DailyTech - Apple "iPhone" Definitely on the Way

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Gadgets Apple "iPhone" Definitely on the Way
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - July 26, 2006 10:21 AM

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28 comment(s) - last by MobileZone.. on Jul 28 at 7:27 AM

More product excitement in the Apple pipeline

During Apple's most recent financial conference call, the company's chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer made a statement suggesting that Apple is definitely working portable music player with communication capabilities. Over the past several months, speculation accumulated on Apple's development in the mobile space, specifically developments in communications.

In response to a question about competition with Sony's Walkman mobile phones, Oppenheimer said "as regards to cell phones, we do not think that the phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is. But over time, that is likely to change, and we are not sitting around doing nothing."

While Apple has had a good deal of success with its iPod, competition is rising in the portable music space. Mobile phone manufacturers are introducing new phones almost on a daily basis, and most recent phones have MP3 playback capabilities. Nokia's N91 for example contains 4GB of built in storage capacity.

Oppenheimer concluded the topic on the mobile phone market by saying "we are very confident in our ability to compete in the marketplace, and we are very excited about what we have in the product pipeline. You know that I cannot comment on that." Apple is the owner of iphone.org.

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hmm

By ksherman on 7/26/2006 10:40:00 AM , Rating: 1

I could imagine a MotoQ/Treo/Blackberry looking device that has a 40 or 80GB HD in it. maybe even the same size as the current gen iPods

RE: hmm

By fbrdphreak on 7/26/2006 11:03:22 AM , Rating: 2

Who needs that much MP3 storage on a [i]phone[/i]?

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RE: hmm

By ksherman on 7/26/2006 11:11:56 AM , Rating: 2

Well, I think from Apples point of view, they are trying to merge the phone and the ipod together, so we dont have to carry around multiple devices. So i could envision them making something similar sized to the current iPod, but adding phone functionality. I say 40/80GB because other rumors going around reveal that Apple has been stocking up on 40/80GB HDs.

One the other hand, maybe they will make something more nano-esque, where it is very small and thin with prolly 4-8GB of Flash storage. Other rumors also point to the nano recieving some type of aluminum enclosure, similar to the old minis, which would also be great for a phone.

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RE: hmm

By EarthsDM on 7/26/2006 11:56:56 AM , Rating: 3

Size reduction would be nice. I already have an iPod video and a cell phone that share a pocket, I'd like to consolidate that, esp. if I start using my PDA. Funny story about that though: When I had my old, bullet-shaped V70 or whatever from Motorola, and this big case for my old iPod, they lined up in these deep-pocket pants I was wearing. I didn't realize it until I noticed this girl staring at me in a book store. I looked down and was shocked to see what looked like 12" of wood trying to rip its way out of my jeans. I took out my cell at that point because I was getting a call. She looked really disappointed, lol.

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RE: hmm

By TheDoc9 on 7/26/2006 2:27:52 PM , Rating: 2

I disagree, don't think they'll be putting a hd in a phone. way too many issues.

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RE: hmm

By tuteja1986 on 7/26/2006 9:45:49 PM , Rating: 2

I wouldn't buy that phone.

Apple : "We welcome slavery , Look at our Production faculty , we keep em in the house and make em work like dog , pay em crap and don’t give em sick leave and beat em up when they want to leave"

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RE: hmm

By Hare on 7/27/2006 2:59:49 AM , Rating: 2

Samsung already did that and the model has sold well. Why not? What I'm quessing is that they will use flash (4-8GB).

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no phone

By Alphafox78 on 7/26/2006 10:42:14 AM , Rating: 2

Didnt they say before they were staying out of the phone market?

RE: no phone

By kelmon on 7/26/2006 11:10:55 AM , Rating: 2

Apple also said that they weren't interested in doing video on an iPod. Go figure.

If people demand it then it will likely be made, within reason.

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RE: no phone

By retrospooty on 7/26/2006 1:25:37 PM , Rating: 5

Apple says alot of crap.

1. Our computers are faster than PC's
2. Our computers are more stable than PC's
3. Power PC is 4x faster than Intel processers.
4. We will not make a phone
5. Steve Jobs is a stable human

All of the above is PR poop.

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RE: no phone

By Garreye on 7/27/2006 4:46:53 PM , Rating: 2

#5 is great! lol!

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Whatever

By abakshi on 7/26/2006 1:22:39 PM , Rating: 2

Honestly, who cares what Apple does to make an iPhone? What can they put in a phone that no one else already has, besides the white-case, all-the-idiots-on-earth-have-to-get-one Apple look?

The sleek design aspect goes to things such as Motorola's lineup, from the Razr to the Q, and functionality-wise, nothing beats PDA/phones like Windows Mobile-based units.

