Next-Generation iPhone to Have "Faster Internet Speeds"?

[KIRA]

faster internet is great and all but i want to see an upgrade in design of the new iPhone.

 

[Andreios]

I would like to see a faster and more powerful iPhone as long as it doesn't impact the battery life too much, as for the design of the iPhone I don't think it needs changed too much.

 

[bigchief]

I understand the posters frustration with the fact that Apple can only upgrade the phone with a hardware revision instead of a software update. The other night when 3.0 was announced, a podcast I listen to praised apple for distancing itself from other phone makers by showing that it can support its phone through software rather than hardware updates (unlike some phone makers who release a new phone every month!)

I will be pretty dissapointed if Apple announces any new drastic updates in its hardware revision this year (if one happens) because it might make them look like all of the other phone makers. The iPhone hardware is amazing, and as apple showed with the 3.0 preview, they can still do a heck of a lot with the current hardware.

So I really hope Apple waits on this one and shows that its 3.0 software can stand on its own without new hardware. This would send a strong message to all of those manufacturers who create phones and then immediately work on the next revision without supporting its previous hardware: the software is more important than you think.

I remember when I originally tries to buy the iPhone, someone tried to sell me another touchscreen phone saying that it was comparable. But the first thing that popped into my mind was that I KNEW Apple would support their phone way more than Samsung or whoever it was would. 3.0 is a testament to this fact.

Sorry for possibly derailing, but I feel some frustration with this "announcement" as it kind of makes what apple has built so far look weak because it goes against this importance of software updates and makes them look like every other phone manufacturer. I really hope they wait this one out and do a hardware revision with LTE when it is ready

So what your saying is you wish you would have waited for the upgrade this summer.

 

[branjosef]

No. Branjosef said that. And then included a photograph of himself in the post.

That wasn't me- silly! That was a picture photoshopped by someone to make fun of mentally challenged people. I found it on google.

 

[ruftytufty]

While this is great news, it still won't fix the problem of too many people using AT&T's 3G network at once in metropolitan areas.

won't "fix" it, but it will help - each channel will be able to carry twice the total traffic. as users upgrade to 7.2mb/sec devices, a given amount of data will use half the network resources as before.

of course, at the same time, people will spend less time waiting (and therefore use more total bandwidth), the number of 3G devices will increase, the number of bandwidth-intensive sites and apps will increase, etc., so it's a never-ending battle to keep up.

 

[Minimoose 360]

Bah. I still don't get 3G where I live. XD

 

[RyanR.]

I just want 3G in my area good/bad I don't care EDGE sucks.

 

[vvebsta]

Why would you have an icon on the home screen for something that is pure hardware?

Did you see a EDGE, og 3G icon on the first two iPhones?

Those aren't app icons...their feature icons. I don't think they are going to have a copy and paste app or a parental control app either. They are features.

 

[vvebsta]

The "G" is just a google app.
Not some fancy 4G hardware....
everyone in the US must be dreaming if you think Apple and AT&T are going to release a 4G phone this year!!!!

There's no way that's a google app. Google's icon has always been a lower case 'g' plus we can only see half of the app, which makes me think it's something+G. 3.5G? It seems more likely that since 4G is coming as soon as all tv goes digital that Apple would be smart to build the technology into the phone. Like they did the Stereo Bluetooth.

 

[doubleohseven]

There's no way that's a google app. Google's icon has always been a lower case 'g' plus we can only see half of the app, which makes me think it's something+G. 3.5G? It seems more likely that since 4G is coming as soon as all tv goes digital that Apple would be smart to build the technology into the phone. Like they did the Stereo Bluetooth.

4G won't be coming until around 2011. I'm quite sure that there was a thread about it last year.

 

[RestlessCaviar]

While this is great news, it still won't fix the problem of too many people using AT&T's 3G network at once in metropolitan areas.

I know what you mean, but the argument is kind of on its head; surely AT&T's network is not big enough, rather than too many people using it?

Here in the UK I find both O2 (official iphone carrier) and t-mobile have major contention issues. The good news is iphone/android/pre are all going to drive data capacity expansion (finally).

