Apple iPhone Glass Surface and Battery Life Improved

[AppleIntelRock]

Ummm, are you absolutely sure that US doesn't have 3G?
When it comes to an updated version in europe, it is not very interesting what you or I think, but I do think we agree on that it will happen. However, the fact is that It must be updated or it will fail worse than Pippin. The phone is basically "old" right now and it will be even more noticeable when it actually hits the euro market. (Assuming the specs will be as presented)

I agree completely. Here in the US, GSM-based 3G service is a relatively new thing, and so while not having it is a down-fall, it's not a killer flaw. However in Europe, where video-conferance calls are already being made, not having 3G would be non-sense. Now, our CDMA networks are already streaming live TV... and it's been proven time and time again that GSM simply cannot handle that data rate CDMA networks can. Personally, I think that the people who REALLY know cell phones (like the Koreans) know what they're doing. CDMA will eventually win, once the difference becomes incredibly evident. However, by the time that happens, the entire county will be cloaked in WiFi so it wont really matter

pwr

 

[Padriac]

Exactly, and anyone who thinks that a "default location" works well enough is completely missing the point.

Google Maps on the iPhone was meant to be a mobile tool for the traveller, not a gimmick for those who like to sit on their couch at home and randomly search for the the closest panda express - that's what a computer is for.

1) How many people are "travellers". If GPS is only for travellers, then it is by definition a niche product that is unnecessary to the majority.

2) There are plenty of times where I'm out and about but not near a computer and want to know where some restaurant is because I forgot the exact address. This seems to me the PRIMARY function of a mapping application such as this.

For example, if I'm driving through LA on my way to San Diego, and want a place to eat, I won't know my current location. ...I might be able to tell the iPhone "Los Angeles, CA," but LA is a very large city, and if I'm in west LA I don't want to drive to east LA for dinner. Instead, I'll want a place within a few blocks of the freeway - and for that to work, the iPhone needs to know exactly where it is.

So I assume you are going to pull over to start fumbling with your phone for directions. Either way, just input the last offramp you saw combined with your city: It will give you a nice starting point to use for your location. You'll know where you are and you can find restaurants near you. The only difference between this and GPS is the 5 seconds it took to type your location. GPS is only usefull if you dont' know where you are. If you are on a freeway, by defualt you do.

I'm not expecting turn by turn directions (even though many cellphones already have this feature), but I definitely would expect a $500 phone to triangulate and locate itself on a map, and if it can't, the Google Maps feature is 95% useless.

So 99.9% of google maps users (those *without* GPS) think Google Maps is useless? That's ridiculous.

 

[Romanesq]

pixels along do not determine quality

Shame the camera still stinks. 2M pixels is pretty poor for phones these days.

I still have my Nikon Coolpix from 99 and it's only 2 million pixels.
At the time, it was state of the art. Now it just takes really good pictures.

 

[PharmD]

Yes, yes, yes. Now I really want one!

 

[Padriac]

Ummm, are you absolutely sure that US doesn't have 3G?

Here's the CNET N95 review: Look at the "cons" list: no support for US 3G networks

CNET N95 Review

must[/B] be updated or it will fail worse than Pippin. The phone is basically "old" right now and it will be even more noticeable when it actually hits the euro market. (Assuming the specs will be as presented)

What I'm saying is that the 3G thing is more of an annoyance for a few people in America, but most of the country doesn't have 3G access which is why it's "acceptable" right now for most of the US. You are taking a European perspective on a product specifically targeted at America. The phone may be "old" in Europe, but 3G is so small in America the same classification can't be made here. If whatever version of the iPhone that launches in Europe without 3G it would be beyond stupid so I just don't see it happening. Basically, only Americans in major metropolitan areas can justifiably bitch about 3G at this point because they are the only ones capable of using that feature. Jobs himself said 3G is coming, so I think it's a safe bet they'll launch with 3G in Europe.

 

[monke]

Cool. Defiantly liking these announcements.

10 Day stand-by time.
Not that it will sit in my pockets for 10 days straight though.

 

[Dr.Gargoyle]

I agree completely. Here in the US, GSM-based 3G service is a relatively new thing, and so while not having it is a down-fall, it's not a killer flaw. However in Europe, where video-conferance calls are already being made, not having 3G would be non-sense. Now, our CDMA networks are already streaming live TV... and it's been proven time and time again that GSM simply cannot handle that data rate CDMA networks can. Personally, I think that the people who REALLY know cell phones (like the Koreans) know what they're doing. CDMA will eventually win, once the difference becomes incredibly evident. However, by the time that happens, the entire county will be cloaked in WiFi so it wont really matter

pwr

well, I don't agree. Compare how many GSM users you have today and how fast it is gaining ground I am quite sure cdma eventually will be something in the past. Smart money is on 3G/WCDMA (or UMTS as we call it) rather than CDMA 2000 which is the CDMA equivalence to UMTS/GSM.

