Apple MUST create a PDA-iPod-Phone device to survive.

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
There's only one obvious question about the future: What do you need to carry in your pocket at all times?



Right now most anyone has a cell phone in their pocket. Socially it's considered the norm. People are shocked when they find out someone doesn't have a cell phone. Of these people who have cell phones - how many have iPods? Quite a lot.



As it stands now, I always need my phone in my pocket - the iPod is optional. However, I need much more from my phone. The OS sucks! The internet sucks on a phone too. The future is with cell phones or multi-functional pocket devices. An iPod/Phone/PDA device would sell like mad. I've seen rumors here and there about an Apple prototype of this sort. An iPod Shuffle could easily fit into a cell phone!

Here's what it needs:



Compatible with most carriers

High Speed Wireless Internet (carrier provided for a fee)

Wi-Fi

Bluetooth

Mini-Safari

Email client

mini-iChat

USB or Firewire

iPod built-in

SD slot



Any thoughts on this?

(This is a must for Apple)



-Bubba
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    Well the Itunes motorola phone is not a rumor nor is it vapourware, it's just not out yet though it has been made more or less official. It has many of the features you speak of but I'm not sure if browsing the web is going to be any better or not though I assume not. Bluetooth, wifi and an sd card had all been metnioned in the specs I had seen but no is going to confirm until it is released.
  • Reply 2 of 63
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba

    There's only one obvious question about the future: What do you need to carry in your pocket at all times?



    After reading this rant, a gun?



    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba

    Right now most anyone has a cell phone in their pocket. Socially it's considered the norm. People are shocked when they find out someone doesn't have a cell phone. Of these people who have cell phones - how many have iPods? Quite a lot.



    Motorola's is almost realeased, as spliff monkey noted above. For now, use your other pocket.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba

    (This is a must for Apple)







    For a cell phone manufacturer, maybe. Why on Earth would Apple want to start building cell phones???
  • Reply 3 of 63
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Smartphones are indeed the future.



    I'll raise you one here.





    Apple needs to evolve their mail services to support collaboration/groupware functions that push data out to Apple Smartphones that support hd based multimedia elements.



    I should have

    BT 2.0

    Mini Quicktime

    VOIP functionality

    OLED Screen

    Dictation/Speech control

    RFID

    and a docking station.



    $599 give a carrier an exclusive deal and make Billions!
  • Reply 4 of 63
    alexluftalexluft Posts: 159member
    I agree that the future is in those devices, but not sure if the market is quite ready for that. I agree that most cell phone interfaces are terrible (especially the ones from moto) and the cell phone industry as a whole needs the Apple touch. That being said, there are already devices out right now from Nokia (N91 i think is called) that incroporate a 4GB hard disk and have html internet browsing, office/pda functionality (not sure about the UI, though).



    I am with you bubba on that everyone carries around a cell phone and that needs to be intergrated with iPod. I mean how difficult can it be to take an iPod mini, stuff a larger color-screen on it, add GSM/CDMA and a form of a keypad for input and there ya go. Maybe it is difficult...idk.



    If Apple wants to remain market leader in music and innovation, they need to do this asap.



    Al
  • Reply 5 of 63
    I do not see Apple developing cellphones. Working along side to help with one, yes, but out of nowhere begin producing them? No.
  • Reply 6 of 63
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    Apple MUST create a USB voice recorder built into a pen to survive. Everybody uses these voice recorders these days; nobody records on microcassettes anymore. The USB recorders are taking over everyone's pen-pocket.



    Apple MUST create a hard-drive-based camcorder to survive. Hard drives are cheap and reliable. The camcorder manufacturers will eat Apple's lunch if they don't respond.



    Apple MUST create a convection oven to survive. The convection oven manufacturers are loading every kitchen function into their products. Soon there will be no microwaves, no blenders, no food processors.



    Apple MUST create a refrigerator to survive. Refrigerators are already appearing with built-in TV sets. The refrigerator is the family's center of entertainment in the future. You know how parties always end up in the kitchen. I'll bet Bill Gates has thought of putting a PC in there already.
  • Reply 7 of 63
    Good point: Apple may work WITH a company (such as Motorola) to produce a cell phone (and they sorta have), but they would not dare to make a cell phone entirely by themselves.

    Perhaps, yes.



    Still... we all have cell phones & most of us (on this forum) use Apple products.



    Answer this: Who here would buy an Apple phone/PDA/iPod running a mini version of OS X?



    -Bubba
  • Reply 8 of 63
    wilcowilco Posts: 985member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba

    There's only one obvious question about the future: What do you need to carry in your pocket at all times?



