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iPhone Subtleties: Feature Lock, Capacity

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Some fine print regarding the iPhone is being brought to light today regarding the iPhone's storage capacity and features.

Many users continue to extol Apple's apparent editing mistake in its activation video where the iPhone is shown to have an 74.40 GB capacity. While we firmly believe this was simply an editing mistake on Apple's part, Apple shows during other parts of the video the capacity of an apparently empty 8 GB iPhone as 7.24 GB. It is standard industry practice to advertise a device's physical capacity rather than usable, formatted capacity, and it seems the iPhone is no exception. Potential purchasers should keep this in mind when deciding on which model to choose.

In addition, TUAW has noted that Apple and AT&T are serious when they indicate that a 2-year service plan is required when purchasing an iPhone. According to fine-print on Apple's rate-plan webpage, even iPod features of the iPhone will be locked until the phone is activated after purchase of a service plan through iTunes.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/06/26/iphone-subtleties-capacity-feature-lock/
its reasonable, and Im interested to hear more details when ppl get a hand on the real thing.
 
I doubt it'll be long before iPhone hacks start to surface, this includes one that would allow it to be used as a sleek video playing, cover flowing iPod, for those that want to dish out $500 or $600 to use it as such.
 
Yes but this doesn't mean there won't be a workaround that is relatively easy (or "easy-for-the-savvy", a la something like a .AppleSetupDone file). And no, I'm not saying it would necessarily be that easy; just that it could be.

This also presumes that the iPod would still remain functional after the contract expires; assuming, of course, that Apple and AT&T wouldn't want to brick the phone after your two-year contract period is up (or, even if you cancel for $175). So assuming it's true, that implies there must be some way or workaround, even if unsupported, to get the iPhone into a state of working with iTunes WITHOUT activation.

Again, I'm not saying this is certain, just that it's likely.
 
I have to say that with all the restrictions, you'd expect the iphone to be free. I won't buy one until there are unlocked ones so that I can use local sim cards while travelling. In Europe, that's way things work and I don't intend to pay the ATT premium to use my phone there.

They're pushing things too far this time, especially given the price.
 
longofest said:
Apple claims that the iPhone has 8 GB, not 8 GiB, so no, they aren't the same.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html
Click to expand...

From that page:

Storage 4GB or 8GB¹

¹ 1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.​

OSX and Windows display storage use in KiB, MiB and GiB - therefore the numbers are the same.

If make a file that 8 billion bytes in size (8*10^9), OSX or Windows will say that it's 7.45 GB [sic] in size.

You didn't lose .55 GB, it's just a numbering error (and Apple is wrong for using the "GB" in their display texts rather than GiB).
 
PDE said:
I have to say that with all the restrictions, you'd expect the iphone to be free. I won't buy one until there are unlocked ones so that I can use local sim cards while travelling. In Europe, that's way things work and I don't intend to pay the ATT premium to use my phone there.

They're pushing things too far this time, especially given the price.
Click to expand...

um you might be waiting for a long, long time. I'll tell you how much fun the iphone is while i'm using it... hahahaha gooo :apple:
 
Insurance/Applecare

Does anyone know who is going to be servicing the phone, right now I pay $5 per month for insurance for my phone, but since this is an Apple product are you going to get the 1 free year of apple care for it like on their computers, and then pay for additional time after the first year is up?
 
Did the video say "all my music and videos" at one point then later change it to "your music and favorite videos"? I'm running about 56 Gigs right now as far as music and videos... they need a hard drive based model...
 
Macrumors said:
In addition, TUAW has noted that Apple and AT&T are serious when they indicate that a 2-year service plan is required when purchasing an iPhone. According to fine-print on Apple's rate-plan webpage, even iPod features of the iPhone will be locked until the phone is activated after purchase of a service plan through iTunes.
Click to expand...

Good for them! That is the right thing to do. It is a phone with the best iPod ever. Not the best iPod ever with a phone.
 
longofest said:
Apple claims that the iPhone has 8 GB, not 8 GiB, so no, they aren't the same.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html
Click to expand...

Direct from that web site:

"Storage 4GB or 8GB(1)"

"(1) 1GB=1 billion bytes, actual formatted capacity less."

Apple, like EVERY OTHER storage/hard drive manufacturer on the PLANET, advertises size on the internet and even on the box in "GB" with a subnote that "1GB = 1 billion bytes" as opposed to some power of 2 like it should be.
 
pfft, if they dont like the idea, go get a Zune, then maybe they'll stop complaining. (until it BSOD's)
 
gkarris said:
Did the video say "all my music and videos" at one point then later change it to "your music and favorite videos"? I'm running about 56 Gigs right now as far as music and videos... they need a hard drive based model...
Click to expand...

hard drive based models would be foolish because if you were to repeatedly drop it, you would eventually have to repair the HD which costs lots of :apple: $$$... just wait 2 years when 40GiB flash becomes cheap, then you can salivate all you want. 16GB flash just came out, so hold your horses
 
MSU05 said:
Does anyone know who is going to be servicing the phone, right now I pay $5 per month for insurance for my phone, but since this is an Apple product are you going to get the 1 free year of apple care for it like on their computers, and then pay for additional time after the first year is up?
Click to expand...

The one year warranty isn't "free AppleCare"; it's just a one year warranty. And yes, based on everything we know to date, it seems reasonable that iPhone will have a one year warranty, since all iPods do. All Apple hardware products, including iPods, also have AppleCare available which extends the warranty and phone support from one year and 90 days, respectively, to two years. AppleCare for iPod is $59. It also seems reasonable to believe this will be an option for iPhone.

However, neither Apple's warranty nor AppleCare cover dropping, theft, accidental damage, etc. It remains to be seen whether AT&T will provide any insurance for it (it appears the answer is no). There will very likely be third parties that will spring up happy to provide full-coverage insurance for iPhone.
 
editing mistake, I am not so sure

"the iPhone is shown to have an 74.40 GB capacity. While we firmly believe this was <u>simply an editing mistake</u> on Apple's part"

If you look at the video at the 6:15 mark you will see the following
Audio 25.64GB
Video 13.09GB
Other 12.55GB
Free Space 23.13GB

It's almost like they have the phone hooked up to a regular size hard drive. Interesting...
 
Hmmm I wonder if there is some secret attachment to hook up 1.8" HDs up to the iphone. Not that its convienent to carry around two devices, or good for battery life, but if you're debugging it at your desk, neither of it are an issue.
 
imo it is not the right thing to do. supposedly this is not just a phone and shouldn't be treated as such.

darwen said:
Good for them! That is the right thing to do. It is a phone with the best iPod ever. Not the best iPod ever with a phone.
Click to expand...
 
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