Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

3G iPhone preview at WWDC, Release July 11 - Who, When Where, What, Why & how much

I love that outlook. With the new tech update, iPhone really will be the BEST CELL PHONE ON THE MARKET. Equal in terms of tech, far superior in terms of OS and software, as well as ease of use and form factor.

But the more I think about it, the main "killer" of the iPhone is really AT&T. Their phone network is really sub-par (#3 or #4 overall), though their customer's service is pretty good actually (much better in my experience than Sprint of T-Mobile). But for many the idea of switching from, say, Verizon to AT&T just to get an iPhone is prohibitive. No matter how much the tech might meet their needs an how much they might want one for all the other reasons.

Is there a chance of :apple: ending it's deal with AT&T sometime soon? Does anyone know how long of a "pact" they signed?

OR:
It would be sweet if an iPhone Nano (iPhone Lite?) i.e. iPod + Cell Phone device came out that DID NOT require a 2-year contract with AT&T. Maybe it's still AT&T only, but you can buy it without the "iPhone Plan" because it's just an iPod plus a phone and not an internet uber-device. I'm thinking 8GB in a form factor just like the current iPhone but 40% smaller or so. Put it out for $199 and NO contract or maybe only a 1-year contract.

This would be smart for both AT&T and :apple:, because it would entice those who are reticent to switch carriers. Once they experience the awesomeness of iPhone Lite, the next time around they may well upgrade to the full iPhone and not quibble about the 2-year contract.

Am I dreaming? :apple: and AT&T have already broken a lot of rules about the carrier-manufacturer relationship, why not keep going?
 
natejohnstone@g said:
I love that outlook. With the new tech update, iPhone really will be the BEST CELL PHONE ON THE MARKET. Equal in terms of tech, far superior in terms of OS and software, as well as ease of use and form factor.

But the more I think about it, the main "killer" of the iPhone is really AT&T. Their phone network is really sub-par (#3 or #4 overall), though their customer's service is pretty good actually (much better in my experience than Sprint of T-Mobile). But for many the idea of switching from, say, Verizon to AT&T just to get an iPhone is prohibitive. No matter how much the tech might meet their needs an how much they might want one for all the other reasons.

Is there a chance of :apple: ending it's deal with AT&T sometime soon? Does anyone know how long of a "pact" they signed?

OR:
It would be sweet if an iPhone Nano (iPhone Lite?) i.e. iPod + Cell Phone device came out that DID NOT require a 2-year contract with AT&T. Maybe it's still AT&T only, but you can buy it without the "iPhone Plan" because it's just an iPod plus a phone and not an internet uber-device. I'm thinking 8GB in a form factor just like the current iPhone but 40% smaller or so. Put it out for $199 and NO contract or maybe only a 1-year contract.

This would be smart for both AT&T and :apple:, because it would entice those who are reticent to switch carriers. Once they experience the awesomeness of iPhone Lite, the next time around they may well upgrade to the full iPhone and not quibble about the 2-year contract.

Am I dreaming? :apple: and AT&T have already broken a lot of rules about the carrier-manufacturer relationship, why not keep going?
Click to expand...


the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T for 5 years.

2012
 
nhioi said:
the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T for 5 years.
2012
Click to expand...

Which doesn't stop jailbreaking one bit. Unless Apple and AT&T either are draconian in stopping unlocking or AT&T offers something very competitive, there is a reason to say there will be a *lot* more hacked 3G iPhones. As for percentage unlocked? Speculation either way.
But being 3G opens up a lot more options for using it on a network provider not intended (e.g. in UK Vodaphone, 3G, Orange vs O2).
 
t0mat0 said:
Which doesn't stop jailbreaking one bit. Unless Apple and AT&T either are draconian in stopping unlocking or AT&T offers something very competitive, there is a reason to say there will be a *lot* more hacked 3G iPhones. As for percentage unlocked? Speculation either way.
But being 3G opens up a lot more options for using it on a network provider not intended (e.g. in UK Vodaphone, 3G, Orange vs O2).
Click to expand...

So I've heard a lot of stuff about hacked iPhones not working or not being full-featured. Neither I nor yourself is endorsing this of course, but I am wondering what does and does not work on an iPhone that has been unlocked by whatever program.
 
natejohnstone@g said:
So I've heard a lot of stuff about hacked iPhones not working or not being full-featured. Neither I nor yourself is endorsing this of course, but I am wondering what does and does not work on an iPhone that has been unlocked by whatever program.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go so far as to not endorse it ;)

You break visual voicemail, and warranty for starters, and gain a lot more.
v2 3G may well see a big shift as you're dealing with an SDK to officially get apps out - Apple has probably been reading up on Microsoft's folly in security and how it made itself more secure, and learnt that like Nokia, it might have to go down the authorised app route. Whether (or if you're a hacker when) a viable route to unlock comes through for the 3G iPhone is another matter. Porbably play it by ear. I'd imagine that everyone will wait till it settles, and the all clear is given before people start unlocking, or relocking etc.

