Briefly: Apple wants iPhone components from suppliers by April

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc. has informed its network of iPhone component suppliers to begin delivery of materials to its Taiwanese manufacturing facilities by next month.

Among those commissioned were the phone's printed circuit board makers, which were told to begin shipping their parts for delivery by "early April," the China Economic News Service reported on Friday.

The move suggests that manufacturing ramp of the highly touted Apple handset will begin -- at least in some capacity -- shortly thereafter.

Rumors that Apple and wireless partner AT&T could be ready to bring iPhone to market ahead of their June estimate have been making the rounds since February but remain largely unconfirmed.

In an unexpected move, Apple earlier this week turned the south side of 32-foot glass cube in New York City into an enormous billboard for the handset. However, the semitransparent iPhone banner was removed within hours for an unknown reason.

[rongold]

I suppose people can expect to learn shortly if the FCC approved Apple's design of the iPhone (AND possibly learn of additional hardware details); its probably been at least 2 and a half months sense they submitted the iPhone for approval. Possibly longer.

If Apple is already ordering delivery of components from suppliers, it is reasonable to expect that they have recieved word that it is good to go. Doesn't the FCC release notifications on Fridays? Maybe they JUST found out today.

[kenaustus]

I believe that Apple would have ramped up production as soon as they were informed that no changes were required by the FCC - and they had completed all of the programming for the various functions - like iCal.

I don't see Apple releasing the iPhone before the target date, but I do see them building up some major inventory positions in order to minimize the backorder situation that would otherwise develop within days of the release. With a lot of advanced production it will probably take a week or two before the iPhone is on backorder.

[OS X Guy]

Can we assume they will be taking pre-orders next month too?

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple Inc. has informed its network of iPhone component suppliers to begin delivery of materials to its Taiwanese manufacturing facilities by next month.

Among those commissioned were the phone's printed circuit board makers, which were told to begin shipping their parts for delivery by "early April," the China Economic News Service reported on Friday.

The move suggests that manufacturing ramp of the highly touted Apple handset will begin -- at least in some capacity -- shortly thereafter.

Rumors that Apple and wireless partner AT&T could be ready to bring iPhone to market ahead of their June estimate have been making the rounds since February but remain largely unconfirmed.

In an unexpected move, Apple earlier this week turned the south side of 32-foot glass cube in New York City into an enormous billboard for the handset. However, the semitransparent iPhone banner was removed within hours for an unknown reason.

Sounds like mid-May may be a possibility.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by EagerDragon

Sounds like mid-May may be a possibility.

There's always possibilities, but I'd say it might ship before June 1st.

[montefuego]

Originally Posted by Ireland

There's always possibilities, but I'd say it might ship before June 1st.

If they ship in June as they announced, then they can count on selling NO higher end ipods in May and some of April, because people will be waiting to see the iphone before buying anything. The only way to counter this is to surprise ship well before the announced date, when there are still some customers who see the iphone as far enough off to buy an ipod now.

Contrary to those who claim that Apple never ships early, this is also exactly what Apple did with every single product category in the intel transition, shipping at least two months before people expected. They will do the same now. It is the only smart business decision.


steve

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by montefuego

Contrary to those who claim that Apple never ships early, this is also exactly what Apple did with every single product category in the intel transition, shipping at least two months before people expected. They will do the same now. It is the only smart business decision.

Yeah they did originally say the intel transition would be complete by the end of 2007, giving the impression it wouldn't happen before that, it was completed before 2007 started. You could say that was one year ahead of what they announced. I'm gonna say if the FCC approval goes through early enough, we'll see a early to mid-May iPhone release. The real things holding the iPhone back is this FCC apporval and Leopard.

[EruIthildur]

I can't help but think how funny the apple reps find it when all the rumor forums go up in arms at a little annoucement like the poster...

[melgross]

Originally Posted by EruIthildur

I can't help but think how funny the apple reps find it when all the rumor forums go up in arms at a little annoucement like the poster...

Yeah, well, that WAS strange. My daughter and I went the the Apple store there Friday, after school, and I wondered why it wasn't there.

I'm wondering if it said something that Apple realised was incorrect.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by rongold

I suppose people can expect to learn shortly if the FCC approved Apple's design of the iPhone (AND possibly learn of additional hardware details); its probably been at least 2 and a half months sense they submitted the iPhone for approval. Possibly longer.

