Is this the year of the iPhone nano (or mini)?

[BaldiMac]

The iPod mini was released about 2.5 years after the original iPod. We are approaching the end of year 3 of the iPhone. It may be the time that Apple expands the product line.

I think a smaller, multitouch iPhone with no 3G data or 3rd party apps would be a possibility. Just basic contacts, calendar, and music syncing. Wifi would be great for over the air syncing, but might not be likely without a browser to login to public hotspots.

4Gb version free with 2 year contract
8Gb version $79 with 2 year contract

I think it would be a perfect companion to a 3G iPad, since it would eliminate a lot of duplicate functionality and monthly service fees.

 

[Small White Car]

Is this the year of the iPhone nano (or mini)?

Would Apple make any money doing this? No.
Will Apple do this? No.

 

[BaldiMac]

Would Apple make any money doing this? No.
Will Apple do this? No.

Why wouldn't they make any money?

The 16 Gb iPhone 3GS has an estimated bill of materials of around $200. If Apple could get the costs under $100 with less memory, smaller display, no 3G, less powerful processor, etc., they would have very healthy margins with even a $150 subsidy.

 

[ajones46]

I think a smaller, multitouch iPhone with no 3G data or 3rd party apps would be a possibility.

WHAT?! NO APPS!? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of their whole advertising campaign?

I don't see why they wouldn't make one. It could work, (heck I'd even get one so I wouldn't have to pay for data) and because just about everything Apple makes turns to gold, but I just don't think Apple would make an iPhone nano.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I was wondering when somebody was going go resurrect this idea.

You can hope and speculate all day but it's probably not going to happen.

 

[acfusion29]

Why wouldn't they make any money?

The 16 Gb iPhone 3GS has an estimated bill of materials of around $200. If Apple could get the costs under $100 with less memory, smaller display, no 3G, less powerful processor, etc., they would have very healthy margins with even a $150 subsidy.

mhmm... and how do you plan on typing on this smaller display, or even better... marketing such a device?

there will be no iPhone nano, EVER.

 

[Ab10la]

op why would a company that makes smart phones suddenly make a dumb phone. The dumb phone is already saturated. Who would buy this phone?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

mhmm... and how do you plan on typing on this smaller display, or even better... marketing such a device?

there will be no iPhone nano, EVER.

I might like to add over the past few years the average size of a cell phone has gotten larger not smaller.

It is not that we do not have the technology to make them smaller but it comes down to how usable is it. They kept making phones smaller and lighter from the bricks they started out with and it then got to the point that they were so small that you could not see much on the screen or type on them effectually.

The size cell phones seem to hover around is around the size of an iPhone and not the iPhone did not set that trend as it was in place before the iPhone came out. A lot of the smart phones were around that size already.

If anything I honestly thing the iPhone is on the heavy side compared to other phones

 

[acfusion29]

I might like to add over the past few years the average size of a cell phone has gotten larger not smaller.

It is not that we do not have the technology to make them smaller but it comes down to how usable is it. They kept making phones smaller and lighter from the bricks they started out with and it then got to the point that they were so small that you could not see much on the screen or type on them effectually.

The size cell phones seem to hover around is around the size of an iPhone and not the iPhone did not set that trend as it was in place before the iPhone came out. A lot of the smart phones were around that size already.

If anything I honestly thing the iPhone is on the heavy side compared to other phones

Yup, I agree. No one wants those small displays anymore. People like putting movies on their phones and playing games without squinting, etc.

The only reason this rumour exists is because there is an iPod nano. If no such device existed, there would be no such rumours.

 

[noobinator]

No

 

[F123D]

iPhone nano would fail soo bad.. tiny screen, no 3G, no apps. Apple could release a phone like that, but they certainly wouldn't name it 'iphone' in any way.

 

[63dot]

If anything, it's not the year of the iPad. Good pre-sales, then huge dropoff.

The other Apple products keep consistently good sales.

 

[niuniu]

There is a market for small phones, but they offer less functionality is some areas, areas that if Apple excluded, would leave out their App store, which really is what Apple is all about right now with these devices.

I also think that the market for small handsets has shrunk somewhat. There was a time for mobile phones that the trend was to make them smaller and smaller, and at some point in the past few years a lot of people started to complain that the phones felt awkward as their fingers were too big to navigate the phone quickly without fault.

iPhone size is a nice size for a phone (if you're a guy anyway)

 

[BaldiMac]

mhmm... and how do you plan on typing on this smaller display, or even better... marketing such a device?

there will be no iPhone nano, EVER.

