As reported by Think Secret: Apple and Cingular have signed an agreement that will make the US’ largest cell phone provider the exclusive carrier of Apple’s forthcoming phone, sources report. Apple’s iPhone remains on track for an early 2007 release.
Apple’s phone will feature a candy-bar design with a 2.2-inch display and 3 megapixel camera. Robust iTunes and iSync support will also be delivered with the phone.
Apple’s exclusive contract with Cingular is said to be good for the first six months, sources report, meaning other providers will be able to sell the phone in the second-half of 2007. Cingular had an exclusive on the Motorola ROKR—the first phone to feature iTunes—when it launched last year.
This sound more and more like we are really going to have an iPhone for the first quarter of 2007. Thinksecret also says they have insiders’ estimation of 25 million units to be sold in 2007 compared to a 50 million for the Razr since 2004.
The iPhone could bring the 2 hottest things in the mobile world at this time: Cell phone and mp3 player. Apple could easily grab the market if they bring to people iPhone with music functionalities really close to the iPod. Their reputation in design could also give a new life to the cell phone itself. But that needs to be proven by Apple since they never did such as a cellular phone. The deal they have with Cingular also mean that they developed around the GSM technology. If that happens to be true, a European launch would not be to difficult since the only difference between European and American GSM networks is the frequency.
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