iPhone Nano rumors surface once again
With less than a month to go before Macworld, the rumors have started, and they sound familiar.
The possibility of an iPhone Nano has once again been served up for mass consumption by the Apple rumor mill, this time courtesy of a Web site called iDealsChina. The site claims that Apple accessory maker XSKN has been developing a case for a new version of the iPhone that is shorter and thicker than the iPhone 3G and that will be announced at Macworld in January.
MacRumors.com, which attempts to handicap the Apple rumor industry, notes that iDealsChina "has a very mixed track record" when it comes to reading the Apple tea leaves. The site did publish photos of case designs for what became the iPhone 3G, but incorrectly predicted that the second-generation iPod Touch would have GPS.
iPhone Nano rumors date back to the launch of the original iPhone, when a financial analyst predicted that Apple would have a slimmed-down version of the iPhone out for the 2007 holiday season. That obviously didn't happen, and other reports this summer and more recent speculation about a $99 4GB iPhone to be sold at Wal-Mart have kept the rumor alive.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 





What I can expect from the iPhone in the future is the following:
- Increase in storage capacity
- More open access to the App Store for third party developers (no banning of specific applications)
- Lower price
Speaking of price, Apple needs to talk to the carrier in Jamaica W.I. for the iPhone (CLARO), they are overcharging for it on their network. The phone cost JA $70,000 (US $909) plus a JA $10,000 (US $129) minimum plan.
For a developing country that is just ridiculous. US $1 equals JA $77. They need to look at market economics, the iPhone will never catch on at that ridiculous price, its more expensive than the Blackberry bold which retails for JA $47,000. The iPhone is a consumer smart phone/device, how can they be selling it for more than a enterprise class device?
Apple, you need to better regulate your products. When I saw the price, I said to myself, I will gladly stick with my Motorola E398.
The aspect of a cheaper iPhone nano is not so unreasonable to me; not everyone wants (or can afford) a full data plan every month. If Apple delivers on a convergent device that has basic phone capability plus some of the sweetness of the the App store on top of nano-like media operations, I'd wager that it would make the iPhone properties even STRONGER, especially for younger tykes that the average Mom and Dad would normally gag at the hefty monthly rates associated with the current iPhone.
Even on handheld products the size of the screen is important in seeing details, text, and so forth.
Screens don't come at a 1024i resolution...
If you compare the current smartphones (Windows Mobile) with 240x320 display?s to PPC device with larger displays and the same resolution 240x320, you?ll notice the huge difference in quality pixel packing enables.. so if Apple manages to keep the same res (320x480) in a smaller form factor the screen will look much better.
nb. Apple could easily pull this off as theirs many higher res 480 x 640 small screen (by Samsung, LG .etc) devices in Japan.
nb2. In reply to the 50" LCD remark. The quality of any display is not dependent on the resolution alone, but also the density (refresh rate .etc) of those pixels. So a large 10 foot screen with 1080p wont be as good as a 1080p pixel packed screen..
.
...in futility maybe.
I got the iPhone 3g and I have to say that if anything was smaller, a stylus would become required. Screen size isn't just about looks when it comes to touch screens...
Maybe apple is trying to get people to buy their kids with small hands an iphone (I doubt it.)
I could imagine the market for a nano - you could also go bigger and you have an ebook reader.
A nano doesn't make much sense. Visually too much would break and the usability would degrade significantly. It'd be more prone to pushing the wrong button, etc. Only way it'd be remotely possible is with a stylus or a clickable screen (like the storm) where you can see what you have highlighted before you click.
Break the Wedge!
www.breakthewedge.com
Now as far as how this COULD work... Apple could keep all of the buttons the same size and simply lessen the amount that are on the screen/page. ie. instead of a 16 squares maybe there's... 9
How would this effect other aspects of the device (like dialing and typing)? Well... for those with an iphone... go ahead and punch up the dial pad or keyboard and ask yourself if it's theoretically possible to condense things into a smaller screen. Before the iphone, we were all cramming our digits into increasingly smaller devices... so it's not outside the realm of possibility. The dialpad on the iphone is amongst the largest.. if not THE largest EVER on a phone. I mean hell.. it's about the size of a landline phone circa 1985 so don't compare it to that.
In short... I think it's doable and wouldn't be nearly as hard to use as people seem to think. But would/will they make it? Doubt it... Where's the market? Are people really clammoring for a smaller iphone? If they are I'm not hearing it. For a phone with so much to offer... it's ideal to have a pretty decent sized screen and what not.
But alas... this has been Apple's model for years so it wouldn't be too surprising. Look at the ipod and the various versions that followed.
- by NorthernSun December 16, 2008 3:00 AM PST
- I want the iPhone to get a better screen for typing. The landscape keyboard is ok, but the portrait view texting keyboard isn't good because I have really big thumbs...
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