Apple smart phone project rests on Mac OS X tie-ins
For several years now, an elite squad of engineers at Apple Computer have been working diligently to perfect an intuitive smart phone concept that would both conform to the company's integrated model and oblige chief executive Steve Jobs.
As AppleInsider has been told, it's the latter of those two feats that has thus far presented the utmost of challenges, largely preserving the project and its many facets behind the fortified walls of the company's Cupertino, Calif. home base.
It's believed that the initiative, which is different and slightly more ambitious than the company's "iPhone" project, truly gained momentum about three years ago alongside the development of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Some of the device's original features, such as Bluetooth remote control of certain Mac OS X functions, were meant to coincide with those that would have subsequently appeared in the final version of the Tiger operating system.
But as the story goes, Apple took the latest iteration of its proprietary smart phone hardware and software in the early summer of 2005, slapped it together inside an enclosure reminiscent of a fourth-gen iPod, and hit the road.
The objective at the time was to showcase the device's software to potential wireless partners and then appoint contractors to assess network requirements and the feasibility of certain features. Per Jobs' request, the phone's software interface was to be a carbon copy of Front Row -- Apple's one-touch media experience application. "He wanted every feature no more than one click away," a source told AppleInsider.
People familiar with ensuing talks say the "real push" behind the device was its extensive integration with Mac OS X and the Macintosh platform. Apple is said to have demonstrated several features that called upon a still unreleased version of the company's .Mac internet services that would allow users to control certain Mac functions remotely. These included beaming contacts, tasks and calendar appointments to Address Book and iCal from remote locations. However, the Mac maker remained mum on whether it planned to release Windows compatible versions of those desktop applications.
Locally, the conceptual device called for syncing and management through the company's ubiquitous iTunes digital jukebox software -- similar to the first Motorola ROKR phones. According to a source, video-based ringback tones could be designated through Address Book and synced through iTunes. Similarly, a "call ahead" feature would allow users of the phone to pre-record a video clip that could then be transmitted to mobile phone at the receiving end, where it would play before the call was answered.
Full integration with iChat -- Apple's proprietary messaging and video conferencing software -- was also said to be a work-in-progress. A source familiar with the development efforts said Apple had tapped third parties to lend a hand with certain protocols that would allow for iChat video conferencing between the handset and desktop Macs. The source, however, never saw a fully functional demonstration of this capability.
During its consultations with various agencies and potential partners, there were rumors that Google had expressed interest in developing specific applications for the phone that would be made available for purchase and download on an individual basis through Apple's iTunes Store, similar to the way the company handles game downloads for fifth-generation iPods.
At the service level, the iPod maker was said to be in serious talks with wireless carrier T-Mobile, but had separately commissioned a thorough analysis of data center requirements in both Europe and the Americas in the event that it chose to go the MVNO route.
Within months of those talks, however, Apple broke off all contact with T-Mobile and its outside contractors. Word spread that Jobs at the highest executive level was genuinely unhappy with some of the phone's hardware specifications, which he believed hampered the overall aesthetic of the device.
According to a source, the Apple cofounder insisted the phone return to the design phase where it was to be restructured from the ground up in order to meet the requirements of a strict 10-point list he had compiled.
At this point in time, Apple had not yet inked a deal with T-Mobile, but people familiar with the matter said the two companies had become "very good friends."
If recent analyst reports are accurate, the Apple smart phone project -- now several years in the making -- is once again approaching the final development stages.
In a research note released to clients last month, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said Apple, in addition to its more rudimentary iPhone device, has been working on a second cell phone model that will incorporate messaging capabilities.
"From our understanding, it will leverage off existing iChat software that runs on Macs," he wrote. "We believe it will focus initially on mobile IM as opposed to e-mail."
While Wu remained uncertain on when Apple planned to deliver the second phone to market, he said the device likely represents the company's "smart phone" and could be branded as "iChat mobile."
Along the same lines, Prudential analyst Jesse Tortora has also been quite vocal in saying Apple maintains two distinct cell phone projects.
Just this past Monday, the analyst reiterated those beliefs, stating in a research note that the iPod maker is likely to introduce an advanced smart phone device with WiFi capabilities and a slide-out keyboard by the third quarter of 2007.
He said the smart phone will trail by a quarter or two the release of the company's hybrid cellphone/MP3 player handset (iPhone), which, he added, is already in the manufacturing stages.
As AppleInsider has been told, it's the latter of those two feats that has thus far presented the utmost of challenges, largely preserving the project and its many facets behind the fortified walls of the company's Cupertino, Calif. home base.
It's believed that the initiative, which is different and slightly more ambitious than the company's "iPhone" project, truly gained momentum about three years ago alongside the development of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Some of the device's original features, such as Bluetooth remote control of certain Mac OS X functions, were meant to coincide with those that would have subsequently appeared in the final version of the Tiger operating system.
