2007-01-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.
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Widescreen ipod
Phone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets you enjoy all your content — including music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies — on a beautiful 3.5-inch widescreen display. It also lets you sync your content from the iTunes library on your PC or Mac. And then you can access it all with just the touch of a finger.

Revolutionary phone
iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want — just like email.

Breakthrough Ibternet Device
Phone features a rich HTML email client and Safari — the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device — which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac. Safari also includes built-in Google and Yahoo! search. iPhone is fully multi-tasking, so you can read a web page while downloading your email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE.

High Technology
Multi-touch

iPhone features the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse. It’s an entirely new interface based on a large multi-touch display and innovative new software that lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flip through photos and email them with a touch, or zoom in and out on a section of a web page — all by simply using iPhone’s multi-touch display.
Intelligent Keyboard

iPhone’s full QWERTY soft keyboard lets you easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions. And the keyboard is predictive, so it prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones.

Wht Wikis says.
History

The genesis of the iPhone was Jobs' direction that Apple engineers investigate touch-screens. At the time he had been considering having Apple work on tablet PCs.[6][7][8] Many have noted the device's similarities to Apple's previous touch-screen portable device, the Newton MessagePad.[9][10][11][12] Like the Newton, the iPhone is nearly all screen, and likewise its form-factor is credited as well by Apple to their head of design, Jonathan Ive.[6][13] Comments made by Jobs in April 2003 at the "D: All Things Digital" executive conference expressed his belief that tablet PCs and traditional PDAs were not good choices as high-demand markets for Apple to enter, despite many requests made to him that Apple create another PDA. He did believe that cell phones were going to become important devices for portable information access, and that what cell phones needed to have was excellent synchronization software. At the time, instead of focusing on a follow-up to their Newton PDA, Jobs had Apple put its energies into the iPod, and the iTunes software (which can be used to synchronize content with iPod devices), released January 2001.[14][15][16][17] On September 7, 2005, Apple and Motorola released the ROKR E1, the first mobile phone to use iTunes. However Jobs was unhappy with the ROKR, feeling that having to compromise with a non-Apple designer (Motorola) prevented Apple from designing the phone he wanted to make.[18] In September 2006, Apple discontinued support for the ROKR and released a version of iTunes that included references to an as-yet unknown mobile phone that could display pictures and video.[19] On January 9, 2007, Jobs announced the iPhone.

Features

Multi-touch

The 3.5-inch (8.9cm) display (320×480 px at 160 ppi) touch screen is specifically created for use with a finger, or multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing. No stylus is needed, nor can one be used, as the touch screen requires bare skin to operate.[20]

For text input, the device implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has automatic spell checking and predictive word capabilities.

The photo album and web page magnifications are examples of multi-touch sensing. It is possible to zoom in and out of objects such as web pages and photos by respectively "unpinching" and "pinching" them, that is, placing two fingers (usually thumb and forefinger) on the screen and moving them farther apart or closer together as if stretching or squeezing the image.

The iPhone varies from common desktop interfaces by using a direct manipulation model of scrolling. Where a typical desktop GUI achieves scrolling by using a scroll-arrow to push a view-window down and thus the content itself up (or the reverse, clicking up to move content down), the iPhone interface enables the user to move the content itself up or down by direct touch.

Scrolling through a long list works as if the list is pasted on the surface of a wheel: you can "give the wheel a spin" by sliding your finger over the display; after you lifted your finger from the display the "wheel continues spinning" for a short moment before coasting down. In this way, the iPhone seems to simulate the physics of a real object, which, it is thought, should give a very natural feel to the whole process.

The UI also features other visual effects, such as horizontally sliding sub-selections and co-selections from right and left, and vertically sliding system menus from the bottom (e.g. favorites, keyboard).

Other sensors/inputs

The display responds to three sensors: a proximity sensor that shuts off the touchscreen when the iPhone is brought close to an ear (to save battery power and to prevent accidental contact with the user's face and ears from triggering phone features), an ambient light sensor that adjusts screen brightness and saves power, and an accelerometer, which senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly, albeit in only one 90 degree direction.

