Rumor: Apple May Release iPhone Mini in 2014

[walter87]

@de_com

Another misconception a lot of fanboys believe is that Apple is the inventor of all the things they've created.

wemakeourfuture wrote:
" created the finger-touch smartphone space that everyone manufacturer has made similar products to
- created the finger-touch tablet space that everyone manufacturer is trying to copy"

Actually, what they did was made a simply UI that took advantage of touchscreen (they were not the inventors of touch screen or the first to have a touchscreen phone or tablet). PDA's and other phones existed long before that helped the evolution of the devices into smaller capacitive displays.

The idea of an App store was not new. There were already several store and marketplaces already existing on operating systems (Steam, Digital distribution etc).

All Apple has done has polished existing ideas into a simple dumbed down approach, then market the hell out of them to make them appear 'magical'. Reinventing the wheel is not true innovation. It may be beneficial to the user for ease of use and simplicity, but it is not truly innovating.

 

[leandrodafontoura]

I seriouslly dont see iphone mini, thats ridiculous name for a phone. They will simply offer the iphone 4 at lower prices, wich they do already

 

[halcyon]

^ You fellas are a great bunch but you squabble over the pointless. What difference does it make whether or not Apple did or didn't invent something...whether or not they innovated or didn't? They are a hugely profitable company, hugely popular and that's not gonna change anytime soon. We can talk forever about how enlightened we are for not selecting Apple products but all we're doing is entertaining ourselves. I just hope more and more folks continue to see the alternatives...and that's where we can have conversations that AREN'T pointless as we educate and advise those that may still think iPhones are superior.

 

[aonor]

You see, Samsung already has a Samasung Galaxy S3 Mini for sale.Basically an iPhone 5 except it has a 5MP camera.

 

[aonor]

I'd imagine Apple releasing a bigger iPhone then releasing a 4-in iphone "mini".

 

[wildkitten]

[citation][nom]Phenis[/nom]Enough with the Apple articles already. Does anyone here honestly give a damn about what they do, especially with their phones?[/citation]
Let's see, Tom's is a technology web site. Apple is a technology company, and a very profitable one. To make a profit, people must buy your products.

So in answer to your question, yes, I would say there are a lot of people on Tom's who care about Apple news. Even if you hate Apple, you should want to read coverage of them to know what products there are so if they do something innovative (and yes, apple has been innovative in the past) you know what to encourage your favorite company to include in their products.

 

[goodegg]

This is stupid. Apple doesn't care about the disposable market. Apple cares about the total integration market. That's how they've made their fortune. The day Apple has a hard time selling the new version of their phone is the day they need to release a product for other markets. Why else would they settle for continuing to sell products that are not industry leaders?

While they may have lost the market crown to Samsung, it's not like they're hurting for sales or profits.

There will be no iPhone mini. The iPad mini made sense because it fills a hole in their product line in relation so the demands of the purchasing public. But if you can buy an iPhone mini for $100, unlocked and ready to rock, why would the masses shell out for the $500 replacements when they go swimming with their iPhone6?

 

[TheBigTroll]

just dont call a 3.5inch iphone, mini

 

[halcyon]

A 3.5" iPhone. I remember when I was satisfied with that. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Mekan]

Got the iphone 5 and it is probably the last iphone I will get. It was an upgrade from the 3g. Samsung is were the innovation is now with apple releasing multiple fine tuning upgrades as they are out of innovative ideas.

 

[ibnmuhammad]

See this is the problem when 15 year olds the ones mainly using iPhone and defending Apple on Forums

Actually, you'll find it's mostly professionals who use Apple hardware, not kids, kids can't afford it.
That why you find people like the President of US using an iPhone, not to mention, countless CEO's.

I see that the "reality distortion field" is strong with you android sheep.
Android is the platform mainly used by kids and the deprived, as it's the only thing they can afford.
This is the reason why it's growing so fast, faster than Apple.

Apple were never about profit, as Steve Jobs said, they are about changing the industry, innovating, and watching how quickly everyone copies them - i.e. Windows, Android, mp3 players, etc.

As soon as Apple become a company which cares about profits, then that's the day they've failed as an innovator, and without Steve Jobs, sadly I see that day coming quickly.

Remember, Apple doesn't buy off-the-shelf hardware, they mostly innovate and create their own, that's why you find some of the best engineers at the company and not to mention, CPU designers.

Also remember, they innovated with Firewire and now Thunderbolt - Firewire was envisioned 5 years before USB came along, and it was only almost twice as fast as USB 1.

People forget history so quickly - it was Apple who placed the first desktop pc in our hands, almost 5-10 years before anyone else, including Microsoft.
And it was Apple, with the Apple II that created* the revolutionary UI for desktops with a mouse - pointers, menus, windows, icons, etc.


* yes, I know Xerox had it first, but Apple realised the reality for home users and normal folks.

The iPhone was already too damn small for my hands. Another reason (amongst others) why I never bought one!

Interesting, so basically what the android sheep are saying is that you're all too fat to use smaller smartphones?

