enhancements to support push email and MS Exchange. IMO, anything beyond that is unlikely on the current generation product.
 
Thus, the best that we can probably expect is the SDK in January/Feburary next year, and perhaps some enhancements to support push email and MS Exchange. IMO, anything beyond that is unlikely on the current generation product.

The SDK is all we need though, look at Mac. You can do ANYTHING on your Mac without Apple giving it to you. You can design (Adobe gave us that), you can play unsupported content (such as WMV's thanks to flip), and you can even (yes you can) play games on a Mac thanks to the various game developers. Once the SDK is released, iPhone users don't even need Apple. So I think it's fairly certain that we'll get what we want on the iPhone. If people are developing for the phone now, when only jailbroken phones can use the software, imagine when ALL iPhones can use the software.

The only thing that the SDK may not help with is flash, because I don't know if plugins will be able to be developed/installed. But I don't doubt that Apple and Adobe will figure something out.
 
Thus, if we don't see all these great new features that everyone seems to expect from Apple (for "free") within the next six months you can probably "forget about it."

Mobile OSX is a platform that will continue through to the next iPhone too. Development is likely to be done for both platforms (hey, I can run Leopard on my 867MHz powerbook) so I think what you say is not that valid.

It'll become clear what the situation is in the new year. Glass half full or half empty? You might be right, or the counter argument might be. Neither of us knows at this stage but one thing is clear if Apple want to rule this market like they seem intent on doing then they better make friends of their customers. There is no other way they'll do this.
 
just had a thought....

I wonder if Apple is doing something like this: they know that demand is up because it's the Holiday Season, so they won't do anything significant until January, when demand would usually be very low. Then, they release more features, a few SDK Goodies, and whet our whistle for more apps down the road.

At least this is a rationalization that will keep my frustration at bay for the lack of software updates so far. Seriously - for the most part, all we've gotten is iTunes and languages, which is not much given they hype early on.
 
The SDK is all we need though, look at Mac. You can do ANYTHING on your Mac without Apple giving it to you...<snip>...

What makes you think that the iPhone SDK will allow complete access to all of the hardware and features on the iPhone (potential or otherwise)? It's much more likely that for security reasons, product stability, and limited time to market that the initial SDK will offer only a constrained set of APIs that will more resemble widgets rather than full-blown native applications. There will likely be no direct access to the hardware which means that something like video recording will still require a "hacked" (jail-broken) iPhone.
 
What makes you think that the iPhone SDK will allow complete access to all of the hardware and features on the iPhone (potential or otherwise)? It's much more likely that for security reasons, product stability, and limited time to market that the initial SDK will offer only a constrained set of APIs that will more resemble widgets rather than full-blown native applications. There will likely be no direct access to the hardware which means that something like video recording will still require a "hacked" (jail-broken) iPhone.

I disagree with you, but at this point it's a matter of opinion. We won't know until February.

As far as the SDK goes, I don't think applications will have to be developed with it. I think it's more of a symbol of Apple opening up the phone. But like I said it's just a matter of opinion at this point.
 
First of all, the iPod is a completely different product. There is so much possibility with the iPhone. The SDK will be released in Febuary, and I am expecting some fairly useful apps. Besides, if apple refuses to give the iphone video recording when it has already been proven to work, I don't see many people with a model 1 iPhone buying an entirely new product when they can jailbreak and use this free product (I can't wait to see how much apple will charge for the apps!).

Lots of folks confuse the iPod and iPhone.
 
I doubt that we will ever see video recording capability on the current iPhone (that is, as an official release from Apple). Apple is unlikely to provide new functionality like that when they can use those features in future products to promote "new and improved" iPhone hardware. Thus, I'd say that features such as video recording, voice-activated dialing, or any truly significant improvement in functionality will have to wait until the second generation iPhone (and you'll have to buy a new handset to get those features).

Just look at the iPod marketing, very minor feature upgrades via software, new functionality only with new models or generations of hardware. It doesn't make any difference whether the current iPhone can do this or that (in theory or in a "proof of concept"), Apple isn't going to spend time or money to make the existing iPhone any better than it is today. The only significant features that Apple has added thus far (ring tones and the Apple WI-FI store) are both revenue generators and unless Apple can make money directly off of recording video there would be no justification to add this feature to the existing product. Sorry, but that's just the reality of doing business.


I disagree with this theory. Ever heard of iMovie? I can see it now...Record video on your phone and import it into iMovie. It's win-win for Apple, you record the video with the iPhone and you edit it in iMovie, which you need a Mac to use.
 
I disagree with this theory. Ever heard of iMovie? I can see it now...Record video on your phone and import it into iMovie. It's win-win for Apple, you record the video with the iPhone and you edit it in iMovie, which you need a Mac to use.

A simple partnering to YouTube for this generated video would also be attractive to Apple/Google. I mean the only two current legit 3rd party apps are both Google.
 
Here are some interesting stats. The iPhone currently uses the PMB8876 S-GOLD 2 chip from Infineon Technologies. Back when it first got cracked open, Infineon had a page up describing everything about the chip... then they ripped the page down and started whistling after the launch (so odd). :)



Nice! An H.263 encoder... and a MOVE coprocessor to help out with the encoding...? You don't say! Uh, oh... is that support for recording to an SD card? Hm. Now that's just teasing. Fast IRDA... as in "Infra Red" device support? Geez. Y'know... its as if there's so much room to grow, it ain't even funny.

Where's my GPS/SD Card Reader/Infra Red transmitter accessory? 'Cause personally, I'd like to use my navigation/video recording/universal remote control third-party applications... like... YESTERDAY! :D

~ CB

?!

It seems like no one even read this.

Now, I'm no expert but Cleverboy sounds right here... imagine everything i iPhone will be able to do!
 
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