iPhone 5 released later than usual so AT&T could get 4G in place?

[drober30]

Where and when will 4G from AT&T be available to me?

AT&T is constantly deploying upgraded backhaul to deliver 4G speeds. By the end of 2011, we expect approximately 2/3 of our mobile broadband traffic to be delivered over our enhanced network. For information on currently available 4G markets, see 4G Speed from AT&T and select the Coverage map.

Just makes sense to me that iPhone 5 was delayed so 4G could be in place when it's launched.

I think waiting until iPhone 6 would just be to long for the iPhone not to have 4G with all the billboards, commercials and other marketing that is taking place surrounding 4G.

I know there are two schools of thought on this so what do you think?

 

[antman2295]

Where and when will 4G from AT&T be available to me?

AT&T is constantly deploying upgraded backhaul to deliver 4G speeds. By the end of 2011, we expect approximately 2/3 of our mobile broadband traffic to be delivered over our enhanced network. For information on currently available 4G markets, see 4G Speed from AT&T and select the Coverage map.

Just makes sense to me that iPhone 5 was delayed so 4G could be in place when it's launched.

I think waiting until iPhone 6 would just be to long for the iPhone not to have 4G with all the billboards, commercials and other marketing that is taking place surrounding 4G.

I know there are two schools of thought on this so what do you think?

I just want the iPhone 5 to support HSPA+, LTE isn't that big a deal to me, plus ill be able to get faster speeds than 3g but without the huge battery drain. I don't think apple cares about At&t having HSPA+ deployed, because the iPhone will be able to support it when its finally ready.

 

[iEnvy]

Where and when will 4G from AT&T be available to me?

AT&T is constantly deploying upgraded backhaul to deliver 4G speeds. By the end of 2011, we expect approximately 2/3 of our mobile broadband traffic to be delivered over our enhanced network. For information on currently available 4G markets, see 4G Speed from AT&T and select the Coverage map.

Just makes sense to me that iPhone 5 was delayed so 4G could be in place when it's launched.

I think waiting until iPhone 6 would just be to long for the iPhone not to have 4G with all the billboards, commercials and other marketing that is taking place surrounding 4G.

I know there are two schools of thought on this so what do you think?

No...the iPhone is not tied to ATT so it wouldn't make sense to delay a product for one company when there is Verizon(and possibly Sprint) customers waiting. Plus the iPhone 5 may not even have 4G and IF it did, they would just release the phone anyways because it would still be compatible with 3G. Then if ATT "releases 4G" then the iPhone's "4G capabilities" will finally work.

 

[drober30]

But Apple and AT&T have a special/close relationship and if they released a 4G iPhone and Verizon could advertise that they had 4G and AT&T did not, then that would be bad for AT&T.

I can see Apple delaying a couple of months to have it ready when it hits our hands!

 

[Andy Ftw]

No...the iPhone is not tied to ATT so it wouldn't make sense to delay a product for one company when there is Verizon(and possibly Sprint) customers waiting. Plus the iPhone 5 may not even have 4G and IF it did, they would just release the phone anyways because it would still be compatible with 3G. Then if ATT "releases 4G" then the iPhone's "4G capabilities" will finally work.

This. Infact there are other countries apart from USA who are waiting for the iPhone 5 too

 

[TC25]

I know there are two schools of thought on this so what do you think?

Delaying a new product for 1 carrier would be very stupid. I think there's only 1 student in that 'school of thought'.

 

[drober30]

Delaying a new product for 1 carrier would be very stupid. I think there's only 1 student in that 'school of thought'.

1 carrier who is huge and has been in bed with Apple from the start. Were only talking a 4 month delay.

I'm hoping with many others that this could be true and am just having some fun speculating while we all await the announcement!

 

[kdarling]

It seems a better bet to me that the delay was in redesigning for a larger screen (assuming the iPhone gets one), different antenna (if the case is being redone), and perhaps some other as-yet unknown feature (maybe stylus input?).