A single frontal hardware button brings up the main menu. Subselections are made via the touchscreen. The iPhone utilizes a full-paged display, with context-specific submenus at the top and/or bottom of each page, sometimes depending on screen orientation. Detail pages display the equivalent of a "Back" button to go up one menu.

The iPhone has three hardware switches on its sides: sleep/wake, volume up/down, ringer on/off. All other multimedia and phone operations are done via the touch screen.

Phone

The iPhone allows conferencing, call holding, call merging, caller ID, and integration with other iPhone features. A playing song fades out when the user receives a call. Once the call is ended the music fades back seamlessly.

The iPhone will include a Visual Voicemail feature in conjunction with Cingular which allows users to view a list of current voicemail messages onscreen, without having to call into their voicemail. Voicemail messages will play when selected by the user. Cingular completely reworked their process design around voicemails to accomodate this feature from Apple.

E-mail messages are presented chronologically in a mailbox format similar to Mail, which places all text from recipients together with replies. Text messages are displayed in speech bubbles (similar to iChat) under each recipient's name.

Camera

The iPhone features a 2 megapixel camera with video and software that allows the user to upload, view, and e-mail photos. The user zooms in and out of photos by "unpinching" and "pinching" them through the Multi-touch interface. The software will interact with iPhoto on the Mac.

iPod

The layout of the music library differs from previous iPods, with the sections divided more clearly alphabetically, and with a larger font. The Cover Flow, like that on iTunes, shows the different album covers in a scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by swiping a finger across the screen.

Like the fifth generation iPods introduced in 2005, the iPhone can play video allowing users to watch TV shows and films. Unlike other image-related content, video on the iPhone plays only in the landscape orientation, when the phone is turned sideways. A two-fingered tap is used to switch between wide-screen and full-screen aspect ratios.

[edit] Internet
Wikipedia on the iPhone's Safari web browser.
Wikipedia on the iPhone's Safari web browser.

The iPhone has built-in WiFi, with which it will be able to access the Internet (through a wireless network) via the Safari browser. The iPhone will also be able to connect to the Internet through Cingular's EDGE network but will not be able to utilize Cingular's 3G/HSDPA network at launch.[20] The web browser displays full web pages as opposed to simplified pages as on most other phones. Web pages may be viewed in portrait or landscape mode and support automatic zooming by "pinching" or double-tapping images or text. The iPhone also has Bluetooth built in and works with wireless earpieces that use Bluetooth 2.0 technology and for file transfer.

An agreement between Apple and Google provides for access to a specially modified version of Google Maps — in map, local list, or satellite form, optimized for the iPhone. During the launch of the product, Jobs demonstrated this feature by searching for nearby coffee shops and then placing a call to one with a single tap.

Email

The iPhone also features an HTML e-mail program, which enables the user to embed photos in an e-mail message. Yahoo! will be providing a free Push-IMAP e-mail service similar to that on a BlackBerry; IMAP and POP3 mail standards are also supported, including Microsoft Exchange. The email program Outlook for Windows cannot be synchronized with the iPhone[20] for the time being. There is no enterprise email connectivity[21] unless it supports IMAP push.

OS X

Apple has confirmed an optimized, full version of the OS X operating system (minus unnecessary components) will run on the iPhone, and is expected to take up "considerably less" than 500MB,[22][23][24] and capable of supporting as-yet undetermined bundled and future 1st and 3rd-party applications. Differences between the operating system (OS X) running on Macs and the iPhone have not been officially explained. Third party applications are currently limited to a "controlled environment".[25][23][26]

Apple intends to offer a smooth method for updating the iPhone's operating system, in a similar fashion to the way that Mac OS X and iPods are updated, and touts this as an advantage compared to other cell phones.[22]

Widgets, similar to the ones available in Mac OS X v10.4's Dashboard, are included on the iPhone. The examples given in the Macworld 2007 keynote were Stocks and Weather widgets.

The iPhone's version of OS X includes the software component "Core Animation" which is responsible for the smooth Animations used in its user interface.
Other

The iPhone features a built-in battery that is not intended to be user-replaceable, similar to existing iPods. The battery is capable of providing five hours of video, web browsing, or talk time. The battery life for music playing is 16 hours.[20] It is unknown how long the batteries will last in sleep mode.

