iOS 4.2 to Be Released Today, 'Find My iPhone' Now Free

[pmz]

Uh ? Plenty of people in Canada pay those prices. You know why ? Unlocked and no contract. In Europe too. The only inept people are those constantly locked to a carrier in a contract.

The line at the Apple Store on the day of launch was longer than at Rogers/Bell/Telus combined. Yet the Apple store only had the above 500$ pricing and wasn't selling subsidzed phones in Canada.

You only choose to insult people who pay that price because it suits your argument.

Carriers shouldn't make any difference to people anymore. Being obsessed with them as if they were a sports team is unhealthy (so is being obsessed with a sports team). Either the phone works, or it doesn't.

No one in Canada is forced to pay those prices. You may choose to, and subsequently deal with the perceived benefits.

 

[KnightWRX]

iPod touch and iPad are two different products. Same with the 3GS and 4, which isn't the same generation. The 4 came out after the 3GS, so it is of a newer generation. It's about generation. The latest generation get features and software upgrade priority over older generations. Generation doesn't mean what is sold today but when those devices were first released.

Find My iPhone is not a new feature. It's a paid for feature. It has nothing to do with "getting new features on new generation hardware". Keep on banging that "Apple does no wrong" drum.

Carriers shouldn't make any difference to people anymore. Being obsessed with them as if they were a sports team is unhealthy (so is being obsessed with a sports team). Either the phone works, or it doesn't.

No one in Canada is forced to pay those prices. You may choose to, and subsequently deal with the perceived benefits.

I don't even start to get what you're saying here. Carriers don't matter so... what exactly ? If the carrier doesn't matter, why do you want to be tied to one ? It would be best to have no ties at all so you can switch as soon as a better offer comes along then. So which is it ?

BTW, if you didn't know, that 199$ iPhone isn't 199$, you pay the rest of the 649$ in your contract.

 

[3goldens]

should be anytime now mobilme is down!

 

[qtx43]

Current generation customers includes iPhone 3GS.

Everybody gets it (well, maybe not everybody). To be fair, 3GS users should get the service too. But Apple isn't interested in being fair. Yes, Steve Jobs (IMO) likes to produce high quality products, and satisfy customers. But he's also very forward looking and cuts off support for old products ASAP, and doesn't really care about the pain it causes. Apple is a business intent on making money, and their balance of annoying people and providing support is not the same as other companies. You probably don't think of yourself as a victim of Jobs' famous RDF, but you are a little bit. Don't expect anything until it hurts their bottom line, and maybe not even then.

 

[AAPLaday]

But please, I need a laugh so please state the reasons why you think the free feature should be for ALL users. This time, leave out the iPod to iPhone price comparisons. And iPad to iPhone as well.

Because 6 months ago the 3GS was the top of the range phone. How long are most phone contracts? In 6 months the IP4 will be in the same boat. Glad i didn't buy one, 5 is out in summer with the whole of MM being free. Just don't tell anyone

 

[JonJParr]

Phew!

It's getting hot in here from all the flaming!

Ok. Calm down. It's just a feature and, as Apple has a habit of doing, they may backtrack on this one and allow 3GS users this feature for free also. If not, it's not the end of the world. Seriously, we all need a bit more peace in our lives.

 

[jent]

There's an inconsistency in reporting. What's the final release version—4.2 or 4.2.1? And what's the build number? Finally, has it hit all update servers yet? iTunes is telling me I have the latest iOS at 4.1.

 

[Gen]

Find My iPhone is not a new feature. It's a paid for feature. It has nothing to do with "getting new features on new generation hardware". Keep on banging that "Apple does no wrong" drum.

Maybe they only want to offer it on only newer merchandise? ... you know, to sell newer merchandise.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

You are so funny! iOS4.2 isn't about find my iphone - it's about improvements and new features! With 4.2 I can *use* my iPad finally - thanks to multitasking. Eg. open a ssh-tunnel to my router and then access my transmission webgui over safari.

