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AT&T's Glenn Lurie on the iPhone

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Apr 12, 2001
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Seattle Times interviews AT&T's Glenn Lurie on the iPhone, who provides some perspective and hands on usage of the device.

When asked about the usage of the device:
I think when people get their hands on it and really experience it — the touch screen is phenomenal, this touch screen is like nothing you've ever used — to experience that, the skepticism, I think, around some of those things will go away.
Click to expand...

Lurie also reveals that some "Google applications" are coming in the form of widgets and believes that "there are just so many things here that the price will not be an issue." He also describes how successful Apple has been in simplifying the interface and how intuitive the phone functions are.

Finally, when asked about web usage on AT&T's network, Lurie states that "people are going to be asked to have an unlimited package — people are going to have to have a package with us to browse."


 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/05/28/atandts-glenn-lurie-on-the-iphone/
So, is it only going to be available with an expensive data plan? I hope not. I just want the regular $40ish, 400 minute plan. I can use wifi to browse. I don't need to have internet wherever I am at all times. If I had to get a $100 a month plan, that would be a dealbreaker for me.
 
if you can afford $500 on a phone, you can afford a expensive plan.

i dont think this will be as mainstream as they think.
 
bossass said:
So, is it only going to be available with an expensive data plan? I hope not. I just want the regular $40ish, 400 minute plan. I can use wifi to browse. I don't need to have internet wherever I am at all times. If I had to get a $100 a month plan, that would be a dealbreaker for me.
Click to expand...

Yeah same with me, but I think Lurie meant that IF you want to surf the web with the iPhone on their network you'd need a plan. I'd highly doubt that you'd NEED it to make the 2 year contract etc.
 
So just to make sure, you dont need a data plan to surf the web if you just plan on using wifi, is that correct? Because I heard from somewhere that people say you still need a data plan on some carriers even if you are just planning to use WiFi, i think cingular even has a WiFi data plan. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Apple's Share

bossass said:
So, is it only going to be available with an expensive data plan? I hope not. I just want the regular $40ish, 400 minute plan. I can use wifi to browse. I don't need to have internet wherever I am at all times. If I had to get a $100 a month plan, that would be a dealbreaker for me.
Click to expand...


Don't forget that ATT has to pay Apple it's cut from the monthly bill. Something that NO cell phone company has every had to do. That is pay a monthly commission to the handset manufacturer. But then again there has never been an iPhone before. June should be a very interesting month.

Any guesses as to how much Apple gets a month? $1, $2, $3 ???
 
quigleybc said:
hmmmm,

"asked to have unlimited packages"

ok, well what if I dont' want that?

do I have a choice?

sounds cool though

I'll take three.

:p
Click to expand...

"asked to have unlimited packages"....

that is the nice corporate, customer service way of saying you will have an unlimited package or you won't have an iPhone. :)
 
fkalwar said:
So just to make sure, you dont need a data plan to surf the web if you just plan on using wifi, is that correct? Because I heard from somewhere that people say you still need a data plan on some carriers even if you are just planning to use WiFi, i think cingular even has a WiFi data plan. Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Eh? If you just plan on using WiFi, then you don't need a plan of any sort, since you're not using their network. You'd only need a plan if you're out of range of WiFi coverage, like in a bus or train for example.
 
Forced data packages? Yuck.
I wonder how UK plans will compare.
 
thats what I was thinking, but then i heard some people talking about the Cingular wifi plan...but after checking it out myself, I see now that its for your laptop, and not your phone. Sorry, prob should have just checked it out myself in the first place.
 
pavelbure said:
if you can afford $500 on a phone, you can afford a expensive plan
Click to expand...
Over the course of three years, $500 is the same amount of money as $14/month. If you subtract the cost of 4G nano from the price (since you no longer need one), the cost is $10/month.

Compare that to the normal cell phone plan of $40/month, and you have to admit usage costs a ton of money, the iPhone, not so much.

I think people see so many "free phone" advertisements, they fail to realize that the phone costs nothing compared to the price of cell phone usage. If an expensive data access plan is required, it's a dealbreaker for me.
 
mac-er said:
"asked to have unlimited packages"....

that is the nice corporate, customer service way of saying you will have an unlimited package or you won't have an iPhone. :)
Click to expand...

ShiggyMiyamoto said:
Yeah same with me, but I think Lurie meant that IF you want to surf the web with the iPhone on their network you'd need a plan. I'd highly doubt that you'd NEED it to make the 2 year contract etc.
Click to expand...

Let me reitterate my post there. He said that IF you want to surf the web on the ATT network you'd need some sort of "Unlimited" plan. Otherwise you can just use it when in WiFi zones. What's so hard about that to understand?
 
Finally, when asked about web usage on AT&T's network, Lurie states that "people are going to be asked to have an unlimited package — people are going to have to have a package with us to browse."
Click to expand...

that sounds as if you will be able to buy the iPhone without an AT&T contract and then use it for just the other functions (iPod, wifi etc..) but you will need a contract to use the phone part of the iPhone (calling and non-wifi internet) thus the phone part will only work with AT&T? Good for us Europeans who want it for all the extra non-phone features :p

ShiggyMiyamoto said:
He said that IF you want to surf the web on the ATT network you'd need some sort of "Unlimited" plan. Otherwise you can just use it when in WiFi zones. What's so hard about that to understand?
Click to expand...
sounds to me as you will need an AT&T plan, not specifically unlimited (he says "a plan with us")?
 
pederg said:
that sounds as if you will be able to buy the iPhone without an AT&T contract and then use it for just the other functions (iPod, wifi etc..) but you will need a contract to use the phone part of the iPhone (calling and non-wifi internet) thus the phone part will only work with AT&T? Good for us Europeans who want it for all the extra non-phone features :p
Click to expand...

Like basically every GSM phone on the market, you won't be able to use it at all for anything without a SIM card in it.
 
Chaszmyr said:
Like basically every GSM phone on the market, you won't be able to use it at all for anything without a SIM card in it.
Click to expand...

no because the iPhone actually has features that don't require a sim card (shouldn't require). But that is the question, if it will be sold in apple stores without a contract...
 
pederg said:
no because the iPhone actually has features that don't require a sim card (shouldn't require). But that is the question, if it will be sold in apple stores without a contract...
Click to expand...

Apple confirmed during MWSF that the iPhone would not be able to be used as an iPod without a cellular contract.
 
ShiggyMiyamoto said:
Let me reitterate my post there. He said that IF you want to surf the web on the ATT network you'd need some sort of "Unlimited" plan. Otherwise you can just use it when in WiFi zones. What's so hard about that to understand?
Click to expand...

Actually the quote is "Finally, when asked about web usage on AT&T's network, Lurie states that "people are going to be asked to have an unlimited package — people are going to have to have a package with us to browse."

So it is a little ambiguous because it does not answer the question of wifi access directly, however I am also tempted to interpret it your way:)

Which is good as I really don't want the big buck package.

Meanwhile I so wish Apple were making this available through other carriers.
I am a Cingular (ATT) customer but I want to change to Verizon due to much better coverage here on Maui. Bummer:(
 
so what?

I think that arn should add "neutral" or "don't care" rating in addition to positive and negative. Personaly, I do not really care about iPhone or iPod news posted on MR. It would also be a good way to test how relevant posted news are to the audience.
 
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