 

[matznentosh]

However in Europe, where video-conferance calls are already being made, not having 3G would be non-sense.
pwr

I'm surprised no one is talking about how the iPhone can't - yet - do video chat. I personally believe video iChat would be THE killer app for the iPhone. I would much rather have the camera facing me to have a real video-phone, promised for 50 year and never delivered. I think people would go wild if they could do that - on a portable phone, that is, not Skype or iChat on the computer (not putting computer video chatting down, I just think a portable video-phone would be the next great thing).

 

[Padriac]

I'm surprised no one is talking about how the iPhone can't - yet - do video chat. I personally believe video iChat would be THE killer app for the iPhone. I would much rather have the camera facing me to have a real video-phone, promised for 50 year and never delivered. I think people would go wild if they could do that - on a portable phone, that is, not Skype or iChat on the computer (not putting computer video chatting down, I just think a portable video-phone would be the next great thing).

Sounds like something we'd see in future revisions. I think Apple needs to wait for 3G to get widespread, then release a 3G iPhone, then bust out the cool videoconferencing App. What is both good and bad about the iPhone as a platform is that it will be closely tied to US network performance since it is from an American company. Good in that features will be determined based on feasability on US networks, bad because our networks suck.

 

[Dr.Gargoyle]

Here's the CNET N95 review: Look at the "cons" list: no support for US 3G networks

CNET N95 Review



What I'm saying is that the 3G thing is more of an annoyance for a few people in America, but most of the country doesn't have 3G access which is why it's "acceptable" right now for most of the US. You are taking a European perspective on a product specifically targeted at America. The phone may be "old" in Europe, but 3G is so small in America the same classification can't be made here. If whatever version of the iPhone that launches in Europe without 3G it would be beyond stupid so I just don't see it happening. Basically, only Americans in major metropolitan areas can justifiably bitch about 3G at this point because they are the only ones capable of using that feature. Jobs himself said 3G is coming, so I think it's a safe bet they'll launch with 3G in Europe.

Ummm, T-mobile use WCDMA (3G) but at 1700 and 2100 MHz band. see here.
US use different frequencies on GSM too. We use 900/1800 and you guys use 850/1900. Sad that you can't use the same frequencies as the rest of the world.

 

[matznentosh]

Sounds like something we'd see in future revisions. I think Apple needs to wait for 3G to get widespread, then release a 3G iPhone, then bust out the cool videoconferencing App. What is both good and bad about the iPhone as a platform is that it will be closely tied to US network performance since it is from an American company. Good in that features will be determined based on feasability on US networks, bad because our networks suck.

Right, but remember the camera is fixed facing away. There is some phone that has a (dorky looking) camera on a swivel that can aim away, so you can see what you are going to photograph, or at yourself, which could be used for video conferencing.

 

[Dr.Gargoyle]

I'm surprised no one is talking about how the iPhone can't - yet - do video chat. I personally believe video iChat would be THE killer app for the iPhone. I would much rather have the camera facing me to have a real video-phone, promised for 50 year and never delivered. I think people would go wild if they could do that - on a portable phone, that is, not Skype or iChat on the computer (not putting computer video chatting down, I just think a portable video-phone would be the next great thing).

Sounds like something we'd see in future revisions. I think Apple needs to wait for 3G to get widespread, then release a 3G iPhone, then bust out the cool videoconferencing App. What is both good and bad about the iPhone as a platform is that it will be closely tied to US network performance since it is from an American company. Good in that features will be determined based on feasability on US networks, bad because our networks suck.

We have it over here... Not a big hit really. 3G is much more mobile internet than silly video calls. MMS is must though. The standard way to send video clips and pics. I just cant understand why Apple left that out.
Well, come 29th we will see how the final product looks like and then speculate how Jobs reasoned.

 

[nickbates]

..when will they make it so I can get my work email on this thing? I want one BAD but will not jump in until I can get my work email on it. My IT guy says at this point, it doesn't look possible. Anyone who wants work email on a personal device now at my work, gets a blackberry. Apparently, the device needs to be compatible with an exchange server or something, which Blackberry is, but the iPhone is not going to be.

I thought maybe I could use webmail, but our webmail at work is only compatible with Firefox, not Safari (thanks Lotus Notes.)

So as much as I would love to have one of these things, it would be worthless without the ability to get my work email.

Again, for the 100th time, you can access any IMAP or POP3 email including MS Exchange; "E-mail hosted on an Exchange Server can be accessed using POP3 and IMAP4". Watch the Keynote, it is mentioned. Check out Apple's site, it is mentioned. I don't see why people aren't getting this (maybe because they spend too much time on Rumor sites and not enough time doing actual research!)

 

[Dr.Gargoyle]

Jobs himself said 3G is coming, so I think it's a safe bet they'll launch with 3G in Europe.

From your mouth to Jobs ear
I think we agree, so we can stop beating the poor horse.