BTW: I have a MM-subscription. I never had to use fmi. I tried it a couple of times to show my friends how well it works - but in 4 of 5 times it did not! The day I will really need it, I'm pretty sure it won't work too. So forget fmi and enjoy the real features of iOS4.2

Works for me quite nicely. I tracked my phone to my friends house where I left it by accident.

Find My iPhone is not a new feature. It's a paid for feature. It has nothing to do with "getting new features on new generation hardware". Keep on banging that "Apple does no wrong" drum.

Pay attention, I didn't say NEW feature. I said features. Big difference. And I'm not saying Apple does no wrong. There are plenty things I don't agree with, but pale in comparison to other companies who charge much more and offer much less. So relative to the competition, Apple really does no wrong. Not perfect by any means, but better than other companies by a long shot. Keep on banging whatever your banging. Hope its your head and somehow can knock some sense into you.

 

[biglee69]

Not happy

iOS gm 4.2.1 bricked both my iPhone and iPad yesterday good luck with this update.

 

[mondesi43]

Again for the more obtuse, iPhone 3GS is sold today. You can still give Apple 550$ smackers and get a iPhone 3GS, brand new, sealed in box.

So you saved $100 vs the iPhone4. Now buy MM for $99. There, you saved a dollar. Happy now?

 

[gibbz]

iOS gm 4.2.1 bricked both my iPhone and iPad yesterday good luck with this update.

What exactly do you mean by "bricked"?

I'm a registered developer and have no problems with the GM seeds.

 

[tigress666]

Ah well, I was hoping it was going to be the calendar/contact synch info that would be free. it would make sense since I keep seeing people say they don't really care about that feature enough to pay (and that they can get it free elsewhere) but it would make having an iphone even more appealing.

I would have thought find my iphone they'd still make people pay since usually when people say why they paid for mobileme it was for that feature (Why make the feature that seems to sell the product free?).

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Because 6 months ago the 3GS was the top of the range phone. How long are most phone contracts? In 6 months the IP4 will be in the same boat. Glad i didn't buy one, 5 is out in summer with the whole of MM being free. Just don't tell anyone

So? If 5 gets free MM, I won't complain and whine about it. I got one year of support and software upgrades. I enjoyed using that phone for a year. MM isn't too expensive and I use it all the time. If some people get it free because they bought a newer piece of hardware, that's perfectly acceptable to me. I got everything I paid for and much more. I'm not that greedy.

 

[kdarling]

Yay! Side grump:

The whole point of getting my elderly mother an iPad, was that it supposedly would be a nice choice for people like her who've never owned a computer. Unfortunately that also means she cannot get the update on her own.

I hope that one day Apple comes into the 2010s and makes updates available over the air. Having to tether to another computer is ridiculous, and is a reason why Android devices can make more sense for many people around the world.

 

[dgree03]

mobile me should be free to people with iOS devices. Mobile me is a perfect example of people paying more money to apple than is needed.

Gmail, Gcal, Gcontacts, dropbox and any number of security programs(Wave Secure, Lookout Mobile) for Android does what mobile me does, but better and free.

I wouldnt mind having these features on my iPad, but for free. not 60-100 per year.

 

[KnightWRX]

Everybody gets it (well, maybe not everybody). To be fair, 3GS users should get the service too. But Apple isn't interested in being fair. Yes, Steve Jobs (IMO) likes to produce high quality products, and satisfy customers. But he's also very forward looking and cuts off support for old products ASAP

The problem is neither iPhone 4 nor iPhone 3GS owners had expectations of this when they bought their devices prior to today. Some of them get it based on some arbitrary hardware line that never was applied for the paid for service (which was available to all).

I do get that that is the Apple way, moreso with iOS it seems.

You probably don't think of yourself as a victim of Jobs' famous RDF, but you are a little bit. Don't expect anything until it hurts their bottom line, and maybe not even then.

Oh, I wasn't expecting free Find My iPhone at all. It's just all the policies around iOS have me already questionning my choice of the platform for my mobile needs, this is just one more straw. If this is what I can expect of Apple, then they can keep their iOS offerings. At least for now their Mac policies have been much more sane.

