Report claims iPhone will go 3G, gain GPS in early 2008
A new report claims that Apple is already aligning component suppliers for a major iPhone overhaul due early next year that will package, among other things, support for faster 3G networks.
The rumor, which was accompanied by claims that the handset would also include features like global positioning for navigation services (GPS), was reported Monday by The Street.com, which has little to no track record in predicting Apple's future business moves.
The claims also arrive in stark contrast to comments made by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs early Tuesday morning regarding a timeframe for an Apple-branded 3G handset.
While introducing the iPhone for UK customers, Jobs was asked by reporters about his firm's decision to forgo 3G access in the version of the iPhone that will be made available in the region later this November.
"[3G] chipsets work well apart from power. They're real power hogs. Most phones now have battery lives of 2 to 3 hours and that's due to these very power-hungry 3G chipsets," he explained. "[iPhone] has 8 hours of talktime life. That's really important when you start to use the Internet and want to use the phone to listen to music. We've got to see the battery lives for 3G get back up into the 5+ hour range. Hopefully we'll see that late next year."
Nevertheless, The Street believes the 3G iPhone will arrive "sometime in the first quarter" of 2008 and include assisted GPS chips from Broadcom's Global Locate unit and power amplifiers from TriQuint.
The rumor, which was accompanied by claims that the handset would also include features like global positioning for navigation services (GPS), was reported Monday by The Street.com, which has little to no track record in predicting Apple's future business moves.
The claims also arrive in stark contrast to comments made by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs early Tuesday morning regarding a timeframe for an Apple-branded 3G handset.
While introducing the iPhone for UK customers, Jobs was asked by reporters about his firm's decision to forgo 3G access in the version of the iPhone that will be made available in the region later this November.
"[3G] chipsets work well apart from power. They're real power hogs. Most phones now have battery lives of 2 to 3 hours and that's due to these very power-hungry 3G chipsets," he explained. "[iPhone] has 8 hours of talktime life. That's really important when you start to use the Internet and want to use the phone to listen to music. We've got to see the battery lives for 3G get back up into the 5+ hour range. Hopefully we'll see that late next year."
Nevertheless, The Street believes the 3G iPhone will arrive "sometime in the first quarter" of 2008 and include assisted GPS chips from Broadcom's Global Locate unit and power amplifiers from TriQuint.
Comments
So another rumour would be that Jobs won't do anything against unlocked iphones based on what he said, but that's not certain, you actually don't know what's gonna happen.
to me what he said at London is just to sell some more iPhones.
EDGE is not as great as 3G. It's certainly not as cutting-edge, but this is Apple's choice. We have to live with it until Apple is comfortable. This is why I have no desire to jump on the iPhone bandwagon until at least the 2Gen model.
I agree with the opinions that Jobs isn't going to say ANYTHING about 3G because it would cripple EDGE iPhone sales. Perhaps the $200 price cut was a big signal that they're getting ready for a 1Q 2008 launch of the 2Gen model. SOMETHING has to be announced at MWSF.
If I had to choose between 3G and GPS, I'd pick the latter. As cool as the Google Maps app is, it's ho-hum without GPS. It's like, here's this integrated tool that shows you where things are in a highly discernible format, but without a frame of reference as to where you are even though you're using a next-generation phone.
EDGE is not as great as 3G. It's certainly not as cutting-edge, but this is Apple's choice. We have to live with it until Apple is comfortable. This is why I have no desire to jump on the iPhone bandwagon until at least the 2Gen model.
I agree with the opinions that Jobs isn't going to say ANYTHING about 3G because it would cripple EDGE iPhone sales. Perhaps the $200 price cut was a big signal that they're getting ready for a 1Q 2008 launch of the 2Gen model. SOMETHING has to be announced at MWSF.
I'd like a better option than true GPS. I'd like the iPhone and Google Maps to use cell tower (and even Wi-Fi) location to determine your route in an urban setting. True GPS is really only a benefit when you are in a very rural area. GPS chips are just large and use a lot of power while cell towers already state their location. Perhaps Google and Apple can make something work.
As much as I defend Apple still focusing on being a proper computer company I do see Jobs as having something to prove with selling a vast amount of iPhones. What other way than to keep updating your product line, dropping prices or adding new features constantly.Using the current price drop and rebate as an example, Apple could very well do the same thing at MWSF 08 with a 3G 16GB version.
I'd like a better option than true GPS. I'd like the iPhone and Google Maps to use cell tower (and even Wi-Fi) location to determine your route in an urban setting. True GPS is really only a benefit when you are in a very rural area. GPS chips are just large and use a lot of power while cell towers already state their location. Perhaps Google and Apple can make something work.
This would work. I've seen others write about this before, so I don't know why I have my head stuck on GPS. Perhaps like EDGE and Wi-Fi, the iPhone could switch between GPS and "cell location" as appropriate, thereby negating much of the power draw on the GPS.
