14 DAY TRIAL // The iPhone nano continues to be a pervasive rumor, mainly because everybody is aware that sooner or later Apple will inevitably introduce a cheaper version of the device to capture more of the market. While there are many compelling arguments for why the time for such a device has not yet come, reports continue to mention it.
A recent report in the Chinese-language Commercial Times newspaper indicates that Wintek, a Taiwan-based manufacturer has received touch screen panel orders from Apple for its second-generation iPhone. According to the report, iPhone from Apple will begin shipping in September with prices ranging from US$249-299. The paper added that Apple recently visited Wintek to deliver instructions on manufacturing and the company has begun test production in small volumes.
Interestingly enough, this report is very similar to a previous one that also includes Wintek and touch screen panels for Apple, with the one notable difference that they were intended for the next generation of iPods rather than for iPhones. Considering that Apple has yet to release the iPhone in other parts of the world, and that the iPdo line is already starting to look quite dated when compared to the latest Apple offerings, it is unlikely that this is anything other than an iPod report turned iPhone.
It would make no sense whatsoever for Apple to be making another iPhone, with the same touch screen technology that sells for just half of what the current model does. What features could Apple possibly drop from the device without crippling it so much that it would be unattractive to buyers. On the other hand, a touch screen iPod with no phone or wireless capabilities could sell for such a price and still be both competitive and desirable.
There is no doubt that Apple will introduce a cheaper version of the iPhone, be it iPhone nano or something else, but that time has not yet come.