***SORTA CONFIRMED: An Apple Branded Cell Phone in conjunction wth Sony Erricson....

When did he say this??? I would be interested in reading about it! Till then I am not all that excited...

The idea of an iPhone or whatever sounds really cool and I am sure I would buy one but I really cant imagine it happening???

<img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> *hmm*

Sorta what?

Let me be the 1st to say WTFAYTA!

it was said during the Q3 financial call-
<a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/analyst_meeting_q302/" target="_blank">http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/analyst_meeting_q302/</a>

i really would love if this is true. i am in the market for a new cell phone and have no idea what i really am going to settle on. if apple had a branded phone that would be the best. otherwise i know right now i am looking at the P800 from SE (but i know this one will be $$$) or the Kyocera 7135 Palm smart phone.

[quote]Originally posted by macXusr:
<strong>it was said during the Q3 financial call-
<a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/analyst_meeting_q302/" target="_blank">http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/analyst_meeting_q302/</a></strong><hr></blockquote>

Do you have the time marker for this quote? Hate to slog through this thing trying to find one sentence.

Plus, is Jobs' original quote supposed to be "on the way out..."?

[ 07-27-2002: Message edited by: LudwigVan ]</p>

IF you listened to the whole thing, Jobs ALSO says that cell phones aren't an area that Apple wants to go. There's not going to be an Apple phone, nor an Apple PDA.

You will start to see Apple develop a lot of partnerships.

Sony/Ericsson is just a first.

They don't have to brand everything.
Building a computer that works flawlessly with the best of consumer products (phones, cameras, etc) is what they are trying to do.

They stand to make more if they focus on that and not get involved in low-margin, highly price competitive electronics.

They do not have the facilities to get into a design cycle where they have to refresh a product every 3 months to be competitive.

I prefer the make a compatible computer, not try and make something in every niche.

maybe one or two, but not a deluge of stuff.

[quote]Originally posted by zaz:
<strong>They stand to make more if they focus on that and not get involved in low-margin, highly price competitive electronics.</strong><hr></blockquote>

That makes complete sense. Erricson was just downgraded to "junk" status. Apple certainly doesn't need to go there.

of all the companies they should join with sanyo. they have the best interface on their phones. nothing is more simple than a sanyo 6200(which i have) or a sanyo 5000. its like apple, just easy to use. like osx all the power is hidden and you dont have to mess with it if you dont want to. but you can still do just about everything on the phone.

[quote]Originally posted by myahmac:
<strong>of all the companies they should join with sanyo. they have the best interface on their phones. nothing is more simple than a sanyo 6200(which i have) or a sanyo 5000. its like apple, just easy to use. like osx all the power is hidden and you dont have to mess with it if you dont want to. but you can still do just about everything on the phone.</strong><hr></blockquote>

As far as comprihensable interfaces go, I'm waiting for a cell phone that has a full size keyboard and a mouse.

[quote]Originally posted by myahmac:
<strong>of all the companies they should join with sanyo. they have the best interface on their phones. nothing is more simple than a sanyo 6200(which i have) or a sanyo 5000. its like apple, just easy to use. like osx all the power is hidden and you dont have to mess with it if you dont want to. but you can still do just about everything on the phone.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Actually the Sanyo phones that your talking about are made by Kyocera. They even have the stickers on the back. Kyocera has been making these graphical interfaces for sometime, but it's just now catching on.

Back to the subject though...I agree with zaz. Why should Apple "brand" everything, when they can oversee what someone else is paying the majority of the bill for?

Woof.

I'm glad that I didn't start this thread....'cause I started to do it but stopped myself. Basically, I wondered what would keep Apple from doing just that:

taking an ericssony (industry slang) phone, making Apple plastics (kimkap slang) and selling it themselves.

Before posting this hypothesis I immediately saw the problems involved with this idea.

1. The myriad of different carriers and delivery systems spread around the world.

If contained to the U.S. market the problem would remain...so many carriers and delivery systems out there, they'd get boned during this ugly, never-ending process of sorting out standards.


2. Cellphones break, need repair and are generally a HUGE consumable with little profit margin.

Go read some of the reports of phone manufacturers being forced to dump LOADS of relatively new phones on third world nations due to overstocking and tepid 1st world response to the products.


I'd love to see an Apple-branded phone, I really would. I simply can't find a business advantage to doing it.

A friend of mine has an Ericssony phone. Nice packaging and a fairly logical interface (for THIS Nokia user anyway). I think that Apple would best benefit from having computers and software that work with a wide selection of telephone brands. They seem to finally be escaping that isolationist mentality.

Locking into one phone would seem to be a mistake. If they worked out a multiple-carrier/brand marketing plan it might be a successful synergy....but highly unlikely.

