iCell in the Works? 271
SirWraith writes "Ars Technica is running a story speculating on the possibility of an Apple cellphone." From the article: "At last week's CES, Motorola officially dumped Apple with its new ROKR E2 phone and its new iRadio digital music service. ... After the ROKR's lackluster launch, speculation abounded that Apple was saving the 'good' iTunes phone for itself, and the new 'Mobile Me' trademark lends credence to that line of thinking. At this stage of the game, it looks like Apple is moving in the direction of launching its own cellular service complete with its own lineup of phones (or phone, as the case may be)."
This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:5, Interesting)
Which would you rather have? An iPod, or a phone with an iPod built in? If Apple doesn't capitalise on the current media and consumer 'love' for iPods, then the plethora of other devices with similar or superior function will destroy Apples market (and it's only so long before flash storage becomes comperable in capacity to drive based iPods.)
Apple could quite easily pull off a 'one phone' network not because it was technically superior or cheaper than other networks/handsets, but because Apple would do what Apple does best, give it a slick UI/customer experience and use their flair at advertising to buy the market.
Ironically ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Either way, I'll follow suit and ask how much longer will it be until the iPod is your computer, media player, internet access, cell phone, credit card, personal identification, financial recorder/advisor, taser, keyless entry and pace maker?
missing 1Gb shuffle? (Score:0, Interesting)
Tiger Can Rotate the Screen As Well (Score:4, Interesting)
Off hand I don't remember how to force it to do so, but Tiger does have this feature. Combined with the new trademark, we may see an Apple PDA and/or Tablet sometime this year.
Bad Motorola Breakup? (Score:2, Interesting)
I wonder of this is business or tit for tat type of thing.
Apple Patent (Score:5, Interesting)
Amongst the uses they include mobile phones.
Also can someone stop beating this rumour to death. They'll release it when they figure out a cool name for the product iCell just sounds lame, especially with the supersecret spreadsheet applications "Cells" (amongst a host of other rumours.) With the latest Apple nomenclature, it'd probable be MacPhone.
Apple will simply buy a network (Score:4, Interesting)
Possible Look of iPhone (Score:5, Interesting)
Apple products in his spare time:
http://www.applele.com/index.html [applele.com]
http://www.applele.com/pictures.html [applele.com]
I personally favor this iPhone design:
http://www.applele.com/pict_04hipod_r02.html [applele.com]
Almost better than the real thing!
Re:This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:5, Interesting)
After I got a phone that had one, I started to think what it would be good for. I figured it was a comfort to have it in the case of an accident.
Sure enough, I got into a small fender-bender in a parking lot. It was completely the other person's fault (they backed into me), but they later tried to blame me! Luckily, after it happened, I snapped some pics on my phone and sent them to my insurance company and theirs.
The photos show clearly where my car was and where their car was. My insurance company didn't pay a dime. I received a check from theirs.
So I don't think convergence in this respect is a bad thing.
Can they add a phone without clunking up (Score:4, Interesting)
A suggestion (Score:2, Interesting)
That way Apple will have internet access which they could use for downloading music/video, web-surfing etc.
In a few years, when Wi-Fi is as wide-spread as the cellphone networks are, they can easily convert the iPod to a VoIP phone. All you need is to add a mic and a speaker (or just use head-phones with an attached mic). They could even keep their wheel thingie, and just put numbers around it.
That enables Apple to control their own VoIP network and circumvent the cellphone service providers. Plus they won't need to go through the hassle of incorporating GSM (or whatever) technology into the iPod.
Cell or VOIP? (Score:5, Interesting)
A conventional cellphone means that Apple would have to kowtow to all the carriers and their phone would be just one phone among a plethora of other, well-established outfits (Nokia, Moto, Samsung, whoever).
But a VOIP phone using wifi would enable Apple to sidestep being just another player and control the whole thing all the way down the line. Of course there is the minor problem of establishing a huge wifi network, but maybe this is where Google and friends come in, and anyway didn't someone say this is all wild, wild speculation?
Can't recall where I read this. Mabye yesterday on Slashdot
Re:This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:1, Interesting)
Is hardware the answer? (Score:3, Interesting)
Or is that what the Xbox is?
Re:This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:3, Interesting)
If for example you have two phones with identical form factors, except that one has a 60gb music library in it (for the same price), would you honestly prefer to still get the phone without the music, and buy a seperate device with a 60gb music library. This isn't an Ad Hominem, I'm just curious, because I don't understand your point of view.
Re:Not Really Apple's Business (Score:3, Interesting)
Or rather, they don't set thier collective minds and resources to it unless they think they can come up with a winner.
Re:This wouldn't surprise me.... (Score:3, Interesting)
That's a good argument for integration right there... an incoming call should simply be taken through the headphones.
IPods and phones are really so similar... they're both little devices for listening... only difference is phone can transmit.