More iPhone Details?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret is chiming in on the recent flurry of iPhone rumors and speculation, stating that the rumored device will be a GSM/EDGE only device. While this information contrasts with a recent rumor put forth by Kevin Rose on popular tech podcast Diggnation, it does seem to lie more in line with Apple's hiring practices. Apple has been known to have been courting EDGE engineers, but we aren't currently aware of Apple courting CDMA engineers.

However, ThinkSecret claims that Apple is still courting multiple GSM wireless carriers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Apple is also said to be asking for carriers to NOT subsidize the price of the phone. GSM carriers in North America include Cingular and T-Mobile.

A release date for the phone is still said to be somewhat variable.

Meanwhile, it is growing increasingly unlikely that Apple will be ready to ship the iPhone at or around Macworld Expo San Francisco in January, despite word that some suppliers have already started delivering components for the iPhone to manufacturing. Some sources have also gone so far as to suggest that even an announcement may elude Expo, especially if it appears the phone will not be available in sufficient quantities until the second quarter. It should be noted that announcement and release dates are frequently subject to change, however, and neither is locked in at this point.

 

[Motley]

Ah I love rumors. Announcement on Monday, no announcement at the expo in January, does it even exist!

The only reason I look forward to an apple phone would be a good user interface and non crippled easy to use features.

 

[MacinDoc]

This from ThinkSecret, so it must be true - NOT!

 

[drewpage]

Do I care?

In a word, no. I just bought a Sony W310i Walkman phone and it works great for music, with its 1 GB Memory Stick Micro. It even works with my mac. I just plug it in and drag MP3s to it in Finder. I find it hard to believe people will pay $300-600 for an Apple iPhone WITH a plan. Apple is asking too much for the carriers not to subsidize it. I believe Steve Jobs has finally fallen off his rocker.

 

[MattyMac]

Ah I love rumors. Announcement on Monday, no announcement at the expo in January, does it even exist!

The only reason I look forward to an apple phone would be a good user interface and non crippled easy to use features.

Ahhh I love the Rumors too!

 

[Le Big Mac]

I love the idea of not subsidizing the phone . . .

I assume that means that Apple doesn't want to let any carrier "customize" the interface to that carrier. At that point, why not just sell it in the Apple store and tell people it's unlocked and all they need is their current SIM card?

 

[ricksbrain]

MacDailyNews has some info about Skyworks and Broadcom. Here's a potentially related article...

http://www.govtech.net/digitalcommunities/story.php?id=101228

 

[MacBoobsPro]

I love the idea of not subsidizing the phone . . .

I assume that means that Apple doesn't want to let any carrier "customize" the interface to that carrier. At that point, why not just sell it in the Apple store and tell people it's unlocked and all they need is their current SIM card?

Thats what i want to hear

Apple have total control over the phone and it is open to anyone to use it.

You could even get a new phone on contract for free from say T-Mobile stick the sim card in the iPhone and sell the brand new phone from T-Mobile. Therefore 'subsidising' the fone without penalty to anyone but the makers of crap phones

 

[longofest]

Despite ThinkSecret's recent track record, this is actually one of the more well-rounded rumors that has come out. As much as I'd like there to be a CDMA version (since I'm a Verizon customer), there simply isn't any evidence that Apple has the manpower to engineer such a phone, so rumors that state that it would work as a CDMA phone are a little bit more iffy than rumors that state GSM-only.

 

[emotion]

Apple is also said to be asking for carriers to NOT subsidize the price of the phone.

This makes sense only if the device is affordable (I mean ipod affordable, not phone affordable as most people see this as free->50 quid). From all accounts the hardware spec is fairly modest (no 3G, no HSDPA data access, low pixel count camera), and Apple seem to be in the process of making millions of these things. All consistent with low-cost.

I think it's possible they'll sell this stand alone (unlocked and unsubsidized).

And if some of you people don't care why the hell would you read a link to this on a rumour site? Baffling.

 

[PODshady]

I will gladly wait 50 years for this phone to be released... knowing Apple it is going to be that good

 

[joshysquashy]

When I renewed my contract, I chose to keep my Razr V3 as it still worked and there were no better phones on the market, even 2 years after it was created!

O2 UK offered me £100 credit on my contract instead of a new phone, this could work for Apple:

Buy phone from apple store or a network, it costs say £150 or something. You choose a tariff and get given £100 credit on a low monthly tariff or £150 credit on a top of the range tariff. Therefore, you pay upfront for the device, but get the money back over the next few months.

What do you think? Apple's style is not pay monthly, its pay as you go, but pay monthly tends to end up better value.

 

[danman]

Forcing a network not to subsidise is insanity - here in the UK especially, we sign contracts for 12 to 18 months specifically to cover the cost of the phone, the price of which varies from nothing to perhaps £100 - ie mostly very little, and that is what we expect.

I'm assuming the Apple phone will be a design and usability revelation (hey, it's theirs to f**k up init), but would not be happy paying £250 for it where normally I would pay little or nothing.

 

[emotion]

Forcing a network not to subsidise is insanity - here in the UK especially, we sign contracts for 12 to 18 months specifically to cover the cost of the phone, the price of which varies from nothing to perhaps £100 - ie mostly very little, and that is what we expect.

