Apple's iPhone to arrive in early 2007 with 2MP camera
Apple Computer's much anticipated iPod cell phone will include a 2.0-megapixel digital camera when it arrives late first quarter or early second quarter of next year, according to a new report out of Taiwan.
The China Times said Thursday the device, which will merge traditional cellular capabilities with Apple's legendary iPod digital music player technology, has been finalized and released to manufacturing.
According to the report, Foxconn will begin delivering the phones to Apple out of its Fushikang manufacturing facility at run rate of 500,000 to 600,000 per month beginning in February.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker is said to have enlisted the help of several component suppliers to provide various aspects of the phone, including Foxconn subsidiary AlusTech, which will fabricate the digital camera module; Largan, which will supply the actual camera lens; and Micron, which will provide the CMOS image sensor.
Intel, Sharp, Tripod Technology, Broadcom and Sunrex are also said to be part of the mix, supplying the memory, LCM display, circuit board, baseband chip and keypad, respectively.
Apple will reportedly tap long-time iPod casing manufacturer Catcher Technology to mold and manufacturer the phone's exterior housing. In recent years, Catcher has supplied casings for Apple's aluminum iPod mini and, most recently, its second-generation clip-on iPod shuffle player.
Contrary to some earlier analyst claims, the report published Thursday indicates that the Apple-branded cell phone will initially be available in only a single model. Pricing information was not disclosed.
The China Times said Thursday the device, which will merge traditional cellular capabilities with Apple's legendary iPod digital music player technology, has been finalized and released to manufacturing.
According to the report, Foxconn will begin delivering the phones to Apple out of its Fushikang manufacturing facility at run rate of 500,000 to 600,000 per month beginning in February.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker is said to have enlisted the help of several component suppliers to provide various aspects of the phone, including Foxconn subsidiary AlusTech, which will fabricate the digital camera module; Largan, which will supply the actual camera lens; and Micron, which will provide the CMOS image sensor.
Intel, Sharp, Tripod Technology, Broadcom and Sunrex are also said to be part of the mix, supplying the memory, LCM display, circuit board, baseband chip and keypad, respectively.
Apple will reportedly tap long-time iPod casing manufacturer Catcher Technology to mold and manufacturer the phone's exterior housing. In recent years, Catcher has supplied casings for Apple's aluminum iPod mini and, most recently, its second-generation clip-on iPod shuffle player.
Contrary to some earlier analyst claims, the report published Thursday indicates that the Apple-branded cell phone will initially be available in only a single model. Pricing information was not disclosed.
Comments
2 megapixels is about average right now, with "better" camera phones featuring 3+ megapixel cameras.
I don't see the iPhone having a camera at all, quality is far too poor for an Apple product.
Now that it looks like we are getting more third party conformation on the iPhone, I want more info on the carrier issue. I'm sure this will be a GSM phone so that it has an international market, but will it be just an unlocked phone I can use with any GSM carrier (ie Cingular or T-mobile), or will I have to hook up with a specific carrier? Maybe Apple will become a MVO as a new carrier?
I'm hoping we have a simple unlocked GSM phone...
Lets get more info on the service side of things!
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
probably because too much of america wants to say, "Look at that, so cool! *OMGOMGOMG*, lets take a PIXSHURE!"
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
snapping pics of your friends for display of who is calling, video chat, etc. could be reasons other than getting a grainy shot of that tourist trap you visited....
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
because the camera is a selling point for many teens, regardless of whether they actually use it or not... sad really.
Looking forward to see if apple can make it look good even with a clunky camera.
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
I'm not really a fan either.
However, a fairly large proportion of my friends use theirs (rather annoyingly) all the time, for them, a camera on the phone is a must.
Plus, if it films nice little quicktime movies too, and connects up to iPhoto and iMovie I'll be much more likely to use one than I do now.
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
Camera phones are great, oldones arent, but new ones with 3MP or more are brilliant. I cant see how the voice quality can get any better - mines perfect on phonesive used - and the signal is great too. This is in the UK. I know the US has piss poor mobiles...
edit: BTW - 2MP is a year or two old, they need 3mp at least in the iPhone.
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
Amen.
I don't see the iPhone having a camera at all, quality is far too poor for an Apple product.
Then you really haven't used a recent camera phone. Some of the latest Nokias and SEs have superb cameras in them equal to low to mid range standalone cameras.
eg. See Cabel Sasser's review of the K790/K800 phone...
http://www.cabel.name/2006/11/review...son-k790a.html
That's a 3.2megapixel camera but even the recent P990 with 2megapixel camera was pretty good too.
Saying the quality is too poor never stopped Apple selling crappy 128kbps AAC songs on the iPod so a 2megapixel camera is more than fine.
Put on a portable bidet, and I'm gettin' one!
Oh God -- I hope this isn't true. I HATE camera phones. Just a really dumb concept. Instead why not concentrate on making a rock-solid phone with super long battery life, superior voice quality, and can hold a signal in an elevator or sub-basement?
Why not do BOTH. A decent camera, decent music player AND it being a good phone don't have to be mutually exclusive.
Camera phones are great, oldones arent, but new ones with 3MP or more are brilliant. I cant see how the voice quality can get any better - mines perfect on phonesive used - and the signal is great too. This is in the UK. I know the US has piss poor mobiles...
edit: BTW - 2MP is a year or two old, they need 3mp at least in the iPhone.
my d900 (3MP) still takes piss poor pictures.....
Why not do BOTH. A decent camera, decent music player AND it being a good phone don't have to be mutually exclusive.
Well so far cell phone manufacturers have managed to get at most two of these things right. If Apple gets all three right I'll get one. If they don't get the camera right... I don't care. I'd rather stick to my Nikon D200 anyways instead of shooting crappy sub par cell phone pictures.