We've all been waiting for it! My career depends on it! You've been waiting 18 months for it! The most overly-hyped consumer electronic item since the world began! It's.... last year's phone with a slightly different dock connector!
{CRICKETS}
Seriously Apple, if the big (delayed) announcement is a slight upgrade to last year's model, people are gonna be pissed.... but they'll still line up to buy it anyway. Damn you Apple.
I don't think this changes my opinion. 3 million isn't that many and it only takes a few days at most to print boxes. I still don't think they hand out the name of the product to a case manufacturer. This might be one of those times when we see these for sale a week later with a "5" sticker pasted over the 4S part.
They are probably printing in China so it would take more than a few days to redo the order. And putting stickers on boxes is not inexpensive either. A lot of man hours, un-crating all the pallets etc. Been there done that. Not something you want to have to do.
They are probably printing in China so it would take more than a few days to redo the order. And putting stickers on boxes is not inexpensive either. A lot of man hours, un-crating all the pallets etc. Been there done that. Not something you want to have to do.
Also the fact that these are being shipped to the corporate ATT stores sad something. AT&T, I expect isn't going to stock a bunch of cases for a phone they don't know if they are getting. I expect if otterbox shipped in a bunch labeled "iPhone 65Q" that ATT would be obligated not just to rejected them but to never have ordered them.
This is kind of disappointing, but let's just all face it, Otterbox has become a staple in the smartphone case market. I'm sure if they made that many and boldy put the name the are most likely RIGHT. And the closer it gets to announcement day all we are seeing are iPhone 4S parts.
My new theroy is that this whole other iPhone 5 stuff we thought was gunna happen is actually the iPod touch. Would make sense for it to have the metal back that is curved then goes flat. I just hope that after I buy this iPhone they don't go and drop a new one less than a year from this one. Cuz then I'm goin to be screwed without even an early upgrade.
iPhone 5 is coming out. iPhone 4S replaces the iPhone 3GS as "entry-level". iPhone 5 is a somewhat modified design, will be kick-ass. iPhone 4S is a slightly modified iPhone 4.
These companies don't know. But they do know that by guessing with fake cases they get featured in rumor sites, and get the attention they so desperately crave.
These companies don't know. But they do know that by guessing with fake cases they get featured in rumor sites, and get the attention they so desperately crave.
Yeah, but Otterbox isn't some small freshman company desperate for attention. They've been making really great cases for a while, and are quite well known. If this ends up being a fake case, I only see their credibility being tainted because of it.
I'll be honest. Over the past 18 months I've seen a lot of really sweet looking Android phones, and have even considered taking the leap. Sure the interface and App library sucks, but I can get an Android plan for $30 cheaper per month. I can get 4G LTE. I've come close to switching over, but I've patiently waited to see what Apple brings to the table, and I don't think I'm alone. Apple needs to be competitive. If on October 4th they roll out the iPhone 4.1, and nothing else, people are gonna be pissed and might move over to Android.
18 months is a long time to develop a new phone, and if that phone ends up being a slight upgrade of the two year old model, consumers are going to lose confidence in you and start spending their money elsewhere.
These companies don't know. But they do know that by guessing with fake cases they get featured in rumor sites, and get the attention they so desperately crave.
That would make sense and is exactly what case-mate might have done last week. But these cases are arriving in AT&T corporate stores. Do you think AT&T would have ordered these units if they know they aren't meant to fit any phone they carry or plan to carry? You think AT&T is going to waste resources receiving them, unpacking them storing them on a guess from Otterbox? These are not a few fakes that they release photos of for some attention. These are cases they have manufactured 3 million units of and have begun shipping into AT&T corporate stores.
Anything is possible. These could be their attempt at a guess and they convinced AT&T to order, pay for, receive and stock them, but that doesn't seem the most likely scenario.
Maybe that's not the SIM slot but the cable connector? There doesn't seem to be a slot for that on the bottom, so maybe they swapped it around? Would actually make sense if you want to play games on the device: hold it horizontally and have it plugged in for continuous power without having the cable in the way.
It can't go on forever, vis-a-vis a new iPhone form factor, case design every year. Change for the sake of change has dangers all on its own.
Eventually, it may be like the iMac, MBP, MBA or MP. We could see the same iPhone case design for 3 years in a row.
I don't think it's the design which has to change, but the screen size. The iPhone screen, for a top end smart phone, is now the smallest out there by quite some margin. It competes more with mid to low end Android devices.
For Apple to regain their spot at the top, they need an iPhone with a much larger screen.
I don't think it's the design which has to change, but the screen size. The iPhone screen, for a top end smart phone, is now the smallest out there by quite some margin. It competes more with mid to low end Android devices.
For Apple to regain their spot at the top, they need an iPhone with a much larger screen.
My thoughts exactly! You have to find $99 prepaid smartphones in the bargain bin to get comparable screen sizes. I've read rumors that Steve Jobs once pronounced 3.5" to be ideal, but that thinking has become antiquated in the last 4-5 years.
I love the iPhone concept, but my 3G is intolerably slow, so I will definitely be upgrading to SOMETHING next month. I have been spoiled by my iPad's screen size, and after playing with coworkers 4"+ screens at work, 3.5" just won't cut it for the next two years (not to mention the strain on my 43 year old eyes). Simply put, no bump in screen size, no more iPhone for me (maybe iPhone 6 or 7 some day if that changes). The new killer feature, voice commands, is not going to change that equation.
