iPhone 4.0 - Multitasking And iTablet

There's talk that on the 27th, Apple will unveill more than just iTablet. Whatever happens that day, we are potentially looking at what also comes next for the iPhone platform. After the iPod Touch came out, Apple stated that there could be other devices from Apple based on this modified OS X.

So, we come to iPhone 4.0. One of the features some users are hoping for is the ability to run apps in the background. As an Android device owner, I have to say that the ability to have whatever music or podcast stream in the background is something I like to see on the iPod Touch or the iPhone.

How can Apple make this work? More at Onxo Mobile Devices.

Looking Forward to Apple Mobile in 2010

The iPhone 3GS has been out on the market for about seven months now and it's still going strong.  When Apple report its first quarter earning, I'm expecting more than 10 million units sold.  This number is on the higher end of what the clueless analysts on Wall Street are expecting.  A couple are expecting to see 11 million but I think that's high unlikely.

As for Macbooks, I think we'll be surprised by the number of Macs Apple will sell.

But that's all in the past.  It's 14 or 15 days into the new year.  What can we expect for the rest of the year.  We know Apple will be holding a special event on January 27th, the last Wednesday of the month.  The good bet is that Apple will be unveiling a new mobile devices that, I, along with the rest of the tech blog world, think is the fabled iTablet (or iSlate).

What's more certain is that there will be thirteen or so more days of insane rumors about it until the 27th.

There are a lot of rumors about the expected iPhone update.  The rumors, though I won't get into, are just as plentiful as those about the iTablet.  I have my own speculations and hopes for the 4th gen iPhone, I am trying really hard not to get ahead of myself and the reality of what Apple's past upgrade cycle is like, and the competitive mobile market.

I'm speculating that Apple will ship the new iPhone by mid-year like it always does with a spring update on the forthcoming iPhone OS update.  What kind of throw a wretch into this year's product cycle is the addition of the iTablet into the mix.  There is speculation that the dearth of iPhone OS update is due largely to the iTablet as it shares many of the new features with the upcoming iPhone and Apple simply want to make sure it doesn't tip its hand.

I think we'll see the end of the iPod Classic and a new era of touch-only iPods.  Only the nano and shuffle will survive the product transition.  The Touch will continue to be an phoneless iPhone.  Should the iTablet and iPhone gain a webcam, the Touch's popularity will simply explode among the younger consumers as it is likely to gain the same features as the iPhone.

Of course, Apple can make it more interesting for the mobile market to follow by introducing an iPod Touch with wireless connectivity via 3G networks.  Imagine using a Touch with data access only and communications will take place via voice or video.  Such a device can help usher in the beginning of the end of voice plans.

This is software for the iPhone, Mac, and iTablet comes into play.  I like to see Apple diminish the role of the traditional telephone number.  This can be done in two ways:

• Video conferencing and voice chat through voice API built into OS X.  With the possibility of the Touch through 3G or Wi-Fi also gaining a webcam (the Touch already possess voice capability via the iPod headset).  Even if iChat doesn't make its way to i-devices, these API will allow app developers to include these features to the apps.  Imagine gaming while being able to talk to others.  
• Google Voice works by swapping one phone number for another.  An useful feature but literally redundant in the mobile world.  I see Apple allow users to create ID (MobileMe users can use their login) and link it to their telephone numbers.  As more and more users start using their ID to communicate with each other and rely less on traditional phone numbers, we will begin to see the death of the ten-digit phone numbers.  I also see Google Voice adopt a similar ability with Google logins.  Apple will simply skip all the way to the final end.  I also see Apple, Google, and others adopt an industry standard for IM, voice, chat, and video communication.

About the Mac.  Multi-touch will see a greater role.  This is one area where I'm not as certain what Apple has in-stored for us.  Certainly, more multi-touch adoptions.  We might possible see a Tablet Mac but that is as far as I'm willing to speculate.

There can't be anything about mobile unless I talk about battery life.  This has always been Apple's weakness.  As much as I am used having a built-in battery into all my iPods, iPhone, and iPod Touch, I can quickly get used to an iPhone with a removable battery.  But that's not gonna happen.  So?

