Well, no, there is that two year contract everyone signed. There's also quite a few (myself included) who are dissatisfied but apathetic.
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iPod Touch Seen as Building Base of Future iPhone Users
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Well, no, there is that two year contract everyone signed. There's also quite a few (myself included) who are dissatisfied but apathetic.
I'm in that boat. Actually, my bigger gripe is with their customer service, or lack thereof. It's why I dropped Cingular before they became AT&T (again) and why I refuse to go back to them. Their voice service is actually decent, but 3G is spotty in this state.
Even if the iPhone was on another carrier, though, I don't know if I would switch to it. I have a 16GB 1st gen Touch, and to be honest, I'm just not that thrilled with it. The odd thing is I can't really put my finger on why I'm not thrilled with it. I just keep finding myself going back to my 5th gen 30GB iPod Video. Maybe I just prefer the good old click wheel or something.
I didn't mention Verizon! I want an iPhone on T-Mobile.Why does every single thread about the iPhone have to come back to "iPhone on Verizon?"
Until a year ago, I would have said the same thing.
I had Cingular/AT&T since 2001 and was always very happy with their service, in two different neighborhoods, and then I moved to my new neighborhood, where I get no signal at all. None. For like a three block radius around my apartment. (I live on the north side of Chicago, right by the L. There should be no problems where I live. Tons of affluent white people live near me!)
And to say the least, the customer service was not particularly helpful.
Same boat here. My wife has an iPod Touch (I'll probably get one next year to replace my old 60GB 5.5 gen) but we both are stuck in Blackberry hell because Blackberry hell on Verizon is a far better place to be than iPhone heaven on AT&T. I'd love to be an iPhone customer and have one less device in my pocket / on my hip, but until AT&T's contracts are up, it just ain't happening. I need my phone to function as a phone, and for that I need a network which works where I live and work and everywhere in between.
In any case, the iPod Touch isn't a case of me not being "grown up" enough for the iPhone, but rather of the iPhone not being mainstream-acceptable enough for me yet.
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But giving the touch more iPhone-like features decreases the incentive to move to the iPhone, which according to this report, is what apple ultimately wants iPod touch users to do. I guess it will bring in more initial users though, so I guess it's a balancing act.
raggedjimmi said:
But giving the touch more iPhone-like features decreases the incentive to move to the iPhone, which according to this report, is what apple ultimately wants iPod touch users to do. I guess it will bring in more initial users though, so I guess it's a balancing act.
It's not so much a matter of people migrating to the iPhone as they mature as it is a matter of waiting for AT&T's pathetic coverage range to reach their respective areas.
There isn't much incentive to get an iPhone if it's impossible in the first place..
There isn't much incentive to get an iPhone if it's impossible in the first place..
Ummm ... AT&T sucked where I lived (northern California) long before the iPhone and continues to suck after the iPhone despite assurances that it would be drastically improving its network. In contrast, Verizon has always had excellent coverage (you can find dead spots, but even up in the Sierras it's hard to find them). This doesn't mean the iPhone deluge would leave it unfazed, but Verizon is starting with a much better foundation here than AT&T did, so I think it's rational to assume the end result would be better too.
As I've said at least a dozen times, though: its not so much "AT&T SUCKS!" as it is "AT&T SUCKS HERE!". I'm sure that there are places where AT&T is the better network and Verizon's coverage sucks. If you're in one of those areas, of course you shouldn't be waiting for the iPhone to hit a different network.
Not really...
We have two patterns in our family: some are waiting to change from the touch to the phone until Verizon has it (all the other networks suck in the west), and others (like me) won't ever switch until, and unless, we can segregate the battery between the phone and the iPod. I don't want to get off a plane, after watching movies, and have a dead phone.
We have two patterns in our family: some are waiting to change from the touch to the phone until Verizon has it (all the other networks suck in the west), and others (like me) won't ever switch until, and unless, we can segregate the battery between the phone and the iPod. I don't want to get off a plane, after watching movies, and have a dead phone.
Me...but I cracked under pressure when my 4 year old RAZR died in September on my Verizon network...I was done with my Verizon plan and my company gives a discount for ATT service.
Yes, ATT still is horrendous in the Northeast...but for me, I use my iPhone 30% for cell phone use and 70% for wifi/web surfing...at home. When I'm in the car, of course I am chained to ATT but I tell ya, I now will promote the iPhone unless you do (or WANT to do) 90% of your iPhone activities on the ATT cellular service and not wifi.
I am praying ATT will wise up and spend a few bucks on more towers in New England, but who knows. I'm not looking for blazing speed...just service so I can make calls and do slow-internet stuff for a few mins while en route somewhere. Verizon just R O C K S in New England for service.
-Eric
I agree that using my iPod Touch has made me want an iPhone. Unfortunately for me ATT service is horrible where I live so that won't happen until it goes to someone else.
The think people don't realize is that cell phone service is so volatile depending on where you live and where you use it. While many with ATT can say they have great service, so can someone else from another company. Cell phone companies have different philosophies- ATT focuses more on big city and world-wide service, US Cellular focuses on niches (like my rural NH area) and other companies have others.
The most recent news have cellular service as one of the most unhappy services that companies provide. The main reason for that is the fact that people expect cell phone service to be as reliable as land lines. This will likely never happen in the near future for all places due to limitations in technology and the push to provide more high speed instead of better coverage.
For those wondering about overall cell service- http://lifehacker.com/5417118/consumer-reports-releases-wireless-service-rankings
Back to topic- the iPod touch is doing what the iPod did for Macs....and what the "tablet mac" will do for Macs....create a wider user base that has experience using an Apple product that just works!
