Confirmation of June 9th 3G iPhone Launch?

[electronboy]

The iPhone is an awesome device, but I'm still not sure why all those people agreed to pay FULL price for the phone AND agree to a TWO YEAR CONTRACT with outrageous data/voice plans.

If the price of the phone and the monthly plans drop in cost I will be one of the first to sign up for iPhone 2.0

One more thing, no more proprietary headphone jack!

 

[jonnylink]

for those of you thinking of pawning off your old iPhone, please read this first
http://www.zdziarski.com/

protect yourself against identity theft & etc

 

[bmh16]

Can't wait! As for that loads of people have the iPhone, its Sony Ericsson that everyone has with me. There were only about 2 people who had an iPhone in 3 whole school year groups (700 people). I've left school now, but it just shows that the iPhone is a not very common phone which is great. And i don't think it will ever be to youngsters (1 so thats good for me - well unless they discount it loads!

 

[frank781]

Gizmodo's track record is not so solid

Gizmodo was told by a source deep in the 3G launch team? I'm not so sure about this. Gizmodo is the same blog site that claimed that the iPhone was going to be released on December 2006 and it turned out to the Cisco's VOIP iPhone (when Cisco still owned the name).

These guys are not as reliable as the guys over at Engadget, Tech Crunch, etc.

 

[number9]

This Gizmodo piece is yet another 'confirmation' with some seriously funny/ambiguous elements that undermine the validity of their sources.

Let's see:

1. all they confirm is an announcement at WWDC, which we already knew. It's really the latest apple can announce the phone, you don't need sources for that.

2. availability is noted as "right after" which isn't the same as "same day". Right after could be weeks or months.

3. not at year's end, as previously thought Really??? when was the phone ever slated to arrive in the months of november or december?

1. Is WWDC really the latest they can announce it? Who set the deadline? There is always the possibility of an even AFTER WWDC. Just because WWDC is the logical choice, doesn't mean its certain.

2. Generally, right after doesn't imply weeks or months. If you tell someone you'll be be somewhere "right after" you finish something, are you going to show up 3 weeks later? Probably not.

3. You should read the whole sentence...

The second-generation iPhone will be available worldwide right after the launch, and not at year's end, as previously thought.

They're talking about the worldwide launch. Some sources originally thought the launches would be staggered between the June announcement and the end of the year, now they are saying that basically everything will be available sometime in June.

 

[sassenach74]

Let's see:

1. all they confirm is an announcement at WWDC, which we already knew.
2. availability is noted as "right after" which isn't the same as "same day". Right after could be weeks or months.
3. not at year's end, as previously thought Really??? when was the phone ever slated to arrive in the months of november or december?

1No we didn't
2Splitting hairs there
3Initially yes, it was a thought being tossed around a while back

@number9 (great)minds think alike

 

[Cyburnclassic]

Hopefully in the UK, O2 will reduce both the prices of the iPhones and the monthly contracts when the 3G iPhone is released.

 

[ssteve]

Still it`s hard to believe how the hell did Apple screw up this bad. iPhone 3G after June 9th???? That means more than a month of zero iphone sales. They have never done something like this with any of their other products. I still cant digest it....

You seem to think that Apple has been selling cell phones for a long time...........

 

[Brianstorm91]

iPhone this, iPhone that. It's really starting to get a little jaded for me.
Hopefully there'll be something major alongside the iPhone + SDK soon.

 

[kingtj]

Yes, and no ....

I'll go along with the logic that AT&T, by no means, should be COMPELLED to cut people some sort of special break on the contract terms, just because they want to move from the gen. 1 iPhone to the gen. 2 model.

But it's ALSO reasonable to suggest the POSSIBILITY that they'd do such a thing, knowing that it's good for customer retention and goodwill. It's also, theoretically, a beneficial move for AT&T *if* they have a long-term plan of phasing out the EDGE network and getting all their users on 3G instead.

(Sprint is struggling with a similar issue right now. They bought out Nextel, but they're now stuck supporting BOTH incompatible networks simultaneously. They'd love nothing more than to migrate all their Nextel customers over to new phones that run on the Sprint network -- except Nextel's "push to talk" walkie-talkie capability happens to work far better than the variation built on Sprint's own network. Therefore, they've started pushing the "dual mode" Motorola phones that can use Nextel's push-to-talk network, but Sprint's network for everything else. It's a big mess for them, actually.)

I fail to understand why you think you should get special treatment simply because you bought the first gen, you had that choice, you made that choice, you signed the contract. That's the whole purpose of a contract is it not?
I can appreciate you should be allowed to buy the new iPhone (full price) and insert your existing sim card and continue your contract, but I cannot for the life of me see how you feel you should get a reduction in price. Cake and eat it?

 

[aforty]

Gizmodo sucks. Everyone already knew that this was happening.

