Phoneless iPhones coming by Macworld?
The large screen and landscape viewing mode that come with the iPhone could make for a cheaper video iPod that can't phone home.
The iPhone is an iPod, after all, and a version without the phone and data capabilities could tempt shoppers this holiday season.
(Credit: Corrine Schulze/CNET Networks)Apple watchers Piper Jaffray released a report Monday predicting that Apple will soon update its high-end iPod lineup with a wide-screen model that looks an awful lot like the iPhone, just without the phone and data connections. It's been a while since Apple released a new iPod, and rumors have been circulating for a long time that Apple has plans for a wide-screen iPod.
With the launch of the iPhone, Apple does indeed have that wide-screen iPod, but its hefty price and data plan requirements could turn off iPod users who just want that large screen without all the bells and whistles. Piper Jaffray estimates that for around $299 Apple could sell a phoneless iPhone that runs Mac OS X and uses the same touch-screen interface as the iPhone.
phone, but keep the WiFi and Safari and Mail. I wonder how much
more memory Apple could get into it without the cell radio? Add
stereo BlueTooth through A2DP and I'll line up for one.
dumbstruck in line at Apple Stores, when they find that you need to
use a computer to get music for iPods. Why? No good reason, any
more. Anywhere there's WiFi, or even a good EVSO-like phone
network, you could download music, and simply skip the computer
part of iTunes. And if the the WiFi/3G iPod also happens to have a
pretty, OS X interface and a big, color screen, all the more likely to
make it sell.
It is missing a good Outlook sync with categorized Notes and To Do Lists. There is not a good way on the iPhone to keep Notes synced to a Mac or PC. That would make the unit terrific.