    I have many questions about the future, and none include "what's in my pockets."



    "Must" is a strong word. Especially for a first post. Maybe you should check out macrumors.com?
  • Reply 9 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wilco

    I have many questions about the future, and none include "what's in my pockets."



    "Must" is a strong word. Especially for a first post. Maybe you should check out macrumors.com?




    YES!

    You are fun.

    Anything you'd like to actually ADD to this conversation?

    Thrall me with your acumen.



    -Bubba
  • Reply 10 of 63
    chromoschromos Posts: 191member
    I can't see Apple being very enthused about building a cell phone in the current climate where cell companies rule over all. Consumers might not want to feel trapped with a $$ CDMA Apple device and a CDMA carrier, or vice-versa for GSM. It'd be like number portability all over again.



    But, in a year or two, technologies like WiMAX might be ubiquitous and standard enough that an Apple device with VoIP would be a no-brainer. I'd certainly buy such a product, that I could use with any carrier I wanted, and had that Apple touch.
  • Reply 11 of 63
    david_ocdavid_oc Posts: 90member
    Cellphones aren't the future, they're the present. That doesn't mean they aren't important but there's no kudos in assigning the "next big thing" tag to an existing must-have. Cellphones are now as boring as landlines, much as the the carriers would have you think otherwise. They aren't going anywhere, more people will give up landlines to be exclusively mobile but it's a simple utility.



    Also, you never mention why Apple need a combo to survive. You think the Mac, iPod, iTunes and whatever else Apple have up their sleeve will bomb?



    Edit: I would love an Apple phone, just as I would love an Apple set-top box. They are both items with appalling UI and interoperability with the rest of my (Apple) equipment
  • Reply 12 of 63
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba

    There's only one obvious question about the future: What do you need to carry in your pocket at all times?



    Passport, plastic and preservatives.
  • Reply 13 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by chromos

    I can't see Apple being very enthused about building a cell phone in the current climate where cell companies rule over all. Consumers might not want to feel trapped with a $$ CDMA Apple device and a CDMA carrier, or vice-versa for GSM. It'd be like number portability all over again.



    But, in a year or two, technologies like WiMAX might be ubiquitous and standard enough that an Apple device with VoIP would be a no-brainer. I'd certainly buy such a product, that I could use with any carrier I wanted, and had that Apple touch.




    WiMAX / VoIP - exactly. Good point.

    One more to watch is the new HSDPA system.

    Here's a good article about that:

    http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3434341



    I really don't think Apple can just stand back and not take an active part in this. I don't think it would be wise to play it so safe. Look at almost any Cell Phone Operating System - LAME. If stupid M$ has Windows Mobile - then why is there no OS X Mobile?



    What about the iPod "Halo effect"? Could this apply to the cell phone market? I think so. Look at Nokia. Nokia is ahead of the game. The new Nokia N770 Internet Tablet is almost what I'm talking about. Apple needs to make something similar. Perhaps VoIP would be the way to go with this.



    I sure would hate to have to break down and buy a stupid phone running M$ Windows Mobile. We need an Apple PDA-Phone-iPod. Is there a market for it? Of course.



    So why are some people so skeptical of it???



    -Bubba
  • Reply 14 of 63
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    One thing a lot of newbies don't understand is how methodical Jobs really is.



    Apple had never designed a phone before, and used a partnership with Motorola - one of the leaders in this segment - to show them the ropes.



    They now have an understanding of how the segment works. Jobs could care less whether the iTunes phone shoots to number one or not. He said long ago that he believed smartphones would eat the PDA market. He's now in for the long term.



    When the city-wide versions of WiFi are readily available, Apple will debut their own disruptive technology. The .Mac service is just begging to put the Blackberry out of its misery. The cell companies will rue the day they refused to work with Apple.



    But it won't be released till it's ready, and that will take a few more years.
  • Reply 15 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by david_oc

    Cellphones aren't the future, they're the present. That doesn't mean they aren't important but there's no kudos in assigning the "next big thing" tag to an existing must-have. Cellphones are now as boring as landlines, much as the the carriers would have you think otherwise. They aren't going anywhere, more people will give up landlines to be exclusively mobile but it's a simple utility.



    Also, you never mention why Apple need a combo to survive. You think the Mac, iPod, iTunes and whatever else Apple have up their sleeve will bomb?



    Edit: I would love an Apple phone, just as I would love an Apple set-top box. They are both items with appalling UI and interoperability with the rest of my (Apple) equipment




    Hi David,



    You bring up a few good points.