It's looking more and more like I'll be switching to a Galaxy S2 on Oct 4. It won't be as nice to use as an iPhone, but it will be 90% as good and will be available as soon as I decide.
Comments
Tim Cook:
We've all been waiting for it! My career depends on it! You've been waiting 18 months for it! The most overly-hyped consumer electronic item since the world began! It's.... last year's phone with a slightly different dock connector!
{CRICKETS}
Seriously Apple, if the big (delayed) announcement is a slight upgrade to last year's model, people are gonna be pissed.... but they'll still line up to buy it anyway. Damn you Apple.
I don't think this changes my opinion. 3 million isn't that many and it only takes a few days at most to print boxes. I still don't think they hand out the name of the product to a case manufacturer. This might be one of those times when we see these for sale a week later with a "5" sticker pasted over the 4S part.
They are probably printing in China so it would take more than a few days to redo the order. And putting stickers on boxes is not inexpensive either. A lot of man hours, un-crating all the pallets etc. Been there done that. Not something you want to have to do.
They are probably printing in China so it would take more than a few days to redo the order. And putting stickers on boxes is not inexpensive either. A lot of man hours, un-crating all the pallets etc. Been there done that. Not something you want to have to do.
Also the fact that these are being shipped to the corporate ATT stores sad something. AT&T, I expect isn't going to stock a bunch of cases for a phone they don't know if they are getting. I expect if otterbox shipped in a bunch labeled "iPhone 65Q" that ATT would be obligated not just to rejected them but to never have ordered them.
My new theroy is that this whole other iPhone 5 stuff we thought was gunna happen is actually the iPod touch. Would make sense for it to have the metal back that is curved then goes flat. I just hope that after I buy this iPhone they don't go and drop a new one less than a year from this one. Cuz then I'm goin to be screwed without even an early upgrade.
Mah predictions.
These companies don't know. But they do know that by guessing with fake cases they get featured in rumor sites, and get the attention they so desperately crave.
Yeah, but Otterbox isn't some small freshman company desperate for attention. They've been making really great cases for a while, and are quite well known. If this ends up being a fake case, I only see their credibility being tainted because of it.
I'll be honest. Over the past 18 months I've seen a lot of really sweet looking Android phones, and have even considered taking the leap. Sure the interface and App library sucks, but I can get an Android plan for $30 cheaper per month. I can get 4G LTE. I've come close to switching over, but I've patiently waited to see what Apple brings to the table, and I don't think I'm alone. Apple needs to be competitive. If on October 4th they roll out the iPhone 4.1, and nothing else, people are gonna be pissed and might move over to Android.
18 months is a long time to develop a new phone, and if that phone ends up being a slight upgrade of the two year old model, consumers are going to lose confidence in you and start spending their money elsewhere.
These companies don't know. But they do know that by guessing with fake cases they get featured in rumor sites, and get the attention they so desperately crave.
That would make sense and is exactly what case-mate might have done last week. But these cases are arriving in AT&T corporate stores. Do you think AT&T would have ordered these units if they know they aren't meant to fit any phone they carry or plan to carry? You think AT&T is going to waste resources receiving them, unpacking them storing them on a guess from Otterbox? These are not a few fakes that they release photos of for some attention. These are cases they have manufactured 3 million units of and have begun shipping into AT&T corporate stores.
Anything is possible. These could be their attempt at a guess and they convinced AT&T to order, pay for, receive and stock them, but that doesn't seem the most likely scenario.
BULLPOPPY! What case has a slot for the SIM card?
Maybe that's not the SIM slot but the cable connector? There doesn't seem to be a slot for that on the bottom, so maybe they swapped it around? Would actually make sense if you want to play games on the device: hold it horizontally and have it plugged in for continuous power without having the cable in the way.
It can't go on forever, vis-a-vis a new iPhone form factor, case design every year. Change for the sake of change has dangers all on its own.
Eventually, it may be like the iMac, MBP, MBA or MP. We could see the same iPhone case design for 3 years in a row.
I don't think it's the design which has to change, but the screen size. The iPhone screen, for a top end smart phone, is now the smallest out there by quite some margin. It competes more with mid to low end Android devices.
For Apple to regain their spot at the top, they need an iPhone with a much larger screen.
I call bullshit. If it really was the "iPhone 4S" the logo would probably look like this....
Could be. That is the way Otterbox packaging shows iPhone 3GS.
I don't think it's the design which has to change, but the screen size. The iPhone screen, for a top end smart phone, is now the smallest out there by quite some margin. It competes more with mid to low end Android devices.
For Apple to regain their spot at the top, they need an iPhone with a much larger screen.
My thoughts exactly! You have to find $99 prepaid smartphones in the bargain bin to get comparable screen sizes. I've read rumors that Steve Jobs once pronounced 3.5" to be ideal, but that thinking has become antiquated in the last 4-5 years.
I love the iPhone concept, but my 3G is intolerably slow, so I will definitely be upgrading to SOMETHING next month. I have been spoiled by my iPad's screen size, and after playing with coworkers 4"+ screens at work, 3.5" just won't cut it for the next two years (not to mention the strain on my 43 year old eyes). Simply put, no bump in screen size, no more iPhone for me (maybe iPhone 6 or 7 some day if that changes). The new killer feature, voice commands, is not going to change that equation.
It's looking more and more like I'll be switching to a Galaxy S2 on Oct 4. It won't be as nice to use as an iPhone, but it will be 90% as good and will be available as soon as I decide.
Signed, funny guy