Rumorous Maximus: iPhone Models to be Differentiated by Software?
That’s what some are taking away from the analyst briefings we linked to last week. Apple would have only one hardware platform, but different versions of the software for different SKUs of the iPhone.
Sigh. It’s hard enough to convince people that software isn’t just math, and math isn’t free, without dodgy OS stripping schemes artificially creating crippled, low-end versions. Apple thus far has known this — Mac OS X comes in only two versions, client and server. Likewise, they tend to have their free/cheap regular software like iPhoto, and pro apps like Aperture.
Could we see a “pro” version of the iPhone OS? Perhaps, but while the guts of the device would likely stay the same for compatibility and component cost reasons, it’s hard to see no hardware differentiation like more storage, better camera, tweaked casing. After all, that’s what Apple’s historically done with MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
If Apple did go with pure software differentiation, might also make for yet another interesting chapter in the Jailbreak cat-and-mouse game…
Apple believing their software differentiates the iPhone from OTHER smartphones is something they’ve made a point of making a point about since launch (and likely what they meant again this time). But differentiating within the iPhone platform? Well, we just hope they’re leaning towards iPhone Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Because, you know, people just loved that about Windows Vista.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:56 am
Lol, first super rumor, now rumorous maximus. What’s next Rene. This rumour is kind of hard to believe though.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I’m running out of funny ways to say “something that’s even more speculative than a hyper-thin rumor” :-/
May 20th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Meh!
May 20th, 2009 at 7:00 am
What would they limit with software only?
May 20th, 2009 at 7:05 am
This has to be unreal. -_-
However , we kind of do see a sign that apple is already doing something to this effect with the 1st ten and 2nd gen iPhone.
The first gen won’t be mms and a few other features when the 2nd does in OS 3.0.
This this some what beleieveable now that I think about it. Sad but beleiveable. Smh.
May 20th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Sorry about the mistakes.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I don’t see this one happening. Apple is the first company to mock Mr. Softy because of their multiple versions of Windows and has chosen to offer only 1 version of Mac OS. Why would they offer multiple software versions of the iPhone. Operationally, it’s an added cost to maintain 2 versions, would be a pain for the developer community and as mentioned above become a target for jailbreak. Plus, Apple has all of these new hardware people walking the hallowed ground at 1 Infinite Loop. Isn’t their job to do the traditional job of product differentiation? Finally, how do you justify a price difference to consumers if the difference is in software only? Buyers can understand the difference between an 8 GB and 16 GB model or slower and faster cpu’s. Who in consumer electronics differentiates the same hardware with different software and can justify the price difference? I can’t think of anyone.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:52 am
This will never happen. Apple is about simplicity not dear confusion.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:49 am
I guess at a stretch I could see a bundled music subscription or a turn-by-turn app/maps bundle as differentiators at point of sale. Does seem a bit of a departure from the Apple norm though.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:01 am
All I can think of if this is true is that maybe some iPhones will come with ore installed paid apps and others won’t? Seems dumb but what teen wouldn’t like a few games he doesn’t have to pay for and some business people to have office or other tools. See where this is headed?there could be “games included” or “business apps included” I’m sure that would make someone happy?
May 20th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
At first I thought this idea was too far fetched and went against all Apple stood for. Then OmariJames pointed out the truly schisty path Apple is on by trying to force 1st gen iPhone owners to upgrade. That’s pretty low to withhold the things consumers have wanted most just to move some more units. That would be akin to a car maker offering a newer model with breaks, but requiring older model owners to hack their cars to use these new fangled safety features.
What happen to the days when if you wanted a consumer to buy your new model you made it so much better it was a no brainer. Now companies just with hold what you want. Like a manipulative wife or girlfriend not putting out until she gets some expensive trinket she knows will only cause money issues later, but she uses s ex as a weapon because you want it, and if you break down and cheat. Well you were not only cheap, but unfaithful.
I sure hope Apple sees that path is doomed, because beauty fades, and there’s always a younger better looking woman that’s willing to give it away for free. Extortion never ends in a nice or pretty fashion. Not to mention it’s just wrong.
Segregating your consumers is just as wrong as trying to force them to an action. People and companies are supposed to know right from wrong more as they grow, not become more douchish every day. Something in Cupertino is starting to smell not so fresh.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
@iRoc:
If Apple wanted to “force” people on iPhone 2G to upgrade, they just wouldn’t provide OS 3.0. It makes no sense just to withhold MMS and Stereo BT while giving cut, copy, and paste and all the other features unless…
…it’s just like Apple said and the hardware between 2G and 3G changed enough that they’d have to build a second MMS and BT stack upgrade to enable it.
