Probably means Cadillacs are chromed up Chevys for people who can't afford a real luxury car. /s
Precisely. The iPhone is anything but. It is NOT merely a status symbol. There are plenty of poor people who buy iPhones, and plenty of rich people who buy Androids. Assuming the poor will automatically buy an iPhone when they can afford it is a mistake.
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
I agree with the sentiment expressed here. Google has become better at designing software. Granted, it is easier to do when you are following the leader. For instance, the Google search App on iOS works better than Siri in some ways. First, it starts searching before you are finished talking, and second, it is fast. Further, it works on every iPhone. Same with Google Maps. Although I think it is flawed in many ways, the biggest advantage it has is it works on every iPhone model, where Apple's features are handicapped when using older model phones.
I can't imagine people interested in an iPhone in the US using a subsidized carrier care about price terribly. However, when you want to go with a contract free or pay as you go plan like those offered by T-Mobile, you want the phone to cost less because you have to pay the unsubsidized price. This probably is costing Apple sales over seas (I am in the US). Apple also probably is losing sales to some people who really are fixated on tablet/phone combinations. I think it would be interesting for Apple to add cellular calling service to the iPad (especially the Mini). With a cool bluetooth head set that could be a very nice feature. You could have the iPad in the back seat, but still take calls while driving.
How is the LTE iPad mini not a bigger screened iPhone? As the screen enlarges the device becomes something very much other than a voice handset, so why bother with a voice contract the device isn't suited for? Hence the cellular LTE iPad mini: bigger screened "iPhone" (meaning not tethered to the need for a WiFi signal nearby).
The mini is light enough and once you've given up "pocketable" why not just go all in for functional? Plus it's cheaper overall than some phone with a contract.
I agree with this. Allow people to use the Mini as a phone. It would be especially cool if Apple designed some bluetooth headphones with Siri integration to easily access the contact book for calls.
I agree with this. Allow people to use the Mini as a phone. It would be especially cool if Apple designed some bluetooth headphones with Siri integration to easily access the contact book for calls.
It already can be with Skype. I don't see the issue with this if people want to use it as a phone now.
I expect to see an iphone MINI that has the same size screen as the iphone 4/s, just that it will be thinner and the bezel on the top and bottom with be much thinner (making all dimensions smaller than the iphone 4). The iphone 6 would be an all new design with a much larger display.
I expect to see an iphone MINI that has the same size screen as the iphone 4/s, just that it will be thinner and the bezel on the top and bottom with be much thinner (making all dimensions smaller than the iphone 4). The iphone 6 would be an all new design with a much larger display.
So going back to 3.5" for no reason whatsoever and then increasing to 4.5"+ for no reason whatsoever?
Sure... if market share and/or unit sales are the metric... Apple is getting creamed by other manufacturers and platforms. Especially in developing countries.
HOWEVER... Apple's iPhone already generates about $6,000,000,000 in PROFIT every quarter. That's billions with a B every 3 months.
Does Apple really need these emerging markets? I thought niche was their thing.
Like Mac vs Windows... Apple sells far fewer Macs than the other guys sell Windows machines. Yet all those other companies would gladly trade balance sheets with Apple.
The cheapest phone Apple makes is $450. Yeah... it's out of reach for most of the developing world. But why does that matter?
We've discussed this in other threads: there are plenty of Android phones that retail for $100 brand new unlocked. And they are garbage... and are primarily used as feature phones in poor undeveloped countries.
Why does Apple need to chase that market?
I think this can be compared to the Apple TV vs. Apple HDTV.
Sure, Apple is constantly focused on making quality products at a high profit. However, that only generates a smaller portion of market adoption. If Apple sold millions of $99 ATVs they would get Millions of new adopters. VS. if they made the HDTV which might gain a lot of profit but much fewer adopters, and a slower success rate. What's the balance? Probably a little of both. If you're going to be a market leader and be profitable, you need heavy adoption. Sure they could make a lot of money going the same way they have been, but in the long term they are going to have to diversify.
It's the same with the iPhone. They sell millions and get billions in profit, but they don't have the majority market share as android does. For apple to survive in the long term as a leader in the mobile market, they need to diversify. They will eventually have to compete.
