Nine Days to Apple iPhone Launch - June 29 Liftoff

Apple® announced that Apple iPhone™ users will be able to enjoy YouTube’s originally-created content on their iPhones when they begin shipping on June 29. A new Apple-designed application on iPhone will wirelessly stream YouTube’s content to iPhone over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks and play it on iPhone’s stunning 3.5 inch display.

“iPhone delivers the best YouTube mobile experience by far,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Now users can enjoy YouTube wherever they are—on their iPhone, on their Mac or on a widescreen TV in their living room with Apple TV.”

To achieve higher video quality and longer battery life on mobile devices, YouTube has begun encoding their videos in the advanced H.264 format, and iPhone will be the first mobile device to use the H.264-encoded videos. Over 10,000 videos will be available on June 29, and YouTube will be adding more each week until their full catalog of videos is available in the H.264 format this fall.

The combination of H.264-encoded videos plus iPhone’s built-in Wi-Fi networking, stunning 3.5 inch display, and custom YouTube application with its multi-touch user interface results in the best YouTube experience on any mobile device.

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Bottomline:

Just when we thought we had seen the last of the "nine days to launch" Apple iPhone's innovations, Apple iPhone once again steals the limelight, and creates a mobile industry first: iPhone becomes the first mobile device to use H.264-encoded videos with a built-in ability to browse 10,000 videos on demand from YouTube. Wow!! Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) leads the market with the YouTube on demand web video service; Google and Apple have now joined hands to offer YouTube over the iPhone. There are tens of millions of YouTube downloads daily; now there will be hordes of iPhone users browsing YouTube video clips daily. YouTube is already viral; now, iPhone can become viral based on the viral appeal of YouTube. Can one find a better match than this? Not in the current market. The numbers are mind boggling: 19 million consumers have shown interest in purchasing the new iPhone, and with YouTube coming on board, the numbers can only become real. One thing is certain: Steve Jobs and Apple are playing all the right cards to make the iPhone a must have, gotta have, to die for mobile phone that will provide the best internet, video and music experience. And oh, it's a pretty good phone too.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 from among the Top 50 Innovative Companies in the world as per BusinessWeek.

Also check:

Ten Days to Apple iPhone Launch - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 15 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 14 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 13 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Ten Days to Apple iPhone Launch - June 29 Launch

iPhone Delivers Up to Eight Hours of Talk Time

Now Features Durable Glass Top Surface

Apple® announced on June 18 that iPhone™ will deliver significantly longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when iPhone was unveiled in January. iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback.* In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours-more than 10 days-of standby time. Apple also announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its stunning 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity.

"With 8 hours of talk time, and 24 hours of audio playback, iPhone's battery life is longer than any other 'Smartphone' and even longer than most MP3 players," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We've also upgraded iPhone's entire top surface from plastic to optical-quality glass for superior scratch resistance and clarity. There has never been a phone like iPhone, and we can't wait to get this truly magical product into the hands of customers starting just 11 days from today."

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Bottomline:

With Ten days to iPhone Launch, Apple has once again upped the ante by providing increased talk time, and superior touchscreen surface for the iPhone. Either Apple is really getting good at underestimating and over-delivering on announced features thereby creating an awe for the iPhone even before the launch, or even Apple is essentially figuring out things out on-the-fly and innovating in real-time. Either way, the consumers benefit the most from these improvements. The question then to ask is whether Apple will announce another enhancement before the launch. For the naysayer, Apple's strategy of innovating while the product is on the assembly line should raise quality concerns. But then again, Apple has proved time and again that it will rather stretch just a bit more with the best interest of the consumer in mind and take that meaningful risk, rather than wait.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Also check:

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 15 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 14 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 13 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 15 - June 29 Launch

Germany's three leading mobile service providers will start selling the HTC Touch smart phone in late June -- earlier than the European debut of Apple's iPhone, which the HTC Touch hopes to rival.

Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp., which makes the HTC Touch, said today that its touch-screen phone would retail for a recommended €450 ($599 U.S.) if sold without a contract.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) plans to start selling its much-hyped iPhone in the United States on June 29. The iPhone's price tag will be $500 or $600, depending on the amount of memory it contains.

