Apple developing new iPhones with larger, smaller screens - report
Apple is currently working to expand the iPhone line, and may offer larger and smaller models as soon as early 2011, one Wall Street analyst has said.
Shaw Wu with Kaufman Bros. said Wednesday that checks with sources in Apple's overseas supply chain have indicated that the company is working on new iPhone models with both larger and smaller touchscreens. He said those products could launch in 2011, and on new carriers other than the currently exclusive AT&T.
"Our sources believe these likely represent new high-end and low-end iPhone models to complement its current iPhone 4," Wu wrote in a note to investors. "One possibility we are picking up is a "mini" or "nano" iPhone with a smaller candybar form factor leveraging technology in its new mini touchscreen iPod nano."
Though new handsets are typically released in the summer, the progress being made on these new models is far enough along that Apple could introduce new handsets as soon as the first half of 2011, and even as early as the first quarter of next year. Wu said he believes the new phones could become available on U.S. carriers other than AT&T, including Verizon, T-Mobile and/or Sprint.
"We believe Apple moving to a more complete iPhone product line makes strategic sense in that its iPhone 4 addresses only the high-end of the market," he said. "We think Apple should take a page out of its iPod playbook where it has had a lot (of) success with a 3-tier strategy addressing entry-level, mid-range and high-end, making it difficult for competitors."
It's the scalability of iOS, Wu said, that could allow Apple to make a "fuller iPhone product line," allowing it to offer even greater competition against Google Android.
However, the analyst also incorrectly suggested that the new iPod nano runs iOS. While the software on the small touchscreen device looks and acts much like iOS, Apple has said the device runs its own, new operating system.
Rumors of a supposed iPhone nano were quite common years ago, but have mostly died down since. Apple currently offers three iPhone models priced at $299, $199 and $99 in the U.S. with a two-year AT&T contract.
Shaw Wu with Kaufman Bros. said Wednesday that checks with sources in Apple's overseas supply chain have indicated that the company is working on new iPhone models with both larger and smaller touchscreens. He said those products could launch in 2011, and on new carriers other than the currently exclusive AT&T.
"Our sources believe these likely represent new high-end and low-end iPhone models to complement its current iPhone 4," Wu wrote in a note to investors. "One possibility we are picking up is a "mini" or "nano" iPhone with a smaller candybar form factor leveraging technology in its new mini touchscreen iPod nano."
Though new handsets are typically released in the summer, the progress being made on these new models is far enough along that Apple could introduce new handsets as soon as the first half of 2011, and even as early as the first quarter of next year. Wu said he believes the new phones could become available on U.S. carriers other than AT&T, including Verizon, T-Mobile and/or Sprint.
"We believe Apple moving to a more complete iPhone product line makes strategic sense in that its iPhone 4 addresses only the high-end of the market," he said. "We think Apple should take a page out of its iPod playbook where it has had a lot (of) success with a 3-tier strategy addressing entry-level, mid-range and high-end, making it difficult for competitors."
It's the scalability of iOS, Wu said, that could allow Apple to make a "fuller iPhone product line," allowing it to offer even greater competition against Google Android.
However, the analyst also incorrectly suggested that the new iPod nano runs iOS. While the software on the small touchscreen device looks and acts much like iOS, Apple has said the device runs its own, new operating system.
Rumors of a supposed iPhone nano were quite common years ago, but have mostly died down since. Apple currently offers three iPhone models priced at $299, $199 and $99 in the U.S. with a two-year AT&T contract.
Comments
Apple reduces this pain by only releasing one model of iphone per year so developers only have to test on iPhone 4, iPhone 3gs, and iPad to cover all the users. Constrast this to all the other mobile platforms where there are so many different models and configurations that your apps have no chance of running on all the devices.
Apple has done similar things with it's other lines: Macbook leads to 13" Macbook Pro to the big 17" version; iPod Shuffle up to the touch...
How you would 'scale' iOS is the question. Lower end phones would need to have enough functionality to be wanted... but if they had too much then people might not move up to the high end phone.
Is screen size enough of a difference alone?
What I think will be the case, is a further development built on the new iPod Nano line. they may dump the Classic in favor of a model that is between the iPod Touch and the Nano, but with a humongous hard drive like the classic. 120Gb flash memory with a screen size between the Nano and the Touch, but with the Nano User Interface.
On a more exciting note, the Physics Nobel prize went to Andre Geim, Konstantin Novoselov. Let's talk about using Graphene in macs
I don't know about most people but anything larger then the iphone is just to damn big. My brother has a droid phone, I don't recall which one, but the thing is monstrous to hold and just silly to try and put it into a pocket.