As a free update, and a company that’s looking forward, Apple would likely do what they can easily and cheaply to keep iPhone 2G as current as possible, but not significantly impact their resources to build second versions of the software.
One of the downsides of Apple doing 2-year subscription accounting and lots of free upgrades is that now people don’t value the work that goes into those upgrades, or the feelings of entitlement they’ve created in the market.
That might be Apple’s actual — and bigger — problem.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Well said Rene!
That is a much more eloquent expression of my feelings on the upgrades we 2G iPhone users have received. I don’t think I am entitled to anything but think it is great that we have been getting incremental upgrades. Some features can be easily added to the 2G while other features can’t. The fact my 18 month old iPhone does almost everything (save GPS and 3G radio) that the 3G iPhone someone buys today is incredible. I can not think of another technogadget I have that has been freely upgraded over that same interval as my iPhone has and I still have Os 3.0 (even if it does not include full bluetooth and MMS support) to look forward to in another month. I would have to think any other smartphone purchased at the same time I purchased my iPhone 18 months ago is far more outdated than mine is.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
@Rene It does make sense to withold MMS and not copy/paste, because few people are going to purchase a new phone for copy/paste, whereas this very site crawls with visitors who want MMS badly, and who would be willing to upgrade their phone for it.
As others pointed out in earlier threads, MMS is not a hardware trick — simply a differently formatted message. There there have been jailbroken apps supporting MMS on the 2G iphone for over a year — using the same binary for both 2G and 3G phones, i.e. the same exact software for 2G vs 3G phones, no “second stack” required. I agree with you that Apple is under no obligation to release an MMS update for the 2G iphone, but it is extremely hard to believe there is a hardware limitation in play here for MMS.
Stereo BT, on the other hand, could very easily have some hardware issues between 2G and 3G.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Right on, Rene!!! I find it completely amazing that people do not appreciate the FREE software upgrade Apple gives their users. The entitlement these people feel is truly astounding.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
@dev: I think for some users MMS is important and they’re very vocal about it, but I’m not sure how actual numbers of people considering it’s important maps to how loud those who do think its important are about it — if that makes any sense.
No MMS never bothered me, neither did cut and paste really. Now, however, cut and paste is a semi-frequent thing I use, but MMS is still zero on my radar. (I email tons of things, however, as that goes to iPhones and computers).
As feature phone market share drops, smartphone and netbook increases, MMS is likely dying. Apple is known to axe floppy disks, optical disks, firewire ports, etc. in an instant. I can see MMS as being high on their feature list either?
May 20th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Lack of MMS does not bother me in the least — but, for some reason, it it is important to significant number of people. More to the point, since MMS has been enabled using identical code for 2G and 3G by people with far less resources than Apple, Apple’s claim of hardware limitations rings hollow.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Free software?!?
Um, OK. See, when I bought the 3G iphone, it had so many issues I was ready to take it back. The iTunes backup took (no joke) up to 45 minutes, the scroll wheel action was sluggish, and Safari crashed over and over. I kept that iphone ONLY because I knew they were working on updates. Had I been told Apple was going to charge me even $1 to make my POS iPhone into a good iPhone, I would have returned it JUST AS FAST as if I had been told they were never going to update (read “fix”) my phone at all.
So, sorry, that is NOT free software. Now, moving from 1.0 to 2.0 to 3.0 is an entirely different story. But 2.2 to 2.2.1 had better be free. We can talk about full-point updates later.
Was I entitled to updates that made a disfunctional phone a working phone – when I’m tied to it for two years and paid $299? YOU BET! If Apple wants me to fork over $299 for the iPhone 3.0, that is. Otherwise, I’d be looking at the Blackberry Storm or the Palm Pre.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
The 2G can’t support the latest MMS standard. Same as new Nokia smartphones send an MMS to an old Nokia – which supports an earlier MMS version – and they never get received. I know the US is behind in mobile technology, but this is a known problem worldwide. Why build in MMS, when there friends with new iPhones won’t be able to message them?
May 20th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
The MMS specification is a message format specification – an older phone with non-upgradeable firmware will not be able to parse a format developed after its release, but the iphone, with easily upgraded software and firmware, has no such difficulties.
Again, swirlymms (jailbreak app) has identical code sending and receiving MMS on both 3G and 2G iPhones. If the 2G was hardware incapable, this would not be possible. Clearly, it is NOT a hardware issue.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Free updates?
MS give out free updates for WIndows. The service packs they release add heaps pf functionality. For free. Why, in this day and age, would upgrades to an OS be charged for? We haven’t paid for incremental updates ever, on any platform.
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 am
If apple goes this route, then they have jumped the shark.