Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The iPhone 4 is already dated relative to other phones on the market. To have a phone on the market for 18 months without an update is insane.

You're missing something here.... The iPhone actually gets updates over its lifespan rather than promises of updates followed up by the requirement to buy a new phone in order to install the latest version of an open Android operating system on a closed manufacturer's phone. All-to-frequent updates make buyers feel like they have been tricked, especially when they cannot upgrade their phone to do the same things the new phones are doing because the manufacturer prevents it.

Not to mention that most folks have 2 year contracts and don't like to pay the penalty to upgrade early. The notion that 15 months between upgrades (not 18 months -- if you are counting June 2010 to September 2011) is not bad at all -- especially to the masses who are not early adopters. The iPhone 4 is still holding its own against the competition and its better than it was when it released because of software upgrades. It still does many things better than phones that have released since (like take better photos). Heck, I am still using my iPhone 3GS and I still love it because it gets new features every few months and has even improved on performance.

Do I think a dual-core 1Gz iPhone with 1GB of RAM would stack up better statistically against the competition? Yes. Do I think that phone will do more things and be faster? Yes. Do I think 3 months will matter all that much in the long run? No. If it means some vast improvements are coming (including LTE) -- then I am willing to wait 3 months.
 
This better not happen. Seriously.
Or else what?

Several things. Apple's stock growth will slow, and the price will take a hit. Big deal? Maybe, maybe not. But I can tell you definitively that there is a large amount of padding in the price based on Apple keeping up with it's own defined yearly cycle. The successive cycle that has stayed strict through every iPhone, iPod, iPad, and iOS launch for 5 years has created a pattern that Apple must stick to, or risk losing ground in the mind of investors.

No one ever expected/demanded Apple to go to a yearly cycle for such advanced refreshes, but they're the ones who chose to do it. If they now begin to fall behind, the growth they've seen WILL suffer, no ifs ands or buts about it.
 
Looks like it's gonna just be Lion and iOS 5.

ghf38.jpg
 
I've been poking along with a 3GS since they came out. Really want to switch to Verizon. This rumor puts people like me in a serious pickle: keep waiting and waiting and waiting for iPhone 5 to come out this year, if it even does it all, or grab an iPhone 4 now - a phone that has been out for nearly a year - and get burned in a couple of months by a surprise iPhone 5 announcement in June?

Here's what I did. I'm already a Verizon customer. I bought a new sealed iPhone 4 16GB out of contract for $450 on craigslist. I plan on re-selling the iPhone 4 for at least $250 when I get my iPhone 5. $200 is worth it to me to be on the iPhone right now for the next few months. Since January, I have had a sweet unlimited text/data promo plan on Verizon but wasn't taking full advantage of it because my old phones were so bad (env3 and palm pixi plus). With the iphone I feel like I am really using the services that i am paying for.
 
Typical. My 2 year contract ends in the summer.

Oh well, guess I won't be getting an iPhone this time around.
 
You're missing something here.... The iPhone actually gets updates over its lifespan rather than promises of updates followed up by the requirement to buy a new phone in order to install the latest version of an open Android operating system on a closed manufacturer's phone. All-to-frequent updates make buyers feel like they have been tricked, especially when they cannot upgrade their phone to do the same things the new phones are doing because the manufacturer prevents it.

Not to mention that most folks have 2 year contracts and don't like to pay the penalty to upgrade early. The notion that 15 months between upgrades (not 18 months -- if you are counting June 2010 to September 2011) is not bad at all -- especially to the masses who are not early adopters. The iPhone 4 is still holding its own against the competition and its better than it was when it released because of software upgrades. It still does many things better than phones that have released since (like take better photos). Heck, I am still using my iPhone 3GS and I still love it because it gets new features every few months and has even improved on performance.

Do I think a dual-core 1Gz iPhone with 1GB of RAM would stack up better statistically against the competition? Yes. Do I think that phone will do more things and be faster? Yes. Do I think 3 months will matter all that much in the long run? No. If it means some vast improvements are coming (including LTE) -- then I am willing to wait 3 months.

Might like to point out that part of the problem with Android updates is not the manufactures but the Carriers.
AT&T being by far the worse offenders. If AT&T had its way the iPhone would never get more than security updates. To upgrade your OS you would have to buy a new phone.
This is no were more apparent that looking no farther than the GalaxyS phones. AT&T GalaxyS phone (Captivate) still is waiting on its Android 2.2 update when over seas it is already getting its Android 2.3 updated. Clearly it is not the manufacture causing problems but the carrier.
I hope the manufactures start taking a cue from Apple and MS to say screw the carriers and start supply updates for their phones. No more blocking the updates from the carriers.


Apple is about the only company that can get away with the delay. Most others would be fried for it. iPhone is already starting to show its age and delaying it longer will only make it worse.
 
