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The current iphone has a small enough screen. This rumor is either fake, or stupid on Apple's part. I don't care if its cheap as hell, its unusable with a screen that small. People with normal sized fingers can barely type on the iPhone as it is.
 
I can't believe you guys have missed this.
iPhone nano will not be a smart phone...just a way for people to replace their iPod and phone in one device.

How much does it take to be considered a smart phone? Keep in mind the existing Nano has an address book, calendar, games, photo album, and video playback. Of course, all these are completely different versions from the SDK based apps on the iPhone/Touch. So the line is blurry.

But, I'm not sure why everyone thinks Apple will just shrink the existing virtual keyboard. Or, why everyone thinks it will even have a keyboard.
 
I can't believe you guys have missed this.

iPhone nano would a basic phone plus iPod.

Kids can't afford an iPhone, but they all have regular cell phones....all it needs is a text app and the phone app coupled to the touch based iPod.


50 bucks on a contract with a boat load of texts included, every high school kid across the country would by one.



iPhone nano will not be a smart phone...just a way for people to replace their iPod and phone in one device.

I agreed,
I would buy one for my wife in a heartbeat. She doesn't need the web capabilities.
 
what i can't believe is how many people on this site CAN'T believe this rumor. I am sure that apple can figure out a way for this all to make sense they always do. I think the people saying it would be the basic phone/ipod are the closet to what it can be. I don't see it being an internet phone like the iphone if this rumor is true, but people saying it can't be done screen to small blah blah, if they have been able to simplify an ENTIRE OS in functionality, I doubt the keyboard would be tough, I imagine a simple numeric input like normal phones will work with big enough buttons
 
iPhone nano will not be a smart phone...just a way for people to replace their iPod and phone in one device.

Exactly. To distill the various comments made so far, my argument would be the following:

1. The Classic (& clickwheel) is out. Too big and bulky, not enough functionality compared to similarly sized/priced touch. The killer app is lots of storage. But most people have learnt how to manage playlists such that they don't require to carry around their entire collection all the time. In addition, the ubiquity of USB tiny flash drives has lessened the need for a any hard drive storage facility (did anyone ever use that?)

2. iPod Nano is the biggest selling ipod. The form factor is good, product is still seen as hip, but sales are on the downturn too. Why? Limited functionality compared to your phone that you *must* carry anyway. Even non-smart phones can play mp3, take photos etc etc. The itunes ecosystem may well be sustaining the ipod sales (a reverse of the original situation?) for the moment due to vendor lockin.

3. touch and iphone are cool. But they're too masculine physically for the majority of the addressable market. They're bulky, monolithic and wide. Classy, yes. But the market for classy chic is now saturated. The real latent market is the less well heeled who want an itunes capable device, want to be part of the apple owner's club. Currently they have to buy in ipod nano because that's the cheapest that makes sense. But it seems rather old fashioned compared to the iphone/touch. And they still have to carry an additional phone (which cost them nothing on a plan) that is increasingly feature rich (if not :apple:)

Enter the iphone nano. Obviously it's an ipod. It's small and sexy like a nano. It doesn't intimidate. It's cute. It's an entry level touch screen. But, due to smaller screen size issues (done to death in previous posts), and also to eliminate cannibalisation of touch/iphone, no AppStore. It's NOT compatible with iphone platform. Software is customised versions of phone app, sms, ipod etc built on the same OS. Of course it will be 3G (for Japan/Europe), but with no apps, no need for wifi or GPS. However, it *may* have a custom version of the Itunes Store.

The iphone nano acts as an introduction to the iphone world the same way that ipod was to mac. You trade up once you've had a taste of the touchscreen goodness. Perhaps at the moment, the leap is too great for those still in clickwheel land.

It's exactly the product Apple needs (apart from a fix for the laughable 24" LED display that can only be used by 3 models, and new mini ;)
 
How much does it take to be considered a smart phone? Keep in mind the existing Nano has an address book, calendar, games, photo album, and video playback. Of course, all these are completely different versions from the SDK based apps on the iPhone/Touch. So the line is blurry.

But, I'm not sure why everyone thinks Apple will just shrink the existing virtual keyboard. Or, why everyone thinks it will even have a keyboard.



The difference would be no Internet or anything web related, that means no data cost in the contract...lots of people just have regular phones.

For the keyboard..landscape would work, all it would be for is texting... They could even use t9.
 
it may not even have a full keyboard, i have an nV2 and I rarely use my qwerty keyboard because i am much faster with t9 and the numeric buttons on the front
 
But, due to smaller screen size issues (done to death in previous posts), and also to eliminate cannibalisation of touch/iphone, no AppStore.

