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Cingular Ties, Several More iPhone Models? And More Details...

killr_b said:
I would buy it RIGHT NOW if it was unlocked and $2000.
I don't like notebooks. I think they are worthless next to my MacPro and have always preferred to spend double on a desktop than to have two half powered computers. If I could edit MS Word files on it, it would be perfect. $2000. No questions.
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Well, I've heard in Korea people pay upwards of 1000 dollars (US equiv.) for cell phones, so I don't see a 1000 dollar unlocked phone to be much of a problem... at least maybe there... in the U.S, its a different dynamic....

What I'm guessing is that people will be so apathetic to being locked into Cingular it will give apple the 'excuse' to either go MVNO or with a lot of different carriers and unlocked.... we'll see....

The only sucky thing is "iTunes songs can not be set as ringtones."
Un-Fckuing-Believable is all I have to say to that. Totally retarded.
 
The Cingular CEO scooped the market by announcing the name change to AT&T again. I used to have AT&T cell service before it was bought by Cingular. It was the most widespread coverage in the country when traveling. Then the switch from analog to digital service actually declined coverage.

Now that the cellular industry is "mature", that is to say, cell tower locations are very nearly omni-present, the industry is positined to simply update the towers to 4/5G and wimax.

In the mean time the corporate machinations with Bellsouth/AT&T and now AT&T/Cingular, means that entire business block will now be called AT&T again and Cingular will be "debranded".

AT&T is the owner/operator of the "nuclear and information deterrant" and the follow-on to DARPA's original military internet. All those antenna farms you see on tops of mountains with microwave repeaters are AT&T stuff.

If sh** ever hit the fan in the USA you would thank god for AT&T.

Rocketman
 
As far as I'm concerned music phones from SonyEricsson or Nokia are pretty much as good or better than the iPhone. Sure, the iPhone is pretty, but not being able to buy an unlocked phone is a huge mistake on Apple's part. Also, if it's true that iTunes songs can't be set as ringtones, the only option for a unique tone is to buy it as a separate tone, from Cingular. That's totally unacceptable. Even with the other music phones on the market you can set your own songs as ringtones.

I was considering buying the iPhone, but I definitely won't be now. Anyway, since I can't buy an unlocked phone and Cingular doesn't operate in Canada, I couldn't use it on the local Rogers GSM network.

Huge disappointment. I wouldn't even consider the iPhone till I can buy an unlocked model - or can figure out how to unlock it. Of course, unlocking it would only work if I was willing to commit to the Cingular contract, too.
 
No penalty for early termination from Verizon?

According to engadget:

It looks like Verizon Wireless is following in Sprint's SMS footsteps, announcing a planned hike in text messaging rates for those not currently subscribed to a messaging package. The hike, which will take effect March 1st, will bump the cost of sending a text message to the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico from $0.10 to $0.15 per message, with the price for international text messages remaining at $0.25 per message. The cost of receiving a message from customers of foreign wireless carriers, however, will increase to $0.15 whether you subscribe to a messaging package or not. If this all sounds a little familiar, it's because when Sprint did the same thing late last year, it didn't take long for people to figure out that the rate hikes amounted to a so-called "material change" to their contracts, meaning they could bail on it without paying an Early Termination Fee (EFT). So if you've been sticking to Verizon but secretly fancying another carrier, this looks like it may be your only chance to take the plunge without also taking a hit.
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Those AT&T hardened microwave sites were sold as surplus long ago:

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/09/11/230203

You're lucky nowadays if cell towers have a generator.

Even landlines rely heavily on the power company.

Rocketman said:
AT&T is the owner/operator of the "nuclear and information deterrant" and the follow-on to DARPA's original military internet. All those antenna farms you see on tops of mountains with microwave repeaters are AT&T stuff.

If sh** ever hit the fan in the USA you would thank god for AT&T.

Rocketman
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Love the phone, hate that it will be locked. I have no problem paying 1k for a phone I realllllly want, but I won't "lease" a phone since I can't use it with other providers. Heck, paying $600 for a phone that turns into a paper weight if I don't want to stay with cingular/at&t doesn't make financial sense. (i guess paying 1k for a phone doesn't make sense either, but I would at least get to use it somewhere else.)

