Case maker fans iPhone nano rumors

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
An iPhone and iPod case maker has added references to an "iPhone nano" to its website, presumably based on its own belief that Apple is about to unveiling a smaller version of its touchscreen handset.



You can catch the references over at the website of XSKN, the same company reportedly behind the iPhone nano casing that drew much attention last week when renderings of the supposed product were published by iDealsChina.



XSKN doesn't yet list any product offerings under its iPhone nano category, though the case maker was recognized earlier this year (1, 2) when it began selling protective holders for both the iPhone 3G and fourth-generation iPod nano before those two products were publicly unveiled by Apple.



It's unclear whether XSKN is privy to knowledge of Apple's future product plans.



Last week iDealsChina claimed that Apple would introduce an iPhone nano during next month's Macworld Expo, though the hype surrounding the rumor quickly fizzled when Apple announced that Steve Jobs would not be making his traditional keynote address at the conference.



«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    I suppose it's possible that some factory workers talked to some other factory workers who would know about such a thing, but it's more likely some knockoff design only sold in China.
  • Reply 2 of 40
    I'm torn on this. Accessory makers are usually given advanced notification of a new device so there can be accessories available upon launch. However, this company doesn't seem to be be one of those Apple would trust.
  • Reply 3 of 40
    got an ipod case from them ages ago, haven't been on their site for many years and it's still crap. one of the most unfriendly sites on the net.
  • Reply 4 of 40
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    I think the moral of this story is that if you're a case-maker and want to drum up business for your site, just put a dead link to a rumored Apple product on the page for a little awhile. Whether or not it's true, that company is probably making out well because of the posting.
  • Reply 5 of 40
    Why would Apple do this? The smartphone market is lucrative, but the regular cellphone market is cutthroat and low-margin.
  • Reply 6 of 40
    because there is a market that is not smart phone. i'm in it. my wife is in it. etc. and apple is master of the upsell.
  • Reply 7 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icibaqu View Post


    because there is a market that is not smart phone. i'm in it. my wife is in it. etc. and apple is master of the upsell.



    I agree. And it's completely in line with Apple's previous moves in the PMP market.



    The only thing I can't see is how they are going to solve the keyboard problem on a phone that is even smaller than the iPhone. Voice maybe?



    A lot of folks (myself included) don't really like talking to their devices.
  • Reply 8 of 40
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    I fail to see how making a smaller one would make the device significantly cheaper.



    If anything, wouldn't it make it more expensive?



    Plus it makes touch interaction much more difficult as the buttons are presumably smaller.



    Maybe it will have an ipod click wheel for dialling instead of touch like the old-fashioned phones. Basically an ipod nano with a phone component.



    That might actually be quite cool now I think about it. I think they'd still need to add a camera as even basic phones have a camera but no web browsing and maps, just a phone + ipod.



    Texting would be done by selecting letters on a rotary display. So rather than hitting letters multiple times, you simply scroll to the letter. It could have an acceleration to get to letters quickly.
  • Reply 9 of 40
    IF this were to be true,

    The ONLY thing that might make sense is an iPod that can make and receive phone calls.
  • Reply 10 of 40
    they won't have a QWERTY keyboard - just the same texting style as all other phones that don't have a full keyboard. It'll be cheaper because it won't have 3G, maps, probably only WiFi, but you will be able to download all the apps in the world and you'll be able to play games and download your music.



    The timing for this makes perfect sense to me-



    The iPods are starting to lose market because almost every phone and its brother has at least some Mp3 capability and you don't need to pay any fancy data fees to put your music on your phone. I would never buy an iPod today since I can easily put music on my phone (sony) and listen to that whenever I need. I guess there's no docking station and no capability to put 1000+ songs on the thing, but you get my drift....



    ALSO,

    Since everyone is panicky about SJ, they let someone else into a stellar new product at the same time as the transition. perfect!
  • Reply 11 of 40
    Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. A lot of people who are buying an iPhone right now aren't using the advanced features of it, so have a device at half the price that still works great for consumers and it should still sell well. Essentially think of an ipod nano versus an ipod touch. both play music, but the ipod tocuh has a lot of extras that a lot of people aren't interested in paying for.
  • Reply 12 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    Texting would be done by selecting letters on a rotary display. So rather than hitting letters multiple times, you simply scroll to the letter. It could have an acceleration to get to letters quickly.



    And how about emailing people or web browsing?? Texting using a rotary display will be extremely 'slow'. It won't be user friendly either and we all know Apple's obsession with UIs.





    I love the full-featured QWERTY keyboard on my current iPhone. There is no way I'm going back.





