Hon Hai rumored for 3G iPhone contract as Gartner backtracks

[AppleInsider]

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., a long time Apple manufacturing partner and the largest builder of electronics components worldwide, is rumored to have landed the 3G iPhone contract. Meanwhile, Gartner is backtracking on claims that Apple has placed orders for 10 million of the next-generation handsets.

Without citing sources, the Chinese-language Commercial Times reported Friday that Taiwan-based Hon Hai, which operates stateside under the trade name Foxconn Electronics, is currently in the bidding for the 3G iPhone contract from Apple.

Should Hon Hai successfully land the contract, it could ship an additional 10 million mobile handsets per year, the paper said.

However, a subsequent report filed by Dow Jones cited a person familiar with the matter as saying the Taiwanese assembler has already closed on the deal and will serve as the exclusive manufacturer of the next-generation Apple handset, which would presumably go into production soon.

Meanwhile, Gartner is attempting to clarify earlier statements about the 3G iPhone, specifically a claim by analyst Ken Dulaney that Apple placed an order for 10 million of the handsets.

The market research firm now admits that it's uncertain about the accuracy of that claim, saying that it has no solid information to suggest that a contract has been signed or that a definitive order has been placed.

"If Apple was to place an order, than 10 million would be a reasonable number," analyst Bob Hafner explained. "And we absolutely believe that in the next-generation iPhone 3G will be there."

For their part, both Apple and its exclusive US wireless provider AT&T have both made comments by way of their top brass to suggest that a version of the iPhone capable of running on third-generation wireless networks would hit the market sometime this year.

"We've got to see the battery lives for 3G get back up into the five-plus-hour range,'' Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said last September in response to inquiries over a 3G model at the UK iPhone launch. "Hopefully we'll see that late next year.''

Two months later, AT&T Inc. chief executive Randall Stephenson flat out stated that a 3G model was in the cards for 2008.

"You'll have it next year," he said while speaking during a November 2007 meeting of the Churchill Club in Santa Clara, Calif.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[wbrasington]

Nothing to see here.... just move along.

[SpamSandwich]

He said, she said.

[shawnathan]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

He said, she said.

someone should say, iPhone now available in Canada, damnit.

[8CoreWhore]

I'll see it when I believe it.

[walshbj]

only a few comments? I thought 3G would be twice the hype.

[Eduardo]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

Nothing to see here.... just move along.

[btitusjr]

Originally Posted by walshbj

only a few comments? I thought 3G would be twice the hype.

I think everyone is tired of all the 3G crap. I know I am. And I know I dont care when it comes out since 3G is almost non-existant in almost half of the country right now anyway. Funny how everone thinks it is going to be soooo much better when it most places you'll still be on the 2.5g

[Peter Nincompoop]

Originally Posted by btitusjr

I think everyone is tired of all the 3G crap. I know I am. And I know I dont care when it comes out since 3G is almost non-existant in almost half of the country right now anyway. Funny how everone thinks it is going to be soooo much better when it most places you'll still be on the 2.5g

Maybe everyone who is excited about the 3G lives in an area where 3G is strong? I live and work in Chicago and my current phone has 3G. 99% of the time I have 3G service, and sometimes my phone even displays a 3G+ icon (i dunno what that means, but it HAS to be good). For everyone who lives in the middle of nowhere, then yes they are out of luck, but it will be sooooo much better for those of us in civilization.

On top of the 3G speed, if even half of the rumors are true, then version 2 of this product will probably have some other pretty cool new features.

And on top of that...what the hell to do expect? You come to a web page that is completely devoted to reading about and dicussion rumors and news about one companies products. Do you think all of the posts are going to be like "oh man...I am so apathetic about a 3G iphone...I really could care less...I am really not into this stuff at all...really." This is like that Simpsons episode where Lisa has a dream that she is playing her saxiphone at a concert and everyone just starts booing her. Her response is "Why would they come to my concert just to boo me?". So I ask you, why do you come to a web page all about apple products, just to boo some people who are excited about an Apple product?

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by shawnathan

someone should say, iPhone now available in Canada, damnit.

Ready to be reamed by Rogers!

[zanshin]

Originally Posted by Peter Nincompoop

Maybe everyone who is excited about the 3G lives in an area where 3G is strong? I live and work in Chicago and my current phone has 3G. 99% of the time I have 3G service, and sometimes my phone even displays a 3G+ icon (i dunno what that means, but it HAS to be good). For everyone who lives in the middle of nowhere, then yes they are out of luck, but it will be sooooo much better for those of us in civilization.

I absolutely PROMISE not to be the first one to crack about referring to Chicago and "civilization" in the same post. Really, I swear I won't.

Happy Friday, everyone. Have a great weekend.

Zan

[palegolas]

With my previous nokia phones it was easy. I got the phone that I liked at the time and stuck with it till it broke. Then I bought a new phone. The same with the iPods. The problem with the iPhone is that I'm probably gonna want to have every new version. That's the Apple effect and the reason why I'm coming back to this site so often. Damn it... I'm a nerd.

[Hutcho]

Originally Posted by btitusjr

I think everyone is tired of all the 3G crap. I know I am. And I know I dont care when it comes out since 3G is almost non-existant in almost half of the country right now anyway. Funny how everone thinks it is going to be soooo much better when it most places you'll still be on the 2.5g

I think that you're forgetting that there is a market 1.5 times the size of the US in Europe, where almost all of us enjoy 3G, almost all of the time. In major US population centers, there is plenty of 3G coverage as well. It's only the yokels and hicks in the US that have no need to care about this.

[funkfeend]

Originally Posted by Hutcho

I think that you're forgetting that there is a market 1.5 times the size of the US in Europe, where almost all of us enjoy 3G, almost all of the time. In major US population centers, there is plenty of 3G coverage as well. It's only the yokels and hicks in the US that have no need to care about this.

Hey now. I'm a yokel and a hick and even I have 3G coverage. Now if I could just get this tin foil hat to stay on in the shower...