Apple Phone
I was just saying today what this article is saying–at least part of it. I think Apple is positioning their much rumored phone not as a phone but, like the so-called video iPod which Apple calls “iPod with Video”, as an iPod with a phone. It doesn’t sound like that besides the ability to make calls and connect via WiFi, the iPod with phone will have much that the current 5.5 G doesn’t already have. The iPod syncs with iCal and contacts right now even though I get the impression few people use it. I think the real strategy is that Apple wants to get the iTunes Store mobile and in the iPod itself and remove the computer as a step (or obstacle depending on your point of view) in purchasing from the store so that you could be on the bus, decide you want Fleetwood Mac and go out and get it right then and there. It would be great if they could do it with WiFi, however, unless you want to sit at Starbucks all day (or in front of a hotel), there isn’t a lot of WiFi penetration, so the only way currently is through the cellular phone networks. Since I doubt anyone would buy a data plan for an iPod, why not throw a transmitter and receiver on it too so you can make phone calls (might as well you’re paying your $39.99 + a month). There’s a rumor going around that in spite of previous rumors of the phone being GSM, it is actually CDMA. While it doesn’t make a lot of sense to cut off the rest of the world which is on GSM and get in bed with Verizon in the States, it does make sense if you want to use EVDO which of course is faster than GPRS and EDGE. Even if that were true, I would be shocked if they don’t have a GSM version too which they would probably release a year later–if any of this is true. Remember this is the company that initially released the iPod for Mac only to build up the desire for PC users and that had OS X running on Intel for 5 years “just in case”.
