Isn't it time for an iPhone already?
We've been hearing about the "iPod-killer" for ages, and nothing happened, the iPod remains king, but for how long?
It's quite clear to me, that the menace won't come from other manufacturer's mp3 players, but, and i hate to agree with Bill Gates here, from cellphones.
It already ocurred to me. I was about to buy the new 5G iPod this Christmas. At the same time, needed to replace my old cellphone. Well, after taking a close and detailed look at what the cellphone market nowadays offers, i'm not going to buy the iPod at all. My money is going to Sony. Yes, Im an avid and devoted Mac user since 1989.
You're right, not any single cellphone will take your whole music library with you (30-60GB), but how often do you need that? take the flash card (512MB-4GB) out of the phone, plug it to the Powerbook and transfer new tunes/playlists. It will take just a few seconds, not more than 3 minutes for a whole 4GB card full of music.
There's already a dozen or more cellphones that can completely replace the ipod as mp3/podcast/video player, and they also take notes, play better games, make really GOOD photos (2Mpx) and videos, and what not. One single device. One single battery and A/C adapter to take care of.
Need for GBs of songs, or videos? i have the Powerbook.
Need for top notch photos? i have the canon D20.
for everything else, the cellphone ALWAYS in the pocket.
What is Apple waiting to release an iPhone in the category of the Sony k750/W800/W810? (my new cellphone AND "iPod-killer"). They are losing money.
Mine, for instance.
It's quite clear to me, that the menace won't come from other manufacturer's mp3 players, but, and i hate to agree with Bill Gates here, from cellphones.
It already ocurred to me. I was about to buy the new 5G iPod this Christmas. At the same time, needed to replace my old cellphone. Well, after taking a close and detailed look at what the cellphone market nowadays offers, i'm not going to buy the iPod at all. My money is going to Sony. Yes, Im an avid and devoted Mac user since 1989.
You're right, not any single cellphone will take your whole music library with you (30-60GB), but how often do you need that? take the flash card (512MB-4GB) out of the phone, plug it to the Powerbook and transfer new tunes/playlists. It will take just a few seconds, not more than 3 minutes for a whole 4GB card full of music.
There's already a dozen or more cellphones that can completely replace the ipod as mp3/podcast/video player, and they also take notes, play better games, make really GOOD photos (2Mpx) and videos, and what not. One single device. One single battery and A/C adapter to take care of.
Need for GBs of songs, or videos? i have the Powerbook.
Need for top notch photos? i have the canon D20.
for everything else, the cellphone ALWAYS in the pocket.
What is Apple waiting to release an iPhone in the category of the Sony k750/W800/W810? (my new cellphone AND "iPod-killer"). They are losing money.
Mine, for instance.
Comments
Originally posted by icfireball
Cell phones and MP3 players can be mixed together. Keyword: CAN. But they offer differnt functionality and it is best to keep them seperate. I never plan on having a cell phone that replaces my iPod. A cell phone is first and foremost a communication device, and an iPod is first and foremost a Music Player. All of this mixing things into one thing is just crap.
that's a valid point.
almost the same one steve jobs kept saying for years. one simple device. one simple function. i think woz is of the same opinion.
now look at what current ipods do. what's more, video is going to drive ipod's inmediate future, not music.
i dont know in the states, but in europe cellphones playing mp3s are getting HUGE. just like it happened ages ago with smsing and then with snap/photo shooting. the cellphone industry is driving the electronics world. it's not the PCs anymore. mobiles keep adding and adding features, trumping every other device out there, pdas, simple cameras, etc.
in asia that's even more crazy: internet, tv, gps. all onboard.
apple doesnt need to replace completely the ipod, just should jump into the wagon imo, before it's too late.
and btw, im not the only one ditching the ipod in favour of a better cellphone. i know plenty, and this is just starting out.
Don't forget that Motorola's chairman (after hearing a bit too much about how the ROKR sucked and the Nano was great) spouted off that Motorola knew Apple was creating a iPod phone. Maybe it was only speculation on his part, but I think not.
I think it's a matter of time... and I hope it comes soon. I don't think Jobs and Apple want anyone stealing any of the iPod's momentum.
People wanted a great music device (even though many didn't know they wanted it)... Apple created it. People wanted a way to legal purchase music online... Apple created it. People wanted to be able to buy TV shows and videos (and I'm betting movies soon)... Apple created it. I think people want to be able to stop carrying both a phone and an iPod, and they want it to be better than the ROKR... and Apple should create it.
I have been waiting for near four years, and I think Cingular is gonna force me to get a new phone soon...