The SDk will be for the current iPhone and the 3G iPhone, so you'd expect the behaviour to be similar over both in this respect.

I'd say there would be
less of an incentive for people to be unlocked, as apps can go through the SDK
more incentive to unlock if there are more apps coming out, and you can access them without being locked (as it allows you to be non AT&T, O2 etc)
 
i heavily considered hacking the iphone too - to remain on tmobile.
however - i chose to go to AT&T and do it the ''right'' way because:

-when :apple: release new firmware, i dont want to wait for a 3rd party group to hack it a few weeks later. when the update is out, i want it.

search this board, numerous individuals are reporting various issuses with hacked phones. when ur ****ing around with it, dont be surprised. risk of bricking, no thanks.

-paying the same price of an iphone, with no visual voicemail. i dont care how many ppl say ''you dont need it''. if im paying full price, i expect all the features advertised. period.

-far too complicated to hack the iphone. search it on youtube. now i'm capable of following directions - but its WAY too much hassle than its worth to do a new set of complicated instructions when new firmware is released
 
nhioi said:
i heavily considered hacking the iphone too - to remain on tmobile.
however - i chose to go to AT&T and do it the ''right'' way because:

-when :apple: release new firmware, i dont want to wait for a 3rd party group to hack it a few weeks later. when the update is out, i want it.

search this board, numerous individuals are reporting various issuses with hacked phones. when ur ****ing around with it, dont be surprised. risk of bricking, no thanks.

-paying the same price of an iphone, with no visual voicemail. i dont care how many ppl say ''you dont need it''. if im paying full price, i expect all the features advertised. period.

-far too complicated to hack the iphone. search it on youtube. now i'm capable of following directions - but its WAY too much hassle than its worth to do a new set of complicated instructions when new firmware is released
Click to expand...

While I agree with you with regards to new firmware, Jailbreaking 1.1.1 could not have been easier: go to a website, click a link, done. I also agree that waiting for a new hack for firmware kinda sucks. Thankfully all of Apple's "enhancements" so far have been covered by 3rd party apps.
 
nhioi said:
i heavily considered hacking the iphone too - to remain on tmobile.
however - i chose to go to AT&T and do it the ''right'' way because:

-when :apple: release new firmware, i dont want to wait for a 3rd party group to hack it a few weeks later. when the update is out, i want it.

search this board, numerous individuals are reporting various issuses with hacked phones. when ur ****ing around with it, dont be surprised. risk of bricking, no thanks.

-paying the same price of an iphone, with no visual voicemail. i dont care how many ppl say ''you dont need it''. if im paying full price, i expect all the features advertised. period.

-far too complicated to hack the iphone. search it on youtube. now i'm capable of following directions - but its WAY too much hassle than its worth to do a new set of complicated instructions when new firmware is released
Click to expand...


I had these same hesitations. So here's my plan at this point:

Buy a 3G iPhone whenever it comes out. Summer of 2009 I will be shipped abroad, but I just learned from AT&T that they have a "Military Suspension Plan" which essentially puts your contract on hold until you return from overseas. So that's cool and solves my AT&T dilemma--no need to "hack" the iPhone before i leave.

My hope is that I"ll be stationed in a country that has an official iPhone carrier. If so, I'm hoping that I can simply get a contract with them and use my iPhone as I did in the US. Is this possible? Do you think US released iPhones will be compatible with European or Japanese carriers/networks (assuming the next version will be 3G)?

If that doesn't work, then I'd have to hack it when I'm abroad to use it, which I"m guessing would be even harder to pull of/figure out than if I were in the US. That's the big risk, then.

My fall-back is simply to buy a PSP instead and just use Skype while I'm overseas.
 
Just as a thought, would it be technically possible to make a bolt on that had a 3G chip in, with A-GPS in as well? So you could upgrade your iPhone to 3G if wanted?
 
t0mat0 said:
Just as a thought, would it be technically possible to make a bolt on that had a 3G chip in, with A-GPS in as well? So you could upgrade your iPhone to 3G if wanted?
Click to expand...

It's certianly not possible for ME to do that, lol. Honestly I doubt anyone could pull that off and keep it fully functional while not looking like you taped a random thing to the back of your phone. But I could be wrong.