I think that is also why they decided it was time to introduce the iPad Mini when they did (not to mention that the market was basically dictating that the 7"-8" tablet at a lower price point was much more desirable to many customers). It followed the same path as the iPod and the iPod Mini (then Nano) in the early portion of the past decade. It woks this way in many industries, not just Tech. Look at the Auto Industry. Toyota, GM, Honda, VW...they all have highly diverse array of products...and they are the leaders. None of them can continue to be world market leaders in the Auto industry without a diversified product lineup. Apple is in this same boat now. They are no longer the underdog company.
Selling just high-quality, high profit-margin products worked when they were the minority in the industry...they are a leader now.
Now, I could easily see a "less expensive" (from a retail stand-point, not subsidized) iPhone coming from Apple. I don't know what features it would have or what size/shape it will be, but it's definitely something they are probably looking into, I have no doubt.
Look at all the feature-phones and the likes of less expensive, less feature-rich smartphones out there that sell millions in developing markets and nationally. This could be a huge opportunity for Apple to create something that is truly new, not just a trimmed-down iPhone, but an iPhone that is the bare essentials. Email, Web, Phone, Text. Granted this sounds a lot like iPhone Gen 1, but it could be something much more simple. The iPad is now in a market that truly is portable and many (including myself) only use our iPhones now for a quick glance, nothing more. Quick reply, check email, weather, etc... If we want more functionality, the iPad Mini is now in the portability range where we could basically carry both. Personally, i'm one of those that believes the purity of the iPhone has been too diluted, too saturated with crap functions and Apps. The App Store was a huge factor in the success of the iPhone, but to me, less is more. The beauty of the integrated system is lost in a way on all the saturation of features and 3rd party apps.
Now if all these rumors are true, I really don't see it as a watch or something smaller than the current phone, just lighter, less feature rich, and less expensive. The iPod Touch starts at $199, That is what I see as the starting point for an unlocked iPhone that's less featured than the standard iPhone (i'm not going to call it mini or nano just yet because that infers a form factor that I won't bet on yet). Well the $199 8GB iPod Touch only differs to the current iPhone only by camera and Cellular radio chip at this point. So I could easily see something less featured at that price-point.
Who knows, but it is actually not surprising Apple hasn't come out with anything yet. They want to keep production costs down and productivity up. But now that the Android ecosystem has a very dominant share of the smartphone market...i think it's the time to start thinking about diversifying.
The number of people who think Apple should just maintain its status quo is large and hilarious.
Apple has to compete against the likes of Samsung whether it wants to or not. A client handed me a Galaxy S3 a few days ago and I have to say, that large screen is extremely attractive and makes my iPhone look like a Fisher Price toy. There is a reason why customers like the larger screen. It would serve Apple well to differentiate its products or at least move the product line more towards what consumers are demanding.
Until recently the only profitable market was premium phones under 4" in size. Apple was right to stick with one model and expand distribution globally.
Then Samsung showed that it's possible to make money in the 4.3-5.5" premium phone market. In response Apple did something truly bizarre. Rather than recognize that one size does not fit all and make two different models of iPhone, they made their top selling small phone slightly bigger and ceded the large phone market to the competition. Samsung took the ball and ran with it, quickly eclipsing everyone except Apple in profit share.
Good news for Apple: the market for a premium phone that fits into small pockets is never going to disappear.
Bad news for Apple: the market for a premium phone over 4.75" is exploding and they have nothing to offer. More and more smartphone usage is visually oriented, something that makes a large screen increasingly valuable even if it adds unwanted bulk. Siri does not replace a large screen.
Apple should have made the move to two models last year instead of muddying the waters with a new display resolution that did nothing to address the rapidly growing market for large display phones. Now if they go after the big phone market they'll have to add yet another display resolution to the mix. At least developers can soon drop support for 320x480, but it would have been much simpler to have just 640x960 and whatever large resolution they pick than also having to deal with 640x1136.
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
Stability-wise, iOS is still on top. But I think Android is way ahead in "discovery" and "search-based" features.
If Apple is going to even compete with Android for search (which is desperately needs to), Apple has some catching up to do...by my count, probably about 5 years of catching up.
Couple of ways Apple can do this. First, create a desktop version of iOS Maps. Second, more fully integrate the "Apple ID" into the OSX and iOS ecosystem than it is now. Similar to how Google makes you login with your Gmail address for get saved features. And third, create a search engine for Safari, but do it on the back-side somehow so that you aren't just pulling the cord like with iOS Maps.
