REVENGE Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 As previously predicted, Apple has finally filed patents for their next multi-function handheld device, which has in the past few years been rumored to be an iPod/Smartphone combination device. Highlight features listed in the patent include the ability "to receive simultaneous inputs from different inputs devices and perform actions based on the simultaneous inputs", the ability to classify "one or more touches as a primary touch or a secondary touch; filtering out the secondary touches; differentiating whether the primary touch is a light touch or a hard touch; initiating a control event if the primary touch is a light touch; and implementing a selection event if the primary touch if a hard touch", and the ability for the handheld to include multiple functions such as "PDA, mobile phone, music player, camera, video player, game player, "handtop" (whatever that is), net terminal, GPS and remote control" capabilities. Smartphone all-in-ones are not really news these days, as multiple cell phone and PDA manufacturers offer devices that allows one to call home, play music, manage information, play games, and much more. However, many believe that it is in design and usability that Apple can outshine the competition. Given the reputation of the iPod, it should be relatively easy for Apple to promote and sell a new product of this type to all kinds of people… whether they need all of those functions or not. Expect Smartphone and PDA makers to have sweaty foreheads in light of this news. UPDATE: To address the issue of how much progress Apple has made towards the production of a "Convergent Handheld" device, I have conveniently stumbled upon an article analyzing claims by analyst Shaw Wu of American Technology Research. Wu says that his company's research indicates that on the issue of an iPod/Mobile phone device, Apple has progressed from a concept to a functional prototype, with the design being finalized for production imminently. While this may or may not be a device with all of the capabilities listed in the patent filing, I think it's not outlandish to assume that the device will do more than just play music and make phone calls... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takuro Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 That's pretty interesting, but Apple has filed tons of patents for conceptual designs and descriptions of functions that never appeared in any final product. I have a little bit of a doubt that the upcoming Apple cellphone will contain all the features listed in that patent, but it would definitely be pretty sweet if it did. I'm only saying this because it's Apple's first shot at the cell-phone business, and first-generation products usually don't have all the "bells and whistles" right from the start. That is, unless Apple is playing a serious game of catch-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Descalzo Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 It's funny that this comes up now. I just got a new phone, and it does music, internet, GPS, movies, and all sorts of stuff. I was thinking, "If I buy a 1GB card for this, I've got an iPod Shuffle." I was wondering what Apple would to about it. They'll really have to do something wild to make it work. I have little doubt that they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadiekiller Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 hmm, in light of this i might just hold off on buying a new phone. I wonder which service provider will get the blessing of an iPhone, most likely only GSM networks, but maybe Verizon, with their strange lack of sim cards, will get to sell them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REVENGE Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 I would like to see a flavour of the device for each network standard, like the Treo. Above all, I wanna see some Wi-Fi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bofors Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 UPDATE: To address the issue of how much progress Apple has made towards the production of a "Convergent Handheld" device, I have conveniently stumbled upon an article analyzing claims by analyst Shaw Wu of American Technology Research. Wu says that his company's research indicates that on the issue of an iPod/Mobile phone device, Apple has progressed from a concept to a functional prototype, with the design being finalized for production imminently. While this may or may not be a device with all of the capabilities listed in the patent filing, I think its not outlandish to assume that the device will do more than just play music and make phone calls... Regarding Shaw Wu, and while this might not be the case here, in general his "analysez" are ussually nothing more than restatements of what is obvious to rationial, intelligent Mac-rumor junkies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poispois Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Apple cellphones will sell like hotcakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exposay Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 You need to check your grammar. 'It's', not 'Its' on that last sentence. I could understand if this is IRC, but this is front page news. Just letting you know. ~Expo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeezoflip Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 i dont know why, but i heard about this all last year, including the patents. It might have been rumor, but the person who told me told me all those patents exactly, so maybe this was already known? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non sequitur Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 hmm, in light of this i might just hold off on buying a new phone. I wonder which service provider will get the blessing of an iPhone, most likely only GSM networks, but maybe Verizon, with their strange lack of sim cards, will get to sell them too. no way itll be for cingular. verizon's CDMA netowrk is MUCH faster, so i would think we would see it there. i read up on it when looking at the KRZR, and its coming out for verizon. i think people are avoiding cingular's crappy network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flunx Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwhsh8r Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 hmm, in light of this i might just hold off on buying a new phone. I wonder which service provider will get the blessing of an iPhone, most likely only GSM networks, but maybe Verizon, with their strange lack of sim cards, will get to sell them too. verizon and sprint are both cdma, in witch the phones all have unique serials and they are programed to your account... whitch means teh phone and your account are one, and the phone can not be switched over to anothers account (when stolen) but also can not easially be replaced by just going and buying a new phone and poping in the old sim card... verizon is the best ive had so far btw... and the iPhone will probly be something like this : http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/27/the-n91...4gb-musicphone/ max ps, to the guy two up, heres the bottom 3, nextel is worst, then cingular, then in a close 3rd sprint (had it and it sucked) tmobiles service is dotted on the map and only follows major freeways... so idk where that fits in... and i love verizon (and the evdo is what hes talking about, whitch has near broadband speed data transfers to/from your phone + laptop when subscribed with a data plan :pirate2:... available in every major city... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non sequitur Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 yeah, my dad has the evdo pc card thing. i used it before i had the MBP. the data plans are expensive, though they have amazing speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwhsh8r Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 there is no denying that, but if you need internet access everywhere (you might even be able to get your buisness to pay for it ) its the best solution out there.... max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REVENGE Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 You need to check your grammar. 'It's', not 'Its' on that last sentence. I could understand if this is IRC, but this is front page news. Just letting you know. ~Expo Good call, I screwed that one up. Thanks whoever edited it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aberracus Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 Really the cell phone + music is a growing market, if apple dony jump in it, they gona lost a big chunk of his ipod market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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