People are incredulous. They want / expect revolutionary products every month. Get real! I know many of us have addictions to Apple like Whitney Houston has to crack but if you want your money's worth for each upgrade, let's give the company time to put out some new features.

I hope no new phone until 2013 and iPad 3 in late 2012. Maybe then we'll get a real upgrade.
 
The Iphone 5 will come out this summer...they said the same thing about the Ipad 2 and it game out on time.

Has Apple ever let us down?
 
I guess the later release of the next gen iPhone would make sense at least, in terms of the release of the white iPhone 4.

When Philip Schiller said the white iPhone 4 would arrive 'this spring', many questioned the logic, given the 'impending' Summer release of the iPhone 5.

The timing of this release obviously makes makes more sense now (if this latest rumor is true lol).
 
Might like to point out that part of the problem with Android updates is not the manufactures but the Carriers.
AT&T being by far the worse offenders. If AT&T had its way the iPhone would never get more than security updates. To upgrade your OS you would have to buy a new phone.
This is no were more apparent that looking no farther than the GalaxyS phones. AT&T GalaxyS phone (Captivate) still is waiting on its Android 2.2 update when over seas it is already getting its Android 2.3 updated. Clearly it is not the manufacture causing problems but the carrier.
I hope the manufactures start taking a cue from Apple and MS to say screw the carriers and start supply updates for their phones. No more blocking the updates from the carriers.


Apple is about the only company that can get away with the delay. Most others would be fried for it. iPhone is already starting to show its age and delaying it longer will only make it worse.
Fixed that for you. MS is getting screwed there too.

I am still waiting on the huge paradigm shift the iPhone was supposed to bring in the relationship between us and the carriers. Still waiting on my cheaper contracts because I buy the phone outright versus getting the subsidy...
 
I would say it's possible knowing the way Apple likes to be secretive that the future of iOS5 & OSX could actually have a phone announcement? With the cloud rumors and such I could see it being a here is what the new OS will do and here are the products that will help you do it. Just would seem weird in the world of technology that they would deviate from their announcement schedule. However, I do agree with the one poster that says 18 months to most people isn't a big deal over 15; it's the early adopters and tech heads that would get ticked.

Hoping the rumor is wrong wife's phone is in need of upgrade and I plan to give her the 4 and take the 5 once it is released. :)
 
Good thing since smartphones are fast enough already and the environmental impact of short cycles for electronics is immense.
Hope they find even better ways of recycling in the meantime.
 
AppleInsider makes a good point. The report is that the iPhone 5 will be released in the first half of fiscal year 2012 which starts in late September 2011. This will do 2 things: allow iPhone 5 to ship with iOS 5, and allow Apple to cash in on the Holiday season starting this coming September/October. This is just my own prediction.

I'm in the 3GS camp too, so I won't lie and say I'm happy about this.
 
Might like to point out that part of the problem with Android updates is not the manufactures but the Carriers.
AT&T being by far the worse offenders. If AT&T had its way the iPhone would never get more than security updates. To upgrade your OS you would have to buy a new phone.
This is no were more apparent that looking no farther than the GalaxyS phones. AT&T GalaxyS phone (Captivate) still is waiting on its Android 2.2 update when over seas it is already getting its Android 2.3 updated. Clearly it is not the manufacture causing problems but the carrier.
I hope the manufactures start taking a cue from Apple and MS to say screw the carriers and start supply updates for their phones. No more blocking the updates from the carriers.


Apple is about the only company that can get away with the delay. Most others would be fried for it. iPhone is already starting to show its age and delaying it longer will only make it worse.

wasn't that samsung's fault with the custom UI they put on the phone and issues with 2.3?
 
There will be an iPhone 5 in June/July. People's expectations, and people's contracts, are too tied into the yearly update cycle for Apple to do anything else without running the risk if losing customers (especially 3GS owners) and losing buzz. It also gives other phones the chance for some anti-iPhone marketing - "the iPhone is dated, it can't keep up with modern phones, etc.".

I also don't think that the Verizon launch will play any role - Verizon is just one US carrier, for one; for another, people on V contracts won't be any better off when their contract is 7 months old than they will be when their contract was 3 months old. But people who are waiting for a verizon iP5 may not wait if it goes beyond June/July.

However, Apple may not make an announcement at WWDC. It wouldn't surprise me if they moved to the standalone stealth announcement model like they did for the iPad 2...maybe they have a special announcement the first week of June that the iP5 will be available the last week of June. Announcing things a couple of months in advance is nice for customers, but also gives competing handset makers a lot of lead time to perhaps alter existing designs to copy the iPhone.
 
Hmm.. interesting turn of events.

Though I will still wait until that time gets closer and the speculation changes/gets more accurate, I suppose there's no reason not to go ahead and ditch this P.O.S. Blackberry for an iPhone.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.