Samsung makes dozens of phones ranging from $100 low-end to $700 high-end.... while Apple makes basically 3 phones from $450 mid-range to $900 high-end high-capacity
Actually Apple Makes about 10 phones if you include the different carriers...and that's just in the USA.
iPhone 4 (ATT & Verizon) [2]
iPhone 4S (ATT & Verizon) [2]
iPhone 5 (ATT & Verizon) with 3 SDD capacities. [6]
I wouldn't say going back to the 3.5" display for no reason whatsoever.
I hate the larger form factor of the iPhone 5. It defeats the way I use a cellphone. I'm certainly not the only one. For me and others, the phone needs to be more portable, not larger.
If Apple simply reduced the size of the home button thus scaling back the top and bottom bezel, they could keep the iPhone 5 around the same size as the 4/S while maintaining a 4" screen. Even smaller by doing this to the 4/4S. At a minimum I hope Apple continues to offer the 4/S form factor past the next two years.
The 4+ larger screen doesn't make sense to me. Then again I haven't really researched it. But I don't really see people clamoring for larger screens. I see other vendors making them and selling them for less than the iPhone, offering a perceived greater value. But I don't see people saying ... Hey, I want to carry around the biggest phone I can get my hands on which will still fit into a pocket in my pants.
I expect to see an iphone MINI that has the same size screen as the iphone 4/s, just that it will be thinner and the bezel on the top and bottom with be much thinner (making all dimensions smaller than the iphone 4). The iphone 6 would be an all new design with a much larger display.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
I wouldn't say going back to the 3.5" display for no reason whatsoever.
I hate the larger form factor of the iPhone 5. It defeats the way I use a cellphone. I'm certainly not the only one. For me and others, the phone needs to be more portable, not larger.
If Apple simply reduced the size of the home button thus scaling back the top and bottom bezel, they could keep the iPhone 5 around the same size as the 4/S while maintaining a 4" screen. Even smaller by doing this to the 4/4S. At a minimum I hope Apple continues to offer the 4/S form factor past the next two years.
The 4+ larger screen doesn't make sense to me. Then again I haven't really researched it. But I don't really see people clamoring for larger screens. I see other vendors making them and selling them for less than the iPhone, offering a perceived greater value. But I don't see people saying ... Hey, I want to carry around the biggest phone I can get my hands on which will still fit into a pocket in my pants.
I think Apple is going to eventually do that.
The 4/4S don't have lightning connectors so I could see them releasing a 3.5 inch phone with smaller bezels and an extremely thin design selling it as an all new MUST HAVE device.
People (analyst) would soon forget all the hubbub of oversized phones when people are lining up for the stylish contemporary iPhone Mini. Free on contract $399 off contract. High quality materials and a sexy design.
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
Far as I know start from iPhone 4S there is only 1 model. it works for both GSM(AT&T) & CDMA(Verizon).
iPhone 4 has antena gate issue between GSM & CDMA.. Famous death grip issue as you all remember.
Apple should drop iPhone 4. I guess they still have some unused parts left over a lot.
Most of other countries are using GSM.
That is the reason Verizon has lack of newer phone. Because OEM has to make CDMA version which they can sell only to Verizon and China(I think China using own CDMA version.).
When Jobs around, Jobs said mini iPad market is DOA. Now how many iPad mini has been sold? They can't keep up with demand.
Larger screen iPhone? Yes. Apple need it as well. So they can compete with other OEM with 5" smart phone.
I hope this time Apple bring back gorilla galss 3.
So if Apple decide to release cheaper phone, they can use those cheap Chinese glass.
Cheaper phone? Yes they need it. Not just for developing country. In USA, prpepaid business can use cheaper iPhone as well.
"Apple, which had been working on a more affordable smartphone since at least February 2011, is weighing retail prices of $99 to $149 for a device that would debut in late 2013, at the earliest, according to the person, who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private. Apple has spoken to at least one of the top U.S. wireless carriers about its plans, the person said yesterday. "
$99 would be insanely low for Apple.
$149 at least allows for more than a few dollars' profit.
""The device would use cheaper parts and may be smaller than current models, people familiar with the plans said. Apple was also considering a more versatile version that would work on multiple wireless networks, according to people who were briefed on the plans."
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
Question, though:
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
I agree with the sentiment expressed here. Google has become better at designing software. Granted, it is easier to do when you are following the leader. For instance, the Google search App on iOS works better than Siri in some ways. First, it starts searching before you are finished talking, and second, it is fast. Further, it works on every iPhone. Same with Google Maps. Although I think it is flawed in many ways, the biggest advantage it has is it works on every iPhone model, where Apple's features are handicapped when using older model phones.
