Apple to Add Micro Projectors to iPhone and iPod Touch?

[mjtomlin]

Gimmick

Move along people. Nothing more to see here.

 

[NT1440]

God I hope not. I really really hope not .

 

[DoNoHarm]

guys this is not going to happen yet. The technology is not mature enough. I know because I'm involved in this business.

 

[DoNoHarm]

the technology involves using a glass diffractive optical element instead of lenses. currently they cannot manufacture them cheap enough to make this work.

 

[Consultant]

...Written by someone who doesn't understand Apple or the level of quality of these micro projectors. Tiny projectors have a useless 10 or 20 lumens and a very small projection area. No way Apple would spare precious space inside the iPhone for this highly unnecessary poorly functioning feature less than half of their customers would ever have an interest in.

Exactly. They are just name dropping without doing any market research.

 

[Thex1138]

3,1 iPhone 4G

But when you look and read the patent... there's no notion of image projection...
If iPhone 3,1 or iProd or that other identified tag in the OS surfaces... it might be a completely new 3rd generation of phone...but...

There's one more thing...

Battery Life sux!

Either way I am happy

 

[sammich]

We're all missing the point that Apple never jumps too far ahead on technology. Something as gimmicky as a mini projector would never make it into an Apple product.

 

[Robbadore64]

Why?

 

[techfreak85]

that would be so cool.
/drool

 

[peterdevries]

We're all

We're all? Haven't you read any posts above yours? I see very little people here believing this rumor.

 

[juststranded]

Why isn't this a page 2 rumor?

No. Simply no.

MAYBE they'll release a bluetooth or wifi "pocket" projector where you can use the iphone as a content source and remote. I seriously doubt it though. I don't really have to explain. Just look at Apple's product line. Past and present. This just isn't true.

(and then in September they'll release it and I'll feel like an idiot)

 

[donotswallow]

I bet it's related to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ-VjUKAsao

 

[InTheUnion]

iProd - jector

Maybe it'd be something that connects to iTunes, like an iPod for movies.

 

[imwoblin]

...Written by someone who doesn't understand Apple or the level of quality of these micro projectors. Tiny projectors have a useless 10 or 20 lumens and a very small projection area. No way Apple would spare precious space inside the iPhone for this highly unnecessary poorly functioning feature less than half of their customers would ever have an interest in.

The key word here is "devices". I've demoed Pico projectors and they are indeed very cool, given a light controlled room. I can see this as an add-on device to the iPhone/iTouch and or most likely built in to the high end Pro notebooks.

 

[tjcampbell]

Sweet. Sold. Can I buy it now please?

 

[chaosbringer]

It would be cool, projecting something on a wall or a blank space in order to watch a movie, tv show, podcast,... but... will it fit the current iphone size? and most importantly, BATTERY, i imagine that thing sucking up juice like there was no tomorrow

 

[peterdevries]

or most likely built in to the high end Pro notebooks.

I don't even see this happening. I give presentations regularly and very rarely do I get to sit or put my laptop opposite of the screen. This would just not be very convenient to use in a business setting.

It makes sense that these pico projectors are stand alone devices. I cannot see Apple stepping into this business or putting it into their devices.

If they do, than I will eat my words, shoes and hat (I don't own a hat, but I would buy one to eat it..) and put it on Youtube.

 

[Philoman]

Looks like there is already that you can connect to devices.

Now if Apple can make one that really works and looks neat that would be cool.

This banner was on the footer of this forum.

http://www.aaxatech.com/products/kp190.htm?gclid=CMr6hPWpwZsCFSMSagod0m9BAg

 

[MiRAGe]

This of course will not make it into the next iPhone / iPod touch (as common sense dictates) ..

However there will most likely be a phone one day that will be presented with great pride, all of its features work smoothly, it really has the 'wow' factor.

Until, at the day of the release, they forgot to put a 'call'-functionality in there. I promise, this sounds strange right now but it WILL happen!! It's kindda like how they 'forgot' to put copy/paste functionality in the iPhone.

 

[Ntombi]

it seems something that would make more sense as an accessory, rather than a built in feature.

Agreed. I don't buy it either.

 

[4np]

Interesting development and definately useful as well. If this is indeed going to happen I can foresee and Keynote application to project a keynote / powerpoint presentation so you can have presentations on the go. Also, projecting your photographs and videos seems like an ideal feature. Of course projecting a movie might be cool as well

Some people here say it should be optional, but I'm sure this does fit in the 'one in all device' the iPhone definately is going to be.... I hope it does indeed happen this year, but it could very well be the case as the 3Gs is not a very dramatic improvement hardware wise. They could have already spent much of their R&D time into incorporating a micro projector...

I wonder when the software references to the micro projectors will pop up

BS apple would never do this unless the technology allows it to be as small as the current camera.

What makes you think it won't be as small? The fact that you don't yet see these small projectors doesn't mean they aren't there

 

[Tilpots]

Looking forward to it. This could be really cool. No omore crowding round or passing round the phone. Just beam the image onto something. Many possible uses for business or pleasure.

Love how people here routinely don't want new features. Sounds like the people who didn't want the iPhone to get a GPS. Kills the battery... Takes up too much space... Technology isn't there yet... Blah, blah, blah. Progress. Who needs it?

 

[nagromme]

Very cool! But not widely useful enough to add much bulk/cost.

So I say, add it after micro-projectors reach a second generation, and everything's that much smaller and cheaper!

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

This could be Apples attempt/chance to take a huge chunk of the BB business population.

 

[iMacmatician]

Looking forward to it. This could be really cool. No omore crowding round or passing round the phone. Just beam the image onto something. Many possible uses for business or pleasure.

Definitely. Even better if it came onto the notebooks too.

Love how people here routinely don't want new features. Sounds like the people who didn't want the iPhone to get a GPS. Kills the battery... Takes up too much space... Technology isn't there yet... Blah, blah, blah. Progress. Who needs it?

Haha yeah. I'm sure there are many other examples.