Taiwanese phone maker claims Apple scouting for iPhone

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Taiwanese phone maker claims Apple scouting for iPhone

Phone maker BenQ claims that Apple has been talking to various Taiwanese manufacturers the past few months about building an iPod-based cell phone. “An iPod phone is definitely coming,” a BenQ executive reportedly told SmartHouse. “BenQ will not be making it as we are in competition with Apple, however several of our suppliers have been approached to manufacture parts. Among manufacturers in Taiwan it is common knowledge. The issue for many is the availability of parts if the phone takes off.”

Rumors of an “iPhone” have been around for years, but this month several analysts say Apple is nearly ready to release the product. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimates there to be a 75% chance of a iPhone in the next 12 months. J.P. Morgan analyst Johnny Chan says Apple could use Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Hon Hai Precision to build the device. Bill Shope of J.P Morgan believes Apple will introduce the phone by the fourth quarter of this year.

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Comments

1

I don’t thinkt that this will come out april first if apple is just now taling to manafactures, but it is a “known fact” that they will come out with one sometimes. The question is when?

Posted by Jonathan Keim on March 23, 2006 at 9:13 AM (PDT)

2

My question is, will it be an convergent device, or will it just be a phone?
If the iPhone can be used to make phone-calls, send and receive SMSs and MMSs, and have PDA functionality, It would be perfect. Naturally, it would have to sync with iSync.
If it has a Camera, Web Browser, and Media Playing Functionality, I doubt I would use these features.
I have an iBook for browsing the web, an iPod for Playing Media and plan on getting a Bluetooth Camera when they are readily available and decent value. I don’t need functional redundancy in my devices.

Posted by Daniel Woods on March 23, 2006 at 12:24 PM (PDT)

3

I think an iPhone would have the ability to access iTMS to buys songs….I know some phones can already do this.

I’m looking forward to it, anyways!

Posted by ABiGAIL on March 23, 2006 at 1:52 PM (PDT)

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