There could be plenty of room for an on screen keyboard, depending on the size of the display. Especially considering that it would only be used for dialing and editing contacts and calendar entries.

If anything, it's not the year of the iPad. Good pre-sales, then huge dropoff.

The other Apple products keep consistently good sales.

I'm not sure who claimed it was the year of the iPad. But can you name one Apple product that had consistently good PRE-sales? I don't think this info has ever even been computed for pre-sales on other products.

Yup, I agree. No one wants those small displays anymore. People like putting movies on their phones and playing games without squinting, etc.

The only reason this rumour exists is because there is an iPod nano. If no such device existed, there would be no such rumours.

iPhones have less than 2% of the overall mobile phone market. The smartphone market is around 15% of the overall market. There is plenty of opportunity for Apple in the other 85%.

A non-smartphone that syncs with iTunes and doesn't require a data plan would have a huge market.

 

[Interstella5555]

The iPod mini was released about 2.5 years after the original iPod. We are approaching the end of year 3 of the iPhone. It may be the time that Apple expands the product line.

I think a smaller, multitouch iPhone with no 3G data or 3rd party apps would be a possibility. Just basic contacts, calendar, and music syncing. Wifi would be great for over the air syncing, but might not be likely without a browser to login to public hotspots.

4Gb version free with 2 year contract
8Gb version $79 with 2 year contract

I think it would be a perfect companion to a 3G iPad, since it would eliminate a lot of duplicate functionality and monthly service fees.

Me: "Hey there! I'm interested in one of these Apple iPhones I've been hearing so much about"

AT&T Rep: "Sure, great!"

Me: "What do you have available right now?"

AT&T Rep: "Well, let's see:

4GB 2G phone, no browser, no access to app store - Free w/ 2 year contract

8GB 2G phone, no browser, no access to app store - $79.99 w/ 2 year contract

8GB 3G phone, full browser, access to app store - $99.99 w/ 2 year contract

16 GB 3GS, blah, blah, blah - $199.99 w/ 2 year contract

32GB 3GS, blah blah blah, - $299.99 w/ 2 year contract"

Me: "I'll go with the Taco"

 

[BaldiMac]

op why would a company that makes smart phones suddenly make a dumb phone. The dumb phone is already saturated. Who would buy this phone?

The portion of the dumb phone market (85% of the whole market) who want to sync their phone with iTunes.

Me: "Hey there! I'm interested in one of these Apple iPhones I've been hearing so much about"

AT&T Rep: "Sure, great!"

Me: "What do you have available right now?"

AT&T Rep: "Well, let's see:

4GB 2G phone, no browser, no access to app store - Free w/ 2 year contract

8GB 2G phone, no browser, no access to app store - $79.99 w/ 2 year contract

8GB 3G phone, full browser, access to app store - $99.99 w/ 2 year contract

16 GB 3GS, blah, blah, blah - $199.99 w/ 2 year contract

32GB 3GS, blah blah blah, - $299.99 w/ 2 year contract"

Me: "I'll go with the Taco"

Two choices.

1) Nano or full.
2) Storage.

Even less complicated than the iPod lineup.

 

[sanPietro98]

Now that the iPad is out, I would definitely trade in my iPhone 3G for an iPhone Nano!

Let the flames begin!

 

[63dot]

I'm not sure who claimed it was the year of the iPad. But can you name one Apple product that had consistently good PRE-sales? I don't think this info has ever even been computed for pre-sales on other products.

CNN a few days ago really slammed the prospects of the iPad. I think it's an innovative product, but more in the way of innovative like Apple TV and the Cube. I find nothing wrong with iPad, but I just don't think it has a big enough market to change the world like Apple is used to doing.

Plus we have been spoiled with the gigantic success of iPod, iTunes, and iPhone. Even if the iPad far exceeds expectations, I doubt Apple will ever really get three products in a row like iPod, iTunes, and iPhone where each product fundamentally changed the world's perception on digital music, buying music, and what a cell phone can be.

I expect Apple to eventually make a game changing product again, and while I think I love all Apple products, iPad is no iPod, iTunes, nor iPhone.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I don't think that there will ever be an iPhone nano/mini.

 

[Surely]

There could be plenty of room for an on screen keyboard, depending on the size of the display. Especially considering that it would only be used for dialing and editing contacts and calendar entries.

There's barely enough room for an on-screen keyboard on the current iPhone.

Are you forgetting text messaging?

 

[alent1234]

Why wouldn't they make any money?

