Apple Orders 12 Million iPhones

Waqas writes "Apple has placed an order for 12 million iPhones to be built by a Taiwanese contract manufacturer, according to an analyst citing reports from Asia. The Chinese-language Commercial Times on Wednesday cited Taiwan-based sources within Apple's iPod component supply chain as saying the phone is due to arrive during the first half of next year."

Apple is the same way!

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's not forget Apple is the same way. Afaik, you can't play songs purchased from itunes without (and on shaky legal grounds here) inconveniently stripping the DRM. Other examples too. Let's not put 'em on a pedestal.

Re:I remember

[Queer Boy]

Apple has always created Mac-oriented devices to fill the hole in the market until other manufacturers finally realise that Mac users are brand loyal and will continue to buy your line of products and update/upgrade them regularly if you support the platform. As it stands, there are to my knowledge no phone manufacturers that actually have software for Macs (Palm excluded because it's a PDA first).

Apple has manufactured still and web cameras, printers, scanners, modems, NICs, displays, etc.

Re:It's all about the interface

[laurens]

Actually, you can still do that. On my (unbranded) RAZR I can select a name by pressing number keys or up/down, then choose from different numbers for that person by pressing left/right. It's a setting:

In your phone book, choose [menu] -> Setup -> View: Primary Contacts.

Now, every number with a certain associated name will be grouped under that name.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:It's all about the interface

[zigziggityzoo]

RAZR: Go to Address Book, Then hit menu. Then go down to Setup, and Change view to "Primary Contacts". Instantly, all your qualms are resolved. (Didn't read all your replies, I hope I'm not the fifth to say this).

Re:It's all about the interface

[cweber]

You're correct, the iPod has these features, but they are minor items and never get in the way of accessing and playing the music, photos and video.
What I meant is that Apple demonstrates that you can resist the urge to overload and clutter the interface, onscreen as well as button count and placement.

Re:Will this one implode too?

[Moofie]

um, Taiwanese contract manufacturers probably manufacture just about everything that's within five feet of your person, right this minute.

Re:It's all about the interface

[Anonymous Coward]

The razor has the ability for mutliple numbers one the same name, it just isn't intuitive. What you do is create a second entry with the exact same name as the previous entry and then enter the new number and icon for that entry. Once you have multiple entries you can then set one to primary. The problem is, in the default setup of the phonebook it shows all contacts, but you can change the setup to just show the primary contacts. Once you do that you won't see multiple entries. (Of course there is an issue if you have three Johns in your phone, so last name becomes important.)

After you have it setup, if you go to a name and hit dial, it calls the primary number without asking. But you can hit view on the name and select the next number and dial the secondary (or the third,fourth) number instead.

You are correct through, the RAZR interface for multiple numbers under a single entry is lacking.

Re:It's all about the interface

[PopeRatzo]

laurens,
I wish I had some mod points, I'd reward your excellent post. I really love it when somebody actually offers a solution - without making anyone feel stupid, without jargon - just a simple, straightforward recipe to a fix. Something you almost never find in an online game forum, for example.

I'd been really pissed at my RAZR for not being able to list multiple numbers (and addresses) under one name. You obviously dug a little deeper into the manual than I was willing to go, and you shared the nugget you found there.

Thanks, pal.

Re:So what's the catch?

[oberondarksoul]

There's quite a great deal of sense in both those examples you provided. One-button mice are considerably easier for new users; the number of times I've had to explain the difference between left- and right-clicking makes me really very pleased that they do.

As for the lack of an FM tuner: that would add bulk to the iPods, and probably wouldn't be used by many users anyway. The iPod plays prerecorded songs and videos; I'm a huge fan of BBC radio but have never missed it whilst listening to my own tracks. In any case, if you really want an FM tuner in your iPod, Apple will gladly sell you one.

Re:So what's the catch?

[starving4clarity]

AFAIK, all new Macs (minus portables) ship with the Mighty Mouse. It has two button clickability (one shell, pressure sensitive between right and left), a 360 degree scrollbutton, and pressure sensitive sides that can be linked to OS X's expose feature (squeeze your mouse and see all windows open at once on your desktop). Plus there is always CTRL-Click (which I concede was/is a pain in the ass).

I want pictures dammit!!!

[bergeron76]

Shit - Show me some pictures!

I've been holding off on buying my new phone for a couple of months now (and I'm due for a new one). I'm going to hold out for this beauty, but possibly 6 months from now - damn!

Re:I remember

[Yaztromo]

As it stands, there are to my knowledge no phone manufacturers that actually have software for Macs

I have a native OS X application from Sony Ericsson for developing themes for many of their cell phones (my trusty T610 included). With Bluetooth for data transfer, and Apple'OS X's built-in iSync, SMS through the Address Book, Bluetooth File Transfer software, and GPRS dialler support, what more could one need or use?

Yaz.

Re:It's all about the interface

[MrAnnoyanceToYou]

The coolest thing (despite my dislike for other portions of the tech, I do like some of it....) about my RAZR is that when I hit the button on the side and say, "Call Dad Cell Home" (yeah, it's not quite perfect) it asks me whether it's got the right result and then dials the goober. Same with any number of others. It even gets my friend Octavius' name right about half the time. Speaking of impressive.

Yes, I will buy an iPhone, but that's just because I want to be cool. And the Motorola isn't as reliable as I'd like. (go ahead, agree with people that think glassblowing with it in my back pocket is unkind treatment... Plus, the whole "Verizon doesn't want you to add music you pull out of your MP3 library as a ringtone, so we disabled that" thing makes me grumpy)

Re:It's all about the interface

[Achromatic1978]

I knew you were American before I even read 'cellphone'.

Clue: SMS text messaging is THE SINGLE BIGGEST thing about cellphones these day, for users and networks.

In 2006 100 million text messages a /day/ in the UK. 25 million a day in Australia, a country of 20 million. Similar in each European country. The worldwide estimate is over 120 BILLION a year.

Re:Wish people would get over phone subsidies

[John Whitley]

I really wish this meme would die.

Agreed. IIRC, bundling cell phones with service contracts is actually outlawed in Denmark. The carriers don't get to interfere with phone features and performance, and are forced to compete on an even price footing not muddied by the "deal" you're getting for that fancy phone.

This all reminds me of the bad old days of Ma Bell. For the young 'uns (or just plain forgetful...) the phone company used to own not just the phone line, but the phone, the phone jacks, and the wires in the walls of your house. The end of that stupidity brought vast improvements in price, selection of features, quality and design -- such as would never have happened under a lethargic monopoly.

I would love to see a similar revolution in today's US cell phone market. Let phone makers compete amongst themselves for consumers' good will, and the same for the carriers.