Apparently Verizon had expected just a specs bump in June (as did many people here), but my guess is that Apple didn't think they could wait another year with the way that larger screened devices were selling.

However, I'm far better at detailed history than detailed forecasts

Either way, we'll know soon enough.

 

[Merkie]

You do realize most iPhones are sold outside of the US?

 

[xdbuix]

1 carrier who is huge and has been in bed with Apple from the start. Were only talking a 4 month delay.

I'm hoping with many others that this could be true and am just having some fun speculating while we all await the announcement!

It's not a 4 month delay. The iPhone was expected to be released in June this year. There was just a leak at Bestbuy that a sprint iPhone is expected next month and rumors all pointing to oct launch. I honestly dont see any way around it nor do I see the benefit of holding the iPhone launch just because of one carrier that wasn't ready.

 

[yourmother]

You do realize most iPhones are sold outside of the US?

Yes 4g is more or less no where to be found outside the US. Even in Japan the iphone carrier Softbank doesn't have 4g network outside of Tokyo.

I think everyone is hoping the delay is for some knock our socks off reason to justify the wait. Lets hope thats the case, but we'll see.

 

[Nicolas4ever]

i don't think so.Apple isn't waiting just a carrier

 

[sulpfiction]

Delaying a new product for 1 carrier would be very stupid. I think there's only 1 student in that 'school of thought'.

I don't think it's stupid at all. Likely? No, But possible? absolutely. IF iPhone 5 happened to support 4G, Verizon would have had a huge advantage over AT&T with a launch back in June and customers would have left AT&T in droves to jump in with Verizon. It just wouldn't be good business if it went down that way. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised that if iPhone 5 happens to support 4G, AT&T not being "ready" played at least some small roll in the delay. Even if it was like "well, we should look into this, maybe change that, do more battery studies, etc, etc....It'll delay things a few months, but it'll give us a much better end product, and it'll also give AT&T a chance to roll out more HSPA+ coverage and be that much closer to LTE." I just don't know!

Listen, I will be doing backflips if iPhone 5 is 4G. And if it is, and since I am staying with AT&T because of my grandfathered data plan, I'll be super happy with HSPA+ over 3G. And the delay would have only been to my advantage since LTE on AT&T will be that much closer. If the iPhone dropped in June and Verzion users were speeding along on 4G LTE, and I was still sportin' 3G, I'd be so pissed. And I am sure millions of others would be too. So whatever the reason is for the delay, if iPhone 5 turns out to be 4G it'll have all been worth the wait!

 

[PDFierro]

To the OP ... as much as you think so, no. That's not the reason. What about all the other combination of reasons?

 

[WeegieMac]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if ANY of the UK networks have 4G anywhere near ready to go? I've not seen one hint of advertisement of 4G services or even 4G compatible handsets here in the UK.

 

[Merkie]

I don't think it's stupid at all. Likely? No, But possible? absolutely. IF iPhone 5 happened to support 4G, Verizon would have had a huge advantage over AT&T with a launch back in June and customers would have left AT&T in droves to jump in with Verizon. It just wouldn't be good business if it went down that way. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised that if iPhone 5 happens to support 4G, AT&T not being "ready" played at least some small roll in the delay. Even if it was like "well, we should look into this, maybe change that, do more battery studies, etc, etc....It'll delay things a few months, but it'll give us a much better end product, and it'll also give AT&T a chance to roll out more HSPA+ coverage and be that much closer to LTE." I just don't know!

Listen, I will be doing backflips if iPhone 5 is 4G. And if it is, and since I am staying with AT&T because of my grandfathered data plan, I'll be super happy with HSPA+ over 3G. And the delay would have only been to my advantage since LTE on AT&T will be that much closer. If the iPhone dropped in June and Verzion users were speeding along on 4G LTE, and I was still sportin' 3G, I'd be so pissed. And I am sure millions of others would be too. So whatever the reason is for the delay, if iPhone 5 turns out to be 4G it'll have all been worth the wait!