The think people don't realize is that cell phone service is so volatile depending on where you live and where you use it. While many with ATT can say they have great service, so can someone else from another company. Cell phone companies have different philosophies- ATT focuses more on big city and world-wide service, US Cellular focuses on niches (like my rural NH area) and other companies have others.
The most recent news have cellular service as one of the most unhappy services that companies provide. The main reason for that is the fact that people expect cell phone service to be as reliable as land lines. This will likely never happen in the near future for all places due to limitations in technology and the push to provide more high speed instead of better coverage.
For those wondering about overall cell service- http://lifehacker.com/5417118/consumer-reports-releases-wireless-service-rankings
Back to topic- the iPod touch is doing what the iPod did for Macs....and what the "tablet mac" will do for Macs....create a wider user base that has experience using an Apple product that just works!
Why does every single thread about the iPhone have to come back to "iPhone on Verizon?"
...because THAT"S what is keeping me from buying an iPhone at the moment. Other then in one city, AT&T sucks in my whole state and I need statewide coverage. Verizon has proven to be reliable over the whole state.
I suspect if there is any one thing that will slow or stall iPhone sales is that it becomes successful only where AT&T is strong, which from Verizon's map of AT&T is not as broad as AT&T would like us to think.
When the iTouch users come to buy a phone, there's better be a better service awaiting them or they will migrate to a system that "just works."
That's funny, because I plan on selling off my iPhones to go with a Touch, since:
1. Like most people, I don't actually NEED a cell phone.
2. Unlike most people, I barely even need a telephone.
3. Unlike most people, I like being unavailable and uninterruptible sometimes. When I'm out & about, I'm busy.
What can I say, I'm an in-person kind of guy. I like the iphone, but for me it's a PDA with a little phone app piggybacked on. An ipod touch with a mic and voip should do the trick for a lot less than $100 a month.
SandynJosh... from lake mills?
1. Like most people, I don't actually NEED a cell phone.
2. Unlike most people, I barely even need a telephone.
3. Unlike most people, I like being unavailable and uninterruptible sometimes. When I'm out & about, I'm busy.
What can I say, I'm an in-person kind of guy. I like the iphone, but for me it's a PDA with a little phone app piggybacked on. An ipod touch with a mic and voip should do the trick for a lot less than $100 a month.
SandynJosh... from lake mills?
This is the brilliant plan of Apple & Co. that has a music player that does just about everything that their phone does. If people hate AT&T and won't get the phone, Apple still wins when they buy the iPod Touch and get 90% of the experience.
Good job, Apple.
I think this is very true.the iPod touch is the "baby" iPhone..besides..well the phone. ..
But i'm still amazed how many kids I see with iPhones!...Its a crazy world...
..But i'm still amazed how many kids I see with iPhones!...Its a crazy world...
I don't buy it. The must-have phone among tweens and teens is a BlackBerry. Why? BBM. It's an exclusive club that multiplies exponentially. The more kids that have it, the more that want to want to have it to be a part of it. Kids will keep buying Touches as fun gadgets, but it won't translate into iPhone sales.
Here in Hong Kong, because of local government provision (unlike in mainland) the iPhone is factory unlocked so its really popular. You can see grade school kids with ipod touches while high school and collage students everywhere have iphones. So yeah there might be a trend, at least over here.
I bought a Touch because i won't go to AT&T. I'll ponder it on another carrier next year (no brainer if it's Verizon).
Otherwise, i will keep using my Touch as my PDA, and my Treo as my phone, and not have an expensive data plan (i'm out of contract with Verizon and am able to NOT have data on my Treo).
But, i will say, AGAIN, the lack of a camera on the Touch will NOT get me to buy an iPhone. It will tick me off though.....
Otherwise, i will keep using my Touch as my PDA, and my Treo as my phone, and not have an expensive data plan (i'm out of contract with Verizon and am able to NOT have data on my Treo).
But, i will say, AGAIN, the lack of a camera on the Touch will NOT get me to buy an iPhone. It will tick me off though.....
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According to the report, he point isn't to get tweens and teens to buy iPhones, it's to get people who are too young for cell phones hooked on the OS so they want an iPhone when they do get a cell phone.
As for bbm, I don't follow that age group's trends well enough to know if you're right, but I find it hard to believe bbm will make the difference in the long run. I know how that kind of teenage herd mentality is, but ultimately, there are much better devices for people that age, and I can't see bbm being enough when there are IM clients all over the place.
CrzyCanuck72 said:
According to the report, he point isn't to get tweens and teens to buy iPhones, it's to get people who are too young for cell phones hooked on the OS so they want an iPhone when they do get a cell phone.
As for bbm, I don't follow that age group's trends well enough to know if you're right, but I find it hard to believe bbm will make the difference in the long run. I know how that kind of teenage herd mentality is, but ultimately, there are much better devices for people that age, and I can't see bbm being enough when there are IM clients all over the place.
I know many people who found the iPhone to be a much more desirable product after owning touches. In addition, I myself have found it hard to give up the iPod for other PMPs because of the amount I have spent in the iTunes Store. This article is spot on... finally, analysts who know what they're talking about.
Right, my point was that these young'uns may love their Touches, but when it comes time to buy a cell, it won't be iPhones that they're running to.
Why does every single thread about the iPhone have to come back to "iPhone on Verizon?"
He didn't even mention Verizon, just not At&T. there are other carriers besides AT&T and verizon... (but yes I do think a Verizon iPhone would be optimal, just saying...)
exactly... although I use a prepaid card in my iphone... the main factor for me to get an iphone was the "i dont want to carry around two devices" argument
I dont need internet whereever I am... well, I just dont wanna pay for it