Something about some new digital network that my four+ year old Nokia candybar phone isn't compatible with...
Wankers!
I want an Apple smartphone about Treo size, or so... BlueTooth stereo earbuds & mic standard... (maybe using the ducking feature from the GarageBand PodCast Studio feature when you are taking a call...)
Just touchscreen LCD on one side, and able to admin the network from the coffee shop around the corner...
Maybe something that uses widgets (for space constraints), saving the full size interfaces for a larger (the reality of the fabled 13" widescreen iBook) Apple branded MacPad...
(...the MacPad Pro is a 17" widescreen...)
[/ramble mode]
I'm not sure how practical it is, but it seems that since Apple holds the patent for the clickwheel, they would utilize somehow in a phone design as well. Not saying this is the way to go, but just thought I'd share this mockup I did a few months ago.
My impression is that the carriers are trying to limit simple paths to the "outside world" so they can charge you extra for using their network for things like downloading music, ringtones, wallpapers, moving photos and videos around, etc.
At any rate, the usual caveat applies-- if it doesn't work with iTunes it's facing a huge hurdle. I can see where some people might like the idea of a few tunes on the cell as a novelty, but the iTunes model is pretty entrenched at this point. Can't play iTunes purchases, many people wouldn't be interested (or not to the point they'd ditch their iPod). Yes, I see that this is an argument for Apple to get into that market, but it also suggests that claims that cells are going to overthrow the iPod/iTunes hegemony may be exaggerated.
Moreover, my cell doesn't get long enough battery life as it is, for my tastes. If I started using it as an MP3 player, camera, net connection and game platform as well, I'd be lucky to go a full day before I needed to recharge.
Originally posted by addabox
If I started using it as an MP3 player, camera, net connection and game platform as well, I'd be lucky to go a full day before I needed to recharge.
Easy fix, drop the Apple smartphone into a dock each night...
Added bonus, Sync with your computer at the same time...!
Originally posted by macmike
With all the cell phone companies throwing MP3 playing capability into thier phones... I feel that Apple has to respond and do what they do best. Great design, great interface and take everything to the next level. How they will do this?, I don't know. But there have been about a half dozen stories written in the last week (because of the Mobile Me name filing and such) about if and when Apple will create a phone. I think they will.
Don't forget that Motorola's chairman (after hearing a bit too much about how the ROKR sucked and the Nano was great) spouted off that Motorola knew Apple was creating a iPod phone. Maybe it was only speculation on his part, but I think not.
I think it's a matter of time... and I hope it comes soon. I don't think Jobs and Apple want anyone stealing any of the iPod's momentum.
People wanted a great music device (even though many didn't know they wanted it)... Apple created it. People wanted a way to legal purchase music online... Apple created it. People wanted to be able to buy TV shows and videos (and I'm betting movies soon)... Apple created it. I think people want to be able to stop carrying both a phone and an iPod, and they want it to be better than the ROKR... and Apple should create it.
Perhaps...but Apple dosn't really have a market for that. What carriers would take the phone, what credibility does Apple have as a phone maker, what experience does Apple have with creating a good phone, etc. Also, Apple wouldn't want to take away from true iPod sales beacuse of an iPod cell phone. And I think Steve Jobs fimrly thinks that while MP3 players in cell phones might be a nice added bonus, its nothing to ride home about...as in, if you want an MP3 Player, you dont buy a cell phone...and no cell phone will ever replace an MP3 player. Just like a computer dosn't replace a TV, a Swiss Army knife dosn't replace your regular knives, and one of the best examples, a camera phone dosnt replace a camera.
What model sony ericsson phone do you use?
The phone could be called iCall. Short. Sweet. Simple.
Some analysts have said that Apple could create a MVN (I think that's what they called it... a Mobile Virtual Network). Basically they lease extra space from an existing network (like Cingular) and create their own pseudo network (without having to make all their own towers and such). If there was an Apple Cell Network with great phones, I would sign up. They could be sold at Apple stores.
When Apple entered the mp3 marked it was very unmatured. Lots of players and no kind of direction, VERY unlike the mobile phone marked.
I don´t believe the mobile phone is a threath to the iPod. The phone was the first digital gadget that came in the pockets of a majority of us. Since them two things happened: The electronic needed for the phone to work got really, REALLY small and small low powered digital cameras, MP3 players and memory cards came along. To make it attractive for you to buy a new phone you need to add new functionality (it doesn´t really make any sense anymore to make the phone even smaller), hence MP3 and camera functionality. You got the battery, a package and a miniscule GUI. To add a CMOS and a decoder is really easy and cheap at that stage. But a phone will stay a phone, it will never give you a perfect or even near perfect MP3 player or camera.