I can't imagine people interested in an iPhone in the US using a subsidized carrier care about price terribly. However, when you want to go with a contract free or pay as you go plan like those offered by T-Mobile, you want the phone to cost less because you have to pay the unsubsidized price. This probably is costing Apple sales over seas (I am in the US). Apple also probably is losing sales to some people who really are fixated on tablet/phone combinations. I think it would be interesting for Apple to add cellular calling service to the iPad (especially the Mini). With a cool bluetooth head set that could be a very nice feature. You could have the iPad in the back seat, but still take calls while driving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jfc1138
How is the LTE iPad mini not a bigger screened iPhone? As the screen enlarges the device becomes something very much other than a voice handset, so why bother with a voice contract the device isn't suited for? Hence the cellular LTE iPad mini: bigger screened "iPhone" (meaning not tethered to the need for a WiFi signal nearby).
The mini is light enough and once you've given up "pocketable" why not just go all in for functional? Plus it's cheaper overall than some phone with a contract.
I agree with this. Allow people to use the Mini as a phone. It would be especially cool if Apple designed some bluetooth headphones with Siri integration to easily access the contact book for calls.
It already can be with Skype. I don't see the issue with this if people want to use it as a phone now.
Originally Posted by Commodification
I expect to see an iphone MINI that has the same size screen as the iphone 4/s, just that it will be thinner and the bezel on the top and bottom with be much thinner (making all dimensions smaller than the iphone 4). The iphone 6 would be an all new design with a much larger display.
So going back to 3.5" for no reason whatsoever and then increasing to 4.5"+ for no reason whatsoever?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Scrip
I don't get it.
Sure... if market share and/or unit sales are the metric... Apple is getting creamed by other manufacturers and platforms. Especially in developing countries.
HOWEVER... Apple's iPhone already generates about $6,000,000,000 in PROFIT every quarter. That's billions with a B every 3 months.
Does Apple really need these emerging markets? I thought niche was their thing.
Like Mac vs Windows... Apple sells far fewer Macs than the other guys sell Windows machines. Yet all those other companies would gladly trade balance sheets with Apple.
The cheapest phone Apple makes is $450. Yeah... it's out of reach for most of the developing world. But why does that matter?
We've discussed this in other threads: there are plenty of Android phones that retail for $100 brand new unlocked. And they are garbage... and are primarily used as feature phones in poor undeveloped countries.
Why does Apple need to chase that market?
I think this can be compared to the Apple TV vs. Apple HDTV.
Sure, Apple is constantly focused on making quality products at a high profit. However, that only generates a smaller portion of market adoption. If Apple sold millions of $99 ATVs they would get Millions of new adopters. VS. if they made the HDTV which might gain a lot of profit but much fewer adopters, and a slower success rate. What's the balance? Probably a little of both. If you're going to be a market leader and be profitable, you need heavy adoption. Sure they could make a lot of money going the same way they have been, but in the long term they are going to have to diversify.
It's the same with the iPhone. They sell millions and get billions in profit, but they don't have the majority market share as android does. For apple to survive in the long term as a leader in the mobile market, they need to diversify. They will eventually have to compete.
I think that is also why they decided it was time to introduce the iPad Mini when they did (not to mention that the market was basically dictating that the 7"-8" tablet at a lower price point was much more desirable to many customers). It followed the same path as the iPod and the iPod Mini (then Nano) in the early portion of the past decade. It woks this way in many industries, not just Tech. Look at the Auto Industry. Toyota, GM, Honda, VW...they all have highly diverse array of products...and they are the leaders. None of them can continue to be world market leaders in the Auto industry without a diversified product lineup. Apple is in this same boat now. They are no longer the underdog company.
Selling just high-quality, high profit-margin products worked when they were the minority in the industry...they are a leader now.
Now, I could easily see a "less expensive" (from a retail stand-point, not subsidized) iPhone coming from Apple. I don't know what features it would have or what size/shape it will be, but it's definitely something they are probably looking into, I have no doubt.
