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

This is excellent.

For those of you who own an iPod and would otherwise buy a phone to strictly make phone calls, and none of the other pizzazz, this phone would be ideal.

Sadly the iPod Touch is not up to par with the iPhone, internally and externally. But nonetheless, this is great if you want a simple phone, but one with a great design and usable UI. That's one main reason Nokia is still so popular. Their basic phones are the frontline devices that sell, even with the clunky UI.

Hopefully this Cloud-based system is optional, because bringing this device to third world countries, for the cheaper price, would be a market-kill.
 
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Color me crazy, but wouldn't the people for whom this phone wouldn't work, just refrain from buying this phone?
 
count me in.

I've been a smartphone addict for about 10 years, since before they were referred to as smartphones, and now I just want a regular phone.

I'm currently using an oldschool razr which I'm entirely content with, but if Apple releases an inexpensive nano-esque phone then I'm all over it.
 
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Why is it that skype works on 3G but FaceTime doesn't? There's no bandwidth restriction. You can watch hulu or Netflix all day too. Skype even works on 3GS. Given only has a back camera but that's not so bad sometimes.
 
MacRumors said:
The report notes that some on-board storage would clearly be required for the operating system itself and other critical system data, including caching of data handed down from the cloud and perhaps storage of photos and videos taken by the device should it include a camera.

We also suspect that such a device would not be able to support the App Store, as Apps depend on locally-stored content, and would thus require significant modification to run from the cloud.
Click to expand...

If this is how it will work, why would it need to store photos on the device? Why not just upload them immediatly to your MobileMe account?

And why would apps need significant modification? Couldn't the iOS in the device simply incorporate some kind of abstraction layer between the apps and the data exchange

I don't think for a second that this device will appear. Maybe Google would attempt something like this
 
Rumor picked up by WSJ

Yeah, so I read the same thing in this morning's Wall Street Journal (2/14). Code name is N97 and the prototype is "half the size of the iPhone 4". While the article didn't say anything about eliminating internal storage, it did say Apple was considering a revamp to MobileMe to make it free. There was also talk of extending voice command capability.

Making a physically smaller iPhone is dumb. I can't see the screen now without glasses. IMHO, this is the equivalent of the iPhone Shuffle. You shake the phone to dial a number but you don't get to choose which number.
 
alust2013 said:
I'd be pissed if I couldn't listen to my music because I didn't have wifi. I don't think the cloud idea with mobile devices is anywhere near feasible yet. Maybe when 4G is widespread and there is at least 3G elsewhere, but I simply wouldn't buy a device that I couldn't store my stuff on.
Click to expand...

But for many people, it isn't a problem. I know many people who have iPhones and never, ever, listen to music on them. They use the Apps and the Phone part, but have little interest in music. I rarely listen to music on mine, but a podcast once in a while -- but I'm almost always on WiFi when I do that. So this would suite me quite well.

BUT, for me, I would need at least 16GB of space for apps, but that is only because of navigation apps, get rid of those and I could use a 4GB phone no problem. But many people don't even need that. I can see an iPhone with 2GB or 4GB of space (maybe even 1GB) because these memory chips are VERY cheap now, no need to totally destroy a product by putting NO memory on it when you can get something for almost nothing.

This type of phone is not for the SmartPhone lovers out there, it is for the people who don't want (or don't know that they want) something expensive or fancy. It may be good enough for them, and cheap enough. I can see this being very successful.
 
firewood said:
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As Apple proved with the first iPhone 2G, the SDK and App store don't have to be ready when a device first ships. The new SDK with big enough buttons can come later. Developers will still flock.
Click to expand...

That's because the Original iphone was supposed to be a limited device. They had no concept of the app store until the community started jail breaking them and making their own apps.

If true this is one of those things that has me both incredibly worried and intrigued.

The Good: Being able to potentially stream your media.
The bad: Using up your data plan to do it
The: worrisome: How will this work? Wil your entire itunes library be backed up on the cloud (which could be up to a couple terabytes for some. Will it allow to only have access to things you bought on iTunes?
 
TheSlush said:
Can something that calls/texts/emails, but has no 3rd party apps or games still be called an "iPhone"?
Click to expand...
That's what Steve kept calling it when he introduced such a device back in 2007.

This is describing a device more limited than that (ye olde iPhone 1 had a fair amount of local storage for music/video), but it's not that far off from the original concept of the iPhone, except with storage "in the cloud" instead of in the pocket.
 
Padraig said:
What good is it creating a 200 dollar off contract phone if you've to also have an expensive data plan? There's no way that will attract the low end user.
Click to expand...

I don't think Apple are interested in the low end user. They won't be being much from the AppStore - and the data rate plus contract would be too expensive.