Kimo
 
ringtone issue is carrier driven, not apple driven

Steve1496 said:
I plan on purchasing the phone, but the ring tone/iTunes song issue is worrying. On a phone such as the iPhone, this should be a no-brainer feature!
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Carriers are ecstatic about their ring-tone revenue stream and will fight tooth and nail to keep that stream viable. Steve's iPhone demo showed us how "Apple can be Apple;" lack of iTunes ringtones demonstrates how "Cingular can be Cingular."

Pay attention to Paul Leakas in this interview

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/default.cdnx/id/16053642/displaymode/1157

Arn's comments later in the same "On the Money" piece nail it.
 
stompy said:
Carriers are ecstatic about their ring-tone revenue stream and will fight tooth and nail to keep that stream viable. Steve's iPhone demo showed us how "Apple can be Apple;" lack of iTunes ringtones demonstrates how "Cincular can be Cingular."

Pay attention to Paul Leakas in this interview

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/default.cdnx/id/16053642/displaymode/1157

Arn's comments later in the same "On the Money" piece nail it.
Click to expand...

Nice find. Seems like Arn was quite visionary here lol.
 
stompy said:
Carriers are ecstatic about their ring-tone revenue stream and will fight tooth and nail to keep that stream viable. Steve's iPhone demo showed us how "Apple can be Apple;" lack of iTunes ringtones demonstrates how "Cingular can be Cingular."

Pay attention to Paul Leakas in this interview

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/default.cdnx/id/16053642/displaymode/1157

Arn's comments later in the same "On the Money" piece nail it.
Click to expand...


As others pointed out I think the lack of iTunes ring tones is something apple doing and not Cingular doing. Either from pressure from music industry (who make a killing off of rings tones as well) or are doing it because in the future they want to go to other carriers and those would like it more if it would not do it.

To back this all of Cingular phones that have blue tooth or a USB connection for the computer that I know of do not have that limitation. I can load up any mp3 file I want and set it as my ring tone. Why Cingular would be demanding it on the iPhone if they do not require LG, Samsung, Sony, Nokia, or even Motorola to it on there phones. To add even more too back that even the phones that have memory expansions can do it and you can load the info on the memory card and then use it on your phone. Based on that I think it is Apple doing and not because of pressure from Cingular.

As hard as it is to accepted I think the locking out of iTunes music as ring tones is apple doing completely. The locking help locking it to Cingular only is Cingular doing and have Cingular being the only one who sells it is Cingular doing. But the iTunes muse not being able to be used as ring tones is apple doing.
 
ts1973 said:
Nice find. Seems like Arn was quite visionary here lol.
Click to expand...

Can't remember for sure, but I believe the link was originally posted on "Arn's first interview" thread. Arn has gotten more polished each with each appearance.
 
Grakkle said:
As far as I'm concerned music phones from SonyEricsson or Nokia are pretty much as good or better than the iPhone.
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I've owned various Sony Ericsson phones (T68i, K700i, P910, M600i) and while they've been ok, they're really pieces of junk compared to what I've seen of the iPhone demo. My M600i will be going as soon as I can get my hands on an iPhone.

As far as networks are concerned, I get a bargain price with Vodafone in the UK so they could stop me moving networks. On the other hand, Orange is the only UK network with EDGE, so that would seem the logical network for Apple to go with. Shame their customer service has gone from bad to worse.
 
Does this mean that the Iphone won't be available in Belgium? Since they are required to be unlocked. That would suck! Or maybe there is a way to lock them at all Belgian providers? Don't know if that's technically possible. Im thinking they are just plainly not going to sell the Iphone in Belgium.
 
premium ringtones

Rodimus Prime said:
As others pointed out I think the lack of iTunes ring tones is something apple doing and not Cingular doing.

Why Cingular would be demanding it on the iPhone if they do not require LG, Samsung, Sony, Nokia, or even Motorola to it on there phones. ...
Click to expand...

