The latest from the iPhone Nano rumor mill is that the "iPhone nano" will be released this summer, but the launch will not include the United States. Most likely to be launched somewhere in the far east, probably China.
The basis for this rumor is - well actually lets amalgamate all the iPhone Nano rumors so far.
Component Clues: Two east Asian
companies have mentioned contracting with Apple to manufacture some of the components to the iPhone nano.
(Okay so they are making chips for some new device, hopefully a new iPhone or an iPhone Nano)
Accessory/Case Clues: A number of iPhone accessory manufactures have
leaked limited details about a future Apple device sized differently than the iPhone 3G.
(Sure, case manufactures ARE in the loop, before most, on the physical specifications of future Apple devices. Accessories are not designed and produced overnight, even though it may seem like it.)
Launch Date: Most reported rumors on the iPhone Nano will point a "very soon" or "coming this June/July" launch date.
(June is the "holiday season" of the cell phone industry, so a June launch would make sense but that is in no way a certainty. When a rumor claims the device will launch "very soon" or "any day now", the motivations of these rumors sources needs to be examined closely. The rumors from production sources are claiming that 2.5 million units are being produced per month, and supposedly production just got started. Simple math lead to the actuality, that it will take 4 months to produce the 10 million units which analysts say are needed for a launch. In summary, a launch this summer would make sense but there is a lot of flexibility here.)
A Lower Cost iPhone: Many analysts have predicted that Apple will produce a lower cost version of the iPhone to battle this tough economy or to increase their smartphone market share.
(Until the day that an iPhone Nano is actually launched we will continue to hear these rumors on this basis. It is hard to determine weather these continual whispers on this suspicion is based on real facts, financial analysts gabbling, or notions that the iPhone will advance as the iPod did.)
Now, A Non-USA Product Launch?
The latest twist is that the iPhone Nano will launch soon but not in the USA, at least not in the initial launch. This
rumor is the biggest stretch seen to date related to the iPhone Nano, but lets walk through the claim.
First off the question we have is, "Why would Apple release a new product in another country before releasing it here in the USA?"
IBTimes.com offers the explanation about why Apple would release a new product in China as opposed to the US. The reasoning is that the economic slow-down has hit Apple, and that China has 600 million+ cell phone subscribers and an increasing middle class. They are the perfect market for this new release of a lower cost unit. At least, that's the idea.
Secondly the question we have is, "Beyond financial modeling and pure speculation, is there any evidence that Apple would skip the USA in iPhone Nano launch?"
This is where faith can be easily lost in this rumor. Here is the reasoning of analyst Brian Marshal, of American Technology Research,
Despite limited information in the supplier channels and typical secrecy with new Apple products, insiders have confirmed that the iPhone nano is not yet in the testing labs at AT&T, Marshal says, leading him to believe that the launch will most likely be with a non-US carrier.
So therefore assuming that the iPhone Nano is real and will be launched "any day now" and trusting Marshal's "insiders" connected to AT&T's testing labs, then Apple will launch the iPhone Nano skipping the United States.
That's a tough sell. What do you think?
We will continue to update you on the many iPhone Nano rumors to come.
