We’ve gone round and round on this before. I think Dieter and I may have mentioned this as one of a hundred guesses on the last Phone different podcast, but discounted it as being, like iPhone Extreme, something that fits into Apple’s brand but doesn’t really feel like a direction Apple would go.
TUAW was tipped to it being — briefly — on the AT&T website, however, so we have to consider it, don’t we? (If the screen cap is for real).
Once upon a time Steve Jobs said no one wants to watch video on a tiny screen. Then Apple released the iPod video. So, there is precedent. Also, Apple named the iPhone 3G after its “killer” feature — access to a faster cell network. So, if Apple considers video shooting, editing, and sharing to the the third generation’s “killer” feature, iPhone video would certainly throw the spotlight on it (better than iPhone Compass, at least!)
That’s the same thinking that was behind my betting the farm on iPhone HD last October. While Apple doesn’t seem eager — yet! — to give me my 480×800 screen resolution, Microsoft has jumped on the moniker with Zune HD via its support for HD Radio and 720p dock-enabled output. If Apple includes new AV cables that let the newer, faster, more powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU push 720p as well, and HD is now off the table thanks to Microsoft’s accelerated announcement last week, could iPhone video be a similar (if not quite as sexy) option?
What do you think?
Short version: When Steve Jobs went on leave of absence before Macworld, Apple said he would return end of June. Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, say Jobs will indeed return.
Longer version: After suffering a protein-digestion problem which rendered Steve Jobs unable to function on a day-to-day basis at Apple, he took time off and corrective measures. Periodic visits back to the HQ not withstanding, and speculation of a surprise cameo at WWDC running ever-rampant, Jobs is still on track to return just precisely when Apple first said he would.
New iPhone good to go:
Apple is ready enough with its latest iPhone to be in a position to unveil it next week, said a person who has seen the new model. The new phone will look similar to last year’s model but has more processing power and some new features like video editing, this person said.
Confirmation all around then, thanks familiar person!
[And digitalrio for the tip]
Poor iTunes 8.2, not even a week and its code has been sifted and (some of?) its secrets laid bare. Apple Insider reveals details including:
- radio capabilities along with a corresponding ability to tag songs so that they can later be purchased from the iTunes store
- additional string shows the ability to change VoiceOver settings to manage aspects of the Nike+ application
So, Nike+ like the iPod touch, VoiceOver like the iPod shuffle — looks like Apple isn’t only adding new features to the next gen iPhone, but leveraging features they’ve added to the rest of the line since the last gen iPhone. Good way for Apple to keep the iPhone “the best iPod we’ve ever made”, isn’t it?
[Thanks daveizzle for the tip!]
The grand old uncle of technology reviewers, Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal loves him some iPhone. Indeed, ever since Apple’s little pocket universe-denter came out in 2007, it seems Mossberg can’t review another, similar device without mentioning the iPhone as much as the subject du jour.
As I mentioned last night on Twitter, however, with his Palm Pre review for D All Things Digital, Mossberg went a step further. Alongside roughly 40 or so iPhone references — including the title! — Mossberg interjects:
- I’d note that the new iPhone to be unveiled next week will have lots of added features
- Apple has both a new iPhone operating system and new iPhone hardware coming, likely available within a month
- I expect to see an iPhone with up to 32 gigabytes of memory, video recording, a higher-resolution camera, a compass, and greater operating speed. Plus, there are persistent rumors that Apple will announce at least one iPhone at a drastically lower price than $199.
And in the video he goes on to say that, at WWDC:
- There will be changes to the iPhone, not all of which are known
That’s a lot of iPhone info (Engadget thinks so as well). Our question remains:
Is Mossberg guessing, leaking, or was his Palm Pre video clip shot on a next generation iPhone?!
Italian site iSpazio has posted up a couple images they received from tipster who claimed they’re shots from Apple’s development web server showing off pages that feature the next-generation iPhone (presumably what will go up post-WWDC keynote).
Of note, they highlight the Voice Memos app from iPhone 3.0 and — wait for it — a front facing camera, presumably for the oft-rumored Mobile iChat. As always, there’s no way to tell if these are real or fake.