Sorry to quote myself, but I just realised that of course the iphone nano will cannibalise sales from iphone (although not touch). But it's "good" cannibalisation because you are only shifting sales for people who didn't really want the extra features/cost etc of the full iphone. So they were going to begrudgingly buy the iphone. Sure your margin will be higher by selling them iphones in the short term, but these are the grumblers. The ones that will complain about any thing they don't quite like. They feel led by fashion and the itunes lockin. The negative word of mouth means they are not the best ambassadors for the product. The ones who use the majority of the iphone features don't grumble and more or less forgive its shortcomings.

The customised offer will make happier customers which will mean more customers. Apple's challenge is to ensure profits now that they are dealing in the mainstream cutthroat world of commodity phones. This is a gutsy move, and the beginning of the real phone war for Apple.

Folks, if real, this product is a really big deal for Apple. This shakes to the core (sorry) the whole ipod/iphone world that now makes up so much of the company's business. It pits the brand, if not the company right up against the heavyweights of the phone industry. If successful, it could make the Apple the new Nokia, and the Mac business would seem like a hobby in comparison.
 
Totally agree

I love it when everybody jumps in on how horrible a design is based on rumors, then 3 weeks later when it actually comes out, all of the sudden its "fantastic" :rolleyes:

Maybe it's human nature. I remember years back my friends and I didn't like the latest cars that were to be released... but then after a few months it is like "wow, so cool". Either way if they are releasing iphone nanos, updating the mac mini, new imacs maybe a netmacbook, then I say it is great. :cool: Of course we have to see which ones are actually true, but you gotta think what two out of four perhaps? Maybe even three out of four? As long as :apple: are reasonably aggressive pricing wise (perhaps not likely) given the current economic climate, I think it will be a good year 2009... :p
 
I've thought for a little while about what the benefits of Apple having a phone sold and operated by two competitors (AT&T and Verizon) would be, but cannot come up with an idea as to why this would benefit Apple. Anyone want to throw around some ideas to illustrate? I've never been a capitalist, so I cannot think in the cut-throat way that most companies think; capitalism is, after all, a broken economic system.
I'm not sure what benefit Apple was able to get from making the iPhone exclusive-- perhaps it was a way to get AT&T to pitch in what was necessary to make the back-end work (visual voice mail and what not) (I was originally led to believe that Apple getting a cut of the monthly subscriber fees for iPhone users was what turned off other cell phone providers that Apple approached-- I don't know, but Apple doesn't get a portion of subscriber fees from iPhone 3g customers now). The benefit to AT&T is obvious-- anyone in the U.S. who wants an iPhone (aside from those willing to pay exorbitant amounts to get unlocked versions from overseas, etc) has to sign up with AT&T if they're not already with them. They also have to sign up for a relatively expensive data plan.

But how can you NOT see the benefit to Apple of having a wider distribution channel and increased market to sell to? There are a host of people who will not switch to AT&T but might otherwise snap up an iPhone.
 
I love it when everybody jumps in on how horrible a design is based on rumors, then 3 weeks later when it actually comes out, all of the sudden its "fantastic" :rolleyes:

Ha, ha, so true, ipod nano, "so fugly", "apple would never release a curved screen" and then "wow"!!!!!!!
 
I can't believe you guys have missed this.

iPhone nano would a basic phone plus iPod.

Kids can't afford an iPhone, but they all have regular cell phones....all it needs is a text app and the phone app coupled to the touch based iPod.


50 bucks on a contract with a boat load of texts included, every high school kid across the country would by one.



iPhone nano will not be a smart phone...just a way for people to replace their iPod and phone in one device.
No they wouldn't.

The texting sucks.
Half of the already tiny screen is gone with the keypad.
No MMS.
No forwarding.

The pricing sucks.
T-Mobile's Sidekick plan is $55/month and has unlimited everything (with AIM messaging).

If the kids want an iPhone so bad, they'll just get a jailbroken first gen.
 
Simple: The Japanese market. The current iPhone is too big for it.

Huh?

My Softbank iPhone is half the size of my DoCoMo flip-phone (and just about every other flip-phone on the Japanese market.)

I'll be the first to acknowledge that the iPhone doesn't do all the things that most other cell phones in Japan can do (bar-code scanning, one-seg TV, Suica wallet, etc.). But I certainly don't think the size of the iPhone is a problem here.
 
my 2 cents.

I dont have a problem with the launching a nano, I DO HAVE a problem with them launchig a nano looking exactly like a shrunk iphone, which looks exactly like the ipod touch...and then we have that hole aluminum black glass thing (except the air) going for all the pc line...this is excuse my french sh..it.

Especially with the phones, we boys with our high tec expensive iphones are going to be looking like major clows if apple flood the market concrurrently with essentially the same design (which btw is groing old too...truth be told) in different names and configurations...If apple wanna be nokia like a friend says (and I have no issue with that I am an apple fan boy I like apple doing well :cool: ), btw at the worst period of projected sales for mobile operators, all downsizing drastically as has been in the news recently, but If the want to do it fine, or even great. JUST FRIGGIN DESIGN A COUPLE OF MORE MODELS SO WE DONT HAVE THAT IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH, IPHONE NANO ALL LOOKALIKE PARODY. Sure minimalism is good, and brand recognition, and I am not saying go nokia and have 23123 devices, but at least try two to three designs...