The manufacturers you list are not in the music download business (Sony sometimes thinks it is). Cingular has a music download service that will compete directly with the iPhone's music download service, iTunes. In other words, Cingular is going to make zero off music downloads on the iPhone. As Apple is cooperating with a direct competitor, ringtones may be Apple's concession to Cingular.

I'd say the speculation has to start with "follow the money."

iLounge quotes Apple saying that ringtones are limited becuase of “rights issues." See

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/ipod/review/apple-iphone-hands-on/

Apple could quite easily allow only iTMS DRM'd songs to be used as ringtones. Apple gets their cut, music industry gets their cut, rights issue solved. So why can't you do it? Apple is working with both the music industry and Cingular on iTMS and the iPhone. RIAA / Cingular definately prefer to sell $2.50 ringtones than $.99 "use it how it want" songs.

If Apple begins selling ringtones for a premium on iTMS, I'll wonder more about their role.
 
I just hope the Data Package monthly fee is closer to around $20-$30, but I am sure it will be the $40/$45 the Blackjack and Blackberry carries.

$100 a month for a phone with an internet package is still tough for me to digest since the phone will have wi-fi.

That is the only thing stopping me right now. I was disappointed a little by the larger than expected form factor, but the functionality has me excited.
 
The fantasy is over

I was totally blown away by the iPhone and would have laid out $600 that day to have it. But the glow has been worn down by these dark clouds....

- No removable battery
- No iTunes downloading (this alone would have killed the Zune off)
- No 3rd party software (and it's a smartphone?)
- No 3G (the web will be so sloooowwww)
- No wifi transfer (I have to dock the phone?)
- No feedom of choice regarding a providor
there are probably a few more no's I've forgotten....

so no, I won't be buying the iPhone, not this one anyway.

God I am so happy it wasn't shipping that day. It saved me $600. Sorry Apple you lost me on this one. Have you lost you're frigging minds at Apple? This phone is DOA....it's a looser!
 
OK - i confess i've read entirely too much press and disscusions about this phone. I think many of us are lured in by the coolness and possibilities and since we are already "hooked" we are upset that the functionality of the phone is intentionally handicapped.

All this complaining for more functionality needs to translate into market opportunities for apple/cingular. Right now us power users represent too small of a market impetus. But over time i'm certain that new opportunities will evolve and this phone will realize it's true potential - but dang it why we have to wait - me want it now! waaa :mad: :mad: :( :(
 
uNext said:
Apple is taking additional efforts to prevent the unlocking of the phones

This is apple giving the "i dont care about the world" finger to its loyal fans.

This phone is so crippled i can name 4-5 phones that are really worth 499-599

I will pass as more information gets leaked that steve did not disclose during his 2hr presenation this is coming out to be more more less attractive.
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I just called cingular-- been with them for a while - they state that they could unlock any phone including the iphone.:cool:
 
paja said:
- No removable battery
- No iTunes downloading (this alone would have killed the Zune off)
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Apple doesn't need to do anything to help "kill off" the Zune. The product is going down the toilet very nicely on its own.

- No 3rd party software (and it's a smartphone?)
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That could change anytime.

- No 3G (the web will be so sloooowwww)
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No 3G - yet. The European version will probably have it, which means it would have to be added to the U.S. version to keep sales from going to importers.

- No wifi transfer (I have to dock the phone?)
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You have to charge it at some point anyway. :rolleyes:

- No feedom of choice regarding a providor
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Yeah, I don't get that one either. But in two years you will.

You could think of it this way, with AT&T buying up all their competitors and the FTC not giving a damn, soon we may ALL be on Cingular anyway. :D
 
paja said:
I was totally blown away by the iPhone and would have laid out $600 that day to have it. But the glow has been worn down by these dark clouds....
Click to expand...
Allow me to swing the pendulum back the other way a little, then.

- No iTunes downloading (this alone would have killed the Zune off)
This is not particularly surprising. The iTunes application is far too massive for the space constraints of the iPhone. There's no effective way of making iTunes purchases with the executable size required of embedded devices. It's a bit disappointing, I agree, but you can still purchase on your computer and transfer it over. If you hear a song you like while away from home, make a note of it on the iPhone. (An iTunes shopping list might make it into the phone before long).