The 16 Gb iPhone 3GS has an estimated bill of materials of around $200. If Apple could get the costs under $100 with less memory, smaller display, no 3G, less powerful processor, etc., they would have very healthy margins with even a $150 subsidy.

add the costs of forking the OS, new manufacturing line, etc

 

[BaldiMac]

CNN a few days ago really slammed the prospects of the iPad. I think it's an innovative product, but more in the way of innovative like Apple TV and the Cube. I find nothing wrong with iPad, but I just don't think it has a big enough market to change the world like Apple is used to doing.

Plus we have been spoiled with the gigantic success of iPod, iTunes, and iPhone. Even if the iPad far exceeds expectations, I doubt Apple will ever really get three products in a row like iPod, iTunes, and iPhone where each product fundamentally changed the world's perception on digital music, buying music, and what a cell phone can be.

I expect Apple to eventually make a game changing product again, and while I think I love all Apple products, iPad is no iPod, iTunes, nor iPhone.

Fantastic. But nothing to do with this thread.

There's barely enough room for an on-screen keyboard on the current iPhone.

Are you forgetting text messaging?

Are you forgetting the size of the keypad on all those non-smartphones that do text messaging? I haven't suggested a screen size. Maybe they could make the keyboard landscape only. Maybe they only have to cut it down from 3.5" to 3". Even a 2.5" screen could have a landscape keyboard decent enough to be better than a standard keypad where you have to hit a key multiple times to get the letter you want.

add the costs of forking the OS, new manufacturing line, etc

Those are fixed costs that are made up in volume sales. Regardless, whatever costs there are, if Apple can get them down to around $100 per device, they would be in range of their historical margins.

 

[Surely]

Are you forgetting the size of the keypad on all those non-smartphones that do text messaging? I haven't suggested a screen size. Maybe they could make the keyboard landscape only. Maybe they only have to cut it down from 3.5" to 3". Even a 2.5" screen could have a landscape keyboard decent enough to be better than a standard keypad where you have to hit a key multiple times to get the letter you want.

Apple has already expressed that they are not interested in that type of keyboard.

Have you seen how much screen real estate the current landscape keyboard takes up? Now you want them to impliment it on a smaller screen? You would probably only be able to see one line of text. You must have very dainty fingers

 

[Small White Car]

Those are fixed costs that are made up in volume sales. Regardless, whatever costs there are, if Apple can get them down to around $100 per device, they would be in range of their historical margins.

You still haven't answered the biggest question, though:

How is an iPhone Mini better than just selling last year's iPhone model without the ability to connect to cellular data?

That's all they have to do. It fullfils your requirements AND it's better than a mini because:

1) It requires no additional engineering costs or a completely seperate factory line.
2) It can still play the games you buy over wifi.
3) The 3G block could be done in software thus giving the owner the option to upgrade to a 'real' iPhone plan later on.
4) It avoids all the "smaller keyboard" issues.

I can't think of any advantage to actually making a seperate device. Why pay to make something new when you have an old design that gets the job done perfectly?

 

[BaldiMac]

Apple has already expressed that they are not interested in that type of keyboard.

I didn't suggest that type of keyboard. I was just pointing out what Apple would be competing with.

Have you seen how much screen real estate the current landscape keyboard takes up? Now you want them to impliment it on a smaller screen? You would probably only be able to see one line of text. You must have very dainty fingers

Why would the keyboard have to be any smaller? You could simply shrink the space above the keyboard. Right it takes up half the screen in either orientation. All you would need is 2 or 3 lines above the keyboard for the limited usage that I described.

You still haven't answered the biggest question, though:

How is an iPhone Mini better than just selling last year's iPhone model without the ability to connect to cellular data?

That's all they have to do. It fullfils your requirements AND it's better than a mini because:

1) It requires no additional engineering costs or a completely seperate factory line.
2) It can still play the games you buy over wifi.
3) The 3G block could be done in software thus giving the owner the option to upgrade to a 'real' iPhone plan later on.
4) It avoids all the "smaller keyboard" issues.

I can't think of any advantage to actually making a seperate device. Why pay to make something new when you have an old design that gets the job done perfectly?

Good point. Some advantages of the nano/mini could be:

- Cheaper costs
- Less cannibalization of full iPhones
- Less features for people who are overwhelmed by everything an iPhone can do
- A clearer line between the functionality of the devices
- Less fragmentation of the app store
- Smaller, for those that want that

Mainly the second one. An iPhone without a data plan is not going to have the same subsidies as an iPhone with a data plan.