iPhone Nano on the way to China first?

 

Summary

There are differing views on whether a small, low-cost iPhone is on tap from Apple. One analyst thinks that not only is one on the way, but that China will get it first.

Events

Echelon 2012
June 11 and 12, 2012

University Cultural Centre, National University of Singapore

Startup Asia Jakarta 2012
June 7 and 8, 2012

12th Floor, Annex Building, Wisma Nusantara Complex, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 59 Jakarta 10350, Indonesia

MMA Forum Singapore
April 23-25, 2012

Grand Hyatt Singapore

More iPhone Nano rumors are surfacing out of China, as some are starting to wonder whether the much-rumored diminutive iPhone will ship in that region only.

Digitimes picked up on a report from the Economic Daily News that chip makers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) are set to get the contract to make chips for an iPhone Nano, which was described as a "low-cost entry-level" iPhone. TSMC and UMC are perhaps the two most well-known chip foundries in the business, and are perhaps getting ready to execute Apple's first iPhone chip design put together by the P.A. Semi team.

No other details were reported. But what of the iPhone Nano itself? Rumors first appeared about such a device in 2007, shortly after the launch of the original iPhone, but quickly died. They were revived late last year when an iPhone case manufacturer added an "iPhone Nano" category to its products.

There's a theory that the real iPhone Nano is merely the knock-off versions sold in markets in China and other places in Asia, which has proven so popular that demand has grown for cases. But Brian Marshal of Broadpoint AmTech expects Apple to launch such a device at some point this year, and thinks Asia might be the first place it arrives.

Marshal said his checks with suppliers show that AT&T has not received the device yet for testing, which he believes indicates that China could be the likely launch venue for the iPhone Nano and a new Apple relationship with China Mobile or another carrier. If this iPhone really does exist, a June launch would make sense given the pattern set in 2007 and 2008.

This article was first published as a blog post on CNET News.com.

Talkback

Add your opinion

In order to post a comment, you need to be registered. (Sign In or register below)

Post your comment

ZDNet Asia Live

Fanboys on AV for Mac: "ludicrous" "a waste of time" "The Mac will protect me" "the most secure ever" "impenetrable" http://t.co/a1o2Sz7E

RT @ameliatmy: the hottest angel investment & venture capital event in #MALAYSIA! will u be there? http://t.co/ChSjkmzu #ABAF

Singapore Game Box in the ZDnet news!
http://t.co/UuTs0SqX http://t.co/YdPKmm39

#radio Radio Bolivia by EnjoyIT 1.0 http://t.co/fdlBPOeI

RT @zdnetasia: SingTel acquires HungryGoWhere for US$9.4 million. http://t.co/Qho1REVZ

Gartner: Mobile CRM gives better ROI than social - http://t.co/s5OfTAXK #CRM

RT @zdnetasia: S'pore sets up portal to grow games sector. http://t.co/In8gtj7L

#Malaysia: 20% yoy rise in overall #wages for both direct and non-direct labor. http://t.co/5T2e0LUU

RT @mikebuetow: #Malaysia: 20% yoy rise in overall #wages for both direct and non-direct labor. http://t.co/5T2e0LUU

@88tc88 RT @KevinZDNetAsia: User experience more important to app monetization than actual content http://t.co/ogbD5wyI… #li #dm12

Dubbed the first social #Olympics, this year's summer games have some of the strictest social rules for all involved http://t.co/4HlcqhW3

Value of big data analytics largely untapped - Zd Net http://t.co/ZuhPrCN4: Pushing cloud limits for d... http://t.co/VyOU0vHz #TheBIBlog

Value of big data analytics largely untapped http://t.co/026PCpSc @zdnetasia

RT @data_nerd: Value of big data analytics largely untapped http://t.co/026PCpSc @zdnetasia

Active WebTraffic - Downloads - ZDNet Asia: Active WebTraffic is a web promotion tool that includes ... http://t.co/fMJepPh8 #webtraffic

So much as we know , MTK6575 extremely integrated frequency1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, the superiority of 3G / HSPA Modem, and help the...

14 hours ago by y15822137359 on 5 SaaS adoption speed bumps to avoid

I reckon your view: "CRM is strategy, not software", if a company replicating the approach uses in ERP implementation into CRM, what they...

1 day ago by wykoong on Gartner: Mobile CRM gives better ROI than social

This video will teach you about the Excel fill handle but also provide you with a workook to download... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...

2 days ago by TradeBrother on A quick fill handle trick for Microsoft Excel

waiting...

4 days ago by eapete on What should count in a company's market value?

Boy, you've opened a can of worms now.

Wait for the rants & raves.

4 days ago by eapete on What should count in a company's market value?

I was puzzling before this whether to replicate the success formula we executed for a financial institute, and come out with a standard s...

4 days ago by wykoong on Drop the egos, copy ideas, then innovate