The new 2009 iPhone casing revealed?
By Gareth Powell
While the images have not been officially confirmed, both iPodObserver and MacRumors have posted photos of what appears to be an unreleased 16-GB iPhone with the number Model No. A1303, which hasn’t appeared on previous iPhone models.
Update: Details of the 2009 iPhone 3.0 have been announced. For more information refer to the following stories: Apple introduces the 2009 iPhone 3GS,
iPhone OS 3.0 adds 100 new features, and New iPhone with OS 3.0 enters the enterprise.
The images displayed by iPodObserver had the iPhone 16GB model with the new matte finished rear cover. The model number A1303, as seen in the image, clearly indicates an iPhone update. The images are said to be reproduced in China.
Apple had earlier shed the metal back cover in the iPhone 3G model and replaced it with glossy plastic cover.
The case is also said to be textured for better gripping.
MacRumors indicates that the new iPhone case will ’shed the glossy appearance for a matte black look’ — with my great approval — while also introducing a new case-back made of metal.
iPodObserver, which was first to publish the pics, was responsible for publishing early back-case photos of the iPhone 3G before the model was released.
The early look at the suspected new iPhone’s casing are said to come from China. (In a sense this is stating the bleeding obvious because that is where they are made.)
According to ChannelWeb rumors of a new iPhone have been circulating in earnest since last month when Apple’s iPhone 2.2.1 firmware update for the iPhone and iPod Touch dropped hints (how these were spotted was not specified) that a new device could be coming soon.
A leading analyst is quoted in The Boston Times as saying that chief operating officer Tim Cook — currently standing in for Steve Jobs at the helm — is thinking about how “Apple could take the iPhone into new markets, and examining iPhone’s business model.”
The analyst, Toni Sacconaghi whose name is becoming familiar to us, said, ‘Several interesting tidbits point to new iPhones, potentially with different pricing/price points this year.’
This after a reported meeting with Cook, chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer, and marketing chief Phil Schiller.
The firm said it sold 4.4 million iPhones during the last quarter, up 88 percent.
Despite the bullish financials, there has been anxiety among shareholders around the continued ill-health of talismanic chief executive Steve Jobs.
Jobs is currently recovering from a ‘hormone imbalance’ and is due back at work in June.
Based on Phil Schiller’s input to NY Times about product updates, we have been expecting an official update on the iPhone in June.
The last snag to be jumped is the input of text.
The current keyboard is less worse once you get use to it. But it still is useless on a fast-breaking story. What is needed is a plug in keyboard that will fit the iPhone. You can see an earlier attempt on YouTube.
A serious one you can do things with will go on sale in March. This is the $100 BTKeyMini from MacAlly which is our first picture. It’s a small, portable, foldable Bluetooth keyboard. For me, it is the business. I showed it to several other journalists and they turned up their respective noses. See if I care.
When the BTKeyMini arrives in March, it will be compatible with iPhone. You will be able to use it in any iPhone application where the normal touch-screen would be used as a keyboard input.
An external keyboard for the iPhone may not be a big deal for you but for every journo it is immense It would transform the iPhone from a ’smartphone’ to a smarterphone to a minicomputer.
You could file as you wrote the story in real time. You would be able to type emails at least two times faster with this keyboard – and when you’re done, you just fold it up and put it in a bag. This could, in fact, eliminate the need of a laptop.
The keyboard is the only solid fact. Almost as solid is there will be two sizes of Apple iPhone — they are already selling covers for them in Shenzhen China.
We’ll have to wait and see what else Apple has to offer iPhone fans this June. More on this in the next few days.
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