Look at all the feature-phones and the likes of less expensive, less feature-rich smartphones out there that sell millions in developing markets and nationally. This could be a huge opportunity for Apple to create something that is truly new, not just a trimmed-down iPhone, but an iPhone that is the bare essentials. Email, Web, Phone, Text. Granted this sounds a lot like iPhone Gen 1, but it could be something much more simple. The iPad is now in a market that truly is portable and many (including myself) only use our iPhones now for a quick glance, nothing more. Quick reply, check email, weather, etc... If we want more functionality, the iPad Mini is now in the portability range where we could basically carry both. Personally, i'm one of those that believes the purity of the iPhone has been too diluted, too saturated with crap functions and Apps. The App Store was a huge factor in the success of the iPhone, but to me, less is more. The beauty of the integrated system is lost in a way on all the saturation of features and 3rd party apps.
Now if all these rumors are true, I really don't see it as a watch or something smaller than the current phone, just lighter, less feature rich, and less expensive. The iPod Touch starts at $199, That is what I see as the starting point for an unlocked iPhone that's less featured than the standard iPhone (i'm not going to call it mini or nano just yet because that infers a form factor that I won't bet on yet). Well the $199 8GB iPod Touch only differs to the current iPhone only by camera and Cellular radio chip at this point. So I could easily see something less featured at that price-point.
Who knows, but it is actually not surprising Apple hasn't come out with anything yet. They want to keep production costs down and productivity up. But now that the Android ecosystem has a very dominant share of the smartphone market...i think it's the time to start thinking about diversifying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist
The number of people who think Apple should just maintain its status quo is large and hilarious.
Apple has to compete against the likes of Samsung whether it wants to or not. A client handed me a Galaxy S3 a few days ago and I have to say, that large screen is extremely attractive and makes my iPhone look like a Fisher Price toy. There is a reason why customers like the larger screen. It would serve Apple well to differentiate its products or at least move the product line more towards what consumers are demanding.
Until recently the only profitable market was premium phones under 4" in size. Apple was right to stick with one model and expand distribution globally.
Then Samsung showed that it's possible to make money in the 4.3-5.5" premium phone market. In response Apple did something truly bizarre. Rather than recognize that one size does not fit all and make two different models of iPhone, they made their top selling small phone slightly bigger and ceded the large phone market to the competition. Samsung took the ball and ran with it, quickly eclipsing everyone except Apple in profit share.
Good news for Apple: the market for a premium phone that fits into small pockets is never going to disappear.
Bad news for Apple: the market for a premium phone over 4.75" is exploding and they have nothing to offer. More and more smartphone usage is visually oriented, something that makes a large screen increasingly valuable even if it adds unwanted bulk. Siri does not replace a large screen.
Apple should have made the move to two models last year instead of muddying the waters with a new display resolution that did nothing to address the rapidly growing market for large display phones. Now if they go after the big phone market they'll have to add yet another display resolution to the mix. At least developers can soon drop support for 320x480, but it would have been much simpler to have just 640x960 and whatever large resolution they pick than also having to deal with 640x1136.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
Question, though:
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
Stability-wise, iOS is still on top. But I think Android is way ahead in "discovery" and "search-based" features.
If Apple is going to even compete with Android for search (which is desperately needs to), Apple has some catching up to do...by my count, probably about 5 years of catching up.
Couple of ways Apple can do this. First, create a desktop version of iOS Maps. Second, more fully integrate the "Apple ID" into the OSX and iOS ecosystem than it is now. Similar to how Google makes you login with your Gmail address for get saved features. And third, create a search engine for Safari, but do it on the back-side somehow so that you aren't just pulling the cord like with iOS Maps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Scrip
But I'm asking why they need to.
Samsung makes dozens of phones ranging from $100 low-end to $700 high-end.... while Apple makes basically 3 phones from $450 mid-range to $900 high-end high-capacity
Actually Apple Makes about 10 phones if you include the different carriers...and that's just in the USA.
iPhone 4 (ATT & Verizon) [2]
iPhone 4S (ATT & Verizon) [2]
iPhone 5 (ATT & Verizon) with 3 SDD capacities. [6]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
So going back to 3.5" for no reason whatsoever and then increasing to 4.5"+ for no reason whatsoever?
Ya, pretty much.
I hate the larger form factor of the iPhone 5. It defeats the way I use a cellphone. I'm certainly not the only one. For me and others, the phone needs to be more portable, not larger.
If Apple simply reduced the size of the home button thus scaling back the top and bottom bezel, they could keep the iPhone 5 around the same size as the 4/S while maintaining a 4" screen. Even smaller by doing this to the 4/4S. At a minimum I hope Apple continues to offer the 4/S form factor past the next two years.