D [never type while listening to a TV show or you'll type all the wrong words from the show's dialogue]

[ 07-27-2002: Message edited by: drewprops ]</p>

Great. An Apple cell phone. WHO THE F____ CARES?!?!?! Concentrate on getting your computers up to snuff Steve!

Stevie never SORTA CONFIRMED anything about cell phones except thhat they would replace the PDA, which is a reasonable assumption.

I just gotta say this again: Why the F**K would apple be making a phone???? Really dont see the logical point of that!!!

<img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[quote]Originally posted by Nebagakid:
<strong>Ohkay, so Steve Jobs says that :"The PDA is on the way and the Cell Phone with PDA functions is the next big thing"

And now there is a big nicey-nicey with Sony Erricson, they gotta be working on something big.
and with rumors of a new iAppliance this is the most logical option...

the real iPhone <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

i'd argue apple has already had a hand in the making of the t68 (the phone jobs showed off at macworld...)
the original model's user interface is too slow for the processor, forcing you use big fonts to speed up the display (or else, it will _lag) and bug ridden (this is the first phone i have owned that crashes.)
and if you want to get a faster, upgraded firmware, you've got to pay 50 bucks for it.
does that strategy remind you of anything ?

if apple wants to start making stuff other than comps i say more power too em' cause at the moment apple is at motos mercy. Once they switch processor companies to someone who gives a crap then apple can focus soley on computer.

[quote]Originally posted by Nebagakid:
<strong>Ohkay, so Steve Jobs says that :"The PDA is on the way and the Cell Phone with PDA functions is the next big thing"

And now there is a big nicey-nicey with Sony Erricson, they gotta be working on something big.
and with rumors of a new iAppliance this is the most logical option...

the real iPhone <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>


wow i pointed this out about a week ago in the same way....

anyway....great minds think alike...except those who don't think and steal

bwawhahhaha ok

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:
<strong>Great. An Apple cell phone. WHO THE F____ CARES?!?!?! Concentrate on getting your computers up to snuff Steve!</strong><hr></blockquote>

They are upto snuff. if ur stuck with comparing mhz then go buy a pc.

OK as always, I'd just like to point out where

<a href="http://www.iphone.org" target="_blank">www.iphone.org</a>

points to. Interesting. <a href="http://www.mammals.org" target="_blank">www.mammals.org</a> too (probably for Darwin)

[quote]Originally posted by Aquatik:
<strong>OK as always, I'd just like to point out where

<a href="http://www.iphone.org" target="_blank">www.iphone.org</a>

points to. Interesting. <a href="http://www.mammals.org" target="_blank">www.mammals.org</a> too (probably for Darwin)</strong><hr></blockquote>

ok thus this topic

I used to think it would be cool if Apple made cel phones, PDAs, etc.

But I realize that it's a thankless job for not much benefit and all to Apple.

Instead of Apple MAKING all these gadgets, I'd be completely satisfied if they do what they're doing now: make great software and utilities and implement/adopt certain standards (USB, FireWie, AirPort, Bluetooth, etc.) that add extra use and value to existing (or soon to be existing) products of this sort, made by companies who really know the business and all.

Hardware-wise, I don't care if Apple expands much beyond the desktop/laptop/service/iPod line-up.

As long as I can use cool PDAs, cel phones, etc. with my Mac and OS Whatever, that's good enough for me.

Hell, half these companies are copying Apple's style anyway, so the "appearance/design factor" is already taken care of.



I liked what I saw at MWNY's keynote, regarding Apple and those cel phones. Stuff like that excites me more than Apple pouring their resources into something as fickle and "come and go" as a cel phone.

Face it: if Apple DID design/produce a cel phone, it would be cool as could be. AND it would cost twice as much as anything else out there and probably lack many of the features/capabilities other standard cel phones have.

It would LOOK very cool and do some neat, proprietary "wow!" stuff. But it would ultimately be a bust, I'm guessing.

&gt;&gt;Steve Jobs says that :"The PDA is on the way and the Cell Phone with PDA functions is the next big thing"

If you listen to the call, he actually said:
"The PDA is on the way OUT".

That means no PDA from Apple, in case it needs repeating...

this thread reminds me the old "Apple won't never ever release a mp3 player" threads...

only time will tell...

i vote to lock this thread...

These gadget threads make me wanna go postal.

Sorta what? again?

Sorta Moving to Digital Hub...

Welcome to the Digital Hub everyone.

Ahh, the old iPhone rumor again. A classic.

Here is why Apple won't make a 'rebranded' product, especially in the cell phone market:

1.) You have to rely on another company.
2.) You compete directly with Motorola (remember them? They make the G4s.)
3.) There is no incentive for Sony Ericcson. Apple is already plugging their products for Mac users, why would they want to create an Apple branded phone that would compete with their own?