 

[liberty4all]

Cool, BUT where is the 3G or 4G Apple?!

Cool, BUT where is the 3G or 4G Apple?!

How about the new OLED technology, while you're at it too?

'nuff said.

 

[AidenShaw]

Not to mention, of course: the GPS, assuming it works, will tell you where YOU are, not where that interesting thing is. So, you'll know you saw something interesting on the ground somewhere in Kansas, but that still leaves a huge area to search in Google...

I think the view from an airport window is really a fairly narrow field - if the "interesting thing" is a building or something like that on the ground below, the airborne GPS will be fine.

If the "interesting thing" is a mountain in the distance, then you may still be OK - since anything in the distance will have to be very large to be interesting, which would make it easier to find in Google Earth.

The GPS-tagged photos that I take from planes are very close to the actual coordinates of the objects - it's never a problem to find the real coordinates and adjust the EXIF tags.

 

[Cleverboy]

Just checking... but everyone has the stats that the iPhone will be sold from Apple stores WITHOUT a contract right? Sold like "any other Apple product" (quote/unquote)? I blogged this the other day:
http://www.myphonewar.com/index/news-updates/iphone-att-store-availability-the-run-down.html
AT&T will get you signed, Apple will sell you and send you off. Also, I heard that if you DO get the phone from Apple, you'll either need to then FIND a Cingular/AT&T store to get yourself a plan, OR apparently, you can signup for a plan online through the iTunes store, for instant activation. What I've heard anyway. One Cingular employee even told me what to expect if I switched over, and said that my iPhone would receive a text message letting me know the process was complete, but that I'd be able to use my number on the new phone in minutes. Sounds good.

~ CB

 

[myjellyass]

MMS is must though. The standard way to send video clips and pics. I just cant understand why Apple left that out.

I think Apple is trying to push email on this thing, which you can use to do pretty much the same thing. After all, I've heard rumors that the iphone may actually have the FULL internet and not just that crappy kind of internet they have on most phones (sarcasm)

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I think Apple is trying to push email on this thing, which you can use to do pretty much the same thing. After all, I've heard rumors that the iphone may actually have the FULL internet and not just that crappy kind of internet they have on most phones (sarcasm)

Yeah, that's the advantage of 4 or 8 GB vs. the few hundred MB most phones have. With gigabytes of space, you can have the "REAL" internet in your pocket!

 

[Eagle Eyes]

Whatever the case, I'll be getting one when they come out.

 

[Dr.Gargoyle]

I think Apple is trying to push email on this thing, which you can use to do pretty much the same thing. After all, I've heard rumors that the iphone may actually have the FULL internet and not just that crappy kind of internet they have on most phones (sarcasm)

...and to whom are you going to send the email? All those poor sods that went through the ordeal to actually set up mail on their phone? Hmmm, I think I know...none... and I have a lot of friends working for both Nokia and SE.
This is ADC all over again. A brilliant a idea, just too bad the rest of the world insist on using another system...

 

[breath of apple]

Yea!

Glass surface and good battery life - more of the excellent quality that we love! Thank you, Apple! I'm looking forward to the release! Also to 3G, MMS, and video conferencing on the iphone in the future!

 

[Padriac]

At what point do all these text systems collapse on each other?

email vs. SMS vs. IM. SMS looks like the weak link there: essentially a stripped down email. If an email is an easy to send as an SMS or MMS, then why bother with SMS (the answer, obviously, is because everybody else is using it). I can conceive of a world where "text messaging" disappears and gets wrapped into standard data plans as email/IM-ing.

It's still going to be a weird rift as far as MMS and iPhone users go. iPhone users can happily send each other full "email MMS" with pictures and video and html formatting: way more advanced than MMS. But iPhone communication with standard cellphones will have to be text only. So I can't get my friend's MMS and he can't get my emails (on his phone). Sigh. I'm not really the picture sending type, so I don't think I'll miss it all that much, but I'm sure this will piss some people off.

I can't really think of a business reason why MMS was left out. Was it "screw it, full email is better" or does leaving it out help cut costs or something? I can see why they left the IM out (to encourage text messaging), but not why they left the MMS out (encouraging email use over MMS wouldn't make anybody more money). Odd.

 

[headspace]

I think Apple is trying to push email on this thing, which you can use to do pretty much the same thing.

Why do so many people find it so hard to understand that MMS and email are NOT the same damn thing and has a completely different usage. It's like saying "why send a text message when you can send an email?".

In the UK at least, MMS (known as 'picture messaging' to a lot of people here) is a huge thing in the same way that standard SMS text messaging is. So, I have to agree that omitting such a basic feature would be a mistake.

 

[MacGuffin]

"Optical quality glass," as anyone who owns glasses knows, is hardly invulnerable to scratches.

This will be a fussy phone for fussy, fussy folks, who'll pet it and keep it in sleeves and worry when it receives the least brush.

Your first scratch--the first of many--will feel like a mark on your very soul.

Heh.