So the iPod is safe from phones. An iPod is a perfect music player, the current perfect pocket video player (and Apple will be able to expand on this in a way Nokia and S//E won´t), digital cameras do their jobs perfect. A telephone is a perfect telephone with decent to poor camera and music capabilities for those occations you didn´t bring the real thing with you. They are not competing for the same spot.
Originally posted by Anders
..So the iPod is safe from phones...
you dont live in europe or asia, do you?
i think the problem here may lay in the assumption americans and USA in general make about the whole cellphone industry, which surprisingly appears to be quite undeveloped in comparison to other countries.
go to europe and see everyone from teenagers up to people under their mid30s -biggest iPod target group- rave about their new cellphones, which have 2mpx cameras and play mp3s very well, and how they get crazy about ringtones and other trivia (have you heard about the "Crazy Frog" and other nasty characters that only exist in cellphones? those things are BIG)
cellphones are the future of the electronics and entertainment industry. period.
now, if apple only release a cellphone with a 2mpx cam and exactly the SAME abilities as the current iPod/Nano, they'd enter they market by storm.
to ecking,
i'm about to buy either the sony K750 or the W800. The about to be released W810 is just like the aformentioned but with 4band, so it'll work in the states also.
btw, in this other thread many iPhone mockups i'm showing some possibilities for very doable iphones
tired of carrying cell phone and iPod ...
not like US, people here travel by Bus/Train/Car... carrying too many gadgets with out bags are troublesome ...
iPod/Phone combination will be the next hit and even may take on Cell phone companies.
iPod Nano, that will be cool device even if it is price like $299 or $399
Originally posted by jindrich
you dont live in europe or asia, do you?
I do live in Europe (Denmark). I have a K750 and until very recently worked in the industry. On top of that I even did customer satisfaction reporting to our largest mobile phone provider until 18 month ago
All you write about the below 35 group is true - up until they are 25 years old. But "just" because they are happy about their mobile phone doesn´t mean they don´t love their iPod at least as much, its two seperate things. The iPod have some advantages now that the mobile phone can´t beat - large storage, pictures and video for the classic iPod and size and pictures for the Nano. There will always be a distance between what the iPod can offer and what the phone makers can put into their phones, the distance will always be there. The mobile phones don´t threaten the current iPod marked.
The segment you are talking about:
-Is about 20% of the mobile phone marked.
-They are 18-30 years old.
-Their focus is on the handset, not the provider (choses provider through the handset, not the other way around).
-Focus on the technology side of things (like connecting their PDA to their mobile phone for email and browsing)
-HAS AND SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY ON DIFFERENT DEVICES TO HAVE THE OPTIMAL IN ALL CATEGORIES.
This group is different than another segment, the (12)15-25 year old that uses a lot of attention on SMS, ring tones and not so much on more exotic technologies .
Originally posted by Anders
I do live in Europe (Denmark). I have a K750 and until very recently worked in the industry. On top of that I even did customer satisfaction reporting to our largest mobile phone provider until 18 month ago
All you write about the below 35 group is true - up until they are 25 years old. But "just" because they are happy about their mobile phone doesn´t mean they don´t love their iPod at least as much, its two seperate things. The iPod have some advantages now that the mobile phone can´t beat - large storage, pictures and video for the classic iPod and size and pictures for the Nano. There will always be a distance between what the iPod can offer and what the phone makers can put into their phones, the distance will always be there. The mobile phones don´t threaten the current iPod marked.
hi anders,
mobile phones dont threaten the current iPod market... but it will happen this year. the only advantage for iPods is large storage.
the biggest cellphone advantge is that people carry them ALWAYS.
And now electronics are permiting to put everything the ipod has (and pdas, and simple digicams) into cells. 2-4GB storage is enough for music and video. you can put that on you phone TODAY.
Apple shouldnt let the iPod aside, just modify its product-matrix:
the ipod line could be broken into 3 categories:
-INVISIBLE
-CAPACITY
-ALL ROADS
A battery life of only a day would be unacceptable in a cellphone - some people travel.
And why do we need so many iPhone threads?
(edit) Anders is right, any "Swiss Army Knife" phone will have significant deficiencies. For example, I have a Treo. It can play MP3s, but I never use it for that.
Originally posted by jindrich
hi anders,
mobile phones dont threaten the current iPod market... but it will happen this year. the only advantage for iPods is large storage.
.....
nokia already has a 4gb phone/mp3 device ready for the market.
http://www.nokia.com/nseries/index.h...=en&country=GB