It's so funny how friends sometimes used to show me they brand new iPod video with its *huge* screen (lol), and their Razr that can do all this stuff, with a camera, bluetooth, etc. Then I'd just pop out my Windows Mobile phone that does video better than the iPod, phone better than the Razr, and so much more, all in one device :)

RE: Whatever

By marvdmartian on 7/26/2006 2:20:45 PM , Rating: 2

Yep, I just have to say, every time I hear that Apple is coming out with some new whammy-dammy gadget that everyone will have to have (to stay uber-cool, of course!), that it's time for me to pull out my iDon'tCare device!

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RE: Whatever

By sprockkets on 7/26/2006 11:41:00 PM , Rating: 1

Let me know when the last time you had to soft reset your Razr, or hard reset it to get it to ring again or other crap, mr Windows Mobile 5 is soooooo great

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RE: Whatever

By abakshi on 7/26/2006 11:45:18 PM , Rating: 2

Tell me the last time you were playing Doom and other 3D games, or playing a full-length movie, on your Razr while simultaneously downloading MP3s, and receiving calls and text messages.

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RE: Whatever

By lewisc on 7/27/2006 8:52:30 AM , Rating: 2

...or the last time anyone managed to pick up and actually used a razr without first having to read the manual cover to cover. Motorola's OS is so poor its laughable. Has anyone looked at just how rubbish the PEBL is?

I saw an advert for the PEBL the other day actually, one where they show it skipping over water, showing how *cough* naturally formed it is. Then I notied a little message at the bottom 'The PEBL is not waterproof'. I had images of people trying to skim their phone at the beach and ending up with something marginally less useful that it was in the first place!

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Good luck Apple

By Griswold on 7/26/2006 12:38:59 PM , Rating: 2

You'll need it. Competition will be truly fierce and failure could be the result.

Will be interesting to see how they re-invent the wheel and sell it as new.

RE: Good luck Apple

By retrospooty on 7/26/2006 2:27:26 PM , Rating: 4

Thats easy for Apple.

They will just claim it is 4x faster, and far more reliable and easier to use than the competition is, without any accurate data to back it up. Straight up lying is a marketing scheme that has worked wonders for them in the past.

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RE: Good luck Apple

By TheDoc9 on 7/26/2006 2:30:56 PM , Rating: 2

lol! This is true, but you have to remimber that since their so desperate to catch up to their rival microsuck, they've been backed into a corner and will say or do anything.

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Apple is the owner of iphone.org???

By Patsoe on 7/27/2006 4:00:43 AM , Rating: 2

Does anyone else think it's funny for a company like Apple to use a .org-domain?

RE: Apple is the owner of iphone.org???

By TomZ on 7/27/2006 8:50:06 AM , Rating: 2

It's not funny, it's wrong. That domain should only be used for non-profits. Maybe they are planning to trademark the name, so they "reserved" it so that others don't use it for some dubious purpose.

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RE: Apple is the owner of iphone.org???

By INeedCache on 7/27/2006 9:34:56 AM , Rating: 2

Maybe they think the .org stands for something else.

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RE: Apple is the owner of iphone.org???

By Garreye on 7/27/2006 4:50:40 PM , Rating: 2

ya they think people are going to .orgasm when they see the iPod phone on store shelves...

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Who cares?

By Shadowself on 7/26/2006 11:04:17 AM , Rating: 2

I have heard this rumor for so long I've stopped caring if Apple ever brings out an "iPhone".

At first I cared -- not because I wanted one, but because I figured it could push the other players (Moto, Nokia, etc.) into making better phones.

Now I've grown so tired of hearing of an Apple "iPhone" that I just don't care anymore.

RE: Who cares?

By kelmon on 7/26/2006 11:13:31 AM , Rating: 2

I sort of care as at some point I'll be in the market for a new phone (mine is pretty ancient with no toys) and one that plays nicely with the Mac and allows me to play music from my iTunes collection would be pretty cool. I'm not exactly waiting around for the mythical device but I'll certainly be interested in it when it is finally released, if only to see whether it has been worth the wait.

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streaming

By margon on 7/27/2006 5:36:30 PM , Rating: 2

I think that instead of a brick sized 60GB iPod phone, I'd prefer a phone with 3G connectivity that can stream internet radio or video and then just some modest amount of flash storage for mp3 to keep the form factor reasonable.

RE: streaming

By MobileZone on 7/28/2006 7:27:44 AM , Rating: 2

Nothing beats the miles-ahead Sony Ericsson phone line. I would buy one iPhone just to make my pocket warmer in the winter.

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iPhone

By R Nilla on 7/26/2006 12:06:38 PM , Rating: 2

I'm envisioning an all white phone that looks just like an iPod and still only has the thumbwheel - no keypad. It will function like a Nokia 7380 with Navi™ Spinner.

Also available in black.

- R. Nilla