“If Steve Jobs’ Apple decides to build a wireless phone, as widely rumored, the company has the chance to shake up not just the wireless device business – an industry dominated by the likes of Motorola and Nokia – it also could upend the entire wireless distribution model in the United States,” Stephanie Mehta reports for Fortune.
Various sources wonder if Apple would seek to become a virtual phone company, and/or build a phone with built-in Wi-Fi service that would allow customers to make calls and download data and music from the free or cheap Wi-Fi networks proliferating in urban and suburban settings, bypassing traditional cellular networks, and/or do the traditional selling of its iPhone through the carriers. “Or Jobs could do something really experimental and sell devices in its stores completely independent of the service,” Mehta reports.
“But no matter how Apple decides to enter the wireless phone market, it is sure to change the status quo,” Mehta reports. “Here’s why: Today, phone companies heavily subsidize handsets in exchange for long-term commitments from customers. That Nokia phone you got for free from Cingular obviously cost the phone company something – probably hundreds of dollars – to buy from Nokia. Cingular, in the meantime, can make all kinds of demands of Nokia: It can ask for special packaging, prominent logo placement, etc. This system drives Nokia and other wireless device makers crazy.”
Mehta reports, “This is where Apple comes in – and why Nokia, Motorola (Charts), Samsung and LG might be secretly rooting for the iPhone to be a minor hit. Apple seems uniquely positioned to convince consumers to pay a premium – not demand a discount – for wirelessly connected devices, thus changing the economics of the wireless industry. Put another way: If a consumer is willing to pay $250 for an iPod Nano, why wouldn’t she pay even more for a Nano that can make phone calls?”
The excellent full article, highly recommended, with much more here.
Related articles:
RUMOR: Apple ‘iPhone’ may include JAJAH VoIP software – December 15, 2006
RUMOR: Apple ‘iPhone’ details surface as release date grows closer – December 15, 2006
Report: Skyworks selected to supply ‘Front-End Module to Apple’s new iPhone’ – December 15, 2006
Broadcom wins SoC bid in ‘upcoming stealth phone’ coming soon from ‘major consumer device company’ – December 15, 2006
Gizmodo guarantees ‘iPhone’ will be announced on Monday – December 14, 2006
Report: Apple expected to debut ‘iPhone’ – December 14, 2006
Analyst describes Apple ‘iPhone’ featuring metal case in multiple colors with virtual click-wheel – December 14, 2006
UBS analyst: Apple may launch MVNO, serve as own carrier for ‘iPhone’ – December 13, 2006
Apple using ‘iPhone’ as diversion? – December 11, 2006
Apple’s ‘iPhone’ silence drives rumor mill crazy – December 08, 2006
BusinessWeek: Wish List for Apple ‘iPhone’ – December 08, 2006
Apple ‘iPhone’ could cause Nokia, Palm, Motorola, and RIM to really start to sweat – December 07, 2006
Apple shares fall as CIBC sees ‘iPhone’ release delayed – December 07, 2006
Analyst expects 16GB flash-based Apple iPod video player, 4-8GB flash-based ‘iPhone’ models – December 07, 2006
Prudential: Apple ‘iPhone’ to sport iPod click wheel; video iPod by Q2 – December 06, 2006
RUMOR: Apple’s smart phone project to feature ‘extensive integration with Mac OS X’ – December 05, 2006
Apple begins ‘iPhone’ production – December 05, 2006
Apple needs to think different about data security for ‘iPhone’ – December 05, 2006
NVIDIA graphics chip for next-gen Apple video iPod delayed? – December 04, 2006
Kevin Rose: Dual-battery Apple ‘iPhone’ coming in January; $249 for 4GB, $449 for 8GB – December 03, 2006
This has to be the 69th different iPhone rumor released this week alone…
This is one of the best analytical pieces I’ve seen about the rumored phone in quite some time! It’s refreshing to see someone with some decent reasoning skills looking at the big picture instead of trying to guess when it will drop or what it will look like or feature!
MY GOD!!! I have never seen such froth over a rumored Apple product since, I don’t know, the G5 Powerbook or maybe a Mac tablet. Nah, I think this tops it.
Davey,
With your choice of number, I think your subconscious is sending you signals. Time to get laid!
It’s amazing how much impact lil’ ol’ Apple has on the world. One company, making a [positive] difference for millions.
All the analyst are calling this device a “phone.” I think that’s wrong. I think Apple will market the device as a wireless iPod. It will be the iPod that can be used to access the ‘net and email. Using that wireless connection and a direct link to the iTunes Store, it will be the first iPod (and first music player device other than “music phones”) that can be used without the need to own (and competently use) a fairly recent Mac or PC to get music on the device, opening the door to a huge untapped portable music player market.
