iPhone Mini discussion (no rumors, just talking)

[Kaido]

I played with a new iPod Nano the other day at Best Buy:

http://www.apple.com/ipod-nano/

Long story short, I can totally see Apple making an iPhone Nano or iPhone Mini. The iPod Nano felt great in my hand and had a surprisingly nice touch interface for the size. Here's a phone of an iPod Nano in-hand: (not my hand! lol)

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/6886243/DSC_0691-hero_large_verge_super_wide.jpg

I was with a non-techie buddy who uses a flip phone and he said man, I wish Apple had a phone like this! He's not a heavy data user and doesn't want to buy a $200+ smartphone with an $80+ a month voice & data plan because he simply wouldn't use it, but does like slightly-more-than-basic features without having to deal with the existing clumsy interfaces of "dumb" phones. I think Apple could really hit this type of user - kind of the mom/grandma/non-techie type of person who just wants a better cell phone - a few nice apps, an easy-to-use dialer & visual voicemail, that sort of thing. Especially if Siri really got going and the iWatch came out, it could make a pretty slick setup!

So basic feature list:

* iPod Nano-style design (small, slim, feels good in your hand)
* iPod Nano-style apps (basic GUI, easy to use, good touchscreen)
* Siri, plus a Swype/SwiftKey-style keyboard for text input
* Visual Voicemail & iPhone-style scrollable contacts list

I'm not really sure what the market would actually be like, since the existing iPhone is already pretty dang slim & light, but the trend seems to be going towards larger phones, so a smaller, slimmer model would be pretty neat. And especially for younger kids, where you don't want to buy a more expensive iPhone, but you could give them an iPhone Nano that does music plus calls and a few other basic things.

Whaddya think?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

So what you're saying is it would basically be running a slim downed version of iOS or a version of the iPod software that was skinned to look like iOS?

 

[JavaMomma]

The idea of the product sounds neat. I don't think it will be as cheap as people think, also will run full ios, App Store? Multiple resolutions might/will be a pain for iPhone developers.

 

[TheStu]

The idea of the product sounds neat. I don't think it will be as cheap as people think, also will run full ios, App Store? Multiple resolutions might/will be a pain for iPhone developers.

Yea, Apple hasn't given any indication that multiple screen resolutions has been on the roadmap from day 1. So I think you're right, if they go this route, they are probably going to have a bad time.

All I want is a 'clever'-phone. I don't need really need a smartphone with all its whiz-bang features and 1 million apps. I need a good browser, a lot of storage for music, and a decent camera. All of that on an OS that doesn't make me hate it, myself, and the universe every time I use it.

 

[ControlD]

The problem I see is more carrier related. If you want a phone that has a browser and Siri, then your are going to need data. If you need data then your carrier is going to charge you for a data plan. At this point, let's say you can get the iPhone Mini for $99 on contract so you are saving $100 or so over the price of a "real" iPhone. What you will have is a simple phone that costs just as much per month as a full blown iPhone with a fraction of the functionality. I don't see that many smart people trying to save $100 or $200 up front in such a case.

 

[TheStu]

The problem I see is more carrier related. If you want a phone that has a browser and Siri, then your are going to need data. If you need data then your carrier is going to charge you for a data plan. At this point, let's say you can get the iPhone Mini for $99 on contract so you are saving $100 or so over the price of a "real" iPhone. What you will have is a simple phone that costs just as much per month as a full blown iPhone with a fraction of the functionality. I don't see that many smart people trying to save $100 or $200 up front in such a case.

Why would I get the iPhone Mini for $99 when I can get last year's iPhone for the same price??

You're right about the data plan and everything else though. I think that the idea of the iPhone Mini is about having a cheaper UNsubsidized device. The iPhone 5 is $650 for full retail. The Nexus 4 is $350. Now, the Nexus 4 is anomalous, but there are other, less feature-rich Android devices hitting that price point and below outside of the US where carrier subsidies are less common.

 

[ControlD]

Why would I get the iPhone Mini for $99 when I can get last year's iPhone for the same price??

You're right about the data plan and everything else though. I think that the idea of the iPhone Mini is about having a cheaper UNsubsidized device. The iPhone 5 is $650 for full retail. The Nexus 4 is $350. Now, the Nexus 4 is anomalous, but there are other, less feature-rich Android devices hitting that price point and below outside of the US where carrier subsidies are less common.

I hadn't thought about the non subsidized angle, that makes sense. If you can buy the phone outright and then pay as you go it might be an attractive option.

Shows you how much my thinking has been molded by my Verizon overlords ....

 

[Kaido]

So what you're saying is it would basically be running a slim downed version of iOS or a version of the iPod software that was skinned to look like iOS?

The idea of the product sounds neat. I don't think it will be as cheap as people think, also will run full ios, App Store? Multiple resolutions might/will be a pain for iPhone developers.

All I want is a 'clever'-phone. I don't need really need a smartphone with all its whiz-bang features and 1 million apps. I need a good browser, a lot of storage for music, and a decent camera. All of that on an OS that doesn't make me hate it, myself, and the universe every time I use it.

And that's the question - would it be like an iPad Mini, which just shrinks an iPad 2 into a new device, or would it be like an iPod Nano, where it has a slimmed-down iOS GUI? I would think the latter - as TheStu said, a "clever phone". Something that removes the dumb from dumb phones, but isn't a full-featured smartphone. In my eyes, that would be perfect for parents, grandparents, younger kids, and anyone who doesn't need or want a fully-loaded smartphone (who just want something...better), which is a surprisingly large number of people (that I know, at least).

Especially if they could do corporate integration...I'd love to replace my company's dumbphones with iPhone Nanos that I could push a directory out to and remote wipe if needed, but that didn't do much beyond that...MP3 player, visual voicemail, easy dialer & phonebook, done. Could be really really slick if they wanted to go that route :thumbsup:

 

[vailr]

Sooner or later, somebody will offer a full-blown "Dick Tracy"-type wrist watch.
Live 2-way audio + video on your wrist.
It'd be the 1930's all over again, only: in real-life, instead of the comic pages.