iPhone software found in iPod updater?

Yeah, everybody's been grasping at straws (including us) for possible info on the iPhone for, well, the last couple of years now, and the latest adds fuel to the speculative fire without providing any answers. So what else is new? Anyhow, in the June 28th iPod updater package, apparently if one were to analyza few particular files with a hex editor, one would produce some very peculiar and anomalous commands, like t_feature_app_PHONE_APP, kPhoneSignalStrength, clPhoneCallModel, clPhoneCallHistoryModel, prPhoneSettingsMenu, and so on. They're confirmed to have absolutely nothing to do with the Moto iTunes phone line, which makes sense, and we will concede that such a find seems highly unusual. Still, we'd hardly be willing to call this type of thing nascent evidence of an iTunes phone; on the other hand, if there was one around the corner, WWDC would be as good a place as any for Apple to announce. After all, what better place than Apple's own developer conference would there be to announce a new mobile device platform, hm?

[Via AppleInsider, thanks William]

[Kowalski @ Jul 30th 2006 8:42PM]

i, for one, welcome our apple-phone overlords.

[Dukrous @ Jul 30th 2006 8:54PM]

I figure this might be related to a bluetooth update we keep hearing about, and these functions are to route calls from a cell through your iPod.

[Bill @ Jul 30th 2006 9:13PM]

Who has time to analyze the packege with a hex editer anyway to report these things to others...what i waste of time

[Bryan @ Jul 30th 2006 9:30PM]

How about an iPod Walkie Talkie "Phone" attachment?

[Ben @ Jul 30th 2006 9:47PM]

Wow that phone mockup is uggggly

[Nikolai @ Jul 30th 2006 9:49PM]

Kowalski, Zorak has already welcomed our robo-maple overlords, DARPA. You're so behind the times. I can't wait for an iPhone and I believe the concept entirely plausible.

[Binome @ Jul 30th 2006 10:04PM]

It's probably preperation for some unnammed phone addon.

[martin @ Jul 30th 2006 10:11PM]

It's probably just the Apple developers having some fun, renaming functions to sound like functions on phones.

[JoshSpazJosh @ Jul 30th 2006 10:17PM]

They found "Buy OGG" and "Buy WMA" buttons for the iTunes Music Store in the iTunes code too. Just because it's there doesn't mean it's going to be released anytime soon; Apple could be just covering the bases or in early stages of development.

[aazp @ Jul 30th 2006 10:18PM]

It's true, but that doesn't mean an iPhone is comming anytime soon.

[dvdafrank @ Jul 30th 2006 10:19PM]

Perhaps. But what about these patents mentioned in this article.

http://news.com.com/2061-10793_3-6091655.html

[H the Preacherman @ Jul 30th 2006 10:47PM]

When you install the Updater, when it comes to the screen where you tick the tickboxes to decide what part of the Updater you want to install, isn't there already a grayed-out option for some Phone thing?

As far as I recall, that Phone option's been there for quite some time now.

[Michael @ Jul 30th 2006 10:56PM]

"i, for one, welcome our apple-phone overlords."

how is that even funny?

[Barry @ Jul 30th 2006 10:58PM]

I'll buy an Apple phone in a heartbeat. Windows Mobile in my current phone is about as well-designed and usable as desktop Windows is...in other words, not so much.

[Scabies @ Jul 30th 2006 11:27PM]

Hmm... I imagine that a Apple-OS based cell phone would be much easier to use (and have greater appeal to that end)than Windows SmartPhones of today. Now, bundling some iPhone programming calls into an iPod update, if true, could shed some interesting light or generate other rumors. Namely, that iPods and iPhones will be closely related enough to allow for the same software package to be used for both the pod and the phone. This would also mean that iTunes will be iPhone friendly. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

[Jeffrey M Foster @ Jul 31st 2006 12:18AM]

more than anything, i'd bet that these protocols would simply allow a cellphone to bluetooth-connect to an ipod, and could let the iPod play nice... as in auto-pause with an incoming call, etc.

