Sparking more iPhone rumors, Apple recently filed a U.S. Trademark for the phrase "Mobile Me." According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the filing was made on January 5th. In the list of goods and services, Apple included both mobile communication and cellular.
Reuters notes that analysts see "Mobile Me" as another sign that Apple will get into cellular phones:
"We believe this is further indication of (Apple's) strategic direction to extend its iPod + iTunes and Mac franchises into new business areas including smart phones, value-added mobile content services, and the broader consumer electronics space," American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu wrote in a note on Thursday.
The Motorola ROKR E1 was Apple's first direct contact with a mobile phone (it includes a mobile version of iTunes) and recently has become a hot seller, even selling out from Cingular. But many insiders believe Apple will either launch an MVNO along with its own phone or simply try to direct sell a mobile phone through its existing distribution network.