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Actually, it could be the same-sized screen but with no bezel left & right, and a smaller area at the top and bottom. Result: Same 'live' touch area, smaller overall device.

I can't speak for holding it without the bezel, but I have to imagine they've tested it to death. Especially after the whole 'antenna' flap.

If it feels OK in the hand, and has the same size display, I can see where a smaller device could be popular.

But the current rumors about this are reporting that it would be "half the size of the iPhone 4". That's just too small to not have its own redesigned OS/user interface.
 
Unless it's going to be a device with just a few redesigned native apps -- and not connected to the App Store ecosystem -- then this is not something that's going to happen. The current iPhone OS and app user interfaces cannot shrink without the user experience going to hell.

And that phone found in a bar last year is NOT the new iPhone.No Way.Only an idiot would think so.The design is totally un-Apple.And those black lines on the side,Apple would never,never do that.And they'd never let a prototype off campus anyway,so it's impossible.Obviously some cheap crappy looking Chinese garbage.

Beware of people who think they absolutely know what Apple will do.
They don't.
 
I don't really think "edge to edge" display means that the display makes up the whole face, it would look really really stupid. I think the parts with the facetime camera and home button will stay, just the bezel to the left and right of the screen will be shrunk down to a minimum.

I imagine in like this: http://npshare.de/files/870deb3a/iphone4m.jpg

Although I still don't believe it is going to happen.
 
Unless it's going to be a device with just a few redesigned native apps -- and not connected to the App Store ecosystem -- then this is not something that's going to happen. The current iPhone OS and app user interfaces cannot shrink without the user experience going to hell.

They don't need to shrink it perhaps they are going buttonless, moving the speaker to the top instead of the face, dropping the camera and having the same screen size (probobly not retina) and just getting rid of all the black space.
 
I don't really think "edge to edge" display means that the display makes up the whole face, it would look really really stupid. I think the parts with the facetime camera and home button will stay, just the bezel to the left and right of the screen will be shrunk down to a minimum.

I imagine in like this: http://npshare.de/files/870deb3a/iphone4m.jpg

Although I still don't believe it is going to happen.

People said the iphone4 leak last year couldn't possibly be the real iphone because Apple wouldn't make something that looked like that...until Steve had it on stage.
 
"Half the size" likely means surface area, which can be reached by dropping the dimensions by just 30%.

0.7x0.7=0.49

I can see the screen shrinking by 25% (wouldn't have to drop the full 30% if the bezel is being reduced) and losing the Retina display resolution. Probably the older processor and GPUs as well to keep costs down. Web browsing and whatnot would be less attractive, but for the basics and a few apps, I can see a market for this.

Whoever mentioned sales in Asia probably hit the nail on the head. A much cheaper phone that does almost everything the bigger brother does would probably have a better chance in new/emerging markets compared to the US and Europe. I don't see many people switching from a full iPhone to the "nano" or whatever it ends up being called, but it would be a very interesting option when competing against the cheap and disposable non-smart phones.
 
I hear what you're saying. Additionally, if the iPhone nano ran only non-retina apps, it would discourage developers from bothering with retina-compatible apps, which would be bad. On the possibly more important hand, though, don't you think Apple has good reason to make it run any apps they can? Apple takes a 30% cut of app sales, which means it's less profitable for them to release a device that doesn't run apps.

Plus the reverse it true,Apps sell the phone.
 
That definitely makes sense. I'm interested to see if this rumoured phone ever surfaces. Apple has always been about making the 'best' products, not the cheapest. That's why they never properly entered the netbook market.

I'll be quite surprised if they do make a cheap iPhone, although I'm sure they'd have their reasons. They know what they're doing, or they wouldn't be as successful as they are.

I thought about this, mostly in relation with Nokia and its problems. There are people who want just a phone to make phone calls and maybe sending / receiving text messages. There are people who want a bit more, like taking photos and playing music. And there are people who want a gadget that lets them install hundred different applications and use them all the time - and it also makes phone call. The iPhone is perfect for the third category of people. Android does reasonably well for the third category, and due to low price it's also suitable for the second category and the cheapest products even apply to category 1. Nokia has the problem that they have no product for category 3, where most of the money is.

Apple _could_ build a phone that caters to the first two categories. No apps, no 3G, no WiFi. Just phone, texting, music, camera, photos. A highly optimised user interface reduced to these task, which makes it a lot easier and faster to use. A high quality display. Either 16 GB storage, priced not much more than a 16 GB iPod nano, or 2 GB, priced a lot cheaper. And the main point of the whole product would be to make it a really, really nice phone for plain phone users.

Even today, I guess 90% of all phones are sold into this market. A lot is sold on price, but only because there isn't much difference between products. A phone that stands out from the crowd could definitely sell a lot at a price that makes a good profit.
 
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So instead of a bigger screen we'll have the option to opt for a smaller screen? Nice.

