I've read some articles on this already and the speculation is getting pretty lame . . . a virtual rotatry phone? C'mon . . . the current iphone doesn't even support voice dialing, I can't imagine it getting any smaller without sacrificing user experience . . . but if they actually do come out with one . . I'll eat crow and throw a iphone nano contest along with my iphone giveaway contest as well!

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I feel for you TUAW writers sometimes. You've probably received this tip 1000 times in your inboxes. It's almost like you have to write about it just so people will stop sending it in.

We know that this next iPhone will have to be approved by the FCC as well so no reason to get worked up. My guess is Apple will announce it early again to avoid the FCC unveiling.

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I think if an iteration of the iphone makes it to the nano segment of the line, it should not be as a phone, as expressed by other readers here, the iphone its pretty nano-ish already. If Apple moves some of the components of the iphone to the nano, i rather it be something without a phone integration to it. I would really buy in a heartbeat a smaller version of the iphone without a phone, with all the extras it has. I am pretty sure other people would do it also.

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Well the iPhone is somehow a buisness model. An everyday consumer modell will certainly appear. The iPod itself will disappear over the years, and iPhones take the place, with succesors in all price-segments.

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the cell phone market is massively huge and for Apple to get the biggest piece of the pie they will have to release a smaller phone with a smaller price.

yes... we all know they wanted to start big. but the cell phone market's largest share isn't smart phones.

i wouldn't call this iPhone currently out nano-esque by any means. it has a larger physical form factor greater than the full sized iPod. when apple uses the term nano they are refering to the physical size of the device not the storage.

apple will definitely release a smaller phone with less features (not a smart phone) if they wanna follow the success of the iPod.

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I don't think Apple would come up with something as lame as a mobile phone with virtual rotary dialing.

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Don't get hung up on the 'nano' part of things - all they mean is a less expensive version of the current iPhone - say, one without WiFi, for example. Certainly it'll happen ... but I question how soon; too soon and it'll siphon off sales of the current iPhone.

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personally, i think the future of "just phones" is a bluetooth watch and a headset a la the one in iRobot . . . those are my thoughts!

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(crosses fingers) come ooonnnnn, iphone SHUFFLE! who's with me?
; )

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Yes! Thank you for calling the "news-o-sphere" out on this bullshit. We've seen so many patents that have lead to nothing. There's no reason to believe that this one will be any different. Not to mention, the idea of a click-wheel phone sounds hilariously bad and inelegant--definitely not Apple's M.O.

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Random speculation. Apple will keep this rev going for about 18 months. Perhaps some storage jumps along the way.

In about 8 months (MWSF), They will cut the price of iPhone and announce iPhone Pro. Video out, 3G, Bluetooth keyboard, other goodies, brushed metal styling.

At the 18 months point they will refresh the original making it shorter and a tad thinner.

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I work on Wall St and I actually just received a note from JP Morgan retracting the report by Kevin Chang. They basically said that he was incorrect and was basing his analysis on a patent filing picture.

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The iPod nano can't play videos. The iPhone nano will probably be unable to play videos, too.

The iPod nano is, well, small. Browsing the web will be much harder than in the current iPhone. Hence no internet at all or wap pages for the iPhone nano and simple email.

What's left? iPod functions, of course: music playing, Coverflow animations, etc. Phone functions, SMS, visual voicemail. The built-in camera.

1 or 2GB is too little. The iPhone nano can stick to 4 & 8 just like the current iPhone, with its price cut justified by lack of internet and video functions and smaller display.

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Ok, my turn to speculate: I think a Nano is extremely likely first or second quarter next year, they're going to milk the monolithic iPhone adoption curve as long as they can - thats obvious. My speculation is about the relationship between the NanoPhone and the iPhone

If we say the current iPhone has 10 'features' I can see Apple releasing a NanoPhone with 9 of those features, and maybe one new one just to spice it up. In the release dog-and-pony announcing the Nano, they'll probably do a 1-trick upgrade to the $5-600 variety, (likely storage) and a big software update - think another 5-10 features. The result will be:

iPhone with 10 features and 4/8gb
--becoming...
iPhone with 15-20 features and 8/16 or 8/24gb
iPhone Nano with 9-10 features and 4/8 gb

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I posted the link to the WSJ story on my iPhone link blog and after looking at it from a business stand point it makes sense to me.

It obviously makes sense for Apple to make a cheaper version of the iPhone from a sales perspective. Apple will want to rebrand the new, cheaper phone so people don't feel like they are getting a crappy version. Calling it a Nano makes it sleeker and more appealing, even though it truly is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Consumers already associate with the term nano from the ipod, and making an iPhone nano would be a smooth transition.

AJ Vaynerchuk
check out my iPhone link blog: http://www.ajvaynerchuk.com/iphone

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I wish bankers would stay out of the things I love...like Apple , music and boards of directors in general... They are running Hollywood , record labels , TV channels. I have not seen real quality in a long time. Movies from the majors are generally crappy , same things for records , TV quality has lowered it's standards to vulgar reality shows , just because they sell and one analyst from JP Morgan speculations makes stocks go up and down...

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Great example of Buckminster Fuller's "dymaxion principle" from 1938 ... http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/07/nano-iphone-and-dymaxion-principle.html

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Letterman's was funnier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ1bGYMudv0

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the rumor was beyond stupid to begin with .. why did anyone even give it credibility?

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