There will be new headphones which are similar to those of current iPods, but which incorporate a microphone. Calls can be answered and ended by squeezing the microphone. Wireless earpieces that use Bluetooth technology to communicate with the iPhone will be sold separately.

The loudspeaker is used both for handsfree operations and media playback.

The iPhone has the ability to synchronize with Apple's iCal (for calendar and notifications), Address Book (for phone numbers), and iTunes. Windows users will be limited to iTunes synchronization.

Pricing and availability

Jobs announced that the iPhone will first be available in June 2007 in the U.S., during the fourth quarter 2007 in Europe, and in 2008 for Asia. The initial U.S. release will be offered in two configurations with two different prices, based on a 2-year phone service contract: a 4 GB model for US $499 and an 8 GB model for $599.

Apple also announced that its goal is to capture 1% of the global mobile phone market, which would be approximate 10 million units being sold in the first full calendar year of iPhone availability. For comparison, Jobs announced that the Apple iPod commands 62% of the U.S. market share for MP3 players.[27]

In a deal concluded from secretive discussions beginning in February 2005, Cingular Wireless will be the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the United States and will remain so until 2009.[28] The iPhone may be purchased only with a two-year service plan with Cingular.[29]

iPhone trademark

On September 3, 1993, Infogear filed for the U.S. trademark "I PHONE" and on March 20, 1996 applied for the trademark "IPhone". "I Phone" was registered in March 1998,[30] and "IPhone" was registered in 1999. Since then, the I PHONE mark has been abandoned. Infogear's trademarks cover "communications terminals comprising computer hardware and software providing integrated telephone, data communications and personal computer functions" (1993 filing),[30] and "computer hardware and software for providing integrated telephone communication with computerized global information networks" (1996 filing).[32] Infogear released a telephone with an integrated web server under the name iPhone in 1998. In 2000, Infogear won an infringement claim against the owners of the iphones.com domain name. In June 2000, Cisco Systems acquired Infogear, including the iPhone trademark. On December 18, 2006 they released a range of re-branded Voice over IP (VoIP) sets under the name iPhone.

In October 2002, Apple applied for the "iPhone" trademark in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore and the European Union. A Canadian application followed in October 2004 and a New Zealand application in September 2006. As of October 2006 only the Singapore and Australian applications had been granted. In September 2006, a company called Ocean Telecom Services applied for an "iPhone" trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and Hong Kong, following a filing in Trinidad and Tobago. As the Ocean Telecom patents use exactly the same wording as Apple's New Zealand application, it is assumed that Ocean Telecom is applying on behalf of Apple.[37] The Canadian application was opposed in August 2005 by a Canadian company called Comwave who themselves applied for the trademark three months later. Comwave have been selling VoIP devices called iPhone since 2004.

Shortly after Steve Jobs' January 9, 2007 announcement that Apple would be selling a product called iPhone in June 2007, Cisco issued a statement that it had been negotiating trademark licensing with Apple and expected Apple to agree to the final documents that had been submitted the night before.[38] On January 10, Cisco announced it had filed a lawsuit against Apple over the infringement of the trademark iPhone, seeking an injunction in federal court to prohibit Apple from using the name.[39] More recently, Cisco claimed that the trademark lawsuit was a "minor skirmish" that was not about money, but about interoperability.[40] On February 2, 2007, Apple and Cisco announced that they had agreed to temporarily suspend litigation while they hold settlement talks,and subsequently announced on February 20, 2007 that they had reached an agreement. Both companies will be allowed to use the "iPhone" name[42] in exchange for "exploring interoperability" between Apple's products and Cisco's iPhone.

Specifications

* Storage: 4 or 8 GB Flash memory, storing files and operating system.
* Screen size: 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
o Resolution: 320×480 pixels
* Size: 115×61×11.6 mm (4.5×2.4×0.46 in)
* Weight: 4.8 oz (135 g)
* Operating System: OS X
o Safari web browser
o Push email client
o A widget engine
o Core Animation
o Power Management
* Dock connector connection port
o Dock with dock connector to USB cord
* Plays AAC and MP3 audio file formats
* Plays H.264 video
* Graphical user interface: OS X
* Integrated WiFi (802.11b/802.11g), EDGE and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
* 2 megapixel camera
* iPod - music, video and photo functionality
o iPod portion features Cover Flow interface and 3-D effects
* Multi-touch screen interface (the "Home" button is the iPhone's only physical front panel button)
o On-screen QWERTY keyboard
o Fingertip scrolling, pan, and zoom (through a technique called "pinching") functions
* Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 5 hours of talk/video/browsing or up to 16 hours of audio playback.
* Integrated accelerometer motion sensor for automatic smart switching between portrait and landscape display mode