And with edge to edge icons, you'll be constantly closing the apps you opened just by virtue of holding the thing. I know, I know... Steve will say we are holding it wrong. So he's just gonna have to show us! :D

But do we hold it with our pinky finger up in the air? :rolleyes: ;)
 
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I think Apple is bluffing!! And wall street journal is dumb to believe it.
 
So if i have this right, then in the next few months we'll be seeing..

iPad 2
MacBook Pro refresh
iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4GS or whatever it'll be called)
iPhone Nano (with edge to edge screen) (or whatever it'll be called)
iOS 5
Mac OS X 10.7
Free MobileMe
iTunes air sync

wow..this is amazing.

I really like the idea of a smaller phone, but i think "half-size" is cutting it too small, but we'll see. This is gonna be a huge blow to Android, as Apple will now be competing against the amount of iPhones in the market with the iPhone Nano, along with the specs of the Android devices as well with the iPhone 5.
Both possibly running a polished iOS 5.

And for all of us with Macs, we'll be seeing Lion be released, and maybe iOS 5 and Lion will have some sort of syncing ability or something. Their releases seem pretty close by.

and mac mini :apple:
 
I'm pretty sure it's running some sort of version of iOS, a bit like how the current Apple TV runs a version of it. They wouldn't write an entirely different system from scratch just for a new touch screen iPod. They'd use what they've already got and simplify it for the nano.

No.When it was released Apple said it was not related to iOS,they just made it loos similar.
It is not an iOS device in any way manner or form.
 
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Mattsasa said:
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I think Apple is bluffing!! And wall street journal is dumb to believe it.

Could be, wouldn't be the first time Apple puts out false information to close down leaks.
 
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I think Apple is bluffing!! And wall street journal is dumb to believe it.

WSJ has been right several times. Give them some credit.

Granted, if they're wrong we can slander and pile on and laugh at the WSJ, but I'm inclined to hold my fire for right now.
 
Unless it's going to be a device with just a few redesigned native apps -- and not connected to the App Store ecosystem -- then this is not something that's going to happen. The current iPhone OS and app user interfaces cannot shrink without the user experience going to hell.
Even then, it's not the resolution that's the point. The interface and apps are designed for a 3.5" display. Any smaller and they wouldn't work properly. Buttons would be too small to press etc., meaning that the current apps in the App Store wouldn't be compatible.

If this phone really does get released, I'm guessing it'll run iOS in a similar way to how the iPod nano currently does (its own few apps and no access to the App Store).

assuming the screen is only slightly smaller (25-30%) and exactly half the resolution of the current iPhone 4, there would be no reason Apple couldn't make it immediately capable of running half resolution versions of all current apps and then allow developers to slowly update their apps to be more compatible over time

that is exactly what they did with iPad only initially doubling resolution until individual app compatibility was implemented by developers

and you are out of your mind if you think Apple would release a phone (or any mobile computing device) that is not in the iTunes/app store ecosystem
 
As much as I agree that this device is likely to have user experience 'difficulties' I'm starting to think it quite likely, and likely to come as part of a larger rework of the whole iPhone/iPod lineup.

My impression (entirely speculative, but tell me if it doesn't make sense) is that the iPod line has some problems right now, mostly centered on the current Nano being too small for a lot of people and not having any real commonality with the rest of the line. Most notably I suspect they'd really like to bring back video on the Nano but just can't do it on the new screen (although I suppose Nano video was always marginal, so who knows on that front). My guess, then, is the Nano phone comes alongside an iPod Touch Nano (won't they PLEASE just officially call them iTouch - well maybe not). The current nano could then take the place of the screenless shuffle with the same hardware at reduced price (although it wouldn't surprise me if it DID go to iOS at some point and start getting apps once they accept the interface incompatibilities a Nano phone will create and assuming the rumours of a system for developer resolution independence bear fruit). I'd actually guess that the current Nano will still have a shuffle model below it though (and will be given an entirely new title with the re branding, since they will want to pair the new phone with the more established Nano title and Shuffle makes less sense once you have a screen).

The new SCREENLESS shuffle on the other hand is, IMO the least likely part of what occurred to me, but I can't imagine that they haven't looked at the earpiece based design everyone and their brother imagined when the saw the cigarette lighter. That said, Apple being Apple, my actual guess is only that there will continue to be a screenless, sub $100 model (I'm thinking that the current Nano probably just isn't ready to go that low yet with what is a small but high quality screen).

The above note about the Shuffle leads me to my last point which is really just a response to the line of thought that a smaller/cheaper iPhone doesn't fit with Apple's high revenue/low volume strategy of not competing for the bottom of the market. While they do generally follow this, it just hasn't been true for some time in the iPod segment, with the Shuffle forming a large part of their maintenance of market domination. Given that they really do seem to look at the phones as a spinoff of the iPods rather than the computers or an entirely separate market I am not entirely sure that their conventional strategy applies (especially when combined with how close to dominant they are in phones with a SINGLE model, and that the iPad does to some extent represent a roundabout entry into the netbook price range). On a related note, also supporting the new phone, I suspect that the company would be happier with a Nano type device than the current strategy of having an older and almost completely unpromoted version of the phones remain available they are using now.
 
