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Smaller iPhone to Eliminate Storage, Rely on Cloud-Based Content?

i didnt realise memory still comprised so much of the devices cost
the rumor seems a bit far fetched to go all cloud so soon and eliminate local memory
 
MacRumors said:
According to the report, the smaller iPhone would pull essentially all of its media through a revamped MobileMe service, reducing the need for significant on-board storage in the same way that the Apple has been able to slash storage on the second-generation Apple TV by shifting to a streaming model.
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I imagine the carriers are going to love this. Aren't they complaining about Iphone data usage as it is?
 
Add me to the list of people who is growing weary of unsubstantiated speculation. Lots of rumors coming out from "people familiar with the matter" but not much of it making sense. Almost seems like control leaks from Apple to misdirect competitors.
 
Not everyone wants music on their phone, not everyone wants to stream this and that. Why cant people understand that some people just want an Apple phone just to make phone calls. Period.
 
rmhop81 said:
ridiculous for YOU. for people who don't need the space it's a waste of cashola. This is a "cheaper" version for a reason. Obviously it would not fit you.
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C'mon, this new "cheap" phone would require an expensive data service.

And why would Apple want to restrict getting their cut from iTunes, iBooks and App Store sales?

It's one thing to get a smaller phone with a 320x480 display that has less memory, but is still usable. It's another thing to get one that is meant to be a 100% cloud client. The AppleTV is always connected at home to a fast broadband connection. 3G connections are around 100x more flaky.
 
daveathall said:
Not everyone wants music on their phone, not everyone wants to stream this and that. Why cant people understand that some people just want an Apple phone just to make phone calls. Period.
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yes and to send a few emails here and there. OR to only use wifi when it's free and not pay for a data plan. for some this is so difficult to grasp...but i'm not sure why? haha
 
AppleTv in your pocket... sounds close to what it would be... Still has flash memory, not for storage of content.. just buffering and apps! ;)
 
I think the current iPod Nano was a production experiment for the all screen technology that will appear in several future Apple products for the handtop. This entire thread, people assume the non-intuitive, then call Apple names over their own mis-conceptions.

Voice on phones sucks, is extremely expensive, and will die. Futurephones will be VoIP for voice and data only devices. The carriers know this and are clinging onto voice plans with both hands and their teeth by making them a mandatory element to get the device on a payment plan. Futureusers will simply buy the device outright, install a data plan, VoIP, and many other titles of software, and have a complete experience at lower cost.

This is what will change the current meme from postpay 2 year contracts with bundled plans (data/voice/text) to data only plans.

That will be a grand day.

Rocketman
 
Rocketman said:
I think the current iPod Nano was a production experiment for the all screen technology that will appear in several future Apple products for the handtop. This entire thread, people assume the non-intuitive, then call Apple names over their own mis-conceptions.

Voice on phones sucks, is extremely expensive, and will die. Futurephones will be VoIP for voice and data only devices. The carriers know this and are clinging onto voice plans with both hands and their teeth by making them a mandatory element to get the device on a payment plan. Futureusers will simply buy the device outright, install a data plan, VoIP, and many other titles of software, and have a complete experience at lower cost.

This is what will change the current meme from postpay 2 year contracts with bundled plans (data/voice/text) to data only plans.

That will be a grand day.

Rocketman
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exactly. if i could have had an unlimited data plan ONLY like what was provided for the iPad when it came out, man i would be set. and it would be CHEAP!
 
If you're not using your phone as an mp3 player/storage device you don't really need that much storage space. I use my iPad exclusively for apps rather than media content (except books) and I find that 16 GB is more than I need. I could see a 4 GB device being perfectly usable for web browsing, email, a few other apps, and streaming content.
 
So is this a future iPhone 4/5 replacement? Or an additional choice, ie iPhone lite, to the iPhone lineup? I like my apps and onboard data storage. Don't forget that not everybody in the world has the same "cloud" / wifi/ 3G access? One country may have fantastic wireless communication options, while another's may render the iCloud useless. The iPhone is used all over the world.
 
Kenrik said:
Apple... Just do a half sized retina display (480x320) (1.75in Diag)

And all of the old 1G, 2G, 3G, 3GS, Apps will work perfect.

K.I.S.S
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Put me down for finger-point-sharpening plastic surgery please!

