Briefly: Early iPhone rumors afloat
Though largely unconfirmed, a steady stream of reports are implying that Apple Inc's iPhone could hit the market a bit earlier than the company's June forecast, AppleInsider can attest.
The majority of those reports gain their legs from sources with supposed ties to wireless carriers Verizon and Cingular.
According to one account, Cingular has penciled in a loose launch date for late April. Despite some last minute requests by Apple on how the phone should be sold and activated, the report states that it is unlikely availability would slip beyond May.
Meanwhile, reputable sources in recent weeks have said that it's neither hardware nor FCC certification that are delaying the iPhone launch, but rather additional time needed to harmonize Cingular's backend with the mobile variant of Mac OS X that runs on the device.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence in support of the recent rumors arrived prior to the iPhone's premier and in the form supply chain checks out of Taiwan. For instance, the China Times reported in November that manufacturer Foxconn would begin production of the device in the first quarter of the year.
Subsequent checks by several Wall Street analysts also suggested that Foxconn would begin delivering the first batch of iPhones late in the first quarter or early second quarter. Based on those accounts, Apple's June timeframe would appear extremely conservative.
However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, the recent rumors should be considers just as they are: rumors.
The majority of those reports gain their legs from sources with supposed ties to wireless carriers Verizon and Cingular.
According to one account, Cingular has penciled in a loose launch date for late April. Despite some last minute requests by Apple on how the phone should be sold and activated, the report states that it is unlikely availability would slip beyond May.
Meanwhile, reputable sources in recent weeks have said that it's neither hardware nor FCC certification that are delaying the iPhone launch, but rather additional time needed to harmonize Cingular's backend with the mobile variant of Mac OS X that runs on the device.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence in support of the recent rumors arrived prior to the iPhone's premier and in the form supply chain checks out of Taiwan. For instance, the China Times reported in November that manufacturer Foxconn would begin production of the device in the first quarter of the year.
Subsequent checks by several Wall Street analysts also suggested that Foxconn would begin delivering the first batch of iPhones late in the first quarter or early second quarter. Based on those accounts, Apple's June timeframe would appear extremely conservative.
However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, the recent rumors should be considers just as they are: rumors.
Comments
Many of the apps launched to nothing but a mockup of what the app should look like.
This isn't a big issue as Apple will certainly be rolling out updates fast and furious.
"However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines"
I haven't been following Apple for very long, but didn't they beat their proposed Intel roll-out schedule by like half a year, at least?
I haven't been following Apple for very long, but didn't they beat their proposed Intel roll-out schedule by like half a year, at least?
Well if you count product announcements, sure, but their xserves SHIPPED late in 06, November perhaps? So as far as server products, they came close to that deadline
If Steve said June it will be June.
agreed.
If Steve said June it will be June.
I think Steve said that the Intel transition would still be taking place into 2007.
The software looked pretty incomplete to me.
Many of the apps launched to nothing but a mockup of what the app should look like.
This isn't a big issue as Apple will certainly be rolling out updates fast and furious.
David Pogue did say that most of the apps were still JPEGs. That might have been a placeholder for an undeveloped app, but it might just be something placed there to avoid having underdeveloped or unstable apps causing problems in the presentation.
I think Steve said that the Intel transition would still be taking place into 2007.
true true. i hate all this not knowing stuff, but then again, the stuff that apple churns out is, in a word, amazing... so i guess its all worth waiting for.
Though largely unconfirmed, a steady stream of reports are implying that Apple Inc's iPhone could hit the market a bit earlier than the company's June forecast, AppleInsider can attest.
Hey, I'm confused. Are you attesting to the April release date, or attesting that there are lots of reports implying an april release date?
Meanwhile, reputable sources in recent weeks have said that it's neither hardware nor FCC certification that are delaying the iPhone launch, but rather additional time needed to harmonize Cingular's backend with the mobile variant of Mac OS X that runs on the device.
Well, duh! Steve said it would take two months for FCC approval, then says June. So, there'd be at least 4 months of gap in there. And the FCC part is trivial, and could be approved well before the OS was finished.
However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, the recent rumors should be considers just as they are: rumors.
In almost all cases, Apple barely meets its deadlines by releasing 2 of a product on the final day, saying they're shipping, and then still holding potential buyers in limbo for months to come.
The Intel rollout may have proceeded quicker then expected. And that wasn't so much as a delivery schedule for a product as a total line coverage. The XServe was delayed past its announced release date when steve pushed it at WWDC last year.
However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, the recent rumors should be considers just as they are: rumors.
Says who?
First, Apple doesn't give a lot of "forecasts." Second, when Apple does say that a product is coming in X weeks or months, they usually overshoot on purpose to appear ahead of the curve.
However, if it were to be bumped up to, say, 16GB, or have a price drop of even $50 for the same GB, or ends up with some other significant functionality that people have been yearning for, that would be news.
If the product is only as promised in January -- i.e., no additonal surprises other than an earlier release -- I suspect it will have peaked too early (say, by March), and people will wait another six months or so from the launch date (i.e., wait until Christmas).
However, it should be noted that Apple rarely beats its own product launch forecasts and often pushes the limits of those self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, the recent rumors should be considers just as they are: rumors.
Therefore, this thread is unnecessary. This stuff just writes itself.
/On a somewhat somewhat related subject, when steve was demoing the phone, at one point he said he was going to demonstrate the calander app, but he never did?
If Steve said June it will be June.
I would not be surprised if there were not more fully functional widgets by the time of the launch with the same polish of the apps seen so far.
This is a prime marketing 101, never show your hand before you have to. Just give enough to make the market salivate. We will see more from the phone - mark my words....
My reasoning:
1. Software is not done
2. They will want a production ramp of some time to build inventory
3. (Dreaming) There are serious ties to Leopard--aka The Secret Features--which will make the Leopard launch along with iPhone simply incredible
Having consulted to phone companies, my money is on the fact that Apple is setting fake deadlines for Cingular and their team to hit. This way, when they slip--and they will slip--it will not embarrass Apple too much, if at all.
I'm sick of all this iPhone stuff. Wheres my Powerbook G5?
They already released the Powerbook G5, its called Macbook Pro. The G series of processors (By IBM) have been discontinued and you will never see another G-Anything processor from Apple. What you may wanna keep an eye out for is a AMD processor availabilty
They already released the Powerbook G5, its called Macbook Pro. The G series of processors (By IBM) have been discontinued and you will never see another G-Anything processor from Apple. What you may wanna keep an eye out for is a AMD processor availabilty
I think he was being cynical.
Everything you said is correct though.