So, I am hoping Apple will dazzle us with another breakthrough that extends the battery life of its mobile products.  To put things into perspective, Nvidia's Tegra 2 chip (via Macrumors) allows 16 hours of HD video, 140 hours of music, and 1080p video.

I would expect the iTablet and the newest iPhone and Touch to exceed the current models.

• I am hoping for 10-20% increase in battery life during real world use.  Music playing should be closer to 40 hours while Internet use should be closer to 8 hours on 3G and 12 hours on Wi-Fi.  I don't do much talking on the iPhone but increases in standby and talk time would be cool too.
• For the iTablet, I would like to see upwards of 15 hours of Internet use, 15-18 hours of HD video, and 150-180 hours of music.  (I don't care much about 1080p display out.  That's what HDTV and Blu-Ray players are for.)

So, that's what I'm looking forward to from Apple in 2010 starting on January 27th.  Meanwhile, we can look forward to the daily spectacular Apple rumors to hold us over until then.

iTablet Cost Speculation

Just how much will the Apple iTablet cost?  Alright, here's is what we think we know.  And then we'll get into some more speculations.  Remember, these are speculations based on what I've seen about Apple's moves and tactics from the past.

• It should be available in the first quarter of 2010.  
• It should have very good battery life (or else, what's the point?)
• It should do everything.  "Everything" being relative.  
• It should have a 10"-ish screen.  
• It should be touch only.  A recent patent uncovered pen input and Apple does own a whole host of input patents with pens from the Newton days.
• It should spark a whole new segment of mobile computing.
• It should require a data plan thought not necessarily the case.But there will likely be an unlocked standalone version as well.
• It should serve as a companion to the Macbook people already have.  It will not replace the low-end Macbook.
• It should have a serious focus on education.  I know people talk about Jobs saving the print media but education is where it all starts. Don't you agree?
• It should make iTunes even more indispensible.
• It should be a global launch but international markets will miss important features until other media pieces are in place.
• It should highlight gaming, reading, and creativity.  Ain't about voice and surfing the Web no more.

Did I miss anything else?  I'm sure I did but I'm also certain this will be updated between now and January as more information becomes available.

So, you're asking about cost.  Well, this is the part that is all guessing on my part.  And your wallet ain't gonna like it one bit especially if you're not into getting a subsidized wireless plan.

To soften the blow, I can tell you this.  It'll be unlimited.  If it's not, it won't fly.  Why get a "unlimited" wireless 3G plan from ATT with an artificial cap of 5GB.  Doesn't make sense no how.  But to make things easier, this ATT scheme will include Wi-Fi access via its thousands of hotspots.  Plus, in areas where there aren't ATT-supported hotspots, maybe Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo will fill in the void.

Now, cost.

• A lot. $$$$$$$.
• Estimated cost for Apple to make the iTablet will be around $500.  With a 35% operating margin that Apple likes to maintain, we're looking at paying at $800.  This is in the right ball park of what a lot of analysts (who I don't care for) and bloggers (best folks I know, aside from readers) are indicating.  We might see a $900 version depending on the size of the onbord memory.
• Estimated cost of a smaller version to be $400.  With the same 35% margin, we might be looking at $700 to round out the number.  
• Estimated memory will be 32-64GB.  Folks will go bonkers about the small size but I hold out hope that Apple will offer SD card slots since they offer them in the Macbooks.  That's assuming design and aesthetics allow for it.  The price difference will be $100.  
• Subsidized versions should know $300-$400 off the MSRP.  For a two-year wireless deal with ATT (which everyone assumes will be the US carrier of choice), the initial out the door cost will be $400-$500.
• Cost of wireless data.  I'm gonna go with $60.  Perhaps $70 or $75.  Keep in mind that ATT will be offering no voice plan at all.  And insteady, users will require a VOIP solution of their own but it's likely Apple and ATT will step in to fill this void.  After all, even Google Voice doesn't offer a full-featured VOIP solution at this time (Google bought out Gizmo5 last week).
• Apple had patented a scheme that lets advertisers offset costs.  It's very unable so I don't think we'll see it in the way we think.  It'll likely be tied to media or print products.  Don't look for advertisers to know off $100 off the iTablet or anything like that.

