The writing is on the wall, it will be a wireless IP based iPod device, NOT a "Cell" phone. Cells are nearing the end of their useful life. IP is where Apple is going with all this... just think... basically free phone calls to anywhere in the world? come on, that would cement Apple as the product leader and depending on how it was coupled with the iPod, it would further make it the "must have product" for the next ten years or so.
Netgear is "gearing" up for this total revolution, but it's done through Skype not iChat, so I just hope Apple is working hard on this, since the horse is about to leave the barn.
Anyone who thinks Apple is going to do some deal with some old school Cell Phone company, isn't aware of what is happening with wireless IP phones. That's the golden ticket. Will Apple take the risk like they did with the iPod in 2001? I say YES. It will quadruple the stock if it happens.
I can't believe that Apple will make a phone, but the things that would make it a success are leveraging their userbase, and doing things that nobody else can.
VOIP is a huge potential market for "mobile devices." The mobile carriers are dumb... at least in the US. Data plans are overpriced, there is no real incentive to go to 3G services, and phones need a good dose of simplicity and logic.
But... The device that Apple should have made is the Nokia 770 internet tablet. Hopefully, when they come out with a mobile communications device they will fill in some of the holes of this product.
There is a market... maybe not a huge one for now though (1M units?).
VOIP is a huge potential market for "mobile devices." The mobile carriers are dumb... at least in the US. Data plans are overpriced, there is no real incentive to go to 3G services, and phones need a good dose of simplicity and logic.
Some are, some aren't. T-Mobile does unlimited non-blocked GPRS/EDGE for around $20 + talk plan, and unlimited slightly-blocked (in practice, you can't see the difference) for between $0 and $7 (some get it without needing to subscribe to The MobileWeb, others need to subscribe, there's not much logic to it.)
3G is only beginning to be properly rolled out in the US. Cingular, Sprint PCS, and Verizon, who are at different levels of development, are offering all you can eat services for prices comparable to higher-end broadband ($40-80 depending on SP.)
I don't think it's bad at all. It's certainly better than most of the rest of the world, where everyone seems obsessed with metering traffic.
Where in the hell did you get those facts from. That is way too low!
My precise calculations tell me it's more likely to be 72.46%
OK, let me settle this once and for all: a statistic like this has to have an uncertainty attached to it. According to my advanced calculations, I concur with the 72.46% but I add a +/- 34.27% margin of error, which means that the chances really range from 38.19% to 106.73% (greater than absolute metaphysical certainty!)
Y'rWIA (You're welcome in advance.)
By the way, Ireland, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I'm wearing my green (you'll have to take my word for it) even though I am not Irish the other 364 days of the years.
Jesus, now even professional papers for public distribution have this apostrophe shit.
It's a sad, sad day.
ep: while we're on this grammar madness, what's up with referring to companies like apple in the plural rather than singular? every time i look i see someone using "their" when, i think, that person should be using "it" or "its" when referring to apple or microsoft or ibm. and this leads me to the words "form factor" and "price point." now, would someone explain to me the difference between "form factor" and, say, "design" or "shape"? and explain to me how "price point" is different from "price"? i guess i'm old school and believe that one word is better than two when one will suffice. "price point" and "form factor" just sound bleepin' pretentious.
... and don't get me started on misuse of the word "hopefully" ... okay, i am started. here's the rule: "hopefully" is an adverb. it's got to modify an adjective or verb; thus, it's correct to say "hopefully, he entered the contest" b/c "entered" is the word being modified by "hopefully." but if you say "hopefully, i'll win the tournament" one needs to ask what word is "hopefully" modifying?????
Even if Apple manage to make the world's best, most intuitive mobile phone, bar none, they will still have an uphill battle to get it into the hands of customers... Due to the way the mobile phone market works and the way phones are subsidised by carriers.
I'm not saying Apple won't try, but I can't see this happening in the near future.
I agree with this. If it is to happen an exclusive deal with ONE of the carriers will probably be the only thing that subsidizes Apple's larger than average price. Eventually the other carriers would offer the phone, but the exclusive would be used to get subscribers to switch to Cingular or whomever.
OK, let me settle this once and for all: a statistic like this has to have an uncertainty attached to it. According to my advanced calculations, I concur with the 72.46% but I add a +/- 34.27% margin of error, which means that the chances really range from 38.19% to 106.73% (greater than absolute metaphysical certainty!)
Y'rWIA (You're welcome in advance.)
By the way, Ireland, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I'm wearing my green (you'll have to take my word for it) even though I am not Irish the other 364 days of the years.
I tried to make a call the other day with my iPod. I was not succussful, and I kept on hearing music on the other line!
So due to my lab test and intense recalculations I concur with your deep observations. But I would also like to add that 106.73% seems too high somehow. I haven't figured out why that is yet.
Comments
Originally posted by Chris Cuilla
120 of the 135 mobile phone handset makers lose money.
I think you can say the same for PC makers and portable audio players too.
