A third major publication reported on Monday that Apple is working on a new, smaller, cheaper iPhone set for release this year, as the handset maker continues to steal thunder from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona -- a show it is not even attending.
The U.K.'s Daily Mail reported on Monday that Apple is working on a "smaller version of the iPhone 4" which will be released separately from the iPhone 5 this summer. The story, citing anonymous sources close to the company, follows similar reports last week from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
The third major publication, i.e., the U.K.'S Daily Mail article was written by a staff reporter who had simply picked up the content from the previously published Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal article.
It is unfortunate that the media is not required to formally reference their sources when they copy/paste materials from another publication. Or at least signify that their news is a 'REPRINT'.
Yeah, like the general concensus says, the iPhone can easily get smaller by removing some of the border space and the home button. Although it seems like a scam I can see the "iPhone nano" being very marketable for kids, teens and those who want to try a smart phone but don't want to dish out $600+ for something they may feel overwhelmed using. There is a market for everything and Apple knows how to use it.
The iPod Touch is a great device, but it lacks a callular radio. And as lovely as the retina display is, most people won't really need it. It's beautiful but luxury.. And besides, if you want to make something so incredibly dens packed as the iPhone a little smaller, you have to make cuts.
It's not just luxury. After using the Retina display for browsing on iPod Touch 4 it is impossible to get back to the previous version.
Apple will never eliminate retina displays and gyroscope for the sake of defragmentation. Instead they will likely phase out the smaller resolution devices this June.
Wouldn't this fall into the same territory that we all criticize Android for, namely fragmentation of app development? Developers would need to consider 3 different screen sizes when they develop their apps. Unless, instead of a 2x button, there's a 0.5x one.
Exactly. But for some, just because it's Apple doing it, it's perfectly fine. There's no such thing as being a hypocrite.
Personally, I think Apple offering the model two revisions ago at a much reduced price is the better way to go.
Thats exactly why Apple has to do this. And it is more important on the phone than on the iPad.
Apple wants so bad to give us the very best phone experience. But it will naturally cost a little bit more than the other guys. (You've read before how a BMW will cost more than a Chevy).
But Android and even Nokia/Microsoft and all the others will claim that their phone is at least as good for a smaller price.
Apple has to watch their backs against these guys. They have to offer something that will also undercut them.
But what happens to the iconic Home button on the concept? Will the area just under the screen be capacitive touch, a la the HP Pre?
I'm not buying into the nano rumors, but, in the rendering referred to the home button functions would be replaced by one of the other hardware buttons (e.g., lock) and/or gestures.
Where are the hordes of case protectors, dash mounts, belt clips and other swag the must be manufactured before a new product spews out? Most every release had something else in the pipelines to support it. Where is the research AI could do to prove or dispel their claims or regurgitations of others claims?
We could just as easily claim Cupertino has Einsteins brain in a jar in a secret lab. And it would be as accurate as this rumor mill.
Facts on the ground, or don't waste the electrons.
I don't think the screen size will be changed. but a no retina display plus removal of gyroscopes and GPS as well as no wifi won't need such a big battery anymore and everything together leaves room to miniaturize.
They could keep screen size the same and still make a phone 1/3 smaller just by eliminating the home button, and shrinking top and bottom bezels.
But I wonder then how they would avoid cannibalizing sales of the bigger iPhone.
If you keep the same screen size, there is no way to reach an unsubsidized price of $200. Even if you don't use a Retina display. Shrinking the bezel to make the phone smaller will only do that, make the phone smaller. It won't shave $400+ off the price. The cheapest iPod touch is $230. Even the cheapest iPod nano with it's tiny display is $150. There is simply no way Apple is making an iPhone as we know it for $200.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleMinded
a smaller screen is gonna make emailing, surfing the web, twitter, facebook etc too difficult to use - does not make sense to me at all! All BS to me
You are correct. So I see only two possibilities for where these rumors are coming from (if they are based in any reality):
1. Apple is making a non-smart "feature phone". Basically, take the screen-size from the previous generation iPod nano (because the current gen sucks), give it all the previous gen nano functions (again, because the current gen sucks) and make it a phone.
2. Note that the rumor says it will be a separate release from the iPhone 5. So could it be that the release time coincides with the annual iPod refresh...ie, it's not a new phone, it's a new iPod. Apple will finally retire the iPod classic hard drive based iPod. But they need to replace it with a high-capacity flash iPod. They do that by giving it a smaller, lower-resolution screen than the touch has. A much simplified interface, no web browser/email, and no 3rd party apps. So you can use a lower powered processor, less RAM, smaller battery, no wi-fi, no camera (but would be nice to keep the camera). Use the savings from all that stuff to max out the flash storage capacity.
If there is any basis in fact for these rumors, my money is on #2.