So, that's how I think it'll go down.  There's a lot of assumption going on here.  This reminds me of the iPhone speculations prior its actual introduction.  Of course, we're assuming there is even an iTablet at all.

iTablet:

So, we don't know with certainty that the iTablet will be forthcoming but by all indications, it is.  If not for the sake of satisfying the mobile market, it is an evolutionary step in mobile computing.

But Macinstein doesn't think the iTablet would be a great mobile device at all.  It even goes as far as to say it's ruse created by Apple to make its competitors like Dell waste millions in research and development on something that will not work.

Well, if this tablet was coming from Dell, Acer, or Asus, I would agree.  But hey, this is Steve Jobs we're talking about.  Let's not forget that.  The iTablet will be coming from the folks who brought us OS X, Macbooks, iPods, and the iPhones.

For all the shortcoming mentioned in the post, it makes sense that Apple's brilliant designers and engineers would have thought everything through and patent the heck out of it to make sure it works. If it doesn't, trust me on this, Apple will not come out with a tablet.

So, no, it wouldn't just be a double-sized iPod Touch as simply twice the price.  Okay, maybe twice the price of an iPod Touch is plausible but it'll be so much more.  There is a lot we don't know about it.  As we get closer to the release date (which I firmly believe to be early 2010), there will be a lot of hype, rumors, and sleight of hands by multiple players, but I think at the end of the day, we'll be pretty happy that we mobile fans will have another Apple gear in our mobile arsenal.

Let's just hope Apple doesn't really call it the "iTablet".

Source:  Macenstein

FT: Forthcoming Device From Apple To Change Mobile Entertainment

As if we didn't already know given the evolutionary changes and growth of Apple's mobile gear.  But if what Financial Times is report is in fact correct in the way presented in their exciting article, mobile folks, especially Apple fans, will be extremely happy.


I have indicated in the past that Apple is likely to introduce new products in early 2010 rather than late 2009 as there is virtually no need to do so given the strength of its already robust mobile lineup.  However, I have also indicated that I love being wrong and that we'll see this new mobile device, dubbed iTablet by many in the blogworld, as a larger iPod Touch.


There have been a lot of rumors generated late last week about something from Apple but I don't want to get into that.  However, given the strength in reporting financial news, I'll give FT the benefit of the doubt (though WSJ has just a strong reputation but they have been known to be wrong in the past).  


So, what is the Financial Times report?

• Tablet-sized device for this Christmas shopping season.  I'm still thinking 2010 but I hope I'm wrong.  Still, given Apple perchance for perfection, don't be surprise of the target of late 2009 is pushed back or my early 2010 prediction is also pushed back.  Until they've got it right, Apple will not put out an half-ass device.  And yet, they know people will be buying this up in droves.  What better than a paying public willing to beta-test your product?
• Apple and music labels are working on a new product that will be perfect for the tablet.  This includes an interactive booklet for music to entice buyers into purchasing whole albums.
• Apparently, prototypes have already been seen and tested as an entertainment executive was quoted as saying "It's going to be fabulous for watching movies."
• Watch out, Amazon and Kindle!  Literary publishers are trying to get in on the tablet.  As one publishing executive put it, the Apple device is to the Kindle as a color LCD TV is to an old black and white TV.  That's gotta hurt.  Perhaps, this is why Kindle app in the iTunes app store.  
• It will be priced between $600-$1000.  I'm closing that gap a bit and day it'll be $699 and $899.  This is in line with past Apple product pricing.  Expect this price to hold for a couple of years and drop as other competitors, like Microsoft's Zune, bring their own clones to the market.

There is something that does seem a bit off.  At the end of the article, it was mentioned that movie executives were not consulted.  I don't know what that really mean but it just sort of sticks out.  

So, there you have it.  Four quarter of 2009.  There are still a lot of questions and we'll get into it later.  We'll just let this one sink in a bit before going further.  

Source:  FT.com