New Dock means no cheaper iPhone?

[CIA]

So with the new dock almost certain at this point, and rumors starting to point at Apple updating all it's iOS devices with the new connector this fall... What's this mean for the cheaper iPhones?

It's probably a given that the 3gs will finally be killed off with the launch of the new iPhone. Before the dock change I was guessing it would be iPhone4 free, iPhone 4s $99, and "New" iPhone at current pricing.

Think Apple will redesign the 4 or 4s with the new dock? Could they even given internal layout? Or will Apple continue to sell the cheaper phones as they are currently laid out with the 30 pin traditional dock connector? (8GB iPhone4, 8-16GB 4S, ??? - New iPhone?)

 

[TouchMint.com]

good points about the resign on old models. I honestly have no idea I am guessing they will still keep a free and $99 tho.

 

[Dustman]

There will be adapters. Either they'll keep it and ship it with an adapter, or they'll update the 4/4s to include the updated connector. Scenario 1 is more likely.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Or they won't even include it with the 4/4S, and just force people to buy the adapter separately. More $ for

 

[Interstella5555]

What does one have to do with the other? New phones would have a new connector. Old phones would have an old connector. This is the same "2 month old tech will suddenly stop functioning because a new model comes out" mindset that's frankly disturbing.

 

[willmtaylor]

So with the new dock almost certain at this point, and rumors starting to point at Apple updating all it's iOS devices with the new connector this fall... What's this mean for the cheaper iPhones?

It's probably a given that the 3gs will finally be killed off with the launch of the new iPhone. Before the dock change I was guessing it would be iPhone4 free, iPhone 4s $99, and "New" iPhone at current pricing.

Think Apple will redesign the 4 or 4s with the new dock? Could they even given internal layout? Or will Apple continue to sell the cheaper phones as they are currently laid out with the 30 pin traditional dock connector? (8GB iPhone4, 8-16GB 4S, ??? - New iPhone?)

No redesign of old phones. Not the first time Apple's made hardware changes. They'll just make the new phone and keep making the old phones. I don't see significant reason that anything will change. Just my opinion.

 

[Gjwilly]

Or they'll discontinue all iPhones except the current gen just like they do with their other products.
Not likely, I know, but it would solve the whole new iPhone naming problem.

 

[CIA]

What does one have to do with the other? New phones would have a new connector. Old phones would have an old connector. This is the same "2 month old tech will suddenly stop functioning because a new model comes out" mindset that's frankly disturbing.

It's more that Apple (if rumors are true) is going to update everything for the new connector. I get that the zillions of 30 pin connector based devices will still work fine, but Apple loves to kill the old and instantly ignore it, focusing all attention on the new. (Still mildly ticked they killed firewire charging) If they were going to keep selling 30 pin based devices why the time and/money to do a iPad3 redesign with the smaller dock? Why not just wait until the normal March refresh?

 

[jamesjingyi]

If they make a new dock connector, they'll surely produce a really awesome adapter (like the ones you get with iPods) and it'll all 'just work'.
They wont drop the older iPhone models, the 3GS was one of its largest sellers this year due to being made free with really cheap contracts. They will want the 4 to fill this space hence probably discontinuing the 3GS.

 

[Interstella5555]

Or they'll discontinue all iPhones except the current gen just like they do with their other products.
Not likely, I know, but it would solve the whole new iPhone naming problem.

Naming problem? You mean how consumers don't know how to count? I really doubt if Apple is spending too much time worrying about this.

 

[motorazr]

It's probably going to end up like all the other Apple products with new ports in the past... let the old ones live out their life, but roll out the new ports on the newest or high-end products first and go down from there.

Ie, magsafe -- There were still powerbooks produced when magsafe first came out, and it eventually spilled to all the portables as they were updated to intel units.

I don't know if Apple will go to a free iPhone 4 just yet... I have a feeling it's going to see a price reduction again before its free (ie. 49.99 + kick the 3gs, christmas holiday promo it goes free).

 

[Gjwilly]

Naming problem? You mean how consumers don't know how to count? I really doubt if Apple is spending too much time worrying about this.

No, I mean right now we have the 3GS, the iPhone 4, the 4S, and the new iPhone.
Next year we will have the iPhone 4, the 4S, the iPhone, and the new iPhone.
The year after that we will have the 4S, the iPhone, the iPhone, and the new iPhone.
The year after that we will have the iPhone, the iPhone, the iPhone, and the new iPhone.

 

[willmtaylor]

I get that the zillions of 30 pin connector based devices will still work fine, but Apple loves to kill the old and instantly ignore it, focusing all attention on the new.

How does Apple love to do this, exactly? You mentioned FireWire charging; is this seriously your only example?

Are you sure you aren't thinking of Android and not updating OS on its devices?

 

[CIA]

I'm not picking fights here, just wondering what the community's thoughts are on all of these possibilities.

And maybe "kill" isn't the best term, but ignore sure is. (MacPro, Pro users, servers, iPod Classic, Firewire, Optical drives, really anything that doesn't have "i" at the beginning of it and fits in your hand?)

 

[Eddy Munn]

Apple sell the 13" and 15" Non-retina MacBook Pro with the original mag-safe adapter design, maybe Apple will use similar logic with their iOS offerings.

 

[Cougarcat]

iMore says Apple is giving the iPad 3 the new dock, so I'd only be mildly surprised if they gave the 4S one as well.

 

[takeshi74]

So with the new dock almost certain at this point, and rumors starting to point at Apple updating all it's iOS devices with the new connector this fall... What's this mean for the cheaper iPhones?

One has nothing to do with the other.

Think Apple will redesign the 4 or 4s with the new dock? Could they even given internal layout?

Nope. They didn't redesign the firewire charging models when they eliminated it. I wouldn't expect them to invest in overhauling an old model without precedence.

 

[hobo.hopkins]

They won't update the older iPhones; it just isn't in their nature. They'll offer them at a more affordable price, but for that price you'll have to sacrifice having the latest technology.