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Apple to Launch Next-Generation iPhone in Late August, Offer Unsubsidized 3GS for $350?
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Screen will be edge to edge. The Glass Back will be gone. Come cases will need a small mod. Most will not. Apple will leave it to be designed after release. Too many leaks.
I have a 3Gs and it works fine. I want to upgrade, but am not sure about a 4s. I hate ATT and really want a Sprint iPhone. Hopefully those Sprint rumors come to fruition.
Apple have already explicitly stated that they aren't comfortable with the design compromises LTE forces right now. That necessarily means they are waiting for a chip that does better on power and is a single, integrated radio. That won't come until next year from Qualcomm.
iOS 5 runs just fine on the 3GS. Virtually every new feature in iOS 5 runs just fine on the 3GS. In fact a lot of stuff runs fastereg Safari is noticeably faster.
The big problem with your argument is the 3GS was a huge step up from the first couple generations of iPhone. The original iPhone and 3G were pretty anemic in ram and processor. The 3GS was a night and day difference.
i agree with both of your posts as far as naming goes. however (whenever it comes out) seems like it will be a missed opportunity to not call a 4G capable iphone, "iPhone4G". try saying it, it rolls of the tongue nicely. but then again might not matter since apparently 1/3 of iphone users think they already have 4G and some ever refer to it as iPhone4G.
i have been of iOS4 on my 3G since it came out, and finally got tired of it yesterday and downgraded to 3.1.3.
I can say 3.1.3 is horrible on battery life compared to 4.
I predict-
3GS will be free on contract.
4 will be middle of the road phone.
5 will be new/high end phone.
The 5 may look like the 4, and hopefully use the same cases (unless screen is edge-to-edge), but I can't imagine they would have a new phone that looks identical to the 4. I know they did that with the 3GS, but come on, we are into the 4th year already.
3GS will be free on contract.
4 will be middle of the road phone.
5 will be new/high end phone.
The 5 may look like the 4, and hopefully use the same cases (unless screen is edge-to-edge), but I can't imagine they would have a new phone that looks identical to the 4. I know they did that with the 3GS, but come on, we are into the 4th year already.
iphone 3GS could be apple's current world phone, so NOT dead, i'm using one and buddies with iphone4 have no competitive edge at the price level?
I agree, the competition is too strong to be releasing the same phone with upgrades that the consumer can't visibly see.
I would consider that a hardware limitation since it's a chip that can't be changed.
I was under the impression that folks played the same games with Verizon and Sprint with getting phones unlocked. I reckon I have been corrected and it's a "so what" situation with not unlocking the VZW iphone.
Does anyone else think Apple should (or even are) look at going into the network market?
They've got $80 billion or so in the bank, they are going all "cloud" mad and telephones/tablets are becoming their biggest area of revenue. The limiting factor is always the networks they're provided on. Apple could basically buy the biggest network with cash (admittedly they may need a few of them dotted around the globe) or even start their own and then offer totally unlimited access to iDevice owners for a reasonable contract price.
I'm not sure what the rates are in the US but they could offer this for £50 a month in the UK (or anything up to £100 as their customers are used to paying a premium), unlimited fast broadband, unlimited phone minutes and texts, unlimited phone data and 100gig or so of online cloud storage. Sure they'd have to go in all guns blazing but they'd clean up. 5 years down the line anyone with a reasonable income would use Apple for all their communication needs and no-one could compete (if competition laws didn't get in the way).
As it is now networks in the UK with previously unlimited data plans are slapping restrictions on everything as people actually start using network data in large numbers due to smart-phones and tablets, if Apple did as I suggest they'd have a real trump card right from the start.
They've got $80 billion or so in the bank, they are going all "cloud" mad and telephones/tablets are becoming their biggest area of revenue. The limiting factor is always the networks they're provided on. Apple could basically buy the biggest network with cash (admittedly they may need a few of them dotted around the globe) or even start their own and then offer totally unlimited access to iDevice owners for a reasonable contract price.
I'm not sure what the rates are in the US but they could offer this for £50 a month in the UK (or anything up to £100 as their customers are used to paying a premium), unlimited fast broadband, unlimited phone minutes and texts, unlimited phone data and 100gig or so of online cloud storage. Sure they'd have to go in all guns blazing but they'd clean up. 5 years down the line anyone with a reasonable income would use Apple for all their communication needs and no-one could compete (if competition laws didn't get in the way).
As it is now networks in the UK with previously unlimited data plans are slapping restrictions on everything as people actually start using network data in large numbers due to smart-phones and tablets, if Apple did as I suggest they'd have a real trump card right from the start.
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you are so right. when you're at the top, i guess it's hard to make any 'mistakes' . Yes, they've had (supposedly) problems putting in a really powerful chip into this next phone. the A4 processor is still plenty fast. it's not always about speed that matters. I haven't heard one person with the iphone 4g complain about its speed. this isn't RIM saying it's coming out with a tablet that doesn't even have frickin' EMAIL - for which they are KNOWN FOR. Now THAT, was a major fail (and the lack of sales proves that)
yup...their stock just hit $364 per and they've ordered (apparently) up to 25 million of these new iphones and they will sell like hotcakes.
epic fail my arse
lol you must be lucky. i have yet to meet a person with an iphone 4g
Glad your 3GS is still rockin'!!! My 3GS's Apple Care expired after two years two weeks ago. I had issues; I called Support and was allowed replacement!
I stopped at an Apple Store, quoting my case number; technician "tested" my phone and said YES I'll get replacement. I had done a full back up, BUT he suggested I check and sync when I got home as a new phone, because some of my data could be corrupted. I stood there and wrote down some data in apps like "passwords".
FYI: this 3GS is functioning far better than I ever recall. I have to believe that it is new, and not refurbished! My conclusion is I'll keep this in pristine condition, till I might buy the next version and sell the 3GS. If I unlock it, I read "rumors" that I could sell at a decent amount!
It's a 3GS, 32gb, upgraded to iOS 4.3.4 a few days ago.
This is not place to sell, but I will wait.
Do we need so much speculation? One rumor perpetuates the next, and all gets way out of control!
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And it retails for $650. (3GS at $424) Unbelievable.
LG Thrive is $179.99 for AT&T GoPhone customers. All Apple has to do is sell the 3GS for $199 no commitment/free with contract and suddenly they have the prepaid and postpaid market dominated.
I think you are underestimating the speed improvements on the 3GS. It is a significant speed improvement. And first reports are iOS 5 runs great on the 3GS.
Who cares if they make a low res iPhone. The 3Gs provides a very good user experience at a far lower price.
On the other hand, I agree that low-res Apps need to die.
Pretty sure iOS 6 will dump low-res hardware and support, freeing up space.