But as the story goes, Apple took the latest iteration of its proprietary smart phone hardware and software in the early summer of 2005, slapped it together inside an enclosure reminiscent of a fourth-gen iPod, and hit the road.
The objective at the time was to showcase the device's software to potential wireless partners and then appoint contractors to assess network requirements and the feasibility of certain features. Per Jobs' request, the phone's software interface was to be a carbon copy of Front Row -- Apple's one-touch media experience application. "He wanted every feature no more than one click away," a source told AppleInsider.
People familiar with ensuing talks say the "real push" behind the device was its extensive integration with Mac OS X and the Macintosh platform. Apple is said to have demonstrated several features that called upon a still unreleased version of the company's .Mac internet services that would allow users to control certain Mac functions remotely. These included beaming contacts, tasks and calendar appointments to Address Book and iCal from remote locations. However, the Mac maker remained mum on whether it planned to release Windows compatible versions of those desktop applications.
Locally, the conceptual device called for syncing and management through the company's ubiquitous iTunes digital jukebox software -- similar to the first Motorola ROKR phones. According to a source, video-based ringback tones could be designated through Address Book and synced through iTunes. Similarly, a "call ahead" feature would allow users of the phone to pre-record a video clip that could then be transmitted to mobile phone at the receiving end, where it would play before the call was answered.
Full integration with iChat -- Apple's proprietary messaging and video conferencing software -- was also said to be a work-in-progress. A source familiar with the development efforts said Apple had tapped third parties to lend a hand with certain protocols that would allow for iChat video conferencing between the handset and desktop Macs. The source, however, never saw a fully functional demonstration of this capability.
During its consultations with various agencies and potential partners, there were rumors that Google had expressed interest in developing specific applications for the phone that would be made available for purchase and download on an individual basis through Apple's iTunes Store, similar to the way the company handles game downloads for fifth-generation iPods.
At the service level, the iPod maker was said to be in serious talks with wireless carrier T-Mobile, but had separately commissioned a thorough analysis of data center requirements in both Europe and the Americas in the event that it chose to go the MVNO route.
Within months of those talks, however, Apple broke off all contact with T-Mobile and its outside contractors. Word spread that Jobs at the highest executive level was genuinely unhappy with some of the phone's hardware specifications, which he believed hampered the overall aesthetic of the device.
According to a source, the Apple cofounder insisted the phone return to the design phase where it was to be restructured from the ground up in order to meet the requirements of a strict 10-point list he had compiled.
At this point in time, Apple had not yet inked a deal with T-Mobile, but people familiar with the matter said the two companies had become "very good friends."
If recent analyst reports are accurate, the Apple smart phone project -- now several years in the making -- is once again approaching the final development stages.
In a research note released to clients last month, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said Apple, in addition to its more rudimentary iPhone device, has been working on a second cell phone model that will incorporate messaging capabilities.
"From our understanding, it will leverage off existing iChat software that runs on Macs," he wrote. "We believe it will focus initially on mobile IM as opposed to e-mail."
While Wu remained uncertain on when Apple planned to deliver the second phone to market, he said the device likely represents the company's "smart phone" and could be branded as "iChat mobile."
Along the same lines, Prudential analyst Jesse Tortora has also been quite vocal in saying Apple maintains two distinct cell phone projects.
Just this past Monday, the analyst reiterated those beliefs, stating in a research note that the iPod maker is likely to introduce an advanced smart phone device with WiFi capabilities and a slide-out keyboard by the third quarter of 2007.
He said the smart phone will trail by a quarter or two the release of the company's hybrid cellphone/MP3 player handset (iPhone), which, he added, is already in the manufacturing stages.
Comments
EDIT: I misread the story. So it looks like we'll have it for MW07 after all!
EDIT2: Whoops... MW07.
so by macworld, iphone "nano", candy bar shape to compete with all mp3/camera phones.
by Q3 2007, the iphone with more input mechanisms, either a keyboard or some kind of touchscreen to compete with the treos, smartphones and blackberrries.
E-mail as the primary mode of communication in the mobile world is going to be thought of as a formality in the next few years I my guess... Just like most of us now rarely send things by snail-mail, if you look at trends in more technologically advanced countries than the US you will see this happening. So, yes, focus on the messaging, Apple is creating a stylish, easy to use, affordable image. It has its downfalls, but every image does.
Even if they don't sell both at the same time, they should be announced together, because the last thing they want is everyone to buy the iphone and then who's gonna buy the smartphone? A lot of diehard apple heads probably wouldn't wait if they didn't know it was coming.
Looks like no iPhone for MWSF 2006 then. ;_;
EDIT: I misread the story. So it looks like we'll have it for MW06 after all!
