Apple has had their share of run-ins over patent infringement these days, but it looks like Sanyo Transport’s recently released iPhone attachment may get an angry letter too – from the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company.

The iPhone 4S/4 Exclusive Bugle-Type Speaker certainly doesn’t win points for a catchy name, but it may hook you in with its low price, simplicity and heck even for its retro charm.

For 890 yen (US$11) it slides onto the bottom of your iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 models covering the speakers and amplifying its sound. It works by utilizing state-of-the-art (circa 1476) technological principal that a horn shaped object makes things louder.

Before you young’uns go scoffing, have you ever wondered why tubas, trumpets, et al. haven’t changed much in hundreds of years? Because they freakin’ work!

Unlike other iPhone attachments, this one leaves the bottom port free for charging or other devices to be used. It doesn’t use any battery power and could conceivably save battery power by letting you get the same sound with a lower volume setting.

It can even still fit in your shirt pocket, as long as you don’t mind a 10cm wide, 16cm long horn sticking out of your chest.  If it’s good enough for clowns then it’s good enough for the rest of us.

It’s got a certain old timey feel to it.  Just looking at the photo, I can imagine sipping on a phosphate soda, reading about these new-fangled horseless carriages, and listening to the latest Stephen Foster single on my iPhone.

Source: e-supply (Japanese)
Photo&movie:rocketnews24

The horns are available in white or black so they don’t stand out with either color phone… aside from the giant horn that is.


It’s easy to slip on and off…

…and leaves your port open for anything else.