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3G in December

N

njpodder

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 13, 2007
111
0
Okay, here's the deal. I went in to the ATT store yesterday to upgrade to the iPhone. The sales guy was psyched (I guess he gets commision off each one sold). We got to talking, and he told me that in their meetings they had been discussing new promotions for a 3G version in December (or if not in December, by February 2008). He told me the reason was that a bunch of corporations purchased iPhones for their employees and then returned them all after they realized they were not 3G compatible (No corporate pushbutton e-mail or something). I asked about any other updates, and he said he didn't think there were any, same phone, same size, same storage, just 3G added.

I looked around the forums here and saw some other people were told similiar stories by ATT employees outside of NC (where I am from). I guess I am wondering what you all make of this? I don't know what to believe anymore. I told him "You do realize you have just lost the sale of an iPhone by telling me there will be an updated one in a couple months?" and his response was "You don't need 3G, just buy it today!" I didn't.

If this was true (I am not convinced), why would they not work hard to keep their employees from talking about it to potential customers on current stock? What do you guys think? BS or no?
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't 3G require a different chip? In which case they would need to get FCC approval again.

So they would need to announce it in advance for the same reason they announced the original in January.

Main reason this is dumb....No one is going to release a new product in December. You would miss too much of the holiday rush. Perhaps they will announce it at MWSF in Jan...same as last year, but I don't see it coming out within at least 1 year of the release of the original.

You need to always take what someone from AT&T says with a grain of salt. They have no control over their small employees and have generally no idea what is going on with the iPhone...or even their own company.
 
I'm sure 3g is great but unfortunately it's not supported within 50 miles of me to where EDGE is everywhere. and I've had no problem with EDGE when viewing regular webpages or the youtube videos.

I'm a big fan of just buy something if it's what you need and be happy.
 
I think your typical AT&T store salesperson is not likely to have true insight into a topic like that. If AT&T / Apple were considering such a move, surely the rumor would need to come from a higher up more credible source to be taken seriously. I know you are just relaying what you heard.

Like many, I would love a 3G iPhone. I switched from EV-DO, and this just feels sluggish in comparison.
 
1. This web site is called Mac Rumors because Apple is very secretive...It is not called informationsoaccessiblealowlevelattemployeehearditinameeting.com...besides, that would be entirely too long. ;)

2. The reason given for no 3G was because coverage was not great enough. The phone has been out for 2 months...unless AT&T managed to perform a miracle and enhance 3G coverage across the country in just a little over 2 months I would say that has not changed much.

3. It will happen...but 6 months after initial launch? No.
 
earnjam said:
Maybe we should buy that domain and start a Rumor site! :D
Click to expand...

I just checked. It is available as a domain name. Great idea!! Yeah, I just wanted to see hwat you guys thought about it. I have learned that cell phone companies are like cable companies. If an employee's mouth is open, they are lieing... or breathing... but generally just lieing.

I never take any serious purchase lightly, so I decided to see what other rumor hunters had heard before completely trusting or throwing aside anything I heard. Thanks for the responses though!

The limited storage space is the ONLY thing that has really held me back on the iphone thus far, but the more I think about it, the mroe I realize that I cna just keep my regular iPod for my library, and use the iPhone to always have 8 GB of my favorites with me.
 
njpodder said:
The limited storage space is the ONLY thing that has really held me back on the iphone thus far, but the more I think about it, the mroe I realize that I cna just keep my regular iPod for my library, and use the iPhone to always have 8 GB of my favorites with me.
Click to expand...

That's what I do (I have 80GB video from a year ago) and I find that I don't even use all of the 8GB on the phone. With like 700 songs, 500+ pictures, maybe an hour worth of concert video footage, 400+ contacts, I've still got like 3 GB free. I'll add a movie and/or some tv shows when I'm going on a trip and have time to watch stuff, but otherwise it's perfect size.
 
Considering that AT&T was caught with the pants down on the price drop, I think Apple tells them as little as possible. I purchased an iphone and was within the 14 Day return window for a price change, when I went into the AT&T store the representative that helped me was talking about how he was kind of pissed that he bought one on iday, AT&T wouldn't give him a refund and how he was screwed. According to him, they had no idea of the impending price drop and caught them completely off guard.
 
Seeing as I've had to explain ATT's own data and SMS plans to ATT employees, I wouldn't trust a word of it. However, as everyone has said, it is coming, but probably not for a while, and certainly not so soon after Christmas. If Apple was going to launch 3G in 2007 it would have been done on the 5th. It is possible at MWSF and gets even more possible at any date after that, but considering the uproar with the price drop, I doubt we'll see it this year.
 
"I went to the Chevy dealer today and the sales guy told me that he isn't sure when, but sometime in the future they will have a flying car. He was pretty excited at first, but then I told him he just lost a sale because I'm going to wait! So I'm going to continue to walk everywhere until that flying car comes out."

Such an idiotic reason for not purchasing something. If you want it, will use it, and can afford it, just buy it.

Are you going to always go through life waiting for the newest thing to come out? Because guess what, that supposed 3g iPhone your going to wait for, will eventually be outdated with something newer, so you may not want to even buy the 3g version.
 
njpodder said:
He told me the reason was that a bunch of corporations purchased iPhones for their employees and then returned them all after they realized they were not 3G compatible (No corporate pushbutton e-mail or something).
Click to expand...

Part of this may be true, but I don't believe it is 3G. The problem for Corportate Customers is PUSH EMAIL, PUSH Calendar's and PUSH Contacts. Or should I say Exchange Active Sync. When they add these features then I think RIMM Stock should be Shorted because a lot more iPhones will be sold to business. Until then it is not a phone for business which are the people that can truely afford the phone.