Maybe the real news would be a bluetooth-enabled iPod... :)

[Bryan @ Jul 31st 2006 1:07AM]

They should use the thumb wheel like a old rotary dial phone.....that would be sweet!!!!

[dogarms @ Jul 31st 2006 1:12AM]

@ Ben

That's no mockup, that's a guy who converted his Nokia phone into a iPhone-esque design with a custom case and custom OS skin.

[paolo @ Jul 31st 2006 1:16AM]

you guys talk about using WINDOWS smartphones and wanting to use an apple based smartphone. why not use a real smartphone that uses the SYMBIAN OS? its hell of alot better than windows or palm and im betting my money that its going to be even better than an apple based OS on a smartphone!

[txhookem @ Dec 9th 2006 10:39PM]

Hey VL-Tone, did you ever mess around with the rokr phones? If so, do you think you could mod an e2 and get itunes on it?

[VL-Tone @ Jul 31st 2006 4:47AM]

Bill said: "Who has time to analyze the packege with a hex editer anyway to report these things to others...what i waste of time"

You're right, using your brain and a spell checker, what a waste of time!

It took me a few hours in my life to find the phone references, and I wasn't looking for that. Everyone has his hobbies, this is one of mine.

JoshSpazJosh said: "Just because it's there doesn't mean it's going to be released anytime soon; Apple could be just covering the bases or in early stages of development."

You're right, and I never stated it would automatically mean an eventual iPhone. I think it's a mock up application to test concepts. There are a few real features hidden though.

Preacherman:

"When you install the Updater, when it comes to the screen where you tick the tickboxes to decide what part of the Updater you want to install, isn't there already a grayed-out option for some Phone thing?

As far as I recall, that Phone option's been there for quite some time now."

You're mixing up things. First, you don't have to decide what part the Updater installs, it automatically detects your iPod. These phones references were found in the actual Firmware file for the iPod nano found inside the installer package. These were not found in any other iPod Firmware before, a lot of new things were added with the Nike nano update.

They are C++ command/function labels that have nothing to do with the Updater itself.

Jeffrey M Foster: "more than anything, i'd bet that these protocols would simply allow a cellphone to bluetooth-connect to an ipod, and could let the iPod play nice... as in auto-pause with an incoming call, etc."

Possible, but what Engadget failed to mention is that there are also references to an Instant Messaging system near the phone references.

And by the way Engadget... you're two weeks late ;)

Want a scoop?

I found a way to activate brightness controls for the backlight of the iPod nano!

While there's a way to do that with iPod linux, there is a built-in brightness control in the Apple iPod OS that was disabled for some reason.

The hack is relatively easy to pull off, but requires some use of the command line utility ipodedit.

I'm at the point where I could replace some menu items with other hidden features, like a disk browser, a font menu, a way to set a startup picture, and maybe the phone app mockup itself...

[indie @ Jul 31st 2006 4:59AM]

The phone in the picture is a badly modified Nokia 6680! It's even got the same key layout, front camera and light sensor location.

Looks like someone's just faked an OS layout and have displayed it on the phone's display!

[Ben Collins @ Jul 31st 2006 5:44AM]

I can understand all your reasons for thinking this would be great, but In my opinion i think that apple should just stick with music and video. It seems to me that whenever anyone tries to make something that does "everything" it does "everything" but not the the standard a specialized device could. saying that, I don't really like carrying around a million devices, but i think apple should work on a few things the ipod needs (like bluetooth) before making some crazy device that plays you music, lets you call your mum, and does you ironing all at once.

