Next iPhone to be HD enabled?
by Phil Coyne
Phonenews has some rather tasty information on Apple’s instructions to their Authorized Resellers regarding placing both the Composite and Component AV cable on clearance ahead of a probable iPhone/iPod Touch HD launch.
Both current cables were not well received by the public. The cables
first added encryption chips, which (upon the release of iPhone OS
2.0) made it impossible to use other, cheaper AV cables with Apple’s
most advanced mobile devices.
So it looks as though Apple are cutting their losses somewhat by combining Component and Composite. This is good for consumers, they won’t need to fork out for yet another two cables they *might* not use all that often.
The reason that Apple is doing this has been confirmed by
PhoneNews.com. The next generation of iPhone and iPod touch will
make broad and sweeping changes to HD display capacity on the
devices. First, Apple will likely offer at least one version of the
iPhone and one version of iPod touch with an even higher resolution
screen, targeting both Microsoft’s Zune HD, as well as HTC’s Touch
HD and Touch Pro2.
This might also be a sort of death knell for the Apple TV, especially for people like me who only currently own an iPhone and wouldn’t mind watching HD stuff all over, not just in the palm of our hands.
Multiple options will be given to users to get HD video onto their
TV, via iPhone and iPod. First, consumers will be able to store HD
shows on their devices directly. However, considering the limits of
flash storage, this is a time consuming process. Enter Bonjour.
Apple will also provide the ability for users to plug their iPhone
into their HDTV, and gateway onto a user’s Wi-Fi network, and access
their entire iTunes library on their HDTV.
All in all, this is pretty exciting news for iPhone/iPod Touch users who like to consume their HD content and enables them to not only view it directly on their device (if the rumours are true about increased resolution to 720p and 1080i output) but also in the comfort of their own living room.
These features will definitely pull new users on to the platform, which is always good news, especially for those app developers out there.
I would totally upgrade to a new iPod touch for this, having a pocket sized device that could play HD videos where ever I go would be cool. Hopefully it supports HDMI output as well, or make the headphone output a combo analog/digital output like it is on my USB sound card for 5.1 audio support. It would make playing videos on my TV a thousand times easier.
…having a pocket sized device that could play HD videos…
AND HD GAMES!
You guys have far too much money.
Absolutely. After getting a laptop that is HD enabled, I've been downloading a crapload of content from iTunes, I would *love* to be able to take that with me. I'm guessing Mophie will be busy creating more battery packs before long ;)
It’s a difficult issue. I understand both sides of the argument because of how fairly you have presented them here. I look forward to your updates on the subject.
It’s a difficult issue. I understand both sides of the debate because of how fairly you have presented them here. I look forward to your updates on the subject.