The reason 3G is not stopping people is because of (correct me I am wrong) is because most of the BlackBerries do not run on 3G and they are selling like crazy. 3G is most important for Safarie and YouTube but not EMAIL. EMAIL on EDGE is fine. Problem is they (Apple and Yahoo) just can't make it work.
 
mpuck972 said:
"I went to the Chevy dealer today and the sales guy told me that he isn't sure when, but sometime in the future they will have a flying car. He was pretty excited at first, but then I told him he just lost a sale because I'm going to wait! So I'm going to continue to walk everywhere until that flying car comes out."

Such an idiotic reason for not purchasing something. If you want it, will use it, and can afford it, just buy it.

Are you going to always go through life waiting for the newest thing to come out? Because guess what, that supposed 3g iPhone your going to wait for, will eventually be outdated with something newer, so you may not want to even buy the 3g version.
Click to expand...

All "I'm angry at the world because my mommy didn't love me" insults and comments aside, I totally agree with you and Steve Jobs, if you are always waiting for the next best thing, then you will be waiting forever and never buy anything. Activating the new iPhone as I type this actually. Thanks for the responses!
 
earnjam said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't 3G require a different chip? In which case they would need to get FCC approval again.
Click to expand...

If it's being released in the U.S., it would. Overseas, different agencies of course.

So they would need to announce it in advance for the same reason they announced the original in January.
Click to expand...

There are ways to hide this info until the last second. Apple used the FCC the first time as a bogus excuse to preload the market for the iPhone six months ahead.

You need to always take what someone from AT&T says with a grain of salt.
Click to expand...

Total agreement.
 
njpodder said:
All "I'm angry at the world because my mommy didn't love me" insults and comments aside, I totally agree with you and Steve Jobs, if you are always waiting for the next best thing, then you will be waiting forever and never buy anything. Activating the new iPhone as I type this actually. Thanks for the responses!
Click to expand...

Congrats! :D

I don't think you'd have to worry that most people here think you made a good choice in getting one. Have fun with your new toy! I know I have.
 
3G is definitely going to happen but don't expect anything all the sudden. Thats just like saying their is going o be a better macbook or a new and improved ipod. Just enjoy the now, not the later.
 
No 3G

d21mike said:
Part of this may be true, but I don't believe it is 3G. The problem for Corportate Customers is PUSH EMAIL, PUSH Calendar's and PUSH Contacts. Or should I say Exchange Active Sync. When they add these features then I think RIMM Stock should be Shorted because a lot more iPhones will be sold to business. Until then it is not a phone for business which are the people that can truely afford the phone.

The reason 3G is not stopping people is because of (correct me I am wrong) is because most of the BlackBerries do not run on 3G and they are selling like crazy. 3G is most important for Safarie and YouTube but not EMAIL. EMAIL on EDGE is fine. Problem is they (Apple and Yahoo) just can't make it work.
Click to expand...

All blackberrys are on Edge for Cingular. The issue is the push email, period. If they would put activesync on the device they would be sold out.
 
What about the tidbit on AT&T's website that says all 3G compatible devices are EDGE compatible, giving the best combination of both?

Would this apply to iPhone and make coverage a non-issue with a 3g model...
----------

Also, Apple is not likely to go to v2 without upping the storage as well. I get the feel we'll see two new skus to replace the old one:

8 GB. 3G. iPhone $399

16 GB. 3G. iPhone $499
 
the att guys argument doesnt make sense. all blackberry's are edge, not 3G. apple needs to create a pUSH email like blackberry, not ad 3G. seriously, if apple does release a 3G phone in december, 5 months after the original phone was released, there will be an outcry.i just dont think apple will do that. they are forcing people to commit to at least 2 years with att .. upgrading at that pace will alienate the base users who bought it. of course, if apple doesn't care, then they may just do that.
 
GTiPhone said:
What about the tidbit on AT&T's website that says all 3G compatible devices are EDGE compatible, giving the best combination of both?

Would this apply to iPhone and make coverage a non-issue with a 3g model...
Click to expand...

Yes.

AT&T sells and/or is about to sell, quite a few 3G phones. They also take advantage of the ability to send data and talk at the same time, by coming up with their new service allowing you to send video while talking.

Since their major 3G coverage is cities, that automatically gives them a large potential customer base, for less infrastructure cost.
 
---So they would need to announce it in advance for the same reason they announced the original in January.---

No, they do not have to announce it in advance. Apple can announce a 3G iPhone today if they wanted to even without FCC approval. Now for Apple to actually SELL the 3G iPhone, thats where FCC approval is required.

Guys, lets face it. Its a foregone conclusion the 3G version will be here sooner rather than later, instead of bashing on AT&T reps, lets try to come to an educated guess on when the release will actually be.

My take on it is the whole Europe factor. I believe that IF, and only IF Apple announces a 3G iPhone for Europe then we will see a 3G version here in the states as well around November. If the iPhone is released in Europe and it's not 3G, my belief is that Apple will announce a 3G 16GB iPhone at Macworld in January slated for an early spring release.

Remember that Analysts that have actually been talking to heads within apple have stated the 3G is soon in the offering.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Bush438 said:
---So they would need to announce it in advance for the same reason they announced the original in January.---

No, they do not have to announce it in advance. Apple can announce a 3G iPhone today if they wanted to even without FCC approval. Now for Apple to actually SELL the 3G iPhone, thats where FCC approval is required.
Click to expand...

That's what I said.

They announced in January because they needed to get the approval before they could sell it. Once it was submitted to the FCC, word would get out about it and everyone would know it was coming, so they might as well have gone ahead and
 
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