The phone capability will be the “oh, by the way” feature. A big deal, but not the central defining feature of the device.
I much prefer the system in Europe, where you buy the phone independently of service and then just buy a SIM card from whatever service provider you want. You can even have multiple SIMs for different numbers (work, home etc) and change them at will. If the iPhone causes a shift towards this kind of system I’d be very happy.
It’s true. And my erection is about to burst through my khakis from thinking about it.
Any female MDN readers care to help R2 with his problem? 22/M/athletic build/college & part time at OfficeMax/8 robust inches.
Hopefully it will be revolutionary and no just evolutionary for the cell phone industry. This phone will be proof of concept that vertical marketing is the best way for this business to work. Again, it will be hardware tightly integrated with software – genius!
Surely it would be crazy for Apple to compete with the network providers. All they need to do is sell a iPod telephone where the purchaser takes the SIM card out of his mobile phone and puts it into the all singing and dancing iPhone. Or am I missing something?
R2,
If you walk into a dark room, and someone starts giving you the best blow service you ever had in your life, would it matter in the end who’s doing it?
Hey R2!
I’m not female, but I’d sure like to get my hands on your robustness!
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R2, Pat, and Gambit,
Focus on the subject of this forum post and don’t subject us to your low-life sexual comments.
Problem is the networks want to control the whole thing, because they see dollar signs with music DLs and ring tones. They don’t want some upstart like Apple providing something that lets them and not the networks make money.
On the other hand, they made need Apple to help them develop the music arena. It doesn’t sound like that’s going to well for them yet, plus the only ones who make any money out of that business are the music companies.
Being disruptive has to be very attractive to Apple and Steve. It’s in the DNA.
I’m kind of bi-curious but like R1 says let’s get back on topic.
So Engadget posts on this upcoming LG phone, part of the Chocolate series, with a touch screen interface. A few people noticed how it looks like it could be the iPhone as did I. Even has some Apple-esque icons at the bottom.
Then a guy calling himself mrsalty posts the following in the comments section:
This will be branded as the Chocolate I have friends in Hungary that do the design work on these(actually they are janitors but that’s another story). I believe they will also have MP3/AAC and a 2MP camera. It’s little brother is the KE820 which does have a keypad. Some folks have said that this is ALMOST identical to the Apple iphone and that LG actually kinda ripped off the design while Apple was working on it. Apple will start showing it’s phone next week so it’s not beaten to the punch. The chocolate brand is one of Apples biggest competitors. The Chocolate line will be relaunched after the holidays with the KE800/KG800/KE820 and the KG920 and KE850.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/15/the-lg-ke850-touchable-chocolate/
“If a consumer is willing to pay $250 for an iPod Nano, why wouldn’t she pay even more for a Nano that can make phone calls?”
Because they’ll be able to get the equivalent for $19.95 with a 2 year commitment.
“Or am I missing something?”
Yes, you are missing that the phone company heavily subsidises the hardware from the future revenue it expects to make from your service.
So a 3rd party phone sold after the service plan is sold will always be more expensive than the same class of device sold by the phone company.
“I much prefer the system in Europe, where you buy the phone independently of service and then just buy a SIM card from whatever service provider you want.”
Compared to the US model where you pick the GSM phone you want, get it really cheap, take it home and unlock it and put in a SIM from the GSM provider of your choice?
This is just investor hype – I mean its cool that the market place is all worked up about Apple, after 10 years of beating up Apple, but… I don’t know, its all just too good to be true.
If Apple phones don’t have to be linked to a provider like Cingular or T-Mobile, i.e. JahJah or whatever – maybe. Again, I think its going to be much ado about nothing – but I hope not.
Go Apple! But please don’t release any phone thing until its completely ready.
It’s becoming ridiculous – the time for Apple to put a lid on further speculation has arrived.
I’d love to be able to utter the words ‘suck it, Cingular”.
Last December, 2005, I switched my plan to their nation wide $50 a month 1,500 minutes plan. For the past year I’ve been most pleased. Service has been perfect both with the phone, Razr, and customer service as well. This is my experience in the Atlanta metro area.
R2, I want to roll my tongue around your hard head and……
R2,
give me a shoutout and we can discuss the problem that’s weighing you down.
Fortune has really been doing a good job providing thoughtful, informative journalism. Nice change from the usual bullshit, yellow journalism pimping products for their advertisers.
Chloe O’Brian: “Edgar, I’m picking up a spike in iPhone chatter over the last few days. It could be a diversion, but I think something bug is imminent.”
Edgar: “I’m already processing scenarios.”
Chloe: “I’m calling Jack. We need him to run field ops.”