[bob @ Jul 31st 2006 6:37AM]

erm their are phones that already use itunes, DUH

[Mike Getz @ Jul 31st 2006 8:37AM]

What about a carrier? I've read so much about this iPhone and no one has mentioned a carrier. Are there any obvious partners that would make a perfect match? How cool would it be if it was "universal" and you could bring your own carrier? BYOC

[PixelNurse @ Jul 31st 2006 9:16AM]

I read about this a few weeks back on one of the Apple rumour sites. There's also been speculation about iChat gaining VOIP abilities in Leopard. So perhaps Apple is going to go the same way as Nintendo, not making a mobile (as in cell) phone, but instead using a wi-fi connection to enable a Skype type iChat on iPods. That way they would still have an MP3 player that does talk, rather than a phone that does music. They would also then not have to worry about the mobile phone business, networks, etc.

Nintendo have done a good job putting wifi into the DS Lite, so I think Apple may now be about ready to put it in the iPod.

[jc_atl @ Jul 31st 2006 10:27AM]

I concur with those who have pointed out that this is a Nokia 668x s60 smartphone that has been modified. The bottom half (the keypad) is 100% identical to the phone I'm holding in my hand right now, an unbranded, unlocked Nokia 6682. Of course Apple could start at a worse jumping off point so long as they add more memory and a 1/8" stereo jack.

[Tony @ Jul 31st 2006 11:43AM]

Apple MUST come out with an iPod phone. There are many "technical" reasons not to, there are business cases to highlight how "one man band" devices don't perform in the marketplace...but there is also a point to be made for this imperative from apple. Why did Microsoft come out with the Zune? Just to be a pain...and you can make money by just being a pain...ask all those Linux packagers.
Apple must make a phone otherwise they will lose share to the phone manufacturers who have ever expanding music capabilities. If Steve Jobs wishes to control the whole chain...from manufacure of content, to distribution to display, he'll have to keep up with the rise of mobile as we see it in Europe and Japan. Do you watch TV on your mobile phone???...the Japanese do..and you will too soon...

[Callum @ Jul 31st 2006 1:50PM]

remember those mock-ups of the next-gen video / movie iPod? well, mix that with a touch screen, built in mic and perhaps a pen... modify the OS, are we talking about the iPod coming full circle? back to apple's last hand-held device- the Newton :D

we all talk / write the word 'iPod' all day long. and its so linked with music now, it may be hard to swallow, but why not? iPod = a touch-screen Smartphone / PDA. imagine that.

[tommy @ Aug 1st 2006 11:25AM]

Wouldn't Apple be all but forced to choose one network protocol, and hence one region? For instance, EV-DO will get Apple the US and part of Asia, but lock out Europe. UMTS would lock out most of the US (even with Cingular's UMTS-1900 variety), and a big chunk of Asia. That just doesn't sound like the Apple I've come to know and luv. To me, PixelNurse's comments make a lot more sense. Maybe something more integrated than using Skype, but basically about that idea.

I for one, would welcome the iChat WiFi phone. *grin*

[tommy @ Aug 1st 2006 11:36AM]

BTW, that picture has been around for a while. Engadget's even used it before in relation to other iPhone stories.

I used to have an OSX theme on my 6680 too...it was nice.

[Greg @ Aug 4th 2006 11:15AM]

I've used Symbian OS phones before, your not missing out on anything. My Blackberry is much better.

[Drew from Zhrodague @ Aug 4th 2006 11:34AM]

Here's to hoping we get our collective wishes from Apple!

[James @ Aug 4th 2006 11:33PM]

Two years ago, we thought that the Powerbook G5 was coming. Why? A few stray lines of code on Apples website read:

!--BEGIN AVENUE A-->



Read about it yourself:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/27/apple_site_powerbook_g5/

Bottom Line-

Wait until Steve speaks on Tuesday

[Will Smith @ Jul 19th 2007 2:23AM]

iPhone unlock software: http://www.dvdtoiphone.net/unlock-iphone.html
iPhone video software: http://www.iphonevideoconverter.com/
More iPhone software on iLounge: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/iphone-software
The iPhone software's link I collected.

[Jackie @ May 19th 2008 12:05PM]

Man, I really hope this happens too.

http://videoconverterreviews.com

[Nel @ Oct 29th 2008 7:51AM]

Apple is a company who didnt invent the iPod...what do you expect from them??


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