Rumors are circulating that around this time next year Apple will deliver an iPhone with slide-out keyboard specifically aimed at satisfying hoards of corporate buyers addicted to their beloved Crackberries. It's not speculation according to a post by the wildly popular Guy Kewney, writing for The Register UK claiming that prototypes actually exist and they (nearly) work. Is this another pre iPhone 3G launch hoax, mining for low hanging suckers? Maybe not.
Kewney convincingly asserts that Jobs is circulating a slide-out keyboard prototype to operators, taking the iSlide concept far beyond idle chat. "Actual prototypes - not just mockups - have been sent to senior executives at some operators. I'm not allowed to even hint which operators... but I can report that the keyboard has "issues" which are not yet resolved." Kewney writes. Source: The Register
The biggest of those issues is that slide-out keyboards are for sissies with man boobs. Kweney argues that Jobs will do whatever he needs to do to sell more stuff. The report is well thought out coming from a writer who is sold on the innovation and superiority of the current iPhone. There's more to his insight than simple surface skimming.
When it comes to iPhone, I'm convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that capturing a large share of the corporate market is serious business for Apple, even if it takes adding new strap-on tools to iPhone's already impeccable design. Jobs is the perfect hitman to "git 'er done" before he pulls his own slide out and retires with Micro Bill in their Silicon Apartment built for two. Can I hear an amen?
[via The Register] [iPhone Mockup by Tabari via iLounge] [iSlide]
does this phone go for tmobile
Posted by: dshak | April 16, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Could this keyboard mean a "shift-click" feature as in a "Save as... to iPhone..." pictures/videos/songs off of the internet?
Posted by: M Giles | July 04, 2008 at 04:55 PM