The US only accounts for a small percentage of iPhone sales. AT&T isn't so important, it's only 1 carrier out of more than 100.

 

[tctony]

It's not out of the question. They probably wouldn't want to release one so soon after the Verizon iPhone 4 as well.

 

[F123D]

There's no loyalty. It's a business. We'll find out shortly why the delay but it's not because apple and at&t are bff.

 

[Biolizard]

You do realize most iPhones are sold outside of the US?

This concept really needs to start permeating the forums more. The amount of "Apple is delaying the iPhone 5 because of the Verizon iPhone" and "iPhone 5 will include LTE because of Verizon/AT&T" threads is just ridiculous.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if ANY of the UK networks have 4G anywhere near ready to go? I've not seen one hint of advertisement of 4G services or even 4G compatible handsets here in the UK.

I believe the spectrum currently used by analogue television will be auctioned off for 4G sometime next year once the switchover is complete; one or two of the networks will be conducting a trial in the West Country soon in association with the Government.

So, it'll be a couple of years yet, but we're not as desperate for it since we have HSPA+ available to us which should suffice for now, unlike in the US where Verizon have maxed out their tech and AT&T have to play 'marketing catch-up'. 3.9G just doesn't sound as sexy as 4G, even though the current implementation isn't really 4G by the original definition, but that's another story.

 

[sulpfiction]

This concept really needs to start permeating the forums more. The amount of "Apple is delaying the iPhone 5 because of the Verizon iPhone" and "iPhone 5 will include LTE because of Verizon/AT&T" threads is just ridiculous.

The US only accounts for a small percentage of iPhone sales. AT&T isn't so important, it's only 1 carrier out of more than 100.

I understand and agree...And it's more like 200 carriers worldwide at this point. I don't really think apple held up IP5 for AT&T. But heres what I don't get. Out of all the carriers worldwide, how many are using widespread 4G coverage? Im asking because I don't really know. If it's more than not, then why is every rumor about whether or not ip5 will have 4g always centered around 4G not being "quite there yet" in the USA. If other countries were, and a good chunk of the 200 carriers had widespread 4g, why would apple care about 4g coverage for it's 2 or 3 US carriers? You would think if that was the case, the iphone 5 would certainly be 4g capable.

And on the other side of the coin, if 4g isn't so widespread with carriers outside the US, why would Apple even consider a 4g ip5 at this point? It would make a lot more sense to wait if a large percentage of carriers weren't even ready for it.

But if 4G is in about the same place worldwide, and most of the carriers were only a few months ahead or behind each other, the delay for 4g theory would make a lot more sense.

And for the record, I'm just playing devils advocate here. I don't really think the delay had anything to do with 4g. But I think it's fun to read and speculate on just about every rumor. It helps pass the time waiting.

 

[Merkie]

4G isn't widespread yet. That's why the next iPhone won't have 4G.

 

[thetexan]

I doubt it. At this rate Verizon is going to have a larger 4G/LTE coverage footprint than AT&T's 3G coverage footprint before the end of the year.

 

[spamfish123]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if ANY of the UK networks have 4G anywhere near ready to go? I've not seen one hint of advertisement of 4G services or even 4G compatible handsets here in the UK.

I found this the other day. Seems all the main ones have some form of '3.5G' (HSDPA etc), though I assume coverage is patchy at best (I think I've seen it in London and Manchester and that's about it)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_Europe#United_Kingdom

Oh, and O2 has 4G in Slough. Err, great.
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/o2-...e-3g-traffic-for-the-entire-country-50003315/

 

[vitzr]

Apple knows they have all the power so timing of the release is irrelevant.

 

[Reach9]

No, don't expect LTE for the iPhone 5. I expect that LTE will be the killer feature for iPhone 6. C'mon guys, think about it logically, LTE has just come out and the current gen chips would drastically degrade battery life.

There's no need to destroy the iPhone's performance for faster data.