Apple Considered Launching an ‘iPhone nano’ in 2011

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 19 Aug 2021

iPhone Nano Email

Way before Apple launched the iPhone SE and the iPhone 12 mini, it worked on a ‘nano’ iPhone as well. There were rumors in 2011 that Apple was working on an iPhone nano, though they never materialized. Now internal emails from Apple’s founder and former CEO Steve Jobs reveal the company was working on an iPhone nano.

The iPhone nano was on the agenda for a strategy meeting. However, no details about the device itself have been shared in the email, so it is up to one’s imagination as to what Apple was planning with the nano iPhone. The email also refers to “Jony” —possibly Jony Ive, who was to show the “model” or renderings of the device.

There’s a sub-bullet in the “2011 Strategy” which says “create low cost iPhone model based on iPod touch to replace 3GS,” but it’s unclear if Jobs was referring to the iPhone nano or a different device here. Back in the day, Apple used the “nano” wording for its iPod lineup. Now though, the company calls “nano” products “mini” like the iPhone 12 mini, iPad mini, and HomePod mini.

Another internal email from Steve Jobs reveals that Apple was even working on a “Super nano,” possibly an upgraded version of the iPod nano. Just like the iPhone nano, this product, too, never saw the light of the day.

A decade later, one can only imagine how the iPhone nano would have turned out to be. How much would Apple have priced it at? What would have been its display size considering the iPhones shipped with a 3.5-inch display back in the day?

[Via The Verge]