It eventually plans to sell the iPhone in Europe and Japan but has not announced specific dates or prices. AT&T Inc. is the only cellular service provider with rights to sell the iPhone in the United States; the phone will also be available in Apple stores.

HTC said T-Mobile will sell a version of the HTC Touch -- which has an integrated media player and is based on Microsoft software -- under the brand MDA Touch.
Vodafone Group PLC will bring out a co-branded version designed jointly with HTC, while O2 Germany will sell another version branded Xda Nova.

The HTC Touch will come with 1GB of memory for storing video, music and photos -- enough for about 250 tunes -- compared with the iPhone's 4GB or 8GB.

HTC has begun selling the HTC Touch in Taiwan and Britain and will introduce it in the United States later this month.

It has sold a better-than-expected 60,000 of the phones so far this month and JPMorgan expects that it should be able to ship 2 million between July and December.

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Bottomline:

Apple iPhone is not even out yet, and it has already found solid competition in HTC's HTC Touch phone. Head to head, iPhone will have four to eight times more memory than the Touch, and include a complete Internet browser and fully functional iPod. HTC Touch will be a worthy competitor nevertheless since the wireless operators may lower its price point based on contracts, and the fact that it has already found a foothold in international markets - this means it has been tested and primed. Could HTC Touch become the dark horse that rivals iPhone? Or could it even create a larger market for touchscreen mobile cell phones?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Also check:

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 14 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 13 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 14 - June 29 Launch

iPhone may boost AT&T subscribers by nearly 1 million in 07
By AppleInsider Staff

Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) soon-to-be-released iPhone could potentially serve as a "very disruptive force "in the wireless industry, benefiting AT&T (NYSE: T) at the expense of the other "Big 4" carriers, according to investment bank Bear Stearns.

In a report to clients on Thursday, equity research analyst Mike McCormack said his latest model has the inaugural Apple handset contributing 915,000 new subscribers to AT&T's wireless network during the second half of this year, with an additional 3.5 million likely to follow in 2008.

McCormack's latest calculations represent an approximate 17 percent increase to his previous estimate of 5.4 million new subscribers in 2007, and a 76 percent increase to his 2008 estimate of 4.6 million newcomers. The iPhone should also help curb AT&T's churn (or loss of subscribers) during the same time frames, the analyst said.

"This improvement in churn reflects existing subscribers who were planning to disconnect but were retained as a result of the iPhone," he wrote. "While we have not factored into our estimates the impact of increased retail traffic in AT&T’s stores related to the iPhone, we believe this effect could contribute to further upside for the carrier."

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Bottomline:

Can Apple iPhone create disruption in the wireless marketplace? Would it have a direct impact on the likes of LG, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Sony? How much of an indirect impact will the iPhone have on AT&T, and the key national wireless carriers? Finally, what about all the suppliers who have provided parts to make the Apple iPhone? Can iPhone become the juggernaut that everyone is hyping it to be? The consumers hold the answer to all these questions. What percentage of current iPod owners will buy the iPhone? How many current cell phone owners will switch to iPhone? How many new mobile phone users will buy iPhone? And how many iPhone users will stay loyal? Many questions, many answers. We will check back in late 2007 for some of the answers.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Also check:

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 13 - June 29 Launch
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 13 - June 29 Launch

Verizon, Sprint await iPhone onslaught
Marketwatch - June 12, 2007

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- While AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) executives talk confidently about gaining market share in the wireless business after the iPhone is released, skeptical rivals have reserved their fire. Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. all say they are prepared for the iPhone, but none has offered a clear strategy to combat the introduction of the highly anticipated device.

....

AT&T has repeatedly called the iPhone a "game changer," saying more than 1 million potential customers have made inquiries about the device. Many of them have declined to re-sign annual commitments with their current providers so they'll have a chance to check out the iPhone, AT&T executives say.

"We believe the big shift that will occur is it's going to be an opportunity to take share," John Stankey, AT&T's group president for operations, told investors at a Bear Stearns conference.....

