Apple files patent for a “Convergent Handheld”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Apple cellphones will sell like hotcakes.

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

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?

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.

??

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... )

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.

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

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.

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.