The second image (after the jump), which features tethering, however, perplexingly shows off the iPhone 2.x, NOT 3.0 home screen layout. Roh-roh Raggy. That one has us immediately calling shenanigans…
All in favor?
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First year, Apple showed off the original iPhone (2G or 1,1) and iPhone OS 1.0 in January at Macworld 2007, gave us a release date at WWDC 2007, and shipped both together at the end of June. Second year, Apple showed off iPhone OS 2.0 in March at the SDK Event but didn’t introduce iPhone 3G (1,2) until WWDC 2008 in June, and announced the release date for both — the same release date for both — July 11.
This year Apple once again showed off iPhone OS 3.0 at March at the Sneak Preview event, and is rumored to be introducing iPhone v3 (2,1) at WWDC 2009 on June 8. If that comes to pass, we also expect them to announce the release date as they have in the past. But will it once again be the same release date for both?
Pros: Apple likes big events and big news. Nothing is bigger than simultaneous releases. Apple also seems to like to stick to their patterns, and for the last two years software and hardware releases were one and the same. 2007 saw iPhone 3G alongside iPhone 2.0, App Store, and MobileMe (yeah, we’ll get to that in the cons…)
Cons: That simultaneous release last year? iTunes went down. No one could activate. MobileMe’s lack of readiness caused months of bad PR. As big a news bomb as it was, it brought the negative every bit as much as the positive.
Frequent reader, Icebike, makes a great case for a staged released in our comments. It lets Apple control the roll-out, manage expectations, and better assure quality experiences for all involved.
But that simultaneous release is just so tempting, will Apple simply charge ahead with it anyway? Should they? Is the Circus Maximus worth the attention, good and bad?
As an iPhone user and potential 3.0 and next-gen iPhone user, what would you prefer Apple do?
Engadget’s reporting that we won’t see just two new iPhones, not just three, but a whopping four next-generation iPhones coming soon!
we’re hearing from a trusted source that new iPhones in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities just garnered approval by the PCS Type Review Certification Board, the standards body responsible for certificating handsets for use with some carriers (AT&T, for instance).
Only a week remains before WWDC 2009, so we’re deep behind crazy lines here, people, and anything is possible. But four new models? What about the CDMA version for China? The iPhone nano and iTablet for Verizon? The flying model that oinks?
We’ll find out next Monday!
[Thanks to Jeffdc5 for the head's up!]
www.umpcfever.com [Google translation link] has posted what just might be the first pictures taken of the next generation iPhone… taking pictures. Highlights include the new auto-focus, both how it looks in action and the results of photos taken with it compared to the original iPhone 2G. The new digital compass, and a CPU log are also featured, along with some other new features we’ve already seen from 3.0 running on current iPhone 3G hardware.
Are these for real? We’d guess all of this was merely surfaced in iPhone 3.0 on iPhone 3G… except the iPhone 3G doesn’t have a digital compass and it’s camera doesn’t auto-focus. So, either it’s a combo-ruse, or we have just seen the first images of the next generation iPhone in the wild.
A few more pics below, hit up the source article for all of them…
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ChinaOnTrade.com, which sells iPhone parts reportedly directly from the factory, has thrown up some images and ordering options for 3rd generation iPhone bevels and screens.
If they’re to be believed, the iPhone loses its silvery-chrome outer ring for a black band (as previously rumored?) that seems to indicate Apple will be moving things around a tad — functionally as well as cosmetically?
Bad news for OLED hopefuls, as Gizmodo says the purported screen is still LCD, though iLounge points out it’s price is double that of the 3G screen ($73 vs. $35). Hmm…
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in, iFun.de for the catch, and BenM.at for the (translated) head's up!]
More pics after the break!
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iLounge reports that they’ve been told the next generation iPhone will come in two storage capacities (we’d guess 16GB and 32GB) and three radio flavors, 3G, 3.5/3.75G, and China CDMA. Consumers won’t be able to choose which radio model they buy, each carrier in each local region will simply offer the one that best suits their network. Some choice in color — black or white? — should remain.
The design is said to be roughly the same with the exception of a new, more scratch-resistant matte finish for the back plate, which has been rumored for a while now.
And no, unfortunately, Chinese CDMA won’t run on Sprint or Verizon in the US. Different frequencies.
