Rumor: Verizon Getting Apple iPhone "Lite" and "Media Pad"?!
Drop one tiny Verizon rumor pebble into the pond, and watch the iRipples spread like crazy. Cases in point:
Business Week (via MacRumors) is reporting that Apple will introduce two (2) new devices on Verizon this year:
- iPhone "Lite", which would be thinner and cheaper than the iPhone proper due to the system on a chip technology Apple has been amassing lately (i.e. PA Semi, Arm and PowerVR licenses, etc).
- "Media Pad", which would be smaller than an Amazon Kindle but with a larger screen and described as yet another breakthrough device on the scale of iPod or iPhone, with photos, HD movies, music, and Wi-Fi for -- presumably browsing and -- VoIP calls.
To further the rumor, one of these new toys may come as early as this summer. (WWDC time frame?)
We're still not sure about any of this. iPhone did begin life as a larger, iTablet-like Safari Pad, and recently developer Craig Hokenberry made an interesting argument for a "Front Row To Go" pad that sounds similar.
Meanwhile, sucking the oxygen out of the lower-cost market is something Apple did with the iPod nano, however Apple has repeatedly said there'd be no iPhone nano (for whatever that's worth...) but more importantly, unlike the GSM iPhone, a CDMA iPhone Lite or "Media Pad" wouldn't enjoy the international portability of the iPhone (sure, "world phones" typically do some EDGE, but we'd want ultra-fast HSPA+, right?).
Just 2 years post launch, the GSM iPhone is in over 80 countries. The CDMA Amazon Kindle? Still just 1. Apples to oranges, we know, but it's something to consider for "Media Pad" class devices.
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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Interesting. Would exclusive rights uphold on a new/different device? Anyone know? Judging from the post I'd assume not.
Sounds like if it under a different name it plays a different game. Even though I personally think apple will hook up with Verizon I don't think they'll burst AT&T s bubble this summer.
Don't really see any truth to any of these rumours to be honest, the media pad? (may be) as far as the iPhone Lite on Verizon? (NO WAY!)
apples not going into phone business for a company only usable in America. they want iPhones to b spread out. not confined
Rumors really need to stop....... I was about to buy a Macbook yesterday then I realized WWDC is only like 2 months away so I stopped myself. See what rumors do?
I wonder if Verizon will give apple the freedom to include various hardware elements like wifi and integrated google maps. They usually do a good job hamstringing hardware to charge up people's bills. Hopefully not.
iPhone nano will never happen and why would Apple make a cdma edition? As it is the hardware works on many carriers worldwide. No way they make an America only version.
@Rene:
So you are seemingly asserting that Apple paid/induced some case makers to develop prototypes of a nano case simply to game the market?
There were actual nano cases made, or at least pictured on web pages, http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2008/12/supposed-iphone-nano-case-goes-on-sale-lends-credibility.ars
So someone went to some expense to do this.
I often thought it odd that someone would tool up and make a production run for something that didn't exist and then not even complain about it loudly when their guess turned out wrong.
Your assertion that this might have been the work of Apple suggests unclean hands.
@AL:
Verizon will be LTE before ATT will be.
These days you can marry two fundamentally different radio protocols into one chipset for very little cost. (pennies per chip).
@Frank:
Why on earth would you complain about that? Any rational person contemplating a purchase would look a few months ahead to see what might be coming down the pike.
Glad the community was able to help out and prevent you from making a rash decision, given the close approach of likely new announcements. You're welcome.
Verizon's new Hub product is a combo of hardware and services dying for an Apple makeover!!
AT&T has their HomeManager product but it's not nearly as integrated with their wireless side as Verizon's. If Apple were to bring out a hardware device such as the Hub only running Apple OS and tie in the Verizon network services side with all the killer Apple apps plus those available in App store...the thing would be a market creator/leader. The possibilities are endless...
Yeah... so Verizon pulled their hub lol.