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Mid-2011 iPhone to Utilize Dual-Mode GSM/CDMA Chip, Skip 4G?

Rot'nApple said:
Yeah, it does look as if they got some young looking 'Jobsian' announcer to Keynote while dressed all in black! MS... have you no shame!!! :(
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It gets better... "Cut and Paste coming 2011" woohoo!

MS didn't just miss the boat, they ran screaming as it sailed off and dived into the sea, now they're screaming for help!
 
4G is very rare in most of the U.S, at least under AT&T - 3G is only slightly more accessible. Maybe with Verizon this will improve a lot.
 
Makes sense to hold out on LTE till 2012. While some of the US might be covered (by VZW, doubt AT&T will have anything substantial), the rest of the world will not even be close. Here in Canada, LTE wont be here till late 2011 at the earliest (and thats a stretch).

Plus the 3G networks here are fast as is. 5 mbps down/2 mbps up is easy to get over 3G hence nullifying the need for immediate 4G.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Unlocked World iPhone! F-- the carriers!

Sell it yourself, Apple. No subsidy, and let the users decide where to use it. If the carrier wants to sell it subsidized and lock them in for a few years, that's their choice.

Tired of carriers trying to dictate how I should use my mobile device. Maybe I don't want or need a data plan. Maybe I want to switch between two carriers over the next year. Maybe I like my grandfathered plan.

This is how it should have been all along.
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I think Apple might just consider this. Imagine, if/when both Verizon and AT&T are supported networks; when a customer walks into an Apple Store, which network would they push? Would one sales person recommend AT&T while another recommends Verizon? Would there be a standard policy? Apple really can't favor one over the other. So, it might go the unlocked route, which may be happening in other counties as well.

Now, on a completely different note, a single CDMA/GSM phone also means that Apple would not allow that damned Verizon "V" on the phone. And Apple won't give up it's App Store or have Verizon's VCast software.

What will Verizon do with VCast? Create it's own (crippled) app? Will it work on AT&T's network? AT&T has their app for billing purposes, would it work on Verizon's network (you might have another phone on AT&T's network).

Apple has created a new eco-system for phones (yes, we've heard it all before), where the service providers are just that, service providers.

Just random musings.
 
mrtune said:
Doesn't surprise me at all. Folks need to remember that Apple's first iPhone wasn't 3G even though 3G was available and other manufacturers were utilizing it at the time on their respective phones.

They will do the same with 4G. They will not be an early adopter.
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Exactly.

I have to assume that the folks who are surprised that the 2011 iPhone won't have 4G are all people who weren't around here in 2007.
 
This seems like a believable play and implementation of a iPhone that works on multiple carriers.

My guess would be that Apple has a LTE prototype in the works, but is holding off because the service is still being set up.
 
Dr Kevorkian94 said:
i could of guessed this was gunna happen, but nevertheless they better add s shiz lode of new features (and not just software ones) or im not buying it.
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Don't worry, I am sure Apple has your post up in the lunch room to remind employees they need to work extra hard so "Dr Kevorkian94" will buy their next device.
 
4G also lowers battery life

Look at ny 4G phone. It's battery life is so much shorter when using 4G than 3G.
 
Hopefully, when it does get 4G, it'll be able to be used as a hotspot for multiple devices. Buh-bye cable completely (TV service already gone:)).

I still think Apple should buy one of the carriers so they can provide a complete end to end user experience.
 
This seems like a good idea to hold back on the 4G. At least until Verizon has 75% of the country covered in it.

Its crazy to think that I just got a notification in the mail from VZW telling me they have finally increased my 3G speeds. Wonder how long it will take to switch it to 4G.
 
Small White Car said:
Exactly.

I have to assume that the folks who are surprised that the 2011 iPhone won't have 4G are all people who weren't around here in 2007.
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Surprised ? No, I don't think anyone is. Though this is still a rumor, it's consistent with Apple's new conservative stance on technology. Disappointed ? Yeah. Let's face it, the first iPhone didn't make much of a splash with low unit shipments compared to the when the 3G launched.

And also, with a proper 3G fallback (which LTE phones can do), what is the harm in shipping LTE even if only 1 city in the world supports it ? The phone still works on 3G networks for those that don't have access to LTE and people with LTE access get the latest and greatest.

Apple doesn't like win-win scenarios.

And it seems a lot of folks here don't like them either. Witholding 4G a good idea ? How ? The phone will work on a 3G network even though it's a 4G phone, what is it you lose exactly ? Sounds like the 1080p argument all over again.
 
KnightWRX said:
proper 3G fallback
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Pfft, 3G fallback doesn't even work! I take it you've never been wirelessly connected to a router that isn't receiving signal from a modem...it sucks when you're forced to disable wifi so that you can run on a working 3G connection.
 