Hey apple please dont screw this up again...(see firewire, see glossy only, see super reflective glass screen....)
 
at first i really didn't think the iphone nano was coming, and i still really don't. but with more and more rumors, it just might be released. i'm guessing it will be $99?

i mean, i would like to see this device released. but i think i'd rather see a netbook device that runs iphone apps

More rumours don't make it any more credible.
 
The pricing sucks.
T-Mobile's Sidekick plan is $55/month and has unlimited everything (with AIM messaging).

If the kids want an iPhone so bad, they'll just get a jailbroken first gen.

Exactly. The pricing sucks.

iTunes charges $.99 per song. If the kids want the song so bad, they'll just get a P2P file sharing program.

*Rolls eyes*
 
The iPhone Nano is real, I held one. Only it isn't made by Apple, rather some Chinese bootleggers. I've seen them in the markets here in Shanghai and in Mongkok in HK, when I was purchasing my factory-unlocked 3g iPhone.;)

Yes! I was amazed to learn that iPod shuffles come with a screen in China!!! :D
 
While I do see an iPhone Nano soon, I don't see it at MacWorld.

Here's what I think it will be like if it is an all touchscreen iPhone...
-3" multi-touch capacitive glass touch screen (An iPhone's screen with the size of an LG touchscreen)
-3.2 Megapixel Camera. It has to happen to the iPhones soon anyways, and look at the Dare. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera.
-WiFi will be included because of the iTunes WiFi Music Store.
-3G will be included. Most phones, even phones SMALLER than what the iPhone Nano is predicted to be have 3G.
-Accelerometer. It would make everything easier for a landscape keyboard instead of having a button on the alphanumberic keypad to change to landscape like the LG Vu.
-3.5mm headset jack, obviously.
-It will have a web browser. Every phone, especially every touch screen phone has a web browser. It will probably be a watered down version of Safari on the current iPhones.
-Landscape keyboard. This is a must if the screen will be smaller.

And I know how to keep it from cannibalizing Apple's smartphone sales...make it a smart phone. Look at the LG Incite and HTC Touch and Touch Diamond. They have 3" and 2.8" screens, respectively, and are smart phones. Who says that Apple can't shrink the phone down a bit and get rid of a few features software-wise? That way you can have the big, powerful, feature rich iPhone 3G (or iPhone Pro if they give it a separate name) and then the slightly less powerful, smaller, and a little more consumer friendly iPhone Nano.
 
Looks like a nice case! (For a terrible product.)

Apple may well think of some direction I haven't. (This has happened endlessly in the past, in fact.) But every iPhone Nano I CAN think of is a terrible idea.

Maybe a case maker got some inside info and jumped the gun making cases for some internal experiment that will never see the light.
 
It's funny how people get mad when Apple "might" release a new product. What do they want Apple to do, stand still?

Anyway, I think that they WILL release an iPhone Nano, but of course I don't know when. I think that:

-the screen can stay the same size while shrinking the top and bottom of the phone.

-it will not have 3G or GPS (no data plan = cheaper monthly bills)

-it WILL have WiFi.

-it will use all the same apps as it used to. Remember the App Store and the iTunes Store are big drivers for the iPhone.

-the iPhone Nano will probably have 4GB and 8GB, while the iPhone move to 16GB and 32GB.

-it'll be priced at $59 for the 4Gb and $99 for the 8GB. The 4GB might eventually be discontinued if it doesn't do very well, but it gives a very good entry price.

Think about Apple's strategy. They want Safari, music distribution and application development on their devices to rise continually...not to mention phone marketshare. Selling a cheaper iPhone that's cheaper to make with a much cheaper monthly bill is the way to do it. It'll be the "smartphone for everyone". Apple doesn't need to dumbdown the phone, they just need the price to be more accessible. $99 for a phone with a $40 monthly bill is how you do it.

:apple:
 
*facepalm*

I think that:

-the screen can stay the same size while shrinking the top and bottom of the phone.

-it will not have 3G or GPS (no data plan = cheaper monthly bills)

-it WILL have WiFi.

-it will use all the same apps as it used to. Remember the App Store and the iTunes Store are big drivers for the iPhone.

-the iPhone Nano will probably have 4GB and 8GB, while the iPhone move to 16GB and 32GB.

-it'll be priced at $59 for the 4Gb and $99 for the 8GB. The 4GB might eventually be discontinued if it doesn't do very well, but it gives a very good entry price.

You just described the current iPhone:

-but without speaker or home button

-with 3G removed unnecessarily as 3G is also used for voice, not just data

-yep, just the iPhone

-yep, just the iPhone

-but with smaller internal memory even though the 4 GB and 16 GB flash chips take up the same amount of space

-yet somehow the price has been magically slashed hundreds of dollars?

Uh... I don't think so.
 
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