Processor(s)

It is not yet known what processors power the iPhone. However, on January 24, 2007, AppleInsider stated that Samsung will provide a unified central processing unit.[44] On February 7, 2007, EE Times Europe published a report that three ARM processors are used in iPhone, but did not confirm exactly what chips might be used.Earlier, Intel Italy executive manager Dario Bucci claimed that one of Marvell's XScale series of ARM processors is to be found in iPhone.

The Ultimate iphone FAQ's
from pogue's post
Wow. Predictably, the torrent — and I do mean torrent — of iPhone commentary from the citizens of the Web is practically outflooding spam this week. Most of it comes from people whose shirt fronts are practically drenched in drool. Plenty is negative and bitter.

Another huge category is iPhone questions. Never mind that many of these questions either (a) have been answered by Apple, either on its elaborate, interactive Web site or the free video of Steve Jobs’s speech, or (b) come from people who fantasize about fitting the iPhone into their own particular wish lists.

(My favorite sarcastic comment, which was a response to these responses, which were in response to my last blog entry: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but can you use it underwater? And can you recharge it using solar power? And does it have an optical scanner that detects your eyeball movements so that you merely have to look at a name in your contacts list and blink in order to choose and call him? Apple, you have a long way to go…”)

Anyway, here it is: the ultimate iPhone Frequently Asked Questions list, complete with answers.

ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS:

Can it be used with anything but Cingular? –No.

Is it an “unlocked” phone, so I can use it with a carrier other than Cingular? –No.

Will there be a non-Cingular version? –Not within the first two years.

Can I put my T-Mobile SIM card in it instead of Cingular? –No.

But what if I keep asking? Then will it be available beyond Cingular? –No.

Can it run Mac OS X programs? –No.

Can I add new programs to it? –No. Apple wants to control the look and feel and behavior of every aspect of the phone.

Does it run programs from Palm, Symbian, Windows? –No.

Does it connect to iChat? –No.

Does it have games? –No.

Is it ambidextrous? –No.

Does it have GPS? –No.

Voice recognition? Voice dialing? Voice memos? –No, although this could change by June when the phone ships.

Does it get onto the HSDPA (3G) high-speed Internet network that Cingular has rolled out in a few cities? –No. But Steve Jobs said a later version of the iPhone will — once there’s enough HSDPA coverage in this country to justify it.

Does the Web browser support Flash or Java? –No.

Will it play music over Bluetooth? –Unknown.

Can you change the battery yourself? –No. You’ll have to send the phone in to Apple for battery replacement, just as with the iPods.

Can it open Word and Excel documents? –No. (Steve Jobs says it can open PDF files, though.)

Can you use it one-handed? –Yes, for some functions. But overall, it’s less convenient than on a phone with physical keys.

Can I make a call while driving a car? –Not as easily as on a regular cellphone with programmed speed-dial keys. (Besides–MUST you?)

Does the camera record video? –Not yet. Apple may add this feature by June.

Does it connect to standard iPod accessories like car docks and speaker systems? –Yes!

Does it work overseas? –Yes. It’s a quad-band GSM phone, meaning you can use it in almost any country (for an added fee, of course).

Is there a Verizon version? –NO!!!!

Will they make a non-cellphone version–a widescreen touch iPod? –Nobody knows. Apple doesn’t leak product info until it’s good and ready.

That scrolling through lists thing is glitzy, but what if I have 3,000 names in my address book? –There’s also an alphabet “index tab” down the right side of the screen, so you can jump to another spot in the list.

Is there a calendar? –Yes.

Will it sync with Outlook? –No.

What about airplane use? –It has a airplane mode (wireless off), just like any cellphone.

Won’t the screen get smudgy? –It does, but you don’t see it except when the screen is off. The one I played with was pretty streaky, but wiping it on my sleeve cleaned it completely.

