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Technology Stocks : Apple Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jeff Hayden who wrote (75690)	6/13/2008 5:10:11 PM
From: inaflash	Respond to of 213177

Mobile IM to surpass SMS? It looks like Apple might again be the first mover here. The company is apparently developing a chat application for the iPhone, as revealed recently through a patent application that describes a "portable electronic device with a touch-screen display, comprising (a) means for displaying a set of messages exchanged between a user of the device and another person in a chronological order." That's basically the description of an UI for an iPhone IM application. CNBC analyst Jim Cramer thinks that an iPhone IM application is going to be to instant messaging what the iPod was to the Walkman. And Ars Technica is not alone when it suspects that most of the iPhone users will probably value "a way to use instant messaging without using up their SMS message quota." While the iPhone currently relies on SMS, Apple could add AIM, Jabber, or Twitter to the interface and thus become the de facto universal conversation enabler. However, building a native IM application (and adding third-party chat applications) could create conflicts with iPhone operators that might be concerned about losing potential SMS revenue, if users sidestep SMS by using IM programs. news.cnet.com

To: Jeff Hayden who wrote (75690)	6/13/2008 5:52:40 PM
From: pyslent	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213177

I doubt it since it's not likely to go up for the non-iPhone plans. The point is the non-iPhone plans don't currently include SMS. Maybe iPhone 3G gets a special deal, but it doesn't seem like it.

To: Jeff Hayden who wrote (75690)	6/13/2008 8:20:35 PM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 213177

>>It's possible the IM rate could go up. I doubt it since it's not likely to go up for the non-iPhone plans.<< Jeff - Note that there is a difference between IM (Instant Messaging) and text messaging (or SMS). IM uses the Internet as a transport, and text messaging uses the cellular network. The advantage to text messaging for mobile phone users is that it works between carrier networks and on just about any phone. I just spoke with AT&T and they confirmed that the new iPhone data plan will NOT include any text messages, as people have been saying. Kind of drag, but given the limited number of text messages I send, paying 5 cents apiece for them is probably going to be cheaper than buying bundles in advance. Heavy texters will probably already have opted for the ten dollar per month, unlimited messages plan. - Allen