Comments
Here at MWC everybody is talking about the WSJ scoop and Appleinsider article
/sarcasm off
Correct, I have seen a single article on this and I've been following MWC since last night. Absolute and utter balls, as usual from AI.
A third major publication reported on Monday that Apple is working on a new, smaller, cheaper iPhone set for release this year, as the handset maker continues to steal thunder from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona -- a show it is not even attending.
The U.K.'s Daily Mail reported on Monday that Apple is working on a "smaller version of the iPhone 4" which will be released separately from the iPhone 5 this summer. The story, citing anonymous sources close to the company, follows similar reports last week from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
The third major publication, i.e., the U.K.'S Daily Mail article was written by a staff reporter who had simply picked up the content from the previously published Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal article.
It is unfortunate that the media is not required to formally reference their sources when they copy/paste materials from another publication. Or at least signify that their news is a 'REPRINT'.
The iPod Touch is a great device, but it lacks a callular radio. And as lovely as the retina display is, most people won't really need it. It's beautiful but luxury.. And besides, if you want to make something so incredibly dens packed as the iPhone a little smaller, you have to make cuts.
It's not just luxury. After using the Retina display for browsing on iPod Touch 4 it is impossible to get back to the previous version.
Apple will never eliminate retina displays and gyroscope for the sake of defragmentation. Instead they will likely phase out the smaller resolution devices this June.
Wouldn't this fall into the same territory that we all criticize Android for, namely fragmentation of app development? Developers would need to consider 3 different screen sizes when they develop their apps. Unless, instead of a 2x button, there's a 0.5x one.
Exactly. But for some, just because it's Apple doing it, it's perfectly fine. There's no such thing as being a hypocrite.
Personally, I think Apple offering the model two revisions ago at a much reduced price is the better way to go.
Something like this maybe:
But what happens to the iconic Home button on the concept? Will the area just under the screen be capacitive touch, a la the HP Pre?
Something like this maybe:
That's an iPhone, squashed, not an iPhone nano.
Maybe this "nano" is not a phone, but a full featured Apple Remote that will work with a redesigned Apple TV.
No way.
Think I read these words somewhere.
Thats exactly why Apple has to do this. And it is more important on the phone than on the iPad.
Apple wants so bad to give us the very best phone experience. But it will naturally cost a little bit more than the other guys. (You've read before how a BMW will cost more than a Chevy).
But Android and even Nokia/Microsoft and all the others will claim that their phone is at least as good for a smaller price.
Apple has to watch their backs against these guys. They have to offer something that will also undercut them.
Something like this maybe:
Let's hope for something like this (iPhone Nano and iPhone 5
But what happens to the iconic Home button on the concept? Will the area just under the screen be capacitive touch, a la the HP Pre?
I'm not buying into the nano rumors, but, in the rendering referred to the home button functions would be replaced by one of the other hardware buttons (e.g., lock) and/or gestures.
We could just as easily claim Cupertino has Einsteins brain in a jar in a secret lab. And it would be as accurate as this rumor mill.
Facts on the ground, or don't waste the electrons.
No way.
Better chance to be true than a smaller screened phone though.
I don't think the screen size will be changed. but a no retina display plus removal of gyroscopes and GPS as well as no wifi won't need such a big battery anymore and everything together leaves room to miniaturize.
Here what it may look like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klOptnFNgQo
They could keep screen size the same and still make a phone 1/3 smaller just by eliminating the home button, and shrinking top and bottom bezels.
But I wonder then how they would avoid cannibalizing sales of the bigger iPhone.
If you keep the same screen size, there is no way to reach an unsubsidized price of $200. Even if you don't use a Retina display. Shrinking the bezel to make the phone smaller will only do that, make the phone smaller. It won't shave $400+ off the price. The cheapest iPod touch is $230. Even the cheapest iPod nano with it's tiny display is $150. There is simply no way Apple is making an iPhone as we know it for $200.
a smaller screen is gonna make emailing, surfing the web, twitter, facebook etc too difficult to use - does not make sense to me at all! All BS to me
You are correct. So I see only two possibilities for where these rumors are coming from (if they are based in any reality):
1. Apple is making a non-smart "feature phone". Basically, take the screen-size from the previous generation iPod nano (because the current gen sucks), give it all the previous gen nano functions (again, because the current gen sucks) and make it a phone.
2. Note that the rumor says it will be a separate release from the iPhone 5. So could it be that the release time coincides with the annual iPod refresh...ie, it's not a new phone, it's a new iPod. Apple will finally retire the iPod classic hard drive based iPod. But they need to replace it with a high-capacity flash iPod. They do that by giving it a smaller, lower-resolution screen than the touch has. A much simplified interface, no web browser/email, and no 3rd party apps. So you can use a lower powered processor, less RAM, smaller battery, no wi-fi, no camera (but would be nice to keep the camera). Use the savings from all that stuff to max out the flash storage capacity.
If there is any basis in fact for these rumors, my money is on #2.