Obsessed with Size

Despite the fact that 2009 will be Apples last attendance of the Macworld Expo, the yearly rumor-mill leading up to the event still has it’s usual momentum. Especially the rumors around the fabled iPhone nano have lately been reinvigorated with reports about XSKN purportedly producing a iPhone nano case (TUAW).

As it is christmas and traditions are imanent all around us, I will take my first public attempt at reading-in-the-tea-leaves, gazing-into-the-stars and consulting-with-various-oracles to deliver my very own guess at what will actually become the iPhone nano.

1. Product Portfolio

Apple has a very continuos distinction within its product line, between consumer and professional products. Macbook/Macbook Pro, iMac/Mac Pro, iPod Nano/iPod Classic, GarageBand/Logic Studio, etc. This would actually prefer a iPhone nano, as it would distinct the iPhone product line into consumer/professional too. Then again, how about the iPod touch/iPhone bundle? Isn’t this the classical consumer/pro distinction already?

In my personal opinion, they will eventually come out with a iPhone nano, but not out of any necessity, or because the market demands it (iPhone sales). They will do it because they can. So if there is no technological or sales imperative to do so, what will the iPhone be like, when it finally arrives?

I, personally, see two possible scenarios there: One puts the iPhone nano further into the future and makes it a thing nearly impossible to predict now. The second one assumes a closer release date and factors in a lot of already know details.

2. What the iPhone nano Could be Right Now

Fact 1: Bigger DPI

The iPhone currently has 163 dpi screen, while the iPod nano has a 204 dpi screen. This is an 25% increase, which means the iPhone nanos screen could be 25% smaller with the exact same resolution then the current iPhone.

Fact 2: Slim Fit

The iPod touch only lacks the radio and GPS components of the iPhone, yet it is 44% thinner.

Guess 1: Non-Pro specs

Yes, I love the GPS in my iPhone, and when I’m about (without any WiFi) I am very happy to have a 3G radio. Still, my first generation iPhone had none of those features and was still as valuable to me as as the iPhone 3G. So, those consumers interested in a smaller phone, will likely be willing to sacrifice some features for the form factor.

Sure there will also be a vocal minority demanding a full-fledged iPhone 3G with half the size and double the standby capacity, but as others already said: Apple doesn’t have to cater every market (for more on this, listen to episode 26 of The Talk Show, around 55 min. into the show).

Guess 2: The Easy Way Out

So, to produce a iPhone about 25% smaller in every dimension, while retaining the same screen size, battery life and features of the original iPhone seems absolutely possible. Will this be enough for Apple to come out with a slightly lower prized, smaller “consumer” companion version to the current iPhone 3G? Probably yes.

First off, it would be a show case to prove that they are rapidly evolving the iPhone platform and would send the competition into another fit to emulate instead of innovate. Second, it would actually be only a minor engineering feat, thus easily doable within a short time frame like 1 or 2 years. Last, due to it’s smaller form factor, it would probably sway a few more customers to switch to the iPhone.

So what speaks against it: Probably only the fact that it’s not incredibly innovative or essentially necessary.

3. The Final Verdict

So, I would assume, given Apples recent history of incremental evolutions in their products, that a slimmed down version of the current iPhone 3G is very likely. Now let’s see what Apple will actually deliver in 2009. 

Should anyone want to bet against my predictions, I can be found on twitter (heckmueller) and I use foamee.