Um, I think that you need to read really slowly.
MWSF 06 was LAST January.
MWSF 07 is the next one.
The smartphone's features sound cool but I don't know how many people would really need that.
Smartphones are the fastest growing and most lucrative segment of phones.
I would find a phone that seamlessly ties into OS X of great value.
The smartphone's features sound cool but I don't know how many people would really need that. The stuff they've listed as being potentially in the iphone sounds good enough to me that's all i need.
Even if they don't sell both at the same time, they should be announced together, because the last thing they want is everyone to buy the iphone and then who's gonna buy the smartphone? A lot of diehard apple heads probably wouldn't wait if they didn't know it was coming.
Only die-hard Apple fans would buy the iPhone if what they really need is a smart phone. And there are a lot of people who use smart phone features on a daily basis (certainly not as many as don't). I would guess that there is really not much overlap between people who would buy a smart phone and people who would not do so: if I were to replace my Nokia, I would not be in the market for any Blackberry-type device, so Apple's smart phone would have to be pretty special to temp me away from just getting a regular phone (iPhone or otherwise).
Looks like no iPhone for MWSF 2006 then. ;_;
EDIT: I misread the story. So it looks like we'll have it for MW06 after all!
MWSF 2006? or 7?
Only die-hard Apple fans would buy the iPhone if what they really need is a smart phone.
Does that mean those who buy phones that use Windows Mobile are die hard windows fans. None of the current smart phone offerings tie seamlessly into OS X the same way Win Mobile ties seamlessly into XP.
Mac users choose to use the Mac because of OS X and Apple's software design. Currently there is no match for that design in a mobile device.
My original thinking was for a version of OS X Lite to be used in order for syncing to the Mac - which would be the version I would be most interested in. That probably requires a hard drive, but could justify the larger size for many in the market. It also provides an opportunity for developers of a lot of Mac apps to develop an iPhone version for syncing, opening up the market even more.
As for the poor PC users, Apple can give them Lite versions of the basic apps they would need - giving them a taste of what they would get if they moved to a Mac. Worked for iTunes.
Any speculation as to who will be the wireless carrier for the iPhone, or will Apple be their own service?
Some say Cingular, some say T-Mobile, and some say MVNO.
reception
GUI - like the iPod UI
solid handset form factor -like a nano but bigger
Syncing with iTunes, Address Book, iCal
Chat
Email
Any speculation as to who will be the wireless carrier for the iPhone, or will Apple be their own service?
According to Kevin Rose it will be avaliable to all carriers
I think that the iPhone+iPod would sell very well in the general market - if the battery life was sufficient. I think that it would sell even better if the user was able to check photos in iPhoto for downloading, select contacts in the Address Book for downloading and also iCal syncing.
My original thinking was for a version of OS X Lite to be used in order for syncing to the Mac - which would be the version I would be most interested in. That probably requires a hard drive, but could justify the larger size for many in the market. It also provides an opportunity for developers of a lot of Mac apps to develop an iPhone version for syncing, opening up the market even more.
As for the poor PC users, Apple can give them Lite versions of the basic apps they would need - giving them a taste of what they would get if they moved to a Mac. Worked for iTunes.
I like the idea of an AddressBook, iCal and iPhoto lite versions for Windows. Give them a taste and give them another reason to switch and get the full blown version for free.
My Sprint contract is up and I'm ready to bail. All these reports are killing me by making me wait for the next best thing... patience does not go well with trying to keep up with the Joneses.
Give these guys a try in the meantime, I have been using them for a couple of years now. NO CONTRACTS and you can upgrade or downgrade your phone or plan on a month to month basis. I got the cheapo free phone for myself and share minutes with my wife. We are both waiting patiently for the Apple phones. I don't miss contracts though.
Consumercellular.com.
Some say Cingular, some say T-Mobile, and some say MVNO.
There is no reason Apple has to be an MVNO. They have more than enough capital to become their own service.
Sice it's the subscription service that usually makes the most money. And since will surely sell their Apple-branded phones at full price they could significantly offer highly competitive price on their subscription services, without the need for a contract as the phone would only work with the Apple carrier anyway.
With .Mac allowing for photocasting and other nifty things I forsee a dramatic increase in .Mac capabilities and an increase in .Mac sales once the iPhone is available.
If Apple doesn't offer a way to stream my digital content from my iTunes library then I hope:
a) Slingbox makes an iPhone version of their software.
b) A version Parallels, VMWare or Crossover works on the iPhone and allows me to load the Slingbox media player.
edit: fixed wording
As for the poor PC users, Apple can give them Lite versions of the basic apps they would need - giving them a taste of what they would get if they moved to a Mac. Worked for iTunes.
iTunes for PC worked because it was a full blown working version with the iPod, the same as the Mac version.