Who on earth would buy this thing? –Obviously not people who ask this question. But that’s OK–there’s no requirement that everyone buy the iPhone. More for the rest of us! :)

NEWS FROM apple=iphone-blog
iPhone: Revolutionary or just fashionably late?

Associated Press
February 5, 2007
SAN JOSE, CALIF. - Pablo Gonzalez, a Prada shoe-wearing cell phone connoisseur who jumps from one new handset to the next, is ready to ditch his $1,000 touch-screen cell phone for Apple’s iPhone when it becomes available in June.

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Tark Abed, on the other hand, just got the new Samsung BlackJack smart phone a month ago. The industrial designer at Palo Alto-based Speck Design isn’t keen on spending $500 even though he finds the iPhone’s sleek interface alluring and innovative.

“I upgraded to an unlimited data plan and got the BlackJack for $149,” he said, “and that’s a lot of phone already for $149.”

Their divergent views underscore why Apple’s much-hyped seminal cell phone is all the rage and why, at the same time, incumbent rivals are stirred but say they are not shaken.

The iPhone got everybody — from techie bloggers to late-night TV hosts — talking when it arrived fashionably late on the wireless communications scene. Would-be rivals are welcoming the challenge but questioning Apple’s claim that the iPhone is “revolutionary.”

Apple’s competitors predict that even as the gadget will likely boost the company’s fortunes, it will have limited market share and fall short of the successes Apple has seen with its iPod portable music player. They contend some of the phone’s muchtouted features — such as its touch screen, movement sensors and music player — are not innovative or new.

“They’re just jumping into the party where everyone else is,” said Peter Skarzynski, a senior vice president at Samsung Electronics Co.’s telecommunications unit in North America.

Apple is getting in at a time when competition in the cell phone business is, as ThinkEquity Partners analyst Jonathan Hoopes puts it, “as hot as Hades.”

Because nearly everyone already has a wireless device of some sort, the success of the iPhone will depend on whether Apple’s notoriously slick marketing machine can persuade consumers to replace their current phones with an iPhone that costs $500 or more. In some cases they’ll have to switch carriers as Apple’s gadgets will work only through Cingular Wireless.

“This is not just as easy as going out to buy an iPod,” Hoopes said.

The cell phone market is crowded, yet still growing, and its biggest players are looking for ways to squeeze more profits from declining prices and ever-fickle consumer tastes.

One of the brightest growth spots for the industry has been in cell phones that function as do-it-all devices capable of not only voice communications, but also data, such as Web-browsing and e-mail.

It is precisely this category called smart phones that Apple is targeting with the iPhone, which triples as a phone, a music player and a mobile Internet device.

Sales of smart phones in North America are estimated to grow from 11 million units in 2007 to 55 million in 2010, according to market research firm Gartner.

Worldwide unit sales are projected to nearly quadruple, from 122 million in 2007 to 450 million in 2010.

Nokia Corp. Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo told analysts last week that he doesn’t think Nokia, the world’s No. 1 handset maker, needs to change its business approach because of the iPhone.

But Apple’s entry “will stimulate this market, it’s very clear,” he said. “The fact that we will see multipurpose devices from many manufacturers, I think it will be good for the industry. And in that way, I very much welcome (Apple to the market).”

Handset makers, which already face cutthroat design and pricing battles among themselves, will be watching as well. Samsung, the thirdlargest cell phone maker, is paying particular attention to effects on its line of mid- to high-end phones.

“It’ll definitely impact us, but how much, it’ll depend,” said Dong Jin Oh, president and CEO of the American unit of Samsung.

Samsung and its rivals were just as curious as everyone else Jan. 9 when Apple, after more than two years of rumors and development, finally delivered on the hype.

Nokia employees watched online demonstrations of the iPhone from their trade show booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Padmasree Warrior, chief technology officer for No. 2 handset maker Motorola, posted a “morning after” blog saying she’d always been a fan of Apple’s creativity.

She called the iPhone a “compelling concept,” but she also outlined its potential shortcomings.

With the iPhone still months away, no one knows all its features or how well it functions in real life.

