Native iPhone apps Monday; multi-carrier Singapore; iPod lead solid

[AppleInsider]

The first third-party native iPhone apps may be ready as soon as Apple makes its version 2.0 iPhone firmware available, according to a report. Also, a job posting hints that SingTel won't have an exclusive deal in Singapore, and Lehman Brothers notes that Apple continues to track above expectations for its iPod shipments despite a seemingly weak market.

iPhone 2.0, native apps to show at same time?

If a source at a firm developing iPhone software is correct, iPhone 2.0 users will have a very short wait before they can start downloading third-party native apps for the device, according to CNET.

The alleged insider at the programming house says the app will be ready as of Monday and the start to the Worldwide Developer Conference, alluding to a potential live launch of the Apple App Store necessary to download the code.

This source also appears to corroborate firmware leaks and other rumors that suggest the upcoming iPhone hardware will include GPS support for locating itself in real time.

At least one rumor has posited that Apple will announce immediate availability of a new iPhone for at least some regions next week, when Steve Jobs takes the stage for the WWDC keynote.

Job listing suggests multiple iPhone carriers in Singapore

SingTel's iPhone rights in Singapore won't be exclusive, an Apple job listing for a Lead Carrier Certification Engineer reveals.

The American company's posting asks for an engineer who would coordinate the approval of "Cellular Carriers" in the city-state.

Apple is known to alter its job requirements depending on whether or not it expects one or more carriers to offer the iPhone in a given region. The company's Australian job listings quickly proved accurate while also suggesting that Mexico would be confined to a single iPhone-ready carrier in the near future.

Lehman: iPod thrives in a down market

While the overall MP3 market is down, Apple's iPod sales continue to climb, according to a new investment note from Lehman Brothers.

Analyst Ben Reitzes notes that Apple's year-over-year retail sales for the last week were up a few percentage points while the rest of the market declined five percent, suggesting the company is extending its lead over rivals. The quarter as a whole has Apple up a few percentage points in line with the rest of the industry and tentatively puts Apple ahead of cautious estimates.

"We continue to believe this data is slightly more positive than expected for Apple and indicates to us that iPod sales remain relatively stable despite overall subdued consumer demand and risks to the economy," Reitzes says, noting that eight out of the ten top-selling MP3 players at Amazon were iPods as of Monday.

The expert adds that there are no immediate signs of a rundown in stocks of iPods at Best Buy, a location Lehman is testing as a gauge of iPod supply levels and thus any imminent signs of an upgrade to the media player line.

[amac4me]

June 9th can't get here fast enough. Bring on iPhone 2.0!

[skottichan]

Woohoo!!! I really hope the iPhone/App Store rumor is true.


And... I coulda sworn that all the "experts" were claiming the iPod market was saturated and sales were going to flatten!!

[Tofino]

Originally Posted by amac4me

June 9th can't get here fast enough. Bring on iPhone 2.0!

and more importantly (for me at least): bring on iPhone 2.0 to Canada!

[Ireland]

What I want the new iPhone to have, but it won't have.

• Same thickness, though more tapered
• 2 colors: black & silver (aluminum)
• GPS
• Copy & Paste
• 3 MP camera with flash
• Better battery life
• 3G
• Non-recessed headphone port
• OLED screen

That is all, now make it happen!

I would happily pay $599 for a 16GB version of that.

[ebrunn]

Apple's servers better be ready the day they release 2.0 and if theirs apps available same day.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by Ireland

What I want the new iPhone to have, but it won't have.

• Same thickness, though more tapered
• 2 colors: black & silver (aluminum)
• GPS
• Copy & Paste
• 3 MP camera with flash
• Better battery life
• 3G
• Non-recessed headphone port
• OLED screen

That is all, now make it happen!

I would happily pay $599 for a 16GB version of that.

It would be nice if it were a 5MP camera that also captured video I miss taking video with the last 5 phones that I've had.

Also, it would be nice if I could receive pics from phone to phone because I have a lot people that like to send pics to me and the only way we can make that a reality is if they send it via email and then I have to use Safari when I'm not near a wi-fi. Its annoying.

The headphone jack doesn't bother me because I like the headphones that they give you because I go jogging and its nice to be able to answer the phone while running.

You should be able to have any color you want, as long as its black.

[mydo]

Do we know what 3rd party apps are coming? What apps have developers committed to. Other than games.

[wbrasington]

I know a bunch of reports have the 3g sitting on shelves within a week or two.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea how the FCC could've approved this thing already without even a whisper. I would'a thought it would have to be already tested and certified to get on the street that fast.

[mydo]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

I know a bunch of reports have the 3g sitting on shelves within a week or two.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea how the FCC could've approved this thing already without even a whisper. I would'a thought it would have to be already tested and certified to get on the street that fast.

Honestly who cares? Is an FCC filing the cannery in coal mine that tells us what we need to know?