Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone 3G Hands On, Notes, and Questions

mustang_dvs said:
At the local store (where people were lined up around the block) it took 2-4 minutes from the time the customer asked for the iPhone to the moment they left the store, sealed iPhone(s) in hand.
Click to expand...

At the Apple store or the AT&T store? I'm having to go to the AT&T store because I need to upgrade an existing line plus make some other tweaks, figured that might be beyond what the Apple store could handle. I'm also hoping that the local AT&T store will be less crowded that the Apple stores at the malls.

Anyone have any experience of this from last year, which was more crowded?
 
considering how the networks are enforcing 18 month contracts on iPhone buyers thus ensuring a full 18 month sale of service, they should be handing out iPhones free on the streets to anyone willing to spend £700+ over 18 months on a phone, believe me they'll sell even more phones, make even more money but on the downside we'll have another razr on our hands ... well to be honest I think we are gonna have that anyway ..
 
egor said:
Do we know whether photo messaging (MMS) is in yet? I'm seriously considering getting one but I already have a 32GB touch. It would need to provide standard phone functions for me to consider it in favour of phones which have decent cameras and are cheaper.
Click to expand...

No it isn't, the internet is going skitz about it not being on firmware 2.0/iPhone 3G - and Apple want a major ass-kicking for not putting it in.
 
lordgaino said:
How about Philips? or Roberts? or Morphy Richards?
Click to expand...

You from the UK by any chance? NEVER EVER heard of ANY of those transistor radio brands in the US. Maybe they did manage to survive in the UK.

Here one of the top manufacturer's was Lloyd's and Montgomery Wards. Silvertone. All without a trace.
 
lamina said:
FWIW I just got off the phone with a dude from Rogers. He said the iPhone for $199 and $299 will require a 3 year contract.

He also said the phone without contract renewal will be something close to $600. Sounds about right to me, but take it with a grain of salt, since front line phone support dudes often aren't privy to info on an unreleased product.
Click to expand...

That won't happen because doesn't want the iPhone to be unlocked. If they allowed the phone to be sold for that price, then people would just pay $500-$600 for it, and unlock the phone and use it however they want and with whoever they want.
 
Not Worth it!

djcraze said:
Activation in store + extra 10$ for a 3G service I cant even use + extended 2 year contract.. I WAS considering getting it (despite my other Post on not getting one).. but this is a huge deal-breaker for me..

My Current fee is $60, with only 400 minutes, and I have like 3000 rollover minutes-- I don't use the phone THAT much but I like having it...

Having to active in store will be a pain for everyone, and the fact you can't gift the item for someone not currently on AT&T (but is switching..) is messed up. I was hoping it would be like the last iPhone, you buy it and signup for AT&T in the iTS, but I guess not.

They are expecting people to go through all of this change, for WHAT!? 3G, and GPS.. Maybe if it had an aluminum back, front cam, and at least a 3.5Megapixel cam.. BAH

This is ridiculous Apple :(.. Its to much trouble, forget the new iPhone.. I'm sticking with my 1st Gen iPhone until you clean this mess up.

PSH
Click to expand...

I feel the same and will add that still a phone without a removable battery, or Video Capabilities is not that great. I also have over 3000 rollover minutes and no contract.
 
absolutic said:
yeah, and what happens if I dont return the phone and cancel within 30 days. they come with the cops to my house to look for it?
Click to expand...

No if you don't bring the phone back they will not cancel your contract. If you refuse to pay the bill each month, it will go to collections and your credit will be ruined...not worth it for a phone, better to wait for them to show up on the grey market.
 
xbjllb said:
You from the UK by any chance? NEVER EVER heard of ANY of those transistor radio brands in the US. Maybe they did manage to survive in the UK.

Here one of the top manufacturer's was Lloyd's and Montgomery Wards. Silvertone. All without a trace.
Click to expand...

Plus General Electric who were number 6 in last year's Fortune 500 companies.

Argument fails.
 
diamond.g said:
How many here would still be mad about the plan price if they were able to get say 10-15% off the plan?

I suggest everyone go to AT&T's Premier site and see if they qualify for a discount.

If the AT&T internal email is to believed the 3G iPhone will be eligible for discounts, taking much of the sting out of the non-specialness of the "3G iPhone plan". They even state that some discounts are able to stack ;).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link! I went there and signed up with my school email address and it says I should see some discount in the next couple billing cycles. I'm not holding my breath it'll be anything, but if it works it was well worth the 5 minutes of my time :)
 
phantomsd said:
Yep. I wish I would have kept my 4GB iPhone months ago if I had knew iPhone 3G would turn out like this! I agree with kskill, the value of the first-generation iPhone just went up... just do a quick search on craigslist and you will see lots of "WTB: iphone" posts and many more posts selling them for 400-500+.

There are some going for cheap... but those sellers (most likely current AT&T customers) are just looking to get rid of their iPhones quick to upgrade to 3G meanwhile the "informed bunch" who caught on have hiked up the price since their phones could possibly be the only TRUE unlocked iPhones IF Apple/AT&T's efforts prevail. A lot of people (mainly unlocked/hacked community) dislike AT&T and aren't looking to sign a two-year contract with a 70~90 monthly bill.
Click to expand...