- No 3rd party software (and it's a smartphone?)
Patently untrue. It will not be an open platform. Everything else is pundit and journalist hyperbole. 3rd party software will be available, but will have to be installed through the sync engine (just like other smartphones). Availability of titles is unknown. We don't know who will have access to the SDK or what the procedure for getting apps approved is yet. I imagine Apple doesn't know either, which is why they're not providing details.

- No 3G (the web will be so sloooowwww)
It's a Cingular phone. Cingular has no 3G network worth using. When 3G actually exists in the US, then this might be something to complain about. Having 3G capability wouldn't speed up Internet access one iota.

- No wifi transfer (I have to dock the phone?)
What do you want to transfer wirelessly? Trust me, you don't want to transfer hundreds of megabytes over a smartphone's wireless stack. It will clog and fail. It's a simple limit of throughput.

- No feedom of choice regarding a providor
There is no practical way that the iPhone could have been introduced without a pairing from someone. For one, there's the cost. Beyond that, there is a need for Apple to provide end-to-end service--everything from Apple works right out of the box, and not providing that would have resulted in the same level of criticism. The use of Cingular as the provider simply reflects the largest GSM operator in their launch market.
 
matticus008 said:
Allow me to swing the pendulum back the other way a little, then.

- No iTunes downloading (this alone would have killed the Zune off)
This is not particularly surprising. The iTunes application is far too massive for the space constraints of the iPhone. There's no effective way of making iTunes purchases with the executable size required of embedded devices. It's a bit disappointing, I agree, but you can still purchase on your computer and transfer it over. If you hear a song you like while away from home, make a note of it on the iPhone. (An iTunes shopping list might make it into the phone before long).

- No 3rd party software (and it's a smartphone?)
Patently untrue. It will not be an open platform. Everything else is pundit and journalist hyperbole. 3rd party software will be available, but will have to be installed through the sync engine (just like other smartphones). Availability of titles is unknown. We don't know who will have access to the SDK or what the procedure for getting apps approved is yet. I imagine Apple doesn't know either, which is why they're not providing details.

- No 3G (the web will be so sloooowwww)
It's a Cingular phone. Cingular has no 3G network worth using. When 3G actually exists in the US, then this might be something to complain about. Having 3G capability wouldn't speed up Internet access one iota.

- No wifi transfer (I have to dock the phone?)
What do you want to transfer wirelessly? Trust me, you don't want to transfer hundreds of megabytes over a smartphone's wireless stack. It will clog and fail. It's a simple limit of throughput.

- No feedom of choice regarding a providor
There is no practical way that the iPhone could have been introduced without a pairing from someone. For one, there's the cost. Beyond that, there is a need for Apple to provide end-to-end service--everything from Apple works right out of the box, and not providing that would have resulted in the same level of criticism. The use of Cingular as the provider simply reflects the largest GSM operator in their launch market.
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hmmm ok maybe on the itunes downloading...and maybe even on the 3rd party apps which im sure will come,but come on, this phone is turning out to be more of a fashion accesory than a smart phone.No 3G?why couldnt they put it in there? I mean if the euro one will probably have it that means the first phone will be obsolete way before that rediculous contract ends.Uh and the wifi transfer...thats like saying why have bluetooth...loads of people use bluetooth to transfer all sorts of things,wifi is just the upgrade.And now the itunes songs not being useable for ringtones,although a small thing,is just really stupid.There are so many things wrong with this phone that makes the price of the phone just laughable, and lets not forget that price is with a contract...like i said before,a fashion accesory:why would i choose this phone over any equally potent or even stronger phone that costs way less?Tell me.Im sure itll come down to looks
 
cingular-iPhone

I just have one comment....I'm gonna shell out $500 for an iPhone and get "stuck" with Cingular...that sucks....out where I live there is a reason that it is the "network with the least dropped calls" it is because it is because you can't get any calls to connect....

I would be willing to pay the premium for the iPhone if I could choose my own provider...


2009? That's a long time....we'll have iPods inbetted in our arms by then....
 
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