 

[Santa Rosa]

The only reason I'm asking is that the O2 webpage FAQ quite clearly stated the opposite at one time. It said something to the effect of "when a new iPhone is released, will I have to start a new contract?" and the answer was that you would be able to buy the phone and restart your contract. IE not having to pay it up and start a new one.

Maybe they have changed their stance on it. Seems strange though as you would think that would hit hardware sales for Apple a bit no??

Looks like we will just have to wait and see!! Im hoping that my theory is right, if not there is going to be some serious argumentation happening at O2... with me.

 

[elcid]

Ok, so an announcement on the 9th, but what about the FCC. Are they going to announce but not release?

 

[urbanlung]

Fascinating, a useful post...

Yes, I thought so. I Don't have one either but I do know someone who has one.

 

[TexasAg]

Ok, so an announcement on the 9th, but what about the FCC. Are they going to announce but not release?

Upon request, the FCC will withhold filings, I believe up until a product is shipped. There is no requirement that the FCC disclose a filing by Apple before the product is announced.

 

[Stately]

iPhone this, iPhone that. It's really starting to get a little jaded for me.
Hopefully there'll be something major alongside the iPhone + SDK soon.

None of us will be saying that if the new phone has the white hot features that we all long for and then some. I hear you though. I can't wait for a beautiful UMPC that can only be done right by Apple.

 

[McL0vin]

No we didn't
This is no confirmation, it's just another random 'sources said'. We've had tons of rumors indicate a WWDC announcement, so this adds nothing...

2Splitting hairs there
Again, if they were so confident of their sources they would say 'available june 10th'.

3Initially yes, it was a thought being tossed around a while back
That would have been a horrible business move on apple's part.

 

[paja]

Gizmodo

Gizmodo hates the iPhone and Apple.

All of their articles are hate bait articles to get Apple flamed.

I don't even bother going to their site anymore.

 

[Kwill]

I've never owned a phone.

There must be someone you can call about that.

 

[nomad01]

Maybe they have changed their stance on it. Seems strange though as you would think that would hit hardware sales for Apple a bit no??

Hmmm. I guess. When the iPhone was released it was unlike any other contract that O2 had handled.

You could only use it on the O2 network. You had to sign up for an 18 month contract. If you failed the credit check you were supposed to return the phone to O2 (or wherever it was purchased). So it sort of felt like a subsidised phone.

Normally, if you upgrade a phone within the contract period you'd expect to have to pay up that contract before being able to start a new one. So O2 obviously felt the need to state that this wasn't the case and that if you upgraded to a new iPhone when it was released, you'd just be able to restart your contract.

This was discussed on MacRumors at the time. It doesn't appear to be on the O2 website anymore though.

If you don't have to renew the contract to use the new iPhone, I'll be very happy.

 

[Kwill]

Wait, a 3G iPhone is coming out June 9th?!? Why hasn't MacRumors covered this a little bit more?

OK. That does it! I haven't been convinced thus far but just now I marked June 9 on my calendar for iPhone software release.

 

[Pwned]

less than 3 weeks...

 

[EagerDragon]

And the new iPhone Take 2 will be available for $899 with no contract and 399 with an 18 month contract from AT&T.

Also today we are announcing the iMatic, It slices, it Dices, plays the guitar and cleans the lint off your belly bottom.

 

[TonyHoyle]

Maybe they have changed their stance on it. Seems strange though as you would think that would hit hardware sales for Apple a bit no??

Looks like we will just have to wait and see!! Im hoping that my theory is right, if not there is going to be some serious argumentation happening at O2... with me.

It's normal in the UK that any change such as a phone upgrade restarts your minimum contract term from the start (one trick they like to pull is offer you a 'cheaper tariff for free' or 'free friends and family calls' or similar, then silently drop you on an 18 month new contract without pointing that out.. because it's still not so widely known that it's universal practice to restart contracts in this way).

Anyway, from the pay monthly T&C for iphone (http://www.o2.co.uk/termsconditions/tariffsandboltons0153) clause 2 in 'General':

"If you end your contract during the 18 month minimum term, you may be required to pay the applicable monthly charge for your tariff until the end of the minimum term. This will not apply if your purchase a new iPhone from us, in which case you agree that a new 18 month minimum term will apply."

Which is, as I read it, the standard ability to buy your way out of the contract early, with an extra exception to allow you to upgrade an iphone within 18 months - but restarting the 18 month minimum period.

As this is what is in the contract you agree to I'd believe that rather than a customer service person.

 

[ryanasimov]

3G latency and overblown expectations

I'll be the prognosticating cloud of gloom.

Sure, 3G certainly has an overall throughput that spanks EDGE, but the existing 3G networks have HORRIBLE latency. The 3G iPhone will be a marked improvement and will continue to be the best portable internet device, but I predict a legion of whiners saying, "Not fast enough!".

Apple usually gives users what they, want; the problem is that a lot of users don't know what they want.