Any criticisms leveled now — the high price, the exclusive distribution through Cingular Wireless, the choice to use the slower 2.5G data network, the apparent lack of support for Microsoft Corp.’s business e-mail programs, the lack of a traditional QWERTY button keyboard — could become moot or insignificant later.

Cisco Gives Apple More Time in iPhone Suit

Cisco has decided to give Apple more time regarding the iPhone suit. The company has given Apple until February 15 to respond to a lawsuit filed by Cisco regarding the usage of Cisco’s trademark name for the iPhone product. Cisco had allegedly beat Apple to the iPhone name. Turns out Cisco's had the name since 2000, when it bought InfoGear Technology, which had the rights to the iPhone name.

The companies hope to reach an agreement on both trademark rights and interoperability, the companies said in a joint statement.

However, in November 2006, analysts had noted that an iPhone could cannibalise iPod sales. But the move can’t be resisted. Music is increasingly moving onto cell phones, they added. "I think over the long term mobile music is gong to be huge," Pacific Growth Equities analyst Derrick Wood said. "And that is playing and consuming music over your phone."

In all probability, the iPhone will include music-playing option, a common feature in most phones sold today. Makers of smart phones that sport Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 are turning Windows Media into one option to turn a PDA-style phone into a music player. Meanwhile, Motorola is aligned with Apple for iTunes on cell phones. Microsoft and Nokia, among others, are eyeing new handsets.

Apple’s devices are sold at a premium because of its attention to details.

iPhone inspires next generation iPod

BY ERIC BENDEROFF
Chicago Tribune
If you want to know what the next iPod will look like, go to Apple.com and watch the demo for the coming iPhone.

Since Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, which goes on sale in June from Cingular Wireless, much has been said and written about how revolutionary it will be. That's all well and good, but one aspect has been overlooked: How will this impact the iPod?

The answer is, quite a bit. Already, Apple executives are calling the iPhone the best iPod the company has built. Do you think all that really cool technology, particularly the touch screen, only will be used on a phone that starts at $500?

Hardly. Put me on the record as saying you'll see a touch-screen iPod this fall, a few months after the buzz of the iPhone launch settles and a few months before the key holiday sales season kicks in.

Apple does not talk about new products before they are introduced, and it is no different when people at the company are asked what a new iPod could look like. But Apple cares about being an innovator, as well as protecting its bread-and-butter product line, so it would behoove Jobs to include iPhone's nifty new features in his top-of-the-line video-playing iPod.

What's at stake for Apple? Just continued market dominance.

The iPod is overdue for a change. By fall, it will be two years since Apple introduced the so-called fifth-generation iPod. That's the one that plays videos and was slightly upgraded last year with more storage and a marginally bigger screen. Call it the fifth-generation "A" version, if you like.

But the sixth generation is coming, and it will make millions of people feel better about not shelling out $500 for an iPhone. That iPhone will have 4 gigabytes of storage, while a $600 version will have 8 gb.

By comparison, a new iPod will have at least 80 gb of music, video and photo storage capability, like the current top model, and be priced at about $350. Historically, Apple has kept the price of its top product in that range, even as it provides more capabilities. The new iPod should be no different.

"I think it will be a more compelling product than the iPhone," said Rob Enderle, a technology analyst who agrees the next iPod is on the way. "There are a lot of things where a touch screen on a phone doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense, but on an iPod it could be absolutely stunning."

The touch-screen controls have wowed people who have seen demonstrations of the iPhone. Instead of using a scroll wheel to navigate through your songs, videos and photos, you just touch the screen. Use your finger for scrolling, then tap on the artist you want to hear. A list of songs and albums pop up.

Choose a song, and while it plays, the album art shows, just like on the fifth-generation iPods. But the iPhone takes it up a notch: Turned horizontally, that album art becomes part of "cover flow," where you can scroll through all the album art stored on your device.

Cover flow is borrowed from the recent iTunes software upgrade. It makes the music experience more visual, as if you are sifting through a collection of albums in a box. It is a far more interesting feature on a hand-held device than on a computer.

What else will be on the new iPod?

Another nice addition would be Bluetooth connectivity, so you can use wireless headphones with your iPod. That will be included in the iPhone for hands-free driving and listening to music.

With Bluetooth on an iPod, tech writers like this one will have to stop using phrases like "those ubiquitous white cords dangling from everyone's ears." Rather, we'll have to talk about how you can spot the cool kids with the new iPods because there are no more dangling cords.

