Cingular, smingular
First, some interesting iPhone speculation over on a couple of Jupiter Research blogs. First Ian Fogg lays out four potential scenarios for an iPhone, then Michael Gartenberg says it’s more likely a fifth, apparently unimaginable scenario.
That is, however, quite literally yesterday’s news as today’s is all about Cingular teaming up with Microsoft, Napster, Rhapsody, Yahoo, Sauron and, possibly, Darth Maul (the Macalope will refrain from pointing out how this rumor runs contrary to the argument that cell providers really like to run their own music stores. Oops).
In a Marketwatch interview today Gartenberg says that cell providers are looking for these alliances for compatibility and pricing reasons and that he doesn’t expect Cingular’s alliance (or the Zune or Sony) to significantly impact Apple’s position. He also believes the music cell phones will coexist with the iPod, rather than supplant it.
3G iPhone with VOIP, sold purely in retail. Definitely.
“iChat AV. To go.”
Can I be an analyst now? 🙂
Darth Shopping Maul
VIOP would be cool if there was access to WIFI every where. I don’t think the mobile VOIP is going to supplant normal cell phone access for quite a while yet. Of course, if they team up with Google they could have access to thier WIFI service as it rolls out.
They could just team up with or buy Iridium. Do they still exist? Some one must own their old statlites.
Only problem with all of this is that Apple doesn’t like to team up. They like total control.
> the Macalope will refrain from pointing
>out how this rumor runs contrary to the
>argument that cell providers really like
>to run their own music stores. Oops
Of course he refrains from doing so, as that rumor – if true – actually proves the argument that cell providers don’t want to give their users unlimited, unpaid (unpaid from the point of view of cell providers, that is) access to online music stores. Not that it needed proof, but I thought I’d point that out. If it weren’t true, there wouldn’t have to be any kind of “teaming up.”
Darth Shopping Maul of America!
There are services which allow you to make very low-cost calls on your mobile using VoIP technology. Some are even pay as you go with no contracts and will work with any phone. Look at http://www.text2it.com. The great thing with this one is that you can make very cheap international calls even if these are barred by your provider. I think these types of services are a better option for testing the waters with VoIP and getting a feel for these services. There is no real commitment and you can use it with any phone and still pay a fraction of what your cell provider would charge you.