Sounds like the right call, just like sticking to EDGE was in 2007. I still use an EDGE iPhone and it is slow browsing, but I can't complain about still paying $15/month for unlimited data & 200 texts, and never having the dropped call woes that have plagued many 3G users.
 
Sneakz said:
Makes sense to hold out on LTE till 2012. While some of the US might be covered (by VZW, doubt AT&T will have anything substantial), the rest of the world will not even be close. Here in Canada, LTE wont be here till late 2011 at the earliest (and thats a stretch).
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Verizon is on a more similar time-line for LTE than marketing would suggest. They have a slightly earlier rollout of a hybrid data-only LTE solution while they work out how/if voice hand off between CDMA and LTE will take place.
ATT has a comparable infrastructure being built out right now, but their plans to light it up are further out since they plans to activate a full Voice-Data solution.
Their long term feasible plans are within 6 months of each other.
 
Open it up Apple.

I'm with U.S. Cellular here in Chi-Town and would love to jump in.

Still using my 5 y/o 1st Gen Razr.
 
Completely understandable. While 4G speeds would be great, I'm fine with 3G. I think it's smart on Apple's part. They don't want an iPhone 4 all over again. The "guinea pig" statement really stands out and makes me realize why this is a good idea.

Dale
 
I've waited this long. I can wait 'till mid 2011 for a non AT&T iPhone. I think the iPhone 5 would be nice to have now that Apple has learned some lessons about engineering.
 
czeluff said:
Pfft, 3G fallback doesn't even work! I take it you've never been wirelessly connected to a router that isn't receiving signal from a modem...it sucks when you're forced to disable wifi so that you can run on a working 3G connection.
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2G can hand off to 3G, but the spec doesn't support the other way around. 3G can not hand off to 2G. It's not a matter of not working well. It's not even possible. This is beyond the possibility for ATT or any carrier to correct.
This is a critical fault with UTMS/GSM and carriers do not want to make the same mistake with LTE.
 
Hastings101 said:
4G is very rare in most of the U.S, at least under AT&T - 3G is only slightly more accessible. Maybe with Verizon this will improve a lot.
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From what I read about LTE, if that's what you mean by 4G, verizon will, in November, claim to cover about 100M people. Still no devices that I know of and if it's a phone, data only. Voice will stay CDMA. Last month, ATT said they started field testing in Baltimore and Dallas.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Unlocked World iPhone! F-- the carriers!

Sell it yourself, Apple. No subsidy, and let the users decide where to use it. If the carrier wants to sell it subsidized and lock them in for a few years, that's their choice.

Tired of carriers trying to dictate how I should use my mobile device. Maybe I don't want or need a data plan. Maybe I want to switch between two carriers over the next year. Maybe I like my grandfathered plan.

This is how it should have been all along.
Click to expand...

Apple sorta tried that partly with iPhone1,1. Then they dropped the price, then they dropped the price a lot and got the phone subsidized (iPhone1,2). Americans are very reluctant to pay over 299 for a cell phone, even if you could take it to any carrier that you want. Plus carriers like the lock-in that subsidies cause.
 
Interesting... I've said I'll next upgrade to whatever carrier has a 4g iPhone first.

If Apple really is going to wait until mid-2012 for a 4g compatible iPhone they are really going to lose some technological edge. It was one thing delaying going from EDGE to 3G when they had a small market share and nothing really to lose. But now they have a large market and delaying could be costly - check the history of Motorola with delaying going from Analog to Digital.
 
MacRumors has this nailed. The iPhone 5 will be dual GSM/CDMA so Apple won't have to build two units, one for each network (although a CDMA only iPhone 4 will still be coming in Jan 11 to bridge the gap, Apple just can't wait any longer) and will skip LTE in 2011 because Verizon will only be 50% built out by mid 2011, and AT&T about 35%. By mid 2012, in time for the iPhone 6, the LTE network is supposed to be nearly 100% on Verizon compared to their current CDMA network, and on AT&T will likely be 75+%. Apple doesn't want to sell an LTE phone when the networks are woefully unsupported... 2012 will be the big year.
 
if this does happen, dont expect to be able to just switch carriers whenever you want without an unofficial hacked unlock. you will still likely be buying an AT&T or Verizon iPhone 5 that is locked to that particular carrier.

i think the idea of apple themselves selling an iphone that is unlocked and can be activated on either AT&T or Verizon is a nice dream to have but we arent there yet.
 
czeluff said:
Pfft, 3G fallback doesn't even work! I take it you've never been wirelessly connected to a router that isn't receiving signal from a modem...it sucks when you're forced to disable wifi so that you can run on a working 3G connection.
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What are you talking about ? My iPhone fallbacks from 3G to EDGE fine. This is not a Wifi - Cellular fallback we're talking about here.

What makes you think a LTE to 3G fallback wouldn't work as well as a 3G to EDGE one ? The damn tech and software already do it.
 
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