Keep in mind that while Apple is preparing to dip its toe into the phone business, it already is shoulder deep in the music business. By the time 2007 ends, you can bet Apple will sell more new iPods than iPhones.

ULTIMATE FAQ's frm pogue's post
Ultimate iPhone FAQs List, Part 2

Just got back home tonight after my week in San Francisco, and found ANOTHER several dozen questions about the iPhone waiting on this blog’s comments area!

I promise that this blog isn’t going to become “all iPhone, all the time”–but I’ve read through your comments and compiled this second list of Q’s and A’s.

First, though, a clarification on my earlier post…

“Will the browser offer Flash and Java?” –In my previous blog post, I said “No” (you’ll see why in a moment). But several of you have pointed out an interview published in the German magazine MacWelt, in which the browser IS said to offer Flash and Java.

So I’ve asked John Markoff, who audio-recorded our interview with Steve Jobs, to play back the relevant exchange for me. Here it is:

——
Markoff: “What about all those plugins that live within Safari now, like Flash or like Java or like JavaScript?”

Jobs: “Well, JavaScript’s built into the Phone. Sure.”

Markoff: “And what are you thinking about Flash and Java?”

Jobs: “Java’s not worth building in. Nobody uses Java anymore. It’s this big heavyweight ball and chain.”

Markoff: “Flash?”

Jobs: “Well, you might see that.”

Markoff: “What about YouTube–”

Jobs: “Yeah, YouTube—of course. But you don’t need to have Flash to show YouTube. All you need to do is deal with YouTube. And plus, we could get ‘em to up their video resolution at the same time, by using h.264 instead of the old codec.”
——-

So the DEFINITIVE answer now is: NO Java, MAYBE Flash.

Going on:

“Will we be able to assign ipod-playable songs to ringtones?” –John Markoff asked this during our interview, and Mr. Jobs said it’s not been decided yet.

“How does the iPhone charge?” –It comes with a white charging/syncing dock, just like an iPod.

“Also, are you SURE about the games? All the iPods run those special iPod games; wouldn’t you expect them to run those at least?” –Ooh, that’s a fantastic point. I explored the iPhone rather thoroughly during my time with it, and never saw any games. But it sure sounds logical that you’d at least get everything you get with a regular iPod!

“Another thing: what is the of OS X version? Is it close to Leopard, a mobile-Leopard?” –No. It’s not the entire Mac OS X, either, and of course the interface has been redesigned for phone use.

“The CALENDAR program, does it accept input on the phone, or is it just a dumb viewer of synced data from your mac, like the ipod is?” –Calendar program isn’t finished yet, but I did see an “add new event” icon on the placeholder graphic.

“Is there any wireless (Bluetooth or Wifi) syncing at all, for contacts and calendar?” –No.

“Is the SETTINGS menu working as of now, and what are some of the settings that you saw in there?” –Yes, it’s working! Some of the options I remember were: backlight timer; “show touch feedback” (a little dot appears on the screen every time you tap); airplane mode; ringtone. There were many pages of settings, though.

“How was call quality? Was this not available for testing?” –Yes, it was working fine. I called home with it. Sounded loud and clear, although this means nothing at this point. Apple doesn’t even have FCC approval yet, and have many months of fine-tuning and fiddling left to do. Also, of course, your call quality will depend on how far you are from the cell tower.

“How about going to Google spreadsheets and docs to open Word documents and spreadsheets?” –Should work, in theory!

“Can the pinch gesture be used on Web pages?” –Yes! Also on email! So weird, but cool–I could zoom in and out on an entire email message: embedded photo, text, and all.

“Are both text and images both (almost) infinitely resizable with the pinch gesture?” –No. The smallest size is “fit the whole thing on the screen.” The largest seems to be, I don’t know, 4X or 8X actual size.

“So there are no speed dial keys??” –That one’s been bothering me, too. Even according to the demo at apple.com/iphone, it seems as though to dial, starting from the Home screen, you have to tap the Phone icon, then the keypad icon OR the phonebook icon, THEN tap someone’s name. I can’t believe Apple would design something that requires so many steps. Surely they’ve got a quicker method up their sleeve…

“Or is it that the email will not sync?” –The email doesn’t sync with anything. It sends and receives email from the Internet.