 

[ibnmuhammad]

You know as a tech site, I'm amazed by the ignorance of people here.

You should go read a professional write-up of Apple's hardware, such as by AnandTech to realise the depths of innovation, particularly their own custom-designed A6 CPU!

Not to mention what it would have taken Apple to create one of the lightest and thinnest smartphones on the market.


You know droid kids, there's a reason why screens, phones, tablets, music players and benchmarked against Apple's hardware!

Rather than being fed by Google, Think for yourself for once!

 

[kellybean]

Apple must be getting allot of requests/demands from all those little freedom hating commies in China to make a smaller one for them.

 

[house70]

@ibnmuhammad

"droid kids", "Android sheep".... Wow. you just "elevated" the conversation to a whole new level.
The reason why myself and the majority of Android users prefer Android is because of the superiority of the OS compared to iOS (which is too clunky and uninspired). Not because of the price of the devices. Your "price" argument is moot when one can buy an iPhone from any carrier for same price or less than other offerings on the same carrier. Just enter a store and see for yourself; just don't look at a HTC One X or a SGS3, or your beliefs might be seriously shaken.
As far as what I can/cannot afford... thanks for looking in my wallet for me. I just happen to be a successful 40+ y.o. that can afford to buy any phone on the market right now, but thanks for your concern. Your condescending manner is as refreshing as the use of preciously chosen words I mentioned in the first paragraph (/sarcasm).

 

[Vladislaus]

[citation][nom]ibnmuhammad[/nom]Actually, you'll find it's mostly professionals who use Apple hardware, not kids, kids can't afford it.That why you find people like the President of US using an iPhone, not to mention, countless CEO's.I see that the "reality distortion field" is strong with you android sheep.Android is the platform mainly used by kids and the deprived, as it's the only thing they can afford.This is the reason why it's growing so fast, faster than Apple.Apple were never about profit, as Steve Jobs said, they are about changing the industry, innovating, and watching how quickly everyone copies them - i.e. Windows, Android, mp3 players, etc.As soon as Apple become a company which cares about profits, then that's the day they've failed as an innovator, and without Steve Jobs, sadly I see that day coming quickly.Remember, Apple doesn't buy off-the-shelf hardware, they mostly innovate and create their own, that's why you find some of the best engineers at the company and not to mention, CPU designers.Also remember, they innovated with Firewire and now Thunderbolt - Firewire was envisioned 5 years before USB came along, and it was only almost twice as fast as USB 1.People forget history so quickly - it was Apple who placed the first desktop pc in our hands, almost 5-10 years before anyone else, including Microsoft.And it was Apple, with the Apple II that created* the revolutionary UI for desktops with a mouse - pointers, menus, windows, icons, etc.* yes, I know Xerox had it first, but Apple realised the reality for home users and normal folks.Interesting, so basically what the android sheep are saying is that you're all too fat to use smaller smartphones?[/citation]
I truly hope you're being sarcastic. If not then do tell me, so that I can correct you on quite few points you're absolutely wrong.

 

[halcyon]

iOS is superior to the "tech-simple"-minded folks or those that want the smallest screened smartphones available. Alright, I get that. I concede that there are offerings in the App Store that I like very much that are not in the Google Play Store but IMO that's all iOS has to offer. I can no longer see any other benefit to iOS or the iPhones compared to the the higher quality Android-based alternatives.

...and putting a customed-designed A6 CPU in an iPhone 5 conjures the analogy of putting a BMW V8 in a Hyundai Sonata.

 

[pat]

[citation][nom]ibnmuhammad[/nom]Actually, you'll find it's mostly professionals who use Apple hardware, not kids, kids can't afford it.That why you find people like the President of US using an iPhone, not to mention, countless CEO's.I see that the "reality distortion field" is strong with you android sheep.Android is the platform mainly used by kids and the deprived, as it's the only thing they can afford.This is the reason why it's growing so fast, faster than Apple.[/citation]


You are right... that's why my daughter started playing with my android phone at 3 y.o. Just like many other kids. Now, at 5 y.o., she can teach older ones how to play with the device. She has her own 7 inches Android tablet, and she understand it very well.. (what about Apple being easier to use???) And the older ones, those who are playing with Apple product are satisfied with and that"s ok.

But at the end, what will happen? Kids, that has grown with Android devices, will start fooling around with them, rooting and installing custom rom and then developping their own apps, understanding the technology underneath the screen and start to innove in their time. That will make their curiosity to evolve, and make them smarter, creating thing beyond these devices. By the time, Older Apple users will be dying, and since youngest one has been raised with Android, Apple will stop selling their idevices and start loosing market share. Sure, the kid that had richer parents will probably still buy idevices, but, they will be marginalized and they will use android without telling their parents.. you know, just to be in the gang.. And then, Apple will have to lower their prices, to become the underdog, and Android, will get expensive, and stop to innovate. And then, kids will get idevices, because it is all that they can afford.. and the wheel will keep going, and going..