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"Half the size" likely means surface area, which can be reached by dropping the dimensions by just 30%.

0.7x0.7=0.49

I can see the screen shrinking by 25% (wouldn't have to drop the full 30% if the bezel is being reduced) and losing the Retina display resolution. Probably the older processor and GPUs as well to keep costs down. Web browsing and whatnot would be less attractive, but for the basics and a few apps, I can see a market for this.

Whoever mentioned sales in Asia probably hit the nail on the head. A much cheaper phone that does almost everything the bigger brother does would probably have a better chance in new/emerging markets compared to the US and Europe. I don't see many people switching from a full iPhone to the "nano" or whatever it ends up being called, but it would be a very interesting option when competing against the cheap and disposable non-smart phones.

maybe they saw the nokia/ms merger on the wall and decided they needed something to compete with a commodity production with a big o/s on it.
 
I think people are looking at this wrong. My guess is the smaller iphone is just going to be the latest version of the cheap iphone..

I think we're at the point where a big announcement of an iphone 5 won't happen. We might get a faster CPU, more storage but the camera is pretty decent in the current one. Oh, of course we'll get an iphone that will work on both Verizon and AT&T for the Americans.

Saying that, they can't sell the iphone 4 cheaply like they did with the 3GS for the time being. Something similar in form factor to the 3GS but with (possibly) facetime ability and the strength inside to run ios5 whenever that comes out. With new tech it's got to be smaller than before.

Another guess? The numbers are going to disappear. It's just going to be called The Iphone and The Iphone Nano/Mini/Tiny whatever name they stick with. Come update time you're just going to find better specs on both the models in the store.
 
If you could make the iPhone as big as the current physical screen, with a little room on top for the ear speaker and camera, you could have a nearly 30% smaller phone, with no change in display/interface. And they maybe able to reduce its with slightly by having the screen go even closer to edge. Would make for a nice form factor. You could make the top button do the same as the home button now, and make it require a longer hold to sleep the phone, or bring up a combined sleep or power off option.

I'm hopeful this is a true rumor. I think Iwould buy it, now that my iPad replaces my need for many iPhone features when I am traveling.

What you describe simply sounds like the natural progression of the standard iPhone as they figure out how to make smaller components. Maybe 2 more versions down the road.

I can't imagine another iphone with a smaller screen.
 
As much as I agree that this device is likely to have user experience 'difficulties' I'm starting to think it quite likely, and likely to come as part of a larger rework of the whole iPhone/iPod lineup.

My impression (entirely speculative, but tell me if it doesn't make sense) is that the iPod line has some problems right now, mostly centered on the current Nano being too small for a lot of people and not having any real commonality with the rest of the line. Most notably I suspect they'd really like to bring back video on the Nano but just can't do it on the new screen. So, my guess is the Nano phone comes alongside an iPod Touch Nano (won't they PLEASE just officially call them iTouch - well maybe not). The current nano could then take the place of the screenless shuffle with the same hardware at reduced price. I'd actually guess that the current Nano will still have a shuffle model below it though (and will be given an entirely new title with the re branding, since they will want to pair the new phone with the more established Nano title).

The new SCREENLESS shuffle on the other hand is, IMO the least likely part of what occurred to me, but I can't imagine that they haven't looked at the earpiece based design everyone and their brother imagined when the saw the cigarette lighter. That said, Apple being Apple, my actual guess is only that there will continue to be a screenless, sub $100 model (I'm thinking that the current Nano probably just isn't ready to go that low yet with what is a small but high quality screen).

The above note about the Shuffle leads me to my last point which is really just a response to the line of thought that a smaller/cheaper iPhone doesn't fit with Apple's high revenue/low volume strategy of not competing for the bottom of the market. While they do generally follow this, it just hasn't been true for some time in the iPod segment, with the Shuffle forming a large part of their maintenance of market domination. Given that they really do seem to look at the phones as a spinoff of the iPods rather than the computers or entirely separate I am not entirely sure that the conventional strategy applies (especially when combined with how close to dominant they are in phone with a SINGLE model, and that the iPad does to some extent represent a roundabout entry into the netbook price range). On a related note, also supporting the new phone, I suspect that the company would also be happier with a Nano type device than the current strategy of having an older and almost completely unpromoted version of the phones remain available they are using now.
 
Perhaps this iPhone nano is the new yearly iPhone (5)....trimmed down to be smaller and lighter....I for one, dont think Apple will release any future iPhone with anything less than a retina display,,,regardless of the screen size.That would be bad for the image. If the screen resolution was less than the iPod Touch, would anyone buy it??
 
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