No. This iPhone Nano, if it exists, will have a 320x480 display - but it will be between 2.5" and 3.0" - probably closer to 3.0". The bezel will be greatly reduced - on the sides down to a couple of mm, on top enough for a VGA camera and speaker, and on the bottom enough of a bezel to hold the device without obscuring the screen, and maybe to retain the button - albeit maybe reduced in size.
 
firewood said:
Because the Mac App Store proved they could open a completely different App Store, and still be very very successful.

They could open a brand new Nano App store (with maybe a resolution independent SDK for developers, that makes automatic bigger buttons on smaller displays, to be introduced at WWDC 2011).
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How would you run these apps from this special app store with no memory? You aren't going to be streaming them.
 
carlgo said:
Lots of people would be happy with a small, simple, attractive and easy to operate phone that might just have enough storage for a few family photos, a few phone camera shots, iTunes. Maybe a few simple games and a limited number of apps.

Don't need a ton of memory or a big screen.

Certainly doesn't need a contract.

This makes perfect sense to me. Apple should compete in any market it can and the non-smartphone market is huge.

People who post here want all the specs, the hacks, the video conferencing...most people don't.
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Yup, it might be just a perfect product for Wal Mart. This will do wonders for Apple brand.
 
I generally agree that cloud storage would suck where you're out of coverage.

But

If apple can pull this off it will completely revolutionize how we use our phones and by extension computers in general.

To be honest, being out of coverage is rapidly becoming an edge case as far as I'm concerned. Even in the air, some airlines are starting to bring on wifi for passengers - and in that use case, with the smaller iPhone all you'd be using it for is music in any case, most likely.

Look a the iPod shuffle - put the same amount of memory and you'd be fine.

Exciting times. :D
 
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Tones2 said:
This is completely the wrong direction that Apple should be heading. Completely cloud based devices are ridiculous with cell carriers now limiting the amount of GBs that can be downloaded and given the extreme inconsistency in 3G connectively currently experienced by AT&T and Verizon. I'd like to see Steve Jobs try to stream a video from 3G on a moving bus just one time and he would understand.

If anything, I'd love a BIGGER screened iPhone with 64 GB. Completely opposite of where they are heading. The rest of the market seems to understand this. Apple is going to lose this battle.

Tony
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Bigger screen 64 gigs... Exactly. 64 gigs soon, hoping bigger retina screen (htc evo size) soon as well. I don't buy iPhones being reliant on cloud, but I have no doubts AAPL has found a few ways to engage iPhone users (and everything else AAPL) into using and soon needing cloud services... Cloud will be the meta universe of all internet/computing... The Intercloud is not that far away... All info ever to exist instantly accessible absolutely anywhere will be "normal"... We're very close as it is, and AAPL will rule it all... You watch.

Buy AAPL NOW and you've got it made. $450.00 pershare by December.
 
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Whatever features, like App store and iTunes will be included... Thats serious bread and butter not to be wasted... Festures will and should be limited though, to ensure greater interest in the "Real" iPhone.
 
I can't see this totally happening... There has to be "some" sort of storage(hardware)... How will the iOS even start-up... What if the cloud-based storage is down because of technical difficulties?
 
TheSlush said:
I conur with MacRumors that whatever this is, it's not something that will rely on the existing App Store ecosystem. If the device is truly only "half the size of the iPhone 4" then it will be too small for the existing app user interfaces, and will furthermore need a redesigned interface of it's own. Can something that calls/texts/emails, but has no 3rd party apps or games still be called an "iPhone"?
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Well, yes. iPhone is a brand, and there are many phones that do the same thing as the iPhone but aren't called the same. I personally call them iClones but that's beyond the point.

To be honest the message I would get from Apple here is that the current iPhone isn't for everyone, or rather it simply doesn't address all areas of the market. They've always had one iPhone at a time (excluding the previous year's model) because the darn thing sells so well and to me this would be a sign that they've either discovered a new worthy area of the market, or have realised that there's a significant amount of people who won't buy the iPhone as it is due to various reasons such as price, size and even functionality - it might just do alot of things they don't really care about.
 
toddybody said:
Retarded. I understand limiting device storage...but total cloud reliance is the most stupid thing ive ever heard...what happens when you want to listen to music/watch movie/read on an airplane or someplace without access?



-1000000 Apple
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You buy a full sized iPhone (or an iPod).
 
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