Yeah, I'm exagerating. And I like that. But, never, never again you should have such disgusting discrimination about rich and poor, or kids vs adult. Because, maybe, one time, you'll be happy to have your life saved by once a deprivated kid, that got lucky enough to get a used Commodore Vic-20 to play with. And increase his locical thinking, as well as hisprogramming skill, to get into science, and molecular ingenery, and found a cure to some disease.

You can *** about adult being fanboy, isheep, fandroid. But never about kids, or deprived people that has a chance to have access to technology, no matter the brand, the OS,... no, give them something and watch miracles happen.

 

[mt2e]

Straight up half the people posting mini-novels on this thread have no idea what they're even talking about.

 

[Mekan]

[citation][nom]ibnmuhammad[/nom]You know as a tech site, I'm amazed by the ignorance of people here.You should go read a professional write-up of Apple's hardware, such as by AnandTech to realise the depths of innovation, particularly their own custom-designed A6 CPU!Not to mention what it would have taken Apple to create one of the lightest and thinnest smartphones on the market.You know droid kids, there's a reason why screens, phones, tablets, music players and benchmarked against Apple's hardware!Rather than being fed by Google, Think for yourself for once![/citation]

Apple is one that has always started with design. When you have the same product updated several times in a year's sales cycle you are out of innovative ideas. The ipad to ipad mini or ipod maxi was ridiculous.
Do you remember Apple after they fired Steve Jobs? You could not get people to buy their stock, and they begged for loans from their direct competitors. That leadership is once again gone. Being gone for a very short time they are flooding the market with 'upgrades' without anything new.

Innovation to me as an end user is usability. I don't care about a custom built processing chip if it offers nothing new to me in function. A slight speed increase is moot, and any battery savings will be eaten away by their terrible communication cards.

 

[Guest]

?!?!?! Strange. They already have that. It's called the iPhone 5. They just need to fix their pricing. It should be free on contract.

 

[de_com]

Here goes " to all the 15 year olds and Grandmas" that are using iPhones.

Well thought about response to what Apple invented

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFeC25BM9E0

 

[halcyon]

^ I don't think any THG readers believe apple invented much but that was entertaining.

 

[ibnmuhammad]

[citation][nom]de_com[/nom]Well thought about response to what Apple invented[/citation]

Here's a question to ponder over, Has Google ever invented anything?
Furthermore, has Samsung ever invented anything?
Has Microsoft ever invented anything?

No, not really.

All engineers and scientists know that every technology is built upon others' ideas and findings, and if you study history, this goes all the way back to the earliest technicians, electricians, chemists, etc.

After studying much scientific history, I've come to know that the biggest geniuses were those who took a leap without basing their work on many others (Einstein), and those who realised the potential for systems and technologies for the regular folk long before others (Steve Jobs).

Of course, Nikola Tesla was a far bigger genius compared to Steve Jobs, but he's another example who realised the potential for putting existing tech to use while also inventing some fundamental (revolutionary) technologies along the way.

 

[ibnmuhammad]

[citation][nom]pat[/nom]You are right... that's why my daughter started playing with my android phone at 3 y.o. Just like many other kids. Now, at 5 y.o., she can teach older ones how to play with the device.[/citation]

Similar story to a friend, who's 2/3 year old son and daughter started playing with the original iPhone 3/4 years ago and now they know it inside out (well the software anyway) ... kid's learn fast, what's your point?

But at the end, what will happen? Kids, that has grown with Android devices, will start fooling around with them, rooting and installing custom rom and then developping their own apps, understanding the technology underneath the screen and start to innove in their time.

Unfortunately you see, kids are too busy getting short attentian spans and ADD due to these new gadgets, thus that's not exactly what's happening.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20813371

Case in hand - RasberryPi - why do you think the person behind this tech invented it?
Because we're loosing the new generation of kids to fast action, and high-speed tech / movies / games, that they no longer care about the fundamentals and tinkering with hardware and programming.


Pat, with regards the rest of your comment, I have no doubt in my mind that Apple will probably almost completely loose to Android, it's only a matter of time.
History is repeating, exactly the same thing happened with the Apple II and the Mac, they lost out almost completely to the new Intel PC's and Microsoft's Windows.

 

[ibnmuhammad]

[citation][nom]Mekan[/nom]Apple is one that has always started with design.[/citation]

That's interesting, because when Steve Jobs was asked about what made Apple so successful, he answered that other companies always started with design and tried to mold it to see how a customer might use it.
He said Apple was different, right from the days of the original devices, because they always started with ordinary people, and thought how to improve people's lives with technologies.
Thus, they took many technologies out of the lab and into consumer space, including the first home/desktop PC, etc.

... if you ask, I can dig out the interview for you.

When you have the same product updated several times in a year's sales cycle you are out of innovative ideas.

A touch-screen phone in which the finger is the primary means of input can only be molded in so many shapes. Thus I guess you find Samsung real innovating that they increase the phone size an inch every year?

Do you remember Apple after they fired Steve Jobs?

Yes, sad times, and thanks to Microsoft for bailing them out, specifically, Bill Gates.

Yes, I also believe Apple without Steve Jobs will probably eventually fall, like many other companies... a company without a visionary.