Visiongain believes that the next product to be released by Apple is the much-rumored “iPhone.” The Apple-branded mobile phone is likely to debut this spring with the launch of Helio.
“The odds are extremely good that Apple will launch an iPhone this spring in tandem with Helio’s launch in the US,” says Pam Duffey, telecoms analyst at Visiongain.
“There exists a relationship between Apple and Helio management that goes back to the ROKR iTunes phone, and Helio has declared a target audience identical to iPod’s existing market. Helio’s top rank executives have also publicly voiced frustration with mainstream carriers and appear to be on a crusade to radically shake-up the industry,” adds Duffey in a statement.
EarthLink and SK Telecom have partnered to form Helio, a US mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), at an estimated cost of $440 million. Recently, Helio Chief Financial Officer Todd Tappin said Helio plans to sign about three million customers and generate more than $2 billion in revenue by 2009. He also said that Helio would subsidize its handsets, and its target demographic is both willing and able to pay for high-end phones. This is a sharp departure from MVNO trends, which lean heavily on prepaid or very narrow specialty niches.
“The iPhone will most likely be produced in South Korea by an existing handset maker, and made available exclusively through Helio. The iPhone will likely be as disruptive to the existing carrier market as the iPod was to the mobile music industry. When the iPhone adds VoIP capability, it will be even more disruptive to carriers,” concludes Duffey.
The iPhone, iPod and Apple’s role in shaping the digital content landscape are analysed in detail in Visiongain’s upcoming report, “Apple in Wireless.”
For more information on Visiongain, please visit the website: http://www.visiongainintelligence.com
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “trip” for the heads up.]
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Ugh, I just had to get a new phone. Want this to be true, but don’t want it at the same time! Such problems…
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Ugh!!!
Enough with the stupid iPhone already!!! it’s a dumb idea.
Why would Apple need Helio? If it costs $400 million to set up, Apple could easily finance the whole thing and keep all the profits.
It could be completely owned by Apple and controlled by SJ. As we all know SJ likes control.
If it’s true, Apple’s legal folks will descend upon anyone with “solid” information about an “impending release” like this swiftly and surely.
And THEN we’ll know it’s closer to being true. Until that happens, it’s all just a bunch o’ hooey and wishful thinking and guessing and prognostication and… and… and…
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this will never happen. So stop bring it up already.
If this is true it will make me even sorrier that I’m locked into Cingular and its supposed ‘all over network’ for another 15 months, while using Moto’s RAZR with it’s crappy interface.
i like the idea! i’ve always wanted an ipod/cell phone combo! BRING IT ON!!
This will happen. I only hope it goes global quickly and not just for the US.
I’ll be only too pleased to ditch my Treo..
An iPhone is far too mundane to be on Apple’s drawingboard, unless it has a unique feature/function. Perhaps Apple will have their own high speed mobile service with the phone being able to plug directly into an Macbook Pro.
Just think, an iPod mobile phone with multi frequency that can tap into any of the major carrier’s signal. Now imagine just move your sim card over and viola! You can cut your cake and eat it too! Who cares if you can get a cheap phone for free from the major carrier if you have a great iPod phone on your hand, who won’t pay for it?
EarthLink and SK Telecom have partnered to form Helio, a US mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), at an estimated cost of $440 million.
“The iPhone will most likely be produced in South Korea by an existing handset maker, and made available exclusively through Helio.
Apple is a shareholder in Earthlink (a Helio partner)and Samsung (a handset manufacturer).
An iPhone is the next logical step for Apple. WIth flash memory getting bigger and bigger, phone manufacturers will be able to present a product with similar features to the iPod but with added phone capabilities. Take a look at Sony’s new w950i. A nice phone that could replace an iPod anytime. But I agree, every week there seem to be a new article about the imminent release of an iPhone. George is getting upset !!
This would be an interesting “April 1st” announcement.
MW: call as in (well, you know) iPhone
Its going to be CDMA. I hope. The company that needs to be taken down the most is Verizon… and an MVNO off of their very own network… using their band… and doing it the RIGHT way.. well.. that would be oustanding. And American. And CDMA is American. Well, its Korean too… but mostly its American. Like Denny Crane. An American.
-Denny Crane
The problem with virutal phone operators is the networks they operate over. If Helio depends on Sprints network the service will be shit.
The problem with a one-phone-does-all approach is the radically different technologies that are fueling todays big cell service providers. A phone that does it all would be too big and heavy to be cool.
I bet they call it a MacPhone (with iPod inbuilt).
CDMA sucks. It’s one of Americas worst designs and has created a huge problem with US cell phones being compatible with most of the world.
GSM rules. The sound quality is better and it penetrates walls and buildings better.
could be interesting…
• Phone (w/ VoIP)
• Full iPod functionality (music, vid)
• Direct access to iTunes music store
• Mini-apps: Safari, Calendar, iChat, sms, widgets, and others
• Camera (interfaces w/ iPhoto, iMovie, enables video iChat, and video recording)
• FM/TV tuner option
man bring the phone out of the pocket,all of us need it…
A phone with iTunes, TV Tuner, FM tuner, and camera?
Jesus Christ.
Good luck when you’re in a jam and your battery is toast after only 27 minutes of use.
You start throwing all this bullshit into a device and it gets too complex. Why do some of you not get that?
Look at the iPod FM tuner as a perfect example of how Apple is doing it. IF you insist on an added feature, it’s going to be an add-on. Not BTO. They aren’t going to EVER do an iPod/Phone/Camera/PDA/Remote as long as Steve Jobs and various other non-idots are around.
Just take a look at the phones out there – and then tell me we don’t need a a phone from Apple???
99.9% of phones are abominations, terrible to look at, terrible to use, overly complicated, functions that are never used etc etc etc.
Could we just get a mobile phone that is a good telephone? I don’t want to send IMs, surf the web, read e-mail, take pictures, listen to music, or anything like that. It would be great if someone made a handset that has a great address book and is durable. Why do we need all of this crap on a phone? Everyone tries to put all this stuff on their phone and never do a good job when it comes to accessing any of the features. Could we just make a phone a phone and have it be a great phone not a swiss army phone?
MacTechie: <i>CDMA sucks. <snip> GSM rules. The sound quality is better and it penetrates walls and buildings better.”
True, CDMA does suck and GSM does have a better sound quality…but just barely. With all the compression that they push the voice packets through now days I get ear fatigue from any cell phone or portable phone. You want real clarity? Get yourself an old Stromberg-Carlson desktop rotary phone. That’s a thing a beauty my friend.
Anyone know what network this “Helio” is based on. If its not GSM I’m going to fuck shit up.
It must be GSM however, why would Apple develop a phone that could only be used in a tiny minority of the mobile phone markets in the world?
“Get yourself an old Stromberg-Carlson desktop rotary phone. That’s a thing a beauty my friend.”
amen, and I mean AaaayyyyyMEN!!! sound has become crappier and crappier for years.
When the iPhone adds VoIP capability, it will be even more disruptive to carriers
And the universe will go : ( ( ( ((ding)) ) ) )