The problem with the 1Gen iPhone is that the expectations for size are set along with expectation for battery life. The next one can't be any bigger than the current one. Bumping the memory to 16GB shouldn't be a problem, but the 3G and GPS chipsets can't occupy too much room, or the footprint should be shot.
I'm just hoping that sometime in the future there will be a CDMA/EVDO iPhone compatible with Verizon. But it will require a miracle of biblical proportions for Verizon to swallow enough ego to allow this, so I'm not expecting it in my lifetime.
nobody surfs on the net using phones for 2-3 straight hours. I think Jobs misses that point. it's usually a quick search and done.
Maybe right now, but only because phone-based web browsers suck.
With a good browser, like the one in an iPhone, I could easily see people web surfing while commuting on trains/buses. With an hour each way (not unusual for people who live in suburbs), there's over 2 hours a day right there.
And don't forget the fact that an iPhone pings e-mail and voice-mail servers every couple of minutes - that's also going to draw power.
I'd like a better option than true GPS. I'd like the iPhone and Google Maps to use cell tower (and even Wi-Fi) location to determine your route...
Maybe I'm missing something, but how can you get your location from Wi-Fi? I know I never configured my home base station with any location coordinates, and it gives out private IP addresses (192.168.1.*). Even my public-facing IP address (assigned by my DSL provider) would only identify my ISP and maybe my city - hardly useful for navigation.
Do public-access Wi-Fi hotspots have a location feature my base station doesn't?
If I had to choose between 3G and GPS, I'd pick the latter. As cool as the Google Maps app is, it's ho-hum without GPS. It's like, here's this integrated tool that shows you where things are in a highly discernible format, but without a frame of reference as to where you are even though you're using a next-generation phone.
I'm hoping someone at some point hooks up a bluetooth GPS module. Apple's bluetooth profiles on the iPhone are pitifully barren of anything useful just now but there's no reason they couldn't add bluetooth GPS support to their Google Maps app.
That's what I use with TomTom mobile and my SE P910i currently. It works great.
nobody surfs on the net using phones for 2-3 straight hours. I think Jobs misses that point. it's usually a quick search and done.
to me what he said at London is just to sell some more iPhones.
I might be wrong, but wouldn't the 3G transmitter always be on? There are probably power-savings modes, but I wonder whether they would double battery life if you weren't "surfing." Anyone know anything about this?
I'm hoping someone at some point hooks up a bluetooth GPS module. Apple's bluetooth profiles on the iPhone are pitifully barren of anything useful just now but there's no reason they couldn't add bluetooth GPS support to their Google Maps app.
That's what I use with TomTom mobile and my SE P910i currently. It works great.
This is one of the best ways to provide the GPS feature that will not eat up battery power from the phone. But I also like the cell tower method because it does not require a clear view of the sky in order to work. The question is does the current version of the phone support the ability to use the cell tower method of location?
And rightfully so. No matter how many times I showed people my Treo years ago, which was lightyears ahead of their phones in terms of capabilities, all I would get in response is, "Man, that thing is huge. I'd never want to carry around that brick."
And don't forget, Apple is going to want to increase the capacity as soon as possible on the iPhone, to at least the 16 GB that he Touch has. So until they make a 3G chipset that's as small (or very close to as small) as the current EDGE one Apple is using now, all while being far less power-hungry, don't expect to see a 3G iPhone.
Intel banks on new Austin-designed chip
http://www.statesman.com/business/co...verthorne.html
Talks under way to put Intel inside OLPC's $100 notebook
http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/09/07/olpc/index.php
Think of it as the ultimate Keynote and PowerPoint presentation remore. Available January 2008?
As soon as there's a 3G, GPS, video-recording, 32GB iPhone, I'm buying one. That's looking like late 2008 right now, so I'll have to wait, but when it does come I'll be able to use it for almost everything I do.
You forgot salad-shooting.
nobody surfs on the net using phones for 2-3 straight hours. I think Jobs misses that point. it's usually a quick search and done.
to me what he said at London is just to sell some more iPhones.
3G is always on and therefore always using power whether you're browsing the internet or not. Some people do actually use mobile devices to brows the web for several hours at a time.
Apple can still design a tight design with swappable battery. If it's about making $, Apple is know to charge premium for their stuff. I'm sure Mr. Jobs can still make $$$$$$$$$$ by selling swappable batteries.
3G is always on and therefore always using power whether you're browsing the internet or not. Some people do actually use mobile devices to brows the web for several hours at a time.
Yeah, it's not like 3G is only for web surfing. 3G is the whole thing, all connection types, from data to regular calls or video calls. And plus it typically must be backwards compatible with 2G networks so it must have a combo chip of some sort that can make connections on all bands.