iPhone 3G Hands On, Notes, and Questions

[iStefmac]

This is insane. I am absolutely OUTRAGED.

What do you mean Pick Your Plan and PAYG Won't be available????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


Its a CORNER STONE of the current iPhone. Everyone I KNOW (selfincluded) with an iPhone uses payayougo! What are they going to do for people who want to upgrade?!?! Tell them NO your account doesn't qualify!!?

Unbelievable. It took an entire year but AT&T has FINALLY got around to screwing me. Great.

 

[DN7335]

Hi all,

I currently have ATT with a Blackjack II (I know, I Know)..because it was $99 when I bought instead of the higher priced Iphone. However, I really want to get the iphone since I use a mac at home...the price was the only thing that deterred me in the past.

Does anyone know if I will be able to buy the new iphone, maybe start a new contract (not a big deal since my contract only started a few months ago), without any major fees. I already have the data plan on my Blackjack, so I wouldn't expect any new fees except the cost of the phone.

Furthermore, if I do get the new iphone, I won't need the Blackjack anymore. Can I just sell it (or give) to someone that also has ATT and they can put it into service by switching SIM cards? I remember Nextel I could just slip the SIM into a different phone and it would be fine.

Thanks for all the help.

Not sure about the price you'd pay for a new iPhone, it hasn't been determined yet according to the AT&T memo. There have been some posts saying an AT&T rep said this or that, but bottom line is that we don't know yet. I'm in the same boat as you on one of the lines in my family plan, will be interesting to see what price they land on for "non qualified upgrade" purchases.
As for the Blackjack II, it will work with any other AT&T sim card, so you can sell it on eBay or whereever. My wife is on her third Blackjack (she is rough on phones) and she's bought both used and new, no issues. Nice enough phone for email but the browser is horrible.

 

[VDA]

covet thy iphone

According to Macworld, it's not the "nice" kind of plastic. It's the scratch-happy plastic that was on the iPod nano and iPod. Basically, the iPhone will really need a case this time around.

Ugh! I don't even wanna think about 'The Great Case Hunt 2008' LOL. I'm somewhat embarassed to admit how many hours I spent in an Apple store staring at and perusing the case racks! Seriously...hours --- or how many many cases i bought and returned to exchange (hey, don't laugh; I know I wasn't the only one)!

One thing's for sure though --- with the iPhone 3G being encased in plastic i'm definately searching the net far 'n wide for a metal case of some sort. And hey maybe even an all chrome one!! Apple may have won the battle with their ill-fated decision against aluminum, but I'll win the war yet! Bwhahahahaaa!

 

[egor]

Christ almighty Apple, is it really that hard to stick a decent back to your iPods and iPhones?!? Finally having seen the light of that rubbish chrome backing, they start using cheap plastic. The only logical reason I can see for this is to limit resellability, in which case its clever but I doubt its that.

Apple will never do MMS, they want to sell you a new product, look at iPods.

Do you want to elaborate on this?

MMS is such a basic feature I can't imagine what other possible product Apple could develop to provide it, unless you just mean it'll be an optional software add-on that you pay for. In fact, its one of the very few features stopping me from purchasing an iPhone right now.

 

[KaiMac]

Christ almighty Apple, is it really that hard to stick a decent back to your iPods and iPhones?!? Finally having seen the light of that rubbish chrome backing, they start using cheap plastic. The only logical reason I can see for this is to limit resellability, in which case its clever but I doubt its that.



Do you want to elaborate on this?

MMS is such a basic feature I can't imagine what other possible product Apple could develop to provide it, unless you just mean it'll be an optional software add-on that you pay for. In fact, its one of the very few features stopping me from purchasing an iPhone right now.

The reason for the plastic back is simple. iPhone's with fun color choices will be the next upgrade around Christmas. Blackberry targets professional enterprise, Apple targets kids with parents that don't mind paying 100$+ a month for their kids cell phone bill. iPhone Red, iPhone Pink will be much easier to do with Plastic. Nice one ATTpple.

 

[xbjllb]

Point is GE are still around because they adapted. Apple are merely doing the same which is why your argument fails.

On the contrary, you make my point FOR me. Apple continues on the current course and it won't be making computers (or even what they'll evolve into) barely a decade hence.