Will rejoice the day I can (at least) get a reliable 512 mbit at any time of day, even in the city. I know 512 mbit isn't that great, but it would at least be as good as the first time you got ADSL, and is fast enough to stream video.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

So what your saying is you wish you would have waited for the upgrade this summer.

I think you nailed it. It doesn't make sense to say, "gee I hope hardware technology stands still for a year." Just because Apple is one of the few phone makers that offers feature-laced firmware upgrades doesn't mean it can afford to slow down introduction of new product. Each iPhone model is what it is. Whatever extras Apple adds via software, are just that...extras. Besides, the iPhone 3G was only a "speed bump." The iPhone is due for some hardware upgrades.

 

[RaZaK]

Not quite...

But "N" wifi isn't any faster for the internet than "G".
Isn't the internet slower than "G"?

I believe the "G" wireless standard maxes out at 54 Mbps. That's a lot slower than most home broadband connections (100 Mbps and up).

Also, "N" is supposed to be a faster standard, but I have not gotten a chance to use it yet.

 

[brop52]

I believe the "G" wireless standard maxes out at 54 Mbps. That's a lot slower than most home broadband connections (100 Mbps and up).

Also, "N" is supposed to be a faster standard, but I have not gotten a chance to use it yet.

No it isn't. While most of the time the real maximum of the wireless is about half that that is still above the maximum internet download speeds of most ISPs.

 

[robbieduncan]

That's a lot slower than most home broadband connections (100 Mbps and up).

Where do you live that most home broadband connections are 100Mbps? Maybe on the internal ethernet interface, but most of us are stuck with ADSL or cable delivering, if we are really lucky, 20Mbps or less. For example I only get 8. This is the limit on your connection speed.

Now latency? That's a different question (and one where a wireless connection can be adding latency).

 

[mccldwll]

That wasn't me- silly! That was a picture photoshopped by someone to make fun of mentally challenged people. I found it on google.

I rest my case.

 

[jtara]

See my comments on N Wifi the newer thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7331197&posted=1#post7331197

Summary: no way. The current iPhone can't even max-out (not even close) on G. There's some other limitation, (at 5mbit/sec) and that's more likely what would be changed.

Note that if ATT did roll-out 7.2 mbit/sec service, the current iPhone can't fully utilize it, even if the radio hardware supports it.

So, my best guess is increase of the 5mbit/sec networking (at least WiFi) cap, and possibly 7.2 mbit/sec service. But that would take an awful lot of faith in ATT, of which I have none.

 

[branjosef]

I rest my case.

Finally Glad we straightened that out. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I thought only "retarded" people used windows. Sorry I should be more politcally correct "slow folk" ...thats much better

 

[Patcoola]

arrg...

im so jealous, i live in Canada where i can't get a iphone, and i pay $60 per month for a 2Mbps ADSL with 10GB monthly data transfer.

:< *crying*

 

[twoodcc]

i hope the next iPhone has wireless-n as well as faster 3G speeds

 

[bandola]

Where do you live that most home broadband connections are 100Mbps? Maybe on the internal ethernet interface, but most of us are stuck with ADSL or cable delivering, if we are really lucky, 20Mbps or less. For example I only get 8. This is the limit on your connection speed.

Now latency? That's a different question (and one where a wireless connection can be adding latency).

I'm located in Sweden and I and a lot of people I know have access to 100mbit fibre connections. Although some only have 1,4 or 10 Mbit subscriptions since they are cheaper. Some (very few) can order 1Gbit connections, but they are pretty expensive, about $100 a month.

I pay about $30 for my 100mbit connection and I get about 95 mbit download speeds. My wireless connection to my laptop is only a G connection at 54 mbits (and tops at about 15 mbits downloads), so my WiFi is far from as fast as my broadband connection.

And yes, the iPhone 3G was advertised as using a 7.2 Mbps connection here in Sweden. I ran a test just now and only reached 3.2 Mbps using the 3G network, and I reached 15 Mbps via WiFi.

The "faster internet speeds" that are rumored is probably about AT&T rolling out HSDPA in the US and/or a new faster Safari browser (which is needed).