Because the iPhone is a data-intensive device -- Web surfing and music playing are two of its most crucial features -- AT&T expects customers who choose the device will spend more each month. Data plans are priced significantly higher than voice-only service.AT&T executives also figure that iPhone users will prove more loyal, helping the company to cut its current churn rate of 1.7%.

.....

Nonetheless, rival operators and handset makers have expressed skepticism about whether the iPhone will truly shake up a wireless market in which the vast majority of consumers pay less than $100 for the handsets they own.

They point to the iPhone's $500 starting price tag and note that consumers would also have to sign up for more costly monthly plans."It's an expensive device," Forsee said. "If the customer is buying that for music, then we're going to be able to provide very significant alternatives to that at a much cheaper price point."

.....

But just in case the iPhone proves to be a huge hit, Verizon executives are plotting out their response. "You will see you will see more products from us by year-end, so stay tuned," Denny Strigl, Verizon's chief operating officer said.

iPhone to Support Third-Party Web 2.0 Applications

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) announced on June 11, "that its revolutionary iPhone(TM) will run applications created with Web 2.0 Internet standards when it begins shipping on June 29. Developers can create Web 2.0 applications which look and behave just like the applications built into iPhone, and which can seamlessly access iPhone's services, including making a phone call, sending an email and displaying a location in Google Maps. Third-party applications created using Web 2.0 standards can extend iPhone's capabilities without compromising its reliability or security."

"Developers and users alike are going to be very surprised and pleased at how great these applications look and work on iPhone," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Our innovative approach, using Web 2.0-based standards, lets developers create amazing new applications while keeping the iPhone secure and reliable."

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Download Apple's Innovation Strategy and Learn how Steve Jobs made Apple the #1 Innovative company in the world.

Download Now

Bottomline:

Rival wireless operators are worried, to say the least. They are betting that iPhone fails. If iPhone succeeds beyond expectations, watch out!! AT&T has the most to benefit, besides Apple. In a move to create a larger base of developers, applications and users, Apple wisely chose to open up iPhone to use any Web 2.0 Internet standard application. This will take some time to sink in, but once it does sink in, can iPhone become a mobile platform? Only time will tell.

Also check:
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2
Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 3 - June 29 release

Sunday night's ads in 60 minutes showed off several of the gadget's features and ended with the pronouncement that the phone will be available "Only on the new AT&T" and "Coming June 29." One other ad aired on the CW network before a 7 p.m. broadcast of "7th Heaven."

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Download Apple's Innovation Strategy and Learn how Steve Jobs made Apple the #1 Innovative company in the world.

Download Now

Also check:

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

Sources:

Associated Press

engadget

Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 2 - (NASDAQ: AAPL)

What does Nokia's Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo have to say about the upcoming Apple iPhone launch?

Nokia NOK1V.HE, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, is investing in Africa to make the region its next big wireless market, Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said on June 01, 2007....

Kallasvuo said the entry of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) into the mobile phone business this month, with its widely anticipated iPhone, marks the first time in years that a major new rival joins the highly competitive market.

Asked how the iPhone, with its touch-sensitive screen, will change design trends in the industry and at Nokia, Kallasvuo hinted Nokia would offer more such technology in the future.

"I definitely believe touch screen will be something that will have increasing relevancy in the mobile phone," he said, "and we definitely are working on that."

Most Nokia phones operate with button keypads rather than touch-based commands. Its first touch-screen device, the Nokia 7700, came out in 1994. It now has touch-screen phones on sale in China and two tablet devices for surfing the Web on the go.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of The Innovation Index, and is the number one innovator for 2007 according to BusinessWeek.

Download Apple's Innovation Strategy and Learn how Steve Jobs made Apple the #1 Innovative company in the world.

Download Now

Bottomline:

Apple iPhone is going to usher in a new era of touch-screen cell phones. Of course, Steve Jobs wants to downplay some of these key new innovations, and want you to focus on how you can browse the Internet on the iPhone, but let's face it: what do users use their cell phone the most for? Making / receiving calls, Texting or SMS, and checking voice mails. If Jobs is right though, browsing the Internet will become a huge thing thanks to the iPhone, and also listening to music.

Also check: Countdown to Apple iPhone Launch - Day 1

References:
Reuters story