The 4+ larger screen doesn't make sense to me. Then again I haven't really researched it. But I don't really see people clamoring for larger screens. I see other vendors making them and selling them for less than the iPhone, offering a perceived greater value. But I don't see people saying ... Hey, I want to carry around the biggest phone I can get my hands on which will still fit into a pocket in my pants.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Commodification
I expect to see an iphone MINI that has the same size screen as the iphone 4/s, just that it will be thinner and the bezel on the top and bottom with be much thinner (making all dimensions smaller than the iphone 4). The iphone 6 would be an all new design with a much larger display.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
I wouldn't say going back to the 3.5" display for no reason whatsoever.
I hate the larger form factor of the iPhone 5. It defeats the way I use a cellphone. I'm certainly not the only one. For me and others, the phone needs to be more portable, not larger.
If Apple simply reduced the size of the home button thus scaling back the top and bottom bezel, they could keep the iPhone 5 around the same size as the 4/S while maintaining a 4" screen. Even smaller by doing this to the 4/4S. At a minimum I hope Apple continues to offer the 4/S form factor past the next two years.
The 4+ larger screen doesn't make sense to me. Then again I haven't really researched it. But I don't really see people clamoring for larger screens. I see other vendors making them and selling them for less than the iPhone, offering a perceived greater value. But I don't see people saying ... Hey, I want to carry around the biggest phone I can get my hands on which will still fit into a pocket in my pants.
I think Apple is going to eventually do that.
The 4/4S don't have lightning connectors so I could see them releasing a 3.5 inch phone with smaller bezels and an extremely thin design selling it as an all new MUST HAVE device.
People (analyst) would soon forget all the hubbub of oversized phones when people are lining up for the stylish contemporary iPhone Mini. Free on contract $399 off contract. High quality materials and a sexy design.
That's why I said Apple makes "basically" 3 phones.
In that case... Samsung makes even more phones because they also have to make different phones work on all those different carriers too.
A single phone won't work on Verizon and AT&T.... or Sprint and T-Mobile.
My point was... Samsung makes a ton of phone models from super-cheap to expensive... while Apple makes 3 phone models from mid-range to expensive.
And like someone else said... Apple and Samsung have different strategies, and they both seem to work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
Question, though:
We're focusing on hardware here. But many people would argue that the Android OS has caught up with iOS as of Jelly Bean. I've seen it - I love Apple, but Android 4.x is the smoothest I've seen of Android so far. Google Now is a decent enough answer to Siri. And in a creepy way, it is even a bit more advanced than Siri.
So while we're talking about hardware, what about OS? If Google/Android win on the OS war, will hardware ultimately matter? Most of us here are probably Apple fans, I am. But I am concerned that the Android OS will outpace iOS in the future, at some point. Really hoping Ive has a few tricks up his sleeve!
"Many people"? "Most of us"?
Who?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions
You love Apple but (insert Android praise)? You are an Apple fan, but "concerned"?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concern_troll#Concern_troll
Far as I know start from iPhone 4S there is only 1 model. it works for both GSM(AT&T) & CDMA(Verizon).
iPhone 4 has antena gate issue between GSM & CDMA.. Famous death grip issue as you all remember.
Apple should drop iPhone 4. I guess they still have some unused parts left over a lot.
Most of other countries are using GSM.
That is the reason Verizon has lack of newer phone. Because OEM has to make CDMA version which they can sell only to Verizon and China(I think China using own CDMA version.).
When Jobs around, Jobs said mini iPad market is DOA. Now how many iPad mini has been sold? They can't keep up with demand.
Larger screen iPhone? Yes. Apple need it as well. So they can compete with other OEM with 5" smart phone.
I hope this time Apple bring back gorilla galss 3.
So if Apple decide to release cheaper phone, they can use those cheap Chinese glass.
Cheaper phone? Yes they need it. Not just for developing country. In USA, prpepaid business can use cheaper iPhone as well.
Bloomberg is saying this today:
"Apple, which had been working on a more affordable smartphone since at least February 2011, is weighing retail prices of $99 to $149 for a device that would debut in late 2013, at the earliest, according to the person, who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private. Apple has spoken to at least one of the top U.S. wireless carriers about its plans, the person said yesterday. "
$99 would be insanely low for Apple.
$149 at least allows for more than a few dollars' profit.
""The device would use cheaper parts and may be smaller than current models, people familiar with the plans said. Apple was also considering a more versatile version that would work on multiple wireless networks, according to people who were briefed on the plans."