    IMHO I don't see this happening.
  • Reply 13 of 40
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    Maybe they are going to make a small PHONE, an Apple PHONE, but still ONLY a PHONE. EVERY kid will want one, and millions will get one. And you are right, it's a great stepping stone to an iPhone.



    A phone for talking on, no more, no less. Maybe a phone, that WILL have software upgrades giving it more functions with time. And after they get used to some cool features, they'll want a full fledge iPhone for all of the features. Hell who knows, maybe Apple will have some kind of "Trade-in" or Trade-up" program?



    Get them hooked early, and keep them for life.



    Now IF this PHONE becomes available EVERYWHERE, sit back and watch the million$ roll in. This maybe how they are going to get from under AT&T.



    Skip
  • Reply 14 of 40
    When considering the capabilities of the iPhone nano, you have to look at what Apple wants it to and doesn't want it to cannablize.



    Apple sees the iPod Touch and the iPhone as the platform of the future.

    The traditional iPod is now obsolete technology that they want to cannablize.

    So the iPhone nano will be designed to

    - be a Phone

    - play music

    - play video

    - SMS with landscape mode keyboard



    - no web

    - no email

    - no apps

    - no WiFi



    The iPhone nano will kill traditional iPod sales but will not compete with iPod Touch and iPhone.
  • Reply 15 of 40
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post


    When considering the capabilities of the iPhone nano, you have to look at what Apple wants it to and doesn't want it to cannablize.



    Apple sees the iPod Touch and the iPhone as the platform of the future.

    The traditional iPod is now obsolete technology that they want to cannablize.

    So the iPhone nano will be designed to

    - be a Phone

    - play music

    - play video

    - no web

    - no email

    - no apps

    - no WiFi



    The iPhone nano will kill traditional iPod sales but will not compete with iPod Touch and iPhone.



    If it has enough memory ? it will kill (they're intention) iPod sales. It won't in a since. What it will do, is get the 10's of millions of folks who own a current model iPod to consider purchasing a new itouchPhone. This will give Apple A LOT of new cash flow ? did I say A LOT!



    So a:



    - 8 GB

    - 16 GB

    - 32 GB

    - 64 GB ? itouchPhones.



    Skip
  • Reply 16 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Delfoniq View Post


    And how about emailing people or web browsing?? ...



    There wouldn't be emailing or web browsing on it as that would make it a regular smartphone, not a low-end phone as is envisioned by most.
  • Reply 17 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pachomius View Post


    they won't have a QWERTY keyboard - just the same texting style as all other phones that don't have a full keyboard. It'll be cheaper because it won't have 3G, maps, probably only WiFi, but you will be able to download all the apps in the world and you'll be able to play games and download your music. ...



    This would only work if the nano iPhone is able to switch resolutions on the fly.



    The games and apps require the original iPhone resolution and the supposition here is that the nano iPhone would be smaller having only a 3 by 3 icon screen and 3 icons across the bottom. The games and other apps would have to test for screen resolution at start up and switch to the right form factor so all previous games wouldn't work even if the iPhone itself was capable of switching resolutions.



    I would bet it would be a closed device if it exists at all. We can only hope that Apple someday realises that the standard weather and clock widgets need some work before being showcased in this fashion.
  • Reply 18 of 40
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2 View Post


    This would only work if the nano iPhone is able to switch resolutions on the fly.



    The games and apps require the original iPhone resolution and the supposition here is that the nano iPhone would be smaller having only a 3 by 3 icon screen and 3 icons across the bottom. The games and other apps would have to test for screen resolution at start up and switch to the right form factor so all previous games wouldn't work even if the iPhone itself was capable of switching resolutions.



    I would bet it would be a closed device if it exists at all. We can only hope that Apple someday realises that the standard weather and clock widgets need some work before being showcased in this fashion.



    The App Store already allows developers to specify what device their software runs on. Obviously, no one has currently selected "iPhone Nano", so no software would be available initially. However, I would imagine it wouldn't be rocket science to port a lot of it to the smaller screen and flip on that switch. That would enable a whole new set of buyers, and probably give previous purchasers free upgrades to the phoneNano-enabled versions.



    Given Apple's marketing and positioning in the mobile games space lately, I would be surprised if it was a completely closed system.
  • Reply 19 of 40
    ivladivlad Posts: 742member
    yay...for something new from Apple
  • Reply 20 of 40
    What the heck could Apple do to make "just a phone" better than many of the offerings out there? The "just a phone" market is a race to the bottom. As for upsell potential, how do you upsell someone to an Apple phone in the first place without it being special? I don't see heards of people having difficulty using a regular phone, and the simplicity is what drives them to that market.



    The exception is if they went the MVNO route, where they could sell subscribers added features and focus on that route rather than the hardware route. Since they have picked their bed globally, that seems hard to pull off now.
Sign In or Register to comment.