If Apple is already ordering delivery of components from suppliers, it is reasonable to expect that they have recieved word that it is good to go. Doesn't the FCC release notifications on Fridays? Maybe they JUST found out today.

Um, how does anyone know WHEN they've submitted the phone for approval. Just because Jobs says "it takes a couple of months to get approval" doesn't mean they submitted it until, well, ever.

Then again, to think that the holdup on this thing is the FCC is laughable. The holdup is that the software just isn't ready (ergo why it was locked down and no one was allowed to really touch it).

On another point, there's nothing about the phone that requires Apple waiting for Leopard. The phone will work with 10.4 and windows, so Leopard isn't required on the user side. Leopard release also isn't required on the phone side, since its using a different version of the OS, and, as such, on a wholly different development track.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by montefuego

If they ship in June as they announced, then they can count on selling NO higher end ipods in May and some of April, because people will be waiting to see the iphone before buying anything. The only way to counter this is to surprise ship well before the announced date, when there are still some customers who see the iphone as far enough off to buy an ipod now.

Contrary to those who claim that Apple never ships early, this is also exactly what Apple did with every single product category in the intel transition, shipping at least two months before people expected. They will do the same now. It is the only smart business decision.

Sorry, I don't buy it. The market for a high-end iPod and an iPhone are two different markets. If you're planning on buying a $450 ipod, its for the large scale storage, not so much for the video. Apple's marketing (incorrectly, IMNSHO) the iPhone as that, a phone. Therefore, the video/audio capabilities are secondary as a selling point. Add to that the limited storage, higher cost, and monthly subscription fee just to use the device, and it really isn't much of a choice.

If anything, it might hurt low-end macbook sales.

[rongold]

Originally Posted by Louzer

If Apple is already ordering delivery of components from suppliers, it is reasonable tUm, how does anyone know WHEN they've submitted the phone for approval. Just because Jobs says "it takes a couple of months to get approval" doesn't mean they submitted it until, well, ever.

Then again, to think that the holdup on this thing is the FCC is laughable. The holdup is that the software just isn't ready (ergo why it was locked down and no one was allowed to really touch it).

By commenting on this issue of FCC approval, a reader has to assume that you are aware that it takes 60 to 100 days for approval (as referenced by the FCC site); but to make a comment such as yours negates this sensibility. What you are infering by improperly judging my rationale is that Apple Inc. would wait until April 13th to apply for FCC approval in hopes that it would only take the minimum amount of time (60 days) in order to make that last minute June 30th start date of assembling — never mind packaging and shipping (another 10 days).

This is ridiculous. I know that Apple has already applied for FCC approval. I am also most certain that they have already recieved it at this point.

I do; however, agree with you in your statement of the most obvious of iPhone facts: that being the unfinished software at the time of unveiling. This cannot be contested. All the reporters that have had hands-on time have said as much.

Originally Posted by Louzer

On another point, there's nothing about the phone that requires Apple waiting for Leopard. The phone will work with 10.4 and windows, so Leopard isn't required on the user side. Leopard release also isn't required on the phone side, since its using a different version of the OS, and, as such, on a wholly different development track.

As long as we are disagreeing with each other, I have to say that we DO NOT yet know if the iPhone will or will not require Leopard. This is an unknown. Have you seen it interface or sync with 10.4? I haven't. As far as I am aware, no one outside Apple has. One could assume it would work with Mac OS X 10.4 but we cannot assume it will work with iTunes 7.1 or Apple's current iteration of Sync Services. In fact, at this point it seems a far stretch to think that it WILL work with the current version of iTunes and Sync Services (iSync).

It seem likely (and at this point, nearly fact) that the next version of iLife (and iTunes) will require Leopard (Core Data, new Sync Services, Core Animation, and other stuff I, and you, probably don't know about yet).

Given this, I have to say that I flat out disagree with you on your third point as well.

Oh, I also disagree with the iPhones OS being on a "wholly different development track". The primary reason that Apple decided to bring OS X to the iPhone (and Apple TV and Airport Extreme and etc., etc.) is that it would cut down on development cost and development time. Why reinvent the wheel? They know what they are doing. They have already developed all the technologies that the iPhone needs so they don't need to reinvent them again. Steve Jobs said it himself.