There isn't much value for Apple in trying to get low end user to buy an iPhone.
 
greytmom said:
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Color me crazy, but wouldn't the people for whom this phone wouldn't work, just refrain from buying this phone?
Click to expand...

Correct. We are just commenting as such.
 
Why is it so hard for Apple to put MicroSD card slots into their iDevices... I don't get it.
 
Cloud computing is coming and some companies are already there. However, I say we are still a way too early in the game for a cloud only smart-phone.

1. AT&T still has not caught up to verizon with rural 3G coverage.
2. Edge network is pathetic and getting worse, as 3g rolls out more and more. There are still many rural places in my travels with edge and at times it is worse than dialup. And these I would not consider rural areas - but are small cities.
3. Even with 3G in some areas, it is slow.

Also, I bought a lot of apps just for the on-device storage. I can have my data on the apps I need without having to worry about locked wifi, carrier data caps, network proxies, security concerns, speed of working with my data, etc.

I don't see this going over well. Maybe in 10 years when data transfer is faster and just about every company is onboard with the cloud. But we still have have an issue with carrier data caps. Even large major cities are slow or not even implementing wimax (city wide wifi).
 
How exactly is the on screen keyboard supposed to work on an even smaller device than the current iPhone? You have to be able to at least text...
 
I love it.. so let me get this straight.. i'm listening to my favourite music on a train.. train goes into a tunnel or a black spot in the middle of the countryside that has no reception.. boom.. my music stops playing. Even if it buffered say, 5 minutes of content, what if I want to change tracks mid tunnel? I can't.

It's too early for this device. In 5 or 10 years when every part of the world is tied up to high speed wireless access, go for it. But the world ain't that perfect, far from it. At the very least offer a storage card option and let the customer pick up the cost of storage if Apple don't want to.

Small iphones just make no sense what so ever. It's like inventing a round wheel and then a few years later releasing a small square one.
 
Wow.

This is bad journalism. Who makes this stuff up? Really.

There is no iphone nano. Doesn't exist. Never will exist. I will be the most surprised person on the planet if this exists. I am getting no feedback from parts suppliers at all on this, none.

The next iphone will have a larger screen, will be redesigned. These media pundits are getting the cheaper iphone confused with the iphone 4 which they will still be selling along side the iphone 5. Much in the same way they sold the 3gs 8GB with the iphone 4.

The smaller iphone will be the iphone 4. And it will have way less memory. Not a iphone nano.
I can see some of the confusion. But now they are purely speculating because they don't know what is going on. The same way they said there would be a iphone nano when the 3gs came out and they still sold the 3g 8GB iphone.

Dont believe the hype.
 
This is the most stupid idea I've ever heard, unless it comes with FAST, RELIABLE and UNLIMITED Data access for a low premium.
I would rather pay more for the RAM than having to pay a lot of money for internet access every month.

It seems to me that as soon as Steve Jobs steps away, someone comes up with "brilliant ideas" like this one.

Or, it's a false rumor created by Apple haters to make us like them.
 
Cabbit said:
This can only be possible/practical when we have blanket coverage of the planet with highly reliable and fast internet access. It will happen one day but right now i still can't get a 3G signal over a 45 minute train journey.
Click to expand...

Think different!

Who says this has to be via 3G or Wifi? Who needs cell towers?

For all we know Apple is launching it's own Satellite or renting Satellite space. They have the money.

So, maybe this is a Satellite phone, no data plan etc.

Another Apple game changer!

Also, I can't understand the bitching about a rumor.

If whatever is known/rumored at this moment is not for you, you will not be the consumer this is for. Simple!
 
Who ever through this up is a complete idiot.

Have they not heard of the network issues AT&T has, or how much slower Verizon is vs. AT&T (When AT&T works right)?

Waiting a minute for a picture to load because the network is slow isn't going to fly with people.

When AT&T can deliver 10 Mbps down consistently then this has a small chance of becoming reality, but not when they struggle to deliver 1 Mbps.
 
Collected said:
I love it.. so let me get this straight.. i'm listening to my favourite music on a train.. train goes into a tunnel or a black spot in the middle of the countryside that has no reception.. boom.. my music stops playing. Even if it buffered say, 5 minutes of content, what if I want to change tracks mid tunnel? I can't.

It's too early for this device. In 5 or 10 years when every part of the world is tied up to high speed wireless access, go for it. But the world ain't that perfect, far from it. At the very least offer a storage card option and let the customer pick up the cost of storage if Apple don't want to.

Small iphones just make no sense what so ever. It's like inventing a round wheel and then a few years later releasing a small square one.
Click to expand...

That's gotta be an impressive tunnel! If that was the case, I'll be more concern with the tunnel experience than listening to music. :D

Thuis rumor makes no sense; let's see what really happens... :eek:
 
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