It doesn't add up. Jobs spent too much time during his keynote specifically focussed on the Sony phone. Why would Apple come out with their own phone right after he told everyone to go out and buy a Sony Ericcson?

As for the 'PDA' being 'dead', remember that Apple didn't acknowledge the Palm at all at MWNY, despite having Bluetooth support, Inkwell, and iSync. Apple might not come out with a 'PDA' as small as the Palm, but you have to admit that Apple must be going somewhere with these technologies while shunning Palm at the same time.

I have a friend at Apple. The other day (the week before MWNY) I ased him what he thought about Palm, Sony Clie, Handspring and which he would recommend. He said that if I wait a few months that he will be able to get me a discount on a PDA.

This was said a few hours after a conversation where he mentioned that he can get me a substantial discount on any Apple branded hardware.

He wasn't willing to break his NDA and give me any details, but he also didn't want me to spend £400 and kick myself in a few months time because I should have waited.

Just my 2¢

[quote]Originally posted by mattbr:
<strong>

i'd argue apple has already had a hand in the making of the t68 (the phone jobs showed off at macworld...)</strong><hr></blockquote>

Have you lost your mind !? Apple has nothing to do with T68i

jobs showed off T68i on stage .. not T68

[ 07-30-2002: Message edited by: ihxo ]</p>

[quote]Originally posted by JBracy:
<strong>This was said a few hours after a conversation where he mentioned that he can get me a substantial discount on any Apple branded hardware.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

Did he also mention that he is going to leave apple Inc. and work in Palm INC later ??

I doubt it will be a phone, but how about an Apple-branded <a href="http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=ERIC_CHATPEN" target="_blank">pen</a>



too bad the ipod isn't bluetooth enabled *yet*.

[ 07-31-2002: Message edited by: Atomic Media Fonts ]</p>

A cellphone will NEVER happen, until a world-wide standard is established... I live in japan (apple's second largest market) and our frequencies and standards are totally different from the rest of Asia and the World. I just donT see Apple being profitable in having to make 20 different versions (CDMA/GSM/GPRS/WAP/800mhz/900mhz/1500mhz, blah, blah, blah) just so I can have my own iPhone.

(iM happy enough already with my java enabled 3G-Sony-Ericsson jap phone playing SpaceInvaders and tetris )

[ 07-31-2002: Message edited by: fireants22 ]</p>

So basically the subject of this should be "CONFIRMED.. NOT A DAMN THING"

Guys,

oh, how I wished that there was a new Apple PDA ! I was a dumb serf in the Empire of DOS until a Newton showed me the LIGHT - at it led to the Mac.

OK, no more Macengelist talk - just one very unfortunate observation why those saying in this thread that the Sony-Ericsson deal has nothing to do with an upcoming Apple PDA are right:

The "yah"-sayer in this thread believe that the cooperation between Soneric and Apple has something to do with upcoming portable hardware.

The point is: it has only to do with software. iSync is the obvious tip of the iceberg, but it's only the Apple implementation of an open standard, SyncML.

The less obvious, but potentially more important part I haven't found mentioned on this thread yet - and the stakes for Apple are much higher ! Believe it or not, it's all about Quicktime !

The next craze in mobile communications will be MMS (Multimedia Messaging System), the multimedia extension of the good ole' SMS.

Streaming videos, trailers etc. to handsets is one of the most eagerly awaited technologies in the mobile operators' world.

Here in Europe, the big operators just launched first services with camera-enabled phones (the mentioned Soncer T68 and Nokia 7650). But for now, it's only still pictures.

But the MMS standard also extends to video streaming. Apple obviously wants to secure the position of Quicktime in this market by embedding a thin QT client in upcoming phone hardware - which would would also increase sales of the QT server software and, eventually, Apple hardware.

Anyways, Ericsson is doing the sales tour of European operators with its MMS-technology, and they partner regularly with someone from Apple to show the advantages of the Quicktime technology.

I would have loved to include the link to some PDF-files on the Ericsson Development Program site containing this info, but it's all in German.

BTW, one more funny remark: the really interested party is not Sony-Ericsson, but Ericsson, since the most money can be made with the operator-sided MMS-backend hardware. However, the terminal devices must obviously support the technology provided by the network backend - hence Sony-Ericsson comes in.

Hey otternase, does your name come from (the German version of) Monty Python's Life of Brian? Getrocknete Otternasen anyone?

Backon topic, I doubt that Apple will make its own mobile hardware. But I have no doubt that Apple will continue to leverage its software in partnerships with digital device manufacturers like Sony-Ericsson.

Escher