Now if iPhone had an SD slot...so much would be possible...
 
Possibilities for a haptic screen display?

Today's news is of a concept from Glasgow. The leader, and the one with the patents is Immersion (immersion.com) who liscences out to companies like Samsung, who's already using touch-screen haptic tech

Competing theories
- Balda got an order for 6-8 million touch-screens from an unnamed "leading mobile manufacturer," starting in April 2008. (They've also got financial, issues, and may have been dropped).
- Innolux struck a deal with Apple to ship t touchscreens in 2Q 2008? (EDN source)
 
Another day, another line of rumors:
9to5mac quotes Macworld, which quotes Fox business, which quotes UBS.

And UBS say:
German chipmaker Infineon Technologies AG will likely be supplying the new systems solution to Apple Inc.'s next-generation iPhone

No ****.
"The broker said this is not yet the consensus view and could be a positive catalyst for the stock."
"It also believes that 3G-enabled iPhones will be released by mid-year and that the current EDGE iPhone platform is being ramped down earlier than expected to "clean" inventories."
3 cheers for the "analysts that get paid for this stuff.

The detail? Motorola has already paid Infineon to make it a custom 3G transceiver chip based on its existing Smarti UE device. Said to be shipping 4Q 2008 to selected customers.
http://www.dspdesignline.com/news/202101487 Infineon tunes its 3G transceiver for Motorola

Other 3G chip players? Broadcom, TI, Samsung, Qualcomm, EMP, Freescale, Infineon, Philips, Agere...
 
skittlez said:
So no one's postively sure? =[
Click to expand...

Well, put it this way: Macrumors on Page 1 put a quote of a quote of a quote of an analyst saying there isn't a consensus on it, but he thinks Infineon might have a chip in the next one.

Infineon had a chip in the last one, and are main forerunners in the lineup.

In a word - no. If we did, it'd be big news.
 
Justinerator said:
apple wouldn't make a jump like that.... To the OP, the new silverthorne processors (now called ATOM processors) have been anounced to specifically run on mobile devices (laptops, phones, etc.). Wouldn't there be a better chance of intel and apple announcing an ATOM processor in the iphone?

Here's the link in case you were wondering where I got that...
Click to expand...

No, not yet - the link you have above gets it all wrong in my opinion.
Silverthorne aka Atom now still runs about 0.5W which is more than twice what the current chip runs on. Basically Apple said yes they'll have Atom chips in kit shipping in 2008 (Think late 08 Apple Air/iTablet/new kit).
Eventually, yes Intel may have a contender chip, but at the moment, a chip that would be useable in an iPhone would be earliest mid 09 at a rough guess. By that time, who knows where Infineon, Samsung, general ARM chips will be. Broadcomm too.

We'll see. Intel might suprise us, but the current timeframes it's given suggest 2009 earliest for a Atom Inside iPhone.
 
t0mat0 said:
...The Sony Xperia X1 might be delayed until 2009. (It was slated to be one of the first touchscreen S60 4th gen phones...) We'll see if other 4th gen phones slip their dates too.
Click to expand...

The rumored delay was a typo on their website. It's still slated for second half 2008.

And it's not an S60 phone, it's Windows Mobile, which is why it's such big news (besides the slick front end UI and 800x480 screen).
 
kdarling said:
The rumored delay was a typo on their website. It's still slated for second half 2008.

And it's not an S60 phone, it's Windows Mobile, which is why it's such big news (besides the slick front end UI and 800x480 screen).
Click to expand...

Ooops - my bad. I hadn't read the update on the typo.

Hmm, anyone read
http://blogs.msdn.com/roberdan/arch...-experiences-to-millions-of-mobile-users.aspx
Nokia & Silverlight? Interesting. Apple hasn't shown how it's going to handle the SIlverlight, Prism, AIR issue yet, and it soon needs to...
 
In a research note today following a series of meetings with Taiwanese electronics companies, Citigroup’s Richard Gardner says “several sources confirmed the introduction of a new 3G iPhone” in calendar Q2. He says that iPhone and iPod units “may disappoint again” in the March quarter, but says that should be offset by “solid PC momentum and sharp declines in DRAM and NAND pricing.” He advises buying the stock on weakness ahead of the 3G iPhone’s arrival.
 
IlliniDude said:
In a research note today following a series of meetings with Taiwanese electronics companies, Citigroup’s Richard Gardner says “several sources confirmed the introduction of a new 3G iPhone” in calendar Q2.
Click to expand...

Aye, what we've been saying, and Macworld's been saying before that. It's good to know accurately though. bet's on for an Apple expo/announcement by June.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back