Looking forward to the responsive computer company that takes their place.

 

[iStefmac]

The reason for the plastic back is simple. iPhone's with fun color choices will be the next upgrade around Christmas. Blackberry targets professional enterprise, Apple targets kids with parents that don't mind paying 100$+ a month for their kids cell phone bill. iPhone Red, iPhone Pink will be much easier to do with Plastic. Nice one ATTpple.

Considering every other colored portable out right now and in the last 2 years has been ALUMINUM, not plastic, I fail to see how this makes any sense.

 

[bergmef]

How many other devices that support upwards of 10 radio bands, have a screen that takes up almost the entire front, have an all metal back? That's a lot of antennas to place and not much in the way real estate.

Lot's of whining these days.

 

[egor]

How many other devices that support upwards of 10 radio bands, have a screen that takes up almost the entire front, have an all metal back? That's a lot of antennas to place and not much in the way real estate.

Lot's of whining these days.

It doesn't have to have an all metal back, the plastic would be fine if it was the right kind.

 

[bergmef]

A different plastic is fine, but half metal half plastic would look like an afterthought. The last version was about the max that I would mix the two.

 

[VDA]

say it ain't so!

The reason for the plastic back is simple. iPhone's with fun color choices will be the next upgrade around Christmas. Blackberry targets professional enterprise, Apple targets kids with parents that don't mind paying 100$+ a month for their kids cell phone bill. iPhone Red, iPhone Pink will be much easier to do with Plastic. Nice one ATTpple.

lol @ "fun color choices"...oh well guess that's what happens when you reduce an elegant, sophisticated, $499 high-tech device to a $199 plastic play piece for general public consumption -- suddenly it becomes a testing ground for Crayola's R&D division!!

I can just see the caption now: "iPhone 3G. Twice The Speed. Half The Price. Fruitier The Flavors.

If there is a God in heaven he won't allow it LOL!

 

[emir]

I talked to Vodafone today. (i am living in Turkey, and Vodafone will supply the iPhone 3G to Turkey) The salesman claimed that the iPhone 3G will start it's life on the other Vodafone countries (i mean the countries that are not in the Apple's 11th of July list and the ones who have Vodafone for supplier) on late September. So looks like Turkey and the other Vodafone countries will have their hands on the iPhone 3G on late September. The salesman also said that they will do whatever they can to keep the 199$ price, or they will make it a little bit more expensive than 199. And he said that the contract will be signed and phone will be activated in the store. Thats what the salesman said.

I also have another thing to say;

- Apple sold only 8 million iPhones up to date. And there are at least half a million iPhones unlocked in Turkey.(today i saw 3 iPhone users here) And the phones are quite expensive compared to the U.S. For example the phone i am currently using is Nokia N73 with 2GB memory card, which was 550$ when i bought it 10 months ago is expensive compared to the United States version. If the iPhone 3G sells for 199 (or even more like 250) in Turkey everyone will have the iPhone 3G. I can't tell what i mean but i made a survey type of thing to my friends and family and 3 out of 4 people says they will get it the first day! And there are 70 million people living in Turkey. Apple may sell at least 10 million iPhones here if they care about the price and if they give the full support.

BTW: First generation unlocked iPhone 8GB were sold for 600$ in Turkish eBay (www.gittigidiyor.com) and people bought it even with that price. If the 3G version comes for 300 or less they will easily sell 5 million.(well they have to make commercials and stuff too because not everybody watch keynotes )

I also said the BTW part to the Vodafone salesman he laughed and said;

-"We are already aware of that and we expect it to happen"
On the other hand the biggest mobile operator in Turkey "Turkcell" will start panicing in the next months (my guess)

What do you think? Can they sell 5-10 million here?

 

[needthephone]

Has anyone seen the iphone 3G and knows what kind of plastic it is. From the photos and what Iv'e seen of apple mouldings they look extremely high quality.

How do people know they are going to scratch easily??? I would say they will be polycarbonate or PC/ABS.

I have to say I like the look of the new plastic iphone backs and I think I'd go for the white one-even though I'm a happily married hetrosexual male.

