Apple Working on Cheaper, Smaller iPhone and MobileMe Overhaul
Old iPhone Nano concept design
The Wall Street Journal seems to confirm an earlier Bloomberg report that Apple is working on a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone due this summer:
One of the people, who saw a prototype of a new iPhone several months ago, said the new device is intended to be sold alongside the current line of iPhones and would be about half the size of the iPhone 4. The phone, one of its codenames is N97, would be available to mobile carriers at about half the price of Apple's main line of iPhones, the person said.
The previous Bloomberg report claimed the price of the smaller iPhone would be $200 without contract, opening the door to the phone possibly being discounted to free with contract. The iPhone Nano rumor has been circulating for years with various case designs and enclosures suggesting at least prototype work had been done on it over the years.Next, The Wall Street Journal claims that Apple is also working to revamp its MobileMe service. Apple is reportedly considering making MobileMe a free service. The new free service could serve as a digital "locker" for photos and video, or become the focal point for online music.
Both the new smaller iPhone and revamped MobileMe service are expected this summer.
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Right now I don't even use my MobileMe email because Gmail is free and I don't want to get tied down with Me.com address just in case I don't feel like renewing.
Next, The Wall Street Journal claims that Apple is also working to revamp its MobileMe service. Apple is reportedly considering making MobileMe a free service. The new free service could serve as a digital "locker" for photos and video, or become the focal point for online music.
I hope the dumb schmucks like myself who paid up can get a pro rata refund :'(.
I still find this (old) rumor a little hard to believe. But, with retina-class displays, they can fit more pixels into smaller screens.
I find it hard to believe as well. One thing that I think is that if there is in fact a smaller iPhone, that that iPhone would not have some of the features that the current iPhone 4 and future iphone 5 have. Perhaps no facetime?
The thing is, it seems Apple usually makes their older iphone cheaper, based on what they did with the iPhone 3Gs. So, if they continue that trend, the iPhone 4 should become $99. If that is the case, why would they make a smaller iPhone?
Who thinks iPhone V sounds good? I do.
I still find this (old) rumor a little hard to believe. But, with retina-class displays, they can fit more pixels into smaller screens.
Why? Makes sense in this stage of the product cycle. The iPhone as a product line is already 4 years old. Smartphone sales are still a fraction of overall mobile phone sales. There's clearly a lot of untapped revenues for smartphones. An "iPhone nano" could reel in people with its lower pricepoint and more compact design. That's probably also what HP is trying to do with its new Veer.
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