I'm assuming the Apple phone will be a design and usability revelation (hey, it's theirs to f**k up init), but would not be happy paying £250 for it where normally I would pay little or nothing.

I hear what you're saying (and a lot of the US folk on here don't understand how phones are outside the US) but how much did you pay for your iPod?

Do you not think that 70 quid over the price of a 8GB nano is worth it for phone functionality too?

Convincing people to buy at that price who see the price of an se k800i as free might be tricky though.

 

[failsafe1]

Man I love a nice cell phone. I enjoy an unlocked GSM quad band that I can pop sim cards in from telestial and hit the road. But I can't justify the high price tag Apple may be asking if the price rumors turn out to be true. Here's to a fun Monday!!

 

[chabig]

...but we aren't currently aware of Apple courting CDMA (Verizon) or PCS (Sprint) engineers.

PCS is not a phone technology. There are no "PCS" engineers. Sprint's network is based on CDMA.

 

[dan-o-mac]

In a word, no. I just bought a Sony W310i Walkman phone and it works great for music, with its 1 GB Memory Stick Micro. It even works with my mac. I just plug it in and drag MP3s to it in Finder. I find it hard to believe people will pay $300-600 for an Apple iPhone WITH a plan. Apple is asking too much for the carriers not to subsidize it. I believe Steve Jobs has finally fallen off his rocker.

You should give this script a shot, it might be a better solution than dragging and dropping mp3's.

http://helmen.blogspot.com/2005/12/k750i-itunemywalkman.html

 

[Hattig]

Apple is also said to be asking for carriers to NOT subsidize the price of the phone.

Well that's all good for Apple, but I know that if I'm faced with a £30/month tariff with a subsidised phone from Nokia, etc, or the same £30/month tariff with a full priced Apple phone (of roughly equal specifications) I will be getting the subsidised phone.

I find it highly unlikely that the phone companies would reduce the price of the tariff to compensate for not subsidising the phone.

 

[Maestro64]

However, ThinkSecret claims that Apple is still courting multiple GSM wireless carriers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Apple is also said to be asking for carriers to NOT subsidize the price of the phone. GSM carriers in North America include Cingular and T-Mobile.

A release date for the phone is still said to be somewhat variable.

This make sense, if the phone company subsidizes the phone they could get too much volumn on the phone and not allow Apple to ease into to the market and see what if any problems exist. This fits with what I have said before, if Apple does have a phone they will slow roll it out to the market. With the other rumor of a high price point will limit the number of phones allowing Apple to collect some important information before going full production.

This said only the die hards apple people with money will buy and provide apple with some initial data on how it performing.

 

[Manatee]

I wish they'd just sell the thing unlocked. I hate that whole business with a perfectly good phone only being available through one carrier.

 

[emotion]

This said only the die hards apple people with money will buy and provide apple with some initial data on how it performing.

Are there 12 million of those people as per rumours?

I wish they'd just sell the thing unlocked. I hate that whole business with a perfectly good phone only being available through one carrier.

I want it to cost the same as a k800i. ie. 25 quid a month and free. How likely this is is another thing but that is what Apple are competing with.

 

[Maestro64]

PCS is not a phone technology. There are no "PCS" engineers. Sprint's network is based on CDMA.

There are PCS engineers, Motorola has a whole group of them in San Deigo.

Are there 12 million of those people as per rumours?

Not 12 million at a price point of $600, my guess is they would sell about million in the first six months, and then come out with gen 2 and lower price and begin shipping more. Look at the Trio as an example. Palm had large numbers of faithfuls and the Trio slowly ramped up and the price dropped over time.

As we all know most people do not buy there cell phones they try and get them free if they can and will not replace them until the contract is up. You have to ask yourself how many people are coming off contract in the next 6 months who are willing to pay big$ to replace their phone or just will replace the phone becuase it is Apple.

 

[emotion]

Not 12 million at a price point of $600, my guess is they would sell about million in the first six months, and then come out with gen 2 and lower price and begin shipping more. Look at the Trio as an example. Palm had large numbers of faithfuls and the Trio slowly ramped up and the price dropped over time.

As we all know most people do not buy there cell phones they try and get them free if they can and will not replace them until the contract is up. You have to ask yourself how many people are coming off contract in the next 6 months who are willing to pay big$ to replace their phone or just will replace the phone becuase it is Apple.

Plausible. I dunno though Apple's move into this market is so they don't get left behind by the competition (Nokia/SE etc). At that slow pace they'll still miss out on the market share they need. ipod sales will dwindle as people want pmp devices with communication abilities and apple's market share falls below what it has today.

How close I am with any of that is debatable but Apple must be viewing things in that way. This market is about to become fiercely competitive and it needs a bold move by Apple to gain the upper hand.

 

[DVK916]

Horrible news, no CDMA support . I won't be getting an iphone for sure now. FYI no 3G support means this phone will be crap for web browsing.

 

[emotion]

Horrible news, no CDMA support . I won't be getting an iphone for sure now. FYI no 3G support means this phone will be crap for web browsing.

Don't worry this isn't news, just another rumour (Think Secret at that).