Only the suckers will be paying $500 for a 1st gen iPhone. Regardless of the AT&T situation here, the new phones will show up on the grey market very soon because the suppliers will get them from countries where the activation requirements aren't as strict. The new ones will be unlocked and available within 1 month of release in my opinion, at which point the 1st gen phones will be greatly reduced in value.
 
so have we received word on how or if this affects current iphone plans? Will customers already with the original iphone have to pay more for data? or will we be at our current plan forever until we upgrade to something else?

and what about people who buy an old iphone on ebay and wish to activate that, will they be forced to get the $30 data plan +txt? or can they still activate under the old iphone plan?
 
DN7335 said:
Only the suckers will be paying $500 for a 1st gen iPhone. Regardless of the AT&T situation here, the new phones will show up on the grey market very soon because the suppliers will get them from countries where the activation requirements aren't as strict. The new ones will be unlocked and available within 1 month of release in my opinion, at which point the 1st gen phones will be greatly reduced in value.
Click to expand...

Unless they get bricked by AT&T using the IMEI to track and nuke them.

Which they will.
 
neondiet said:
I totally disagree. The plastic back will improve signal strength and reception. Plus it allows them to offer more consumer choice in the form of colours. Expect Apple to eventually offer the full range of iPod colours.
Click to expand...

Not to mention most people will be wraping their phones in some kind of case so who cares about the stupid plastic back?! Get over it people!!
 
eastcoastsurfer said:
Thanks for the link! I went there and signed up with my school email address and it says I should see some discount in the next couple billing cycles. I'm not holding my breath it'll be anything, but if it works it was well worth the 5 minutes of my time :)
Click to expand...

tgildred said:
Cool... I didn't even think of that. My company gets an 8% discount on plans, with another discount on hardware. We'll see if it applies to the iPhone, any reason why it shouldn't, you think? I guess the price would go down to $64 and some change, which ain't much... but it's something!
Click to expand...

Sadly FAN discounts won't work on iPhone 2G plans. But they should work on iPhone 3G plans!!
 
Two questions:

1) If you walk into the Apple Store or AT&T store with your current iPhone and you upgrade, what happens to the old iPhone? I assume it's now untethered and can be sold and re-tethered via iTunes (or, if you have a Family Plan, added to one of your other lines.) Is this correct?

2) What about the text upgrade packages, do they remain the same?
 
What about the Family Plan

The original iPhone was the Family Plan Secret weapon. Get the $59 plan and then just $20 for a second phone complete with data and messages. Under the new terms it looks like about $800 extra over 2 years for your family plan. You can double-check my calculations at ishouldbethepresident.com.

Anyway, that doesn't even take into account the lack of messaging. For now it looks like the smart move is to try to do what ever you can to see if you can convince the ATT store people the give you the $15 MediaNet. This plan was designed for their "dumb" phones but after some haggling I was able to get a similar plan in January to get a subsidized BlackJackII even though they wanted me to get a $30 smartphone plan.

Alternatively you may just be able to buy the phone with the dataplan and then drop it online and then add the cheap MediaNet plan online. Then just wait and see if they charge you an extra $200. And remember most AT&T employees know less about their phones and plan than you do if you spend 20 minute looking at their website and reading their brochures.
 
So with the release of the iPhone 3G, what is going to happen with the iTouch?? Price drop, form factor update??? Any news regarding the iTouch??
 
seppoj said:
How would they recognise a European iPhone roaming in ATT network? Surely nuking based purely on IMEi is not an option?
Click to expand...

IMEI is an international identifier. All AT&T have to do is raise it with the CEIR and it gets blacklisted on all operators networks making it unusable. Of course, you can change IMEI if you really know what you're doing and have the tools to do it but I'll bet you they get over 95% of illegal handsets.
 
HyperX said:
I want to know what happens when you sign up, leave the store, then loose *cough cough* the phone, and walk back into the store 3 mins later the cancel the contract. Do they just charge you the ~200? If so then its not a bad deal ;P

Though my credit is pure **** ;\ I dunno how I can get one.
Click to expand...

Maybe your credit is crap because you're already trying to figure out how to violate this company's user agreement. You know, just like when you try to figure out how to get around paying all those pesky credit card bills each month, I mean, what a hassle!
 
So let me get this straight:

I cannot buy the iPhone directly from Apple, I have to go to an AT&T store?

I cannot activate my iPhone at home on iTunes like I did with my current model?

No wonder AT&T is not allowing employees to take a vacation for a month. It will take that long to buy and activate the thing.
 
BongoBanger said:
IMEI is an international identifier. All AT&T have to do is raise it with the CEIR and it gets blacklisted on all operators networks making it unusable. Of course, you can change IMEI if you really know what you're doing and have the tools to do it but I'll bet you they get over 95% of illegal handsets.
Click to expand...

While that's true, unless you're doing something on their network which actually endangers the network AT&T is most likely not going to shut you off. By making people sign up in store, Apple and AT&T have pretty much stopped the easy unlocking and my guess is that they won't take anymore measures beyond that.
 
I did not understand that article at all.........


WTF does "199 represents AT&T subsidized price" mean???????

WHERE WAS THAT IN THE KEYNOTE?

Thats not at all what was said, nor is there any reason to think thats the case.

Also, for those of us with Pre-paid, "gophone" iphone plans (the only way anyone should be using it), we don't need instore activation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back