MMS - Up to the carrier

[kas23]

Getting back to MMS, I don't see how Apple are going to make any money from it at all and don't think this has anything to do with why we haven't seen it. It's not big in the US, plain and simple. I think Job's thought that if they included email it would be just as good. Thing is, now it's all over the world in market which love MMS and networks are losing money big time. The survey by O2 looks to me like it might be Apple trying to charge the networks for the stock MMS app, and O2 are trying to work out whether its worth the outlay.

But, MMS is big in the US (although mostly amongst the teenager and college crowd). It is not a lack of demand that is keeping the US from having MMS. I think the problem is that, in the US, AT&T has no incentive to push Apple for MMS. AT&T's texting plan price is the same as its text+MMS price. So people who have an iPhone with texting plan are paying the same price as someone with an MMS-enabled phone with texting+MMS plan.

 

[Aurial]

But, MMS is big in the US (although mostly amongst the teenager and college crowd). It is not a lack of demand that is keeping the US from having MMS. I think the problem is that, in the US, AT&T has no incentive to push Apple for MMS. AT&T's texting plan price is the same as its text+MMS price. So people who have an iPhone with texting plan are paying the same price as someone with an MMS-enabled phone with texting+MMS plan.

It sounds like you're probably right.

 

[kas23]

It sounds like you're probably right.

But, this only speaks for AT&T and not other carriers. Will other carriers in the world be able to charge extra if they bring MMS to the iPhone?

 

[Aurial]

But, this only speaks for AT&T and not other carriers. Will other carriers in the world be able to charge extra if they bring MMS to the iPhone?

MMS messages are more expensive than texts here in the UK, and aren't included in your text allowance. Usually when you buy a phone you get an allowance of texts and calls for whatever you're paying a month, the more line rental you pay the more you get 'free'. It's pretty rare to find one that includes MMS messages, and the iPhone tariffs certainly don't. O2 would charge somewhere between 20 - 40 pence per MMS sent. By contrast, an SMS costs 12 pence.

 

[kas23]

MMS messages are more expensive than texts here in the UK, and aren't included in your text allowance. Usually when you buy a phone you get an allowance of texts and calls for whatever you're paying a month, the more line rental you pay the more you get 'free'. It's pretty rare to find one that includes MMS messages, and the iPhone tariffs certainly don't. O2 would charge somewhere between 20 - 40 pence per MMS sent. By contrast, an SMS costs 12 pence.

So it makes sense why the European carriers are pushing for MMS.

 

[TheMBC]

Can everyone stop saying Apple is getting a cut from each bill we pay to AT&T? That was true before (and if you have the original contract, it's still true), but since the iPhone was subsidized the contract between Apple and AT&T has been renegotiated and Apple isn't getting a cut from any iPhone 3G bills, since AT&T needs to reimburse itself from all the money it slashed off the iPhone's initial price.

 

[sjorge]

Personally I don't get the fuss over MMS but a lot of people do seem to want it.

None of my friends use MMS, I'm certain there phones support it.
Only my T10 didn't have MMS, all my prev. phones did but I never used it. Personally I find the iphone lacks some other things that are more important.

But I can certainly see some providers wanting it because of the extra $$ they'll get. I won't say no to more features either

 

[nimda0]

Simply put, I call BS.

 

[Aurial]

Simply put, I call BS.

Well, all I can tell you is that the O2 survey over iPhone MMS did happen, and that the questions were along the lines of "If we brought out MMS on the iPhone..."

I can't vouch for what anyone else says.