Apple is going to launch a new product line with the iPhone next month. The newly discovered patent application of Apple describing a backside touch panel puts more weight to the prediction that Apple will at some point release a smaller iPhone.

Update 04/08/08:
iPhone nano Rumor is here again

The iPhone will be a cool smartphone, but is too big and to feature rich for the mass market. Most users want a small phone that is mainly used for calling. Texting, listening to music, surfing the web and taking the occasional photo are supposed to be available in some simple to use form. A phone is definitely more complex to use than a mp3 player, but Apple has the background to make a simple to use small phone.

Lets first get our hands on a standard iPhone.
Some designers came already up with the iPhone nano and even the iPhone shuffle design a while ago. See the version shown in the photo above in hi-res on Information Architects.
Apple released the first iPod in November 2001. iPods have come a long way, so will the iPhone.

Future Products is a new category on I4U NEWS. I am planning on writing about upcoming products that are unannounced, rumored or predictable in some form in this category. If you have a tip email me.