 

[kjs862]

Isn't the back of the Alu iMac black plastic? If it is, and the new iphone has similar plastic I'm going to go for it. If not, then I'm going to sit this one out.

 

[VDA]

in apple I thee pledge

You know what I think? I think everybody should just take a collective deep breathe and relax. Everything's gonna be OK! Just be thankful that an iPhone even exists! Because even in its infancy (hard to believe only 1 year old, huh?) it's difficult to imagine life without it or reverting back to a "normal" phone. Can you? Honestly???

And sure they left out obvious features that everybody was expecting but anybody who knows them knows that's just 'The Apple Way!' That's how they getcha...and, more importantly, keep ya!!

So even when they release an even better version in ohhhh approximately 6 months (lol you just KNOW they will) -- yeah sure they'll screw us like they usually do -- but after paying only 200 bucks for this one you'll STILL be able to afford the newer version!! They're installing a huge user base with this move so that when the next much more expensive version arrives resistance will be futile. Ain't life grand?!!!

The Lord (Steve Jobs, that is!) truly works in not-so-mysterious ways.

BTW...that l'il pulsating blue beacon that represents your location on the new GPS feature? How sweet and cool a subtlety is that!!! Only Apple, folks...only Apple! (then again, I've never seen gps on other phones so there's a chance it isn't something new LOL)

 

[smallfield]

Do you want to elaborate on this?

MMS is such a basic feature I can't imagine what other possible product Apple could develop to provide it, unless you just mean it'll be an optional software add-on that you pay for. In fact, its one of the very few features stopping me from purchasing an iPhone right now.

Ooops, misread last night. I was thinking of removable multimedia media storage. I imagine w/ the SDK there will be many options for you soon, probably a lot of free ones. I imagine this is only a software issue.

I never use this feature and misread the abbreviation. My bad.

 

[chukronos]

Never have I been more grateful to own the first gen iphone.

I am surprised that Apple would add new features without fixing the flaws of the first gen.

I don't give a rat's arse about a friggin', eBay on the go app.

Give me an app that allows me to send and recieve MMS.
Give me an app that allows me to record video. (So I could go home and upload it, and watch it when I hit the YouTube icon)
Give me an app that allows me to cut and paste.

At least with the new phone, you can see where your friends are. W000!

But, i guess, as Snow leopard proves, if we want a quality product, we have to buy the next version. Because they don't want to fix the current version, like they did with Tiger. I think I'll wait for the snow leopard quality enhancement named, Siberian Tiger, before I upgrade leopard (Evidently, the beta OSX).

 

[RJO629]

AT&T pricing

My family and I have 3 iPhones on our AT&T account (5 phones total). I called AT&T yesterday to find out if I got a 4th iPhone (for my sons' birthday) how much my bill would increase. The answer that I got was that my bill would go up only $20 (the same increase when I got the other iPhones). The rep told me because I already have iPhones on my account that I was "grandfather" into that rate for the new iPhone. So a 4th iPhone will be added soon.

 

[Taselcult]

Business plans available for new iPhone?

Interesting section in the ATT press release about pricing. Specifically:

With a two-year contract, the price of an 8GB iPhone 3G will be $199; the 16GB model will be priced at $299.
Unlimited iPhone 3G data plans for consumers will be available for $30 a month, in addition to voice plans starting at $39.99 a month.
Unlimited 3G data plans for business users will be available for $45 a month, in addition to a voice plan.​

I looked but couldn’t find any info on “business pricing”. The last line would indicate that there will be a separate plan for business users, unlike the iPhone’s current plan which is only for “consumers”. Since they are both unlimited plans, it would indicate some other sort of difference. Maybe we’ll see business grade discount phone plans?

 

[hiimamac]

Jury still out on PLATIC back - but could mean (maybe) less damage if its designed to fall back first....sort or like an egg....?


Anyway, since REPAIRS were $249 for $400-$500 phone, this would mean $125 if not less and possible insurance for the phone.

If they offer insurance, you can be sure, some will misplace (ah huh) their phones and get a replacement (2 per year).

Was told the other day Apple will activate but they were not 100% sure.
Seems like know-one knows. Cheers for cheaper repairs and hopefully insurance.