In the end, this is just something else on the pile of growing frustrations I have with Apple's handling of iOS. With all the competitors on the market, it's growing less and less easy to stick it out and hope it gets better.

So you saved $100 vs the iPhone4. Now buy MM for $99. There, you saved a dollar. Happy now?

You also get less storage, a lower res screen, less memory, etc.. you don't "save" 100$.

 

[franswa za]

Somehow I don't see Apple giving up any revenue streams.

Then again, I ordered my renewal off Amazon last week fro $48 so they'll probably make it free.

hahaha! $teve Job$ will never make it free, i rejoined and paid 2 weeks ago, whilst i do not mind paying for it i hope MM will become less expensive and more expansive like other free offerings such as dropbox

back to topic- i hope the iPad boyz/girlz will have fun multitasking!

 

[Hazkan]

To be honest, I think Apple is doing things which are much more blatant than not making the discussed option for free for 3GS users (like ignoring laws when it comes to warranty issues). Obviously I think it's a pity they don't. I will update when at home and see what the new OS is doing...

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

So you saved $100 vs the iPhone4. Now buy MM for $99. There, you saved a dollar. Happy now?

Hahaha this cracked me up. Hilarious!

 

[lethalOne]

There's an inconsistency in reporting. What's the final release version—4.2 or 4.2.1? And what's the build number? Finally, has it hit all update servers yet? iTunes is telling me I have the latest iOS at 4.1.

In iTunes, my phone and iPad both report the same thing - that 4.2.1 is the current version.

So, yes it is on some servers - I would assume that means all. The build is 8C148.

 

[kingtj]

Ok....

And the chances you had this happen with BOTH devices, when hardly anyone else has reported problems makes me believe you probably have something else wrong over there.....

I had a lot of problems doing iPhone updates at my workplace, many of which turned out to be caused by people trying to do the updates from older Pentium 4 machines that only had USB 1.1 ports, not 2.0. (They transfer data too slowly and can cause timeouts and interruptions.)

A bad sync cable with frayed or broken wires in it is another possible culprit.

Just throwing some ideas out there .....

iOS gm 4.2.1 bricked both my iPhone and iPad yesterday good luck with this update.

 

[QuarterSwede]

About time we iPhone Users get a Update, Apple is slowing down on how fast we get Updates.

Seriously!? Apple updates iOS more than they update OS X or any other company updates their OS.

iOS gm 4.2.1 bricked both my iPhone and iPad yesterday good luck with this update.

It's almost impossible to actually brick an iDevice these days. You're probably stuck in a recovery boot loop. If you can't connect to iTunes and reinstall the firmware, then download TinyUmbrella and when it recognizes the device click "Kick out of recovery."

 

[AAPLaday]

So? If 5 gets free MM, I won't complain and whine about it. I got one year of support and software upgrades. I enjoyed using that phone for a year. MM isn't too expensive and I use it all the time. If some people get it free because they bought a newer piece of hardware, that's perfectly acceptable to me. I got everything I paid for and much more. I'm not that greedy.

Assuming you buy the phone on launch day you get a year. So thats half of a 2 year contract length. After that its old tech. MM is expensive if you only want one feature of it.

 

[tigress666]

Don't expect anything until it hurts their bottom line, and maybe not even then.

Honestly, this is true of any company (the until it hurts their bottom line). People put way too much faith in Apple it seems with how upset you guys get for Apple doing a decision that they feel is in *their* best interest. And until it's not, they'll keep doing it. If people feel strongly enough they don't like what Apple is doing, Apple will lose sales. if Apple loses enough sales, if they are a well run business, they'll figure it out and change. But until they see sales be affected, quit expecting they'd do things differently.

Obviously how they are running is working for them (now). If you don't like it and really expect them to change, don't buy their stuff. If you like their stuff and don't want to make that sacrifice, don't expect them to change *shrug*.