“Will the built-in sensors replace the need of the Nike sports kit for tracking running data?” –You’re kidding me, right?

“Is there going to be a security logon, so that if it is stolen that it is essentially useless for non-hacker thieves?” –I didn’t see it, but since that’s standard on iPods, I would imagine that it’ll be there.

“Will any songs downloaded to the phone itself be able to be used as ringtones?” –Apple says it hasn’t decided.

“Will the iPhone work without a SIM card installed? i.e., will it be able to surf the web/email?” –Very doubtful.

“Is the speakerphone any good?” –Yes, very good (for a cellphone).

“Didn’t steve demo a feature where Google maps knew where the phone was? Wouldn’t that require GPS?” –No, he didn’t. (Yes, it would.)

“Will the iPod FM radio work ?” –I’d guess yes, but don’t know for sure.

“Do I HAVE to use Cingular?” –ARRRRRGGGHHH!

“Can the iPhone be used as a modem for a MacBook?” –If the answer were yes, Apple surely would have touted that feature.

“Will it support disk mode like ipods?” –I’m guessing yes. (I do have a call in to Apple for all these “I’m guessing” answers, but it seems they’ve been a little busy recently…)

“Can you use it with an existing Cingular account, or will Cingular have a special iPhone group of plans with special features like the priority voice mail, etc?” –Cingular hasn’t yet determined service pricing.

“You referred to the screen as being a ‘glass surface.’ Was it a figure of speech or is it really made out of glass?” –Figure of speech. It’s the same polycarbonate that’s used for iPod screens, although apparently the coating has been substantially improved.

“Does the screen scratch easily?” –See above.

“Do you really think Apple’s just going to sit on it and not work on improving it for the next half-year? Give it time.” –Could not agree more!

“Will the iPhone touch surface work if you’re wearing gloves? Be unpleasant to use the phone in the dead of winter otherwise.” –No, it responds ONLY to skin touch. I couldn’t use my fingernail, for example. And you certainly can’t use a stylus. (On the other hand, I doubt there’s ANY smartphone you can operate with gloves on.)

“If it doesn’t sync with Outlook, does that mean it will not be compatible with Windows OS?” –No, it’s definitely Windows-compatible, in that it syncs with iTunes. (Music, photos, videos, etc.)

“Was there discussion of the CPU type?” –Mr. Jobs would not say what the processor is.

“Can you use it with iPod headphones - that is a bud in each ear? Or is it a single bud like other phones?” — It comes with stereo earbuds with a microphone/switch on the cord, and any iPod-compatible earphones work.

“How did they get OS X on a 4mb phone?” –It’s four GIGABYTES, not megabytes. And it’s not the whole Mac OS X.

“No 3G is almost a deal breaker. EDGE is horrible for a device this advanced…how did that get overlooked?” –It wasn’t overlooked. 3G (HSDPA) is available only in a few cities. Apple says that when it’s more prevalent, the company will upgrade the iPhone.

“Any word on whether the keypad will be available in the horizontal screen mode allowing larger keys, albeit a smaller text window?” –That orientation wasn’t available in the prototype; Apple hasn’t decided whether or not to add the landscape keyboard layout. (Also, interestingly: rotating the iPhone to change the screen orientation only works counterclockwise–and only, as Mr. Jobs said, “When it makes sense.” That is, not all programs rotate.)

“I think it’s a bit backwards and disappointing for Apple to introduce a product that requires MORE visual attention than most phones, and which has no tactile means of operation.” –I agree. At this early date, I think the phone may be the weakest part of the iPhone.

“How bright was the screen?” –Very.

“Is the virtual keyboard at least as quick and easy to use as entering text with a regular cellphone’s number keys?” –I’d say it’s a wash. The “virtual” keys make it slower than a BlackBerry, but at least you have the whole alphabet; you don’t have to press the 1 key three times to get the letter C, or whatever.

“Why is everyone missing the fact that this phone/device will seamlessly switch between Edge and Wi-Fi saving big $$$ on data rates?” –Because nobody bothers to post about what they LIKE. If Internetters can’t say something disparaging, they say nothing at all. :)