 

[BongoBanger]

So even when they release an even better version in ohhhh approximately 6 months (lol you just KNOW they will) -- yeah sure they'll screw us like they usually do -- but after paying only 200 bucks for this one you'll STILL be able to afford the newer version!! They're installing a huge user base with this move so that when the next much more expensive version arrives resistance will be futile. Ain't life grand?!!!

You don't really understand the concept of 'subsidised contract' do you?

BTW...that l'il pulsating blue beacon that represents your location on the new GPS feature? How sweet and cool a subtlety is that!!! Only Apple, folks...only Apple! (then again, I've never seen gps on other phones so there's a chance it isn't something new LOL)

It isn't, it's on every other smartphone with GPS and Google maps.

 

[egor]

Ooops, misread last night. I was thinking of removable multimedia media storage. I imagine w/ the SDK there will be many options for you soon, probably a lot of free ones. I imagine this is only a software issue.

I never use this feature and misread the abbreviation. My bad.

Fair enough!

Others have suggested it and I don't think it'll be possible for a third party to add MMS functionality. The code would have to add functionality to the existing text messaging program, I haven't seen any evidence that a program can modify another program. Alternatively I suppose the program could be self-contained and you launch it seperately if you want to use MMS, but I doubt the SDK gives developers access to stuff like messaging, calls, etc.

If I had a Mac I'd have downloaded it myself to find out, but I don't so these are just gut feelings, I may be wrong.

 

[brian4610]

I'm looking at this thread, and it seems everyone has a different complaint for the iphone, all with reason.

My complaint was i thought the update was lazy, not enough done considering we've had this phone out for a year and all they did was bring the iphone into 2007 (3g, GPS). I expected more, but i'm wondering, am i expecting too much for:

-Video Conferencing - Is this really a good possibility for future iphones? will it work well on 3G networks?

-Video recording - see above. Why would this be left off the list now? i'm no expert, but i have to think the price of cameras is not a deal breaker in bringing an affordable phone to the masses.

-32-64GB - I know the ipod touch has 32gb, i don't mind a slightly thicker phone.

-MMS - Still couldn't believe this was left off last year. Why? is this a software upgrade?

I don't know if these are asking too much, but for those who understand what it takes for them to work well, can this be expected for the next iphone maybe a year from now?

 

[egor]

I'm looking at this thread, and it seems everyone has a different complaint for the iphone, all with reason.

My complaint was i thought the update was lazy, not enough done considering we've had this phone out for a year and all they did was bring the iphone into 2007 (3g, GPS). I expected more, but i'm wondering, am i expecting too much for:

-Video Conferencing - Is this really a good possibility for future iphones? will it work well on 3G networks?

-Video recording - see above. Why would this be left off the list now? i'm no expert, but i have to think the price of cameras is not a deal breaker in bringing an affordable phone to the masses.

-32-64GB - I know the ipod touch has 32gb, i don't mind a slightly thicker phone.

-MMS - Still couldn't believe this was left off last year. Why? is this a software upgrade?

I don't know if these are asking too much, but for those who understand what it takes for them to work well, can this be expected for the next iphone maybe a year from now?

Capacity increases are inevitable, I think the iPhone will continue to have less capacity than the iPod purely so its pricing isn't exhorbitant. In my mind a 32GB iPhone would be too expensive to make it worthwhile producing, it wouldn't sell that well. I'm not even sure the 32GB touch sells great, I'm the only touch owner who I know that has one. But I'm sure there'll be 32GB in the iPhone within a year.

I'm also sure video conferencing will be in at some point, it works fine on other phones so why not the iPhone?!? I think its probably a design issue, it doesn't look like there's much space for a camera on the face. They're probably waiting till they've succesfully stuck it behind the screen or come up with another solution.

MMS is inexcusable to be left out, unless the dev team is full of mentals this surely has to be in v3.0?!?

To conclude, its only video conferencing which I can see as being a large obstacle for Apple to overcome.

 

[Quillz]

I think a 32 GB iPhone would sell quite well, actually. And at this point, it's not terribly expensive. Of course, by the time Apple adds a 32 GB flash drive, the 64 GB flash drive may become more affordable.

I think Apple is adding higher capacity flash drives to the MacBook Air first, then the iPod touch and finally the iPhone.