Netgear is "gearing" up for this total revolution, but it's done through Skype not iChat, so I just hope Apple is working hard on this, since the horse is about to leave the barn.
http://tools.netgear.com/skype/
Anyone who thinks Apple is going to do some deal with some old school Cell Phone company, isn't aware of what is happening with wireless IP phones. That's the golden ticket. Will Apple take the risk like they did with the iPod in 2001? I say YES. It will quadruple the stock if it happens.
I'm looking for an OS X Lite PDA phone.
Let it do programs, games, music from iTunes Mobile (still $.99) Full screen video.
Would that do it? I would replace my Palmphone, so would my daughter, and my wife.
If Apple had their own virtual network, and it had good coverage, I would move to that too.
I only want to carry one device around.
I am not a geek!!! (yeah, yeah)
VOIP is a huge potential market for "mobile devices." The mobile carriers are dumb... at least in the US. Data plans are overpriced, there is no real incentive to go to 3G services, and phones need a good dose of simplicity and logic.
But... The device that Apple should have made is the Nokia 770 internet tablet. Hopefully, when they come out with a mobile communications device they will fill in some of the holes of this product.
There is a market... maybe not a huge one for now though (1M units?).
Originally posted by aargh
VOIP is a huge potential market for "mobile devices." The mobile carriers are dumb... at least in the US. Data plans are overpriced, there is no real incentive to go to 3G services, and phones need a good dose of simplicity and logic.
Some are, some aren't. T-Mobile does unlimited non-blocked GPRS/EDGE for around $20 + talk plan, and unlimited slightly-blocked (in practice, you can't see the difference) for between $0 and $7 (some get it without needing to subscribe to The MobileWeb, others need to subscribe, there's not much logic to it.)
3G is only beginning to be properly rolled out in the US. Cingular, Sprint PCS, and Verizon, who are at different levels of development, are offering all you can eat services for prices comparable to higher-end broadband ($40-80 depending on SP.)
I don't think it's bad at all. It's certainly better than most of the rest of the world, where everyone seems obsessed with metering traffic.
Originally posted by Ireland
Are you crazy!
Where in the hell did you get those facts from. That is way too low!
My precise calculations tell me it's more likely to be 72.46%
OK, let me settle this once and for all: a statistic like this has to have an uncertainty attached to it. According to my advanced calculations, I concur with the 72.46% but I add a +/- 34.27% margin of error, which means that the chances really range from 38.19% to 106.73% (greater than absolute metaphysical certainty!)
Y'rWIA (You're welcome in advance.)
By the way, Ireland, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I'm wearing my green (you'll have to take my word for it) even though I am not Irish the other 364 days of the years.
Originally posted by Ensign Pulver
Jesus, now even professional papers for public distribution have this apostrophe shit.
It's a sad, sad day.
ep: while we're on this grammar madness, what's up with referring to companies like apple in the plural rather than singular? every time i look i see someone using "their" when, i think, that person should be using "it" or "its" when referring to apple or microsoft or ibm. and this leads me to the words "form factor" and "price point." now, would someone explain to me the difference between "form factor" and, say, "design" or "shape"? and explain to me how "price point" is different from "price"? i guess i'm old school and believe that one word is better than two when one will suffice. "price point" and "form factor" just sound bleepin' pretentious.
... and don't get me started on misuse of the word "hopefully" ... okay, i am started. here's the rule: "hopefully" is an adverb. it's got to modify an adjective or verb; thus, it's correct to say "hopefully, he entered the contest" b/c "entered" is the word being modified by "hopefully." but if you say "hopefully, i'll win the tournament" one needs to ask what word is "hopefully" modifying?????
okay, i'm spent for now ....
Originally posted by Robin Hood
Even if Apple manage to make the world's best, most intuitive mobile phone, bar none, they will still have an uphill battle to get it into the hands of customers... Due to the way the mobile phone market works and the way phones are subsidised by carriers.
I'm not saying Apple won't try, but I can't see this happening in the near future.
I agree with this. If it is to happen an exclusive deal with ONE of the carriers will probably be the only thing that subsidizes Apple's larger than average price. Eventually the other carriers would offer the phone, but the exclusive would be used to get subscribers to switch to Cingular or whomever.
Dovetail
Originally posted by macFanDave
OK, let me settle this once and for all: a statistic like this has to have an uncertainty attached to it. According to my advanced calculations, I concur with the 72.46% but I add a +/- 34.27% margin of error, which means that the chances really range from 38.19% to 106.73% (greater than absolute metaphysical certainty!)
Y'rWIA (You're welcome in advance.)
By the way, Ireland, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I'm wearing my green (you'll have to take my word for it) even though I am not Irish the other 364 days of the years.
I tried to make a call the other day with my iPod. I was not succussful, and I kept on hearing music on the other line!
So due to my lab test and intense recalculations I concur with your deep observations. But I would also like to add that 106.73% seems too high somehow. I haven't figured out why that is yet.
I'm going back to the lab.
p.s. Happy Paddy's day to you too!
I have discovered it's 100%!