    Cell phones are the present - and they are boring. Very true.



    And yes, I was a bit too harsh with words to say the word "survive".

    (I've been reading too much Kurzweil & Kaku - in which they mention computers in the future being small, powerful, and everywhere) - However, I don't believe Apple will be able to rest on the success of the iPod for much longer.



    This thought of Apple producing a hand-held device (with phone functionality) comes from an experience I had a few days ago. This experience made me decide to join in on this AppleInsider Forum (I've been reading it for years, but never felt the need to join in). Here's the experience:

    - I have a Samsung VGA1000 (service = Sprint PCS). I was trying to figure out a way to get my .Mac mail through my phone. I searched around for tips on how to do this & couldn't find anything. I tried using Yahoo (get external mail) and that was a mess. Finally, I figured out a way & I can now currently receive notifications on my phone when I receive an email at my .Mac account. I can even read the message and respond. But this got me thinking "Why is this so damn hard?" - Hence, why the hell doesn't Apple make a PDA-Phone-iPod? I don't want to carry around a million devices - one device should be enough - and it should come from Apple.



    -Bubba
  • Reply 16 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Frank777

    One thing a lot of newbies don't understand is how methodical Jobs really is.



    Apple had never designed a phone before, and used a partnership with Motorola - one of the leaders in this segment - to show them the ropes.



    They now have an understanding of how the segment works. Jobs could care less whether the iTunes phone shoots to number one or not. He said long ago that he believed smartphones would eat the PDA market. He's now in for the long term.



    When the city-wide versions of WiFi are readily available, Apple will debut their own disruptive technology. The .Mac service is just begging to put the Blackberry out of its misery. The cell companies will rue the day they refused to work with Apple.



    But it won't be released till it's ready, and that will take a few more years.




    Makes sense. I agree with ya.



    -Bubba
  • Reply 17 of 63
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    apple will innovate when it comes to bringing form and ease of use to market. They will adopt new technologies late first or almost second. But, when they do they do it right (mostly) Therefore I agree about Job's methodical nature when it comes to phones. They now know how the market works and what the barriers to entry are.



    I Couldn't agree more.
  • Reply 18 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Anders

    Passport, plastic and preservatives.



    Me, I always keep my pockets lined with a fresh coating of BHT.
  • Reply 19 of 63
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Apple MUST NOT create anything that tries to do so many things that it does none of them well.



    Cell phones need good battery life, because when you need a phone, you need it (especially if, as with many younger people, it's their only phone). iPods can afford a lower battery life (and thus, a hard drive) because they're optional accessories.



    A cell phone with the battery life of an iPod would be a nuisance.



    The PDA is a non-starter, so far. The vast bulk of cellphones in use have minimal PDA capabilities, and no-one cares. As long as the person's memory, paper calendars, and paper notes have a significantly better cost/benefit ratio, no-one will care about this. That's why PDAs and their ilk occupy a niche (in the US at least). The iPod handles a few PDA-like functions; most cell phones can manage a few others (address books, particularly, and simple calendars). Good enough. Apple's synching capabilities are limited to relatively high-end kit. Until they can synch will the phones that are FREE with a 2-year contract (or whatever), none of the services they synch with will be used with any great frequency.



    On top of all this, there is the simple fact that the features of a gadget that are easily accessed from the physical interface are the ones that will get used. Anything too far off the beaten path, anything that can't be obviously and easily set and reset, anything buried down under too many submenus... is not going to get used by 90% of the population. The physical interface in particular, and the software interface as well, define the set of features that people will actually use. And the features that people actually use define the desirability of the product as far as word-of-mouth advertising (the best kind) goes. So if you roll out some do-everything widget that doesn't do anything easily or well, nobody will buy it. That's what Apple understands, and that's why they haven't tried making an Everything Gadget to date.



    There's one more issue that cell phones introduce: The customer for cell phones isn't the end user, it's the cell company. The companies demand certain features (and the exclusion of certain features!) and you have to design for them. Consumers take whatever they're offered (especially if it's free, and if all they want is a phone). This puts a real crimp in Apple's style, for one, and it means that you have to account for the business models and desires of the cell service providers, more than the end users, more even than Apple itself, in determining what sort of features any widget containing a cell phone can provide.
  • Reply 20 of 63
    wilcowilco Posts: 985member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by makeroom4bubba



    Anything you'd like to actually ADD to this conversation?





    Here's something. Use the "search" function. This subject has been done to death already.



    Except no one claimed that Apple "must" do it.



    Okay, "bubba"?
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