Probably a Droid X... I thought that at first too when I first played with the Evo and then the X when it showed up in stores. Now that I have one, I've done a complete 180. Looking back at my Droid's 3.7" screen and even more the 3.5" of the iPhone just feels...cramped.
I personally think that a 4" screen like on the Galaxy S is the perfect medium ground.
I don't know about most people but anything larger then the iphone is just to damn big. My brother has a droid phone, I don't recall which one, but the thing is monstrous to hold and just silly to try and put it into a pocket.
I agree but smaller iPhones could make sense for kids for example and other folks who like smaller form factors. Where as bigger iPhones are just suitable for big people with large hands, huge pockets and fat salaries.
On a more exciting note, the Physics Nobel prize went to Andre Geim, Konstantin Novoselov. Let's talk about using Graphene in macs
Yeah, graphene keyboards/screen with liquidmetal casing.... would be cool....
Touch screen design with iTunes, contacts, calendar and the other basics. Perfect for younger kids and seniors.
These could be $49 with carrier subsidy and the perfect gateway phone. Apple could clean up and introduce even more of the masses to the iTunes ecosystem.
these reports are almost always wrong. Whenever these posts come out, it's always just a speculation, based on what these markets want to see Apple produce soon.
Very true. It also seems that these stories get planted around not long after stories about anything to do with Android phones that happen to be headlining. Recently Android phones have been in the news about catching up to Apple in terms of market share or some the study which takes the attention away from Apple temporarily. Hrm suspect.
It makes sense in a lot of ways. Offer more choices, get people to start on a nano-phone (or whatever you'd call it) and move up to the higher end iPhone.
Apple has done similar things with it's other lines: Macbook leads to 13" Macbook Pro to the big 17" version; iPod Shuffle up to the touch...
How you would 'scale' iOS is the question. Lower end phones would need to have enough functionality to be wanted... but if they had too much then people might not move up to the high end phone.
Is screen size enough of a difference alone?
I don't think is a matter of iOS, it will be hardware based as it been done with the iPods. Example:
Less system ram (256mb)
Smaller storage capacity (8-16GB only)
That is the way I see Apple lowering prices to deliver a product bellow high end.
...agreed...
"Apple currently offers three iPhone models priced at $299, $199 and $99"
...done.
IF Apple expands the iPhone lineup, I doubt the smaller iPhone would run apps. It makes more sense that a smaller form factor would have limited capabilities like the iPod Nano.
Touch screen design with iTunes, contacts, calendar and the other basics. Perfect for younger kids and seniors.
These could be $49 with carrier subsidy and the perfect gateway phone. Apple could clean up and introduce even more of the masses to the iTunes ecosystem.
Apple doesn't play in the low-end of the market, period. iPods are completely different. The Nano and shuffle are, and continue to be, primarily MP3 players. Once you start shrinking the iPhone to a "nano phone" you begin to cloud the purpose. Apple doesn't make low-end cell phones, or low-end computers. They simply don't need to. The current cycle works extremely well for them (new models replace current models at the same price point... old models drop in price). Rinse, repeat.
On the other hand this:
... Wu wrote in a note to investors. "One possibility we are picking up is a "mini" or "nano" iPhone with a smaller candybar form factor leveraging technology in its new mini touchscreen iPod nano."...
is either the purest BS from Wu or he is a complete f*cking idiot.
There is no "technology" to leverage there unless he is referring to the recent attempts to market wristwatch-style "controller" devices for a phone, by Apple's competitors or an iPhone nanophone that's a wristwatch etc. And if that's what he means, then he is just a big idiot because Apple just doesn't do such gimmicky useless crap.
Very true. It also seems that these stories get planted around not long after stories about anything to do with Android phones that happen to be headlining. Recently Android phones have been in the news about catching up to Apple in terms of market share or some the study which takes the attention away from Apple temporarily. Hrm suspect.
"We think Apple should take a page out of its iPod playbook where it has had a lot (of) success with a 3-tier strategy addressing entry-level, mid-range and high-end
...agreed...
"Apple currently offers three iPhone models priced at $299, $199 and $99"
...done.
Exactly. Lowering the price on existing models as newer ones come out is as "low-end" as Apple will ever go. It really amazes me how these identical rumors continue to circle every so often. Analysts are complete idiots, flying on the whim of some "source" in the "far east."
Please note the original article mis-spelled "Analyst"
In this case, it should have an "i" instead of a "y".
C.