iPhone and iPod accessories; Pre-paid iPhone; iPhone RSS reader

Apple is looking to make iPhone compatible with recent iPod accessories that sport universal dock connectors. Meanwhile, AT&T may offer pre-paid iPhone options to people with poor credit. And Apple appears to have developed a special RSS reader for the multi-functional handset.

iPhone universal dock adapters

Apple hopes to make iPhone compatible with a significant number of existing iPod accessories that sport universal dock connectors, multiple sources have told AppleInsider.

The Cupertino-based company is expected to sell a three-pack of iPhone universal dock adapters for an estimated retail price of approximately $20. The adapters should allow the Apple handset to fit snugly into most iPod accessories developed over the last 18 months, such as the iPod Hi-Fi, and third-party speaker systems from the likes of Bose, JBL and Altec Lansing.

What's uncertain is whether the adapters will be available immediately upon the iPhone's launch. There has been concern on the part of Apple and accessory makers over possible complications between iPhone and the speaker systems, where interference could come into play.

It's speculated that Apple may take some additional time to assure certain accessories and companion products are compatible before releasing the adapters for sale.

Pre-paid iPhone

AT&T, which is looking to push as many iPhones as possible, will offer a prepaid option in extreme cases, the wireless provider revealed through a leaked launch guide this week.

While AT&T will still insist that all normal sales choose a two-year contract, it will also ask to perform an advance credit check during the sales process that should offer a contract-free option: those with low or uncertain credit will have the option of choosing a GoPhone Pick Your Plan service that demands regular payments but doesn't set a mandatory term, according to the document.

iTunes will reportedly expose the option in its activation process if a customer's online credit check raises flags, but the document declines to mention the exact conditions and notes that some customers may have to pay a $250 security deposit to successfully use the phone. Customers will have the chance of running the check in-store and will receive a code for iTunes that certifies they've either passed the deposit check or have paid the deposit, AT&T wrote in the launch guide.

Information in the guide also reveals that AT&T will have several Apple accessories available on launch, including its Bluetooth headset, a travel charger and cable, and replacements for the pack-in stereo headset and Dock Connector to USB cables.

iPhone RSS reader

Finally, it appears that Apple has developed a Web 2.0-based RSS reader that will be accessible by iPhone at reader.mac.com.

"This application can only be viewed using the iPhone," the site says when viewed with a standard web browser.

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46 Comments

solipsism

said about 16 years ago

1) Three dock adapters? Should there only be one needed?

2) Safari already has an RSS reader so why this one? My only conclusions are it's to help steer customers toward .Mac services, to show web developers how well iPhone apps can be done, or it's for those who prefer not to use Safari but still want an Applesque RSS reader.

solar

said about 16 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by solipsism

1) Three dock adapters? Should there only be one needed?
2) Safari already has an RSS reader so why this one? My only conclusions are it's to help steer customers toward .Mac services, to show web developers how well iPhone apps can be done, or it's for those who prefer not to use Safari but still want an Applesque RSS reader.

1) It's probably the opposite of how it regulary works, where you buy a HiFi, and it comes with different adapters for different sized iPods. Instead you buy the kit and you get adapters sized for the iphone, but then would work in a Bose, a HiFi, a JBL, Altec Lansing, etc.. That's how it reads to me.

2) In all of the demo videos I don't recall them showing iPhone Safari displaying feeds. I'm not saying that it doesn't but I don't remember anyone specifically saying that it did, though Steve seemed to imply that it's identical to OSX/Win versions. Never underestimate the RDF

lfmorrison

said about 16 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solar

2) Jobs also implied that the iPhone was running the full OSX, and that may indeed be true, from a certain point of view... But we still don't know yet just how liberal a point of view you may need to have to make it true. A question for the metaphysicists: How much of the OSX source code can you cut out before the thing turns into something that looks like OSX, but functionally isn't any more?

The full OSX seems a whole lot more flexible than what we've seen of the iPhone OS so far. I'm still hedging my bets by assuming that at least some degree of RDF was in effect.

solar

said about 16 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by lfmorrison

2) Jobs also implied that the iPhone was running the full OSX, and that may indeed be true, from a certain point of view... But we still don't know yet just how liberal a point of view you may need to have to make it true. (eg. The full OSX seems a whole lot more flexible than what we've seen of the iPhone OS so far.) I'm still hedging my bets by assuming that at least some degree of RDF was effect.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens when people start dumping out images of the OS, and seeing how much of the OSX base is actually there.

ngng

said about 16 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Pre-paid iPhone

AT&T, which is looking to push as many iPhones as possible, will offer a prepaid option in extreme cases, the wireless provider revealed through a leaked launch guide this week.

While AT&T will still insist that all normal sales choose a two-year contract, it will also ask to perform an advance credit check during the sales process that should offer a contract-free option: those with low or uncertain credit will have the option of choosing a GoPhone Pick Your Plan service that demands regular payments but doesn't set a mandatory term, according to the document.

iTunes will reportedly expose the option in its activation process if a customer's online credit check raises flags, but the document declines to mention the exact conditions and notes that some customers may have to pay a $250 security deposit to successfully use the phone. Customers will have the chance of running the check in-store and will receive a code for iTunes that certifies they've either passed the deposit check or have paid the deposit, AT&T wrote in the launch guide.

Ironic that they check credit for the go phone plan, which specifically states "no credit checks"

I'm going to find a way to get an iphone via the gophone plan