14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is again rumored to be developing iPhone-like devices, this time thanks to a so-called partnership with Verizon, the American broadband and telecommunications company. According to a report over at BusinessWeek, the companies are believed to be working on two fresh devices.
The report cites two people that are “familiar with the matter” as saying that one device is a low-end “iPhone lite,” with the other being a “media pad” most suitable for listening to music, viewing photos, and even watching high-definition videos. What about gaming?
The latter would also boast some serious VoIP capabilities making good use of WiFi connections. The media pad is described as being smaller than the Kindle eBook reader, yet having a considerably larger screen than Amazon's device. “The media pad category might go to Verizon,” the person who has allegedly seen the device says. According to them, it will be spectacular, while the other mentions that at least one of these devices could arrive as early as “this Summer.” Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam was also contacted by BusinessWeek to confirm that his company was in talks with Apple.
A report by The Wall Street Journal also comments on the discussions Apple has been having with Verizon recently, mentioning a “mobile multimedia device that is bigger than the iPod Touch, but smaller than a laptop,” citing a person familiar with Apple's product roadmap. “However,” the source adds, “the talks have not become advanced.”
Apple has long been rumored to be working on a device that combines the capabilities of the iPhone with those of the company's MacBooks. However, the company has indicated that it is not creating a netbook, as defined by the industry today, pointing out to its Multi-Touch-capable devices. Many believe that WWDC '09 will be the time and place for the unveiling of a new iPhone model.