Tablet Hype and Rumors: Jobs and Cook, Carriers, and iPhone Apps

[Kenner]

I don't think this is plausible. Apple is a global company. Yes, the US market is important to Apple, but a major announcement would not solely focus on the US market and what additional carriers might get the iPhone.

It's much bigger than that. Also, the fact that Steve and Tim are speaking publicly about it in advance tells you it's major. Otherwise, they could be seen to be leading the market and manipulating the stock price with what they are saying.

It's real, the tablet's coming and it's gonna blow our socks off.

 

[Rot'nApple]

Uh oh, looks like the Microsoft Store will also be partnering with mobile carriers:

Sorry T-Mobile.

Don't you mean "Congratulations, T-Mobile!"?

 

[azsprty]

I think if the iphone goes to diffrent carriers.......the iphone will lose it's value.......

the iphone won't be an exclusive phone.......

instead it will become an everyday phone.

I wont' be surprised if at&t starts giving free iphone 3G's for 2 year contracts....now..

My thoughts exactly. I am planning on buying a 3Gs on Wed/thurs and selling it when the 4g comes out..I wont get anything for it now, unlocked, JB or otherwise

 

[Casiotone]

Does anyone know if the banner at the Yerba Buena Center has any carrier resemblance? It's different from the email invite.

Source: http://techland.com/2010/01/25/yerba-buena-center-gets-dolled-up-for-apple/

 

[mosx]

I agree, cellular in a tablet could seem strange, but think about being on a train and reading the newspaper off your tablet. Wouldn't that be amazing?

And also, the iPhone was out 3 months before the iPod touch. This new tablet device maybe require 3G right off the bat, and then move to a Wi-Fi only version later on.

Why would I read a newspaper when one of countless websites will give me the news?

Same with magazines. Why even bother with magazines any more when websites offer so much more?

Thanks to being an iPhone/AT&T customer for the last couple of years, I've gotten more than used to making sure I have all of the content I want on my device before I go anywhere.

WiFi or no purchase. 3G makes no sense in this kind of product. Neither does making it a glorified eReader with iPhone OS.

 

[marksman]

It seems to me that the future of all this technology, at least short term is going to be some sort of mi-fi solution where you create your own gateway for your wireless device, and every device you own doesn't need a cellular connection to move data outside of hotspots.

I know this contradicts the idea of carrying less items around, but it seems to make more sense than having 5 devices all with unique cellular data plans.

 

[Pachang]

Further proof!

I'd just like to point out to those who seem to have missed it, that this guy totally owned all theories pertaining to the significance of the colors in the banner. You are making yourself look really, really dumb by continuing.

 

[Small White Car]

OMG you guys!

Oh, wow! How could you get it so wrong? Look, here is the real answer!

 

[tys]

I'm guessing the AT&T smoochyfest on the earnings call had something to do with AT&T agreeing to offer $10 data for tablets if you have an iphone, or something.

If that's true, I'm in! Even $15/month would be OK, but I don't think I'd be willing to pay an additional $30/month on top of my iphone's plan.
To me the data cost is a much bigger deal than the one-time purchase price of the device itself.

 

[macduke]

This makes sense. I mean, Apple has been doing this in other countries lately. AT&T's contract was REALLY long and now it's everyone else's turn in the U.S.

Despite what many people say, I've been a pretty happy AT&T customer for the most part. My biggest annoyances over the past few years:

1.) Price of texting. I don't text a lot, but I text more than 200. 1500 is way too much for me, yet I only get to choose between $5 and $15 plans? I wish I could at least get a $10 800-ish option. Right now I'm just limiting myself to 200 when AT&T could be making an extra $5 but they won't take my money.

2.) Price of data plan going up from $20 to $30. $20 is plenty for my moderate use of 500-1000mb a month. Though it's usually on the lower end around 500mb looking back through my bills.

3.) No tethering. Before it got locked down I did the carrier strings hack to get tethering. Before that I used Netshare. I don't use it very often, but it's nice to have, especially if I'm in a lecture hall with spotty wifi. I'd like a 1gb plan for around $10/mo. Like I said above, if combined with a $20 plan to make it the $30 it is now, then I'd be a bit happier. Should be included.

4.) No MMS until recently. Though since I was missing it for so long I don't use it as much, but I use it much more than the 0 times a week I was before.

5.) Wish EDGE was a little faster in the country. It usually hovers between 200-300kbps, while I've heard Verizon is 400-500kbps on their "3g" in the country.

I usually average 2.5-3mbps on 3g in the city. Since I'm usually in the city, I think I'll stick with AT&T for now, unless (maybe) Verizon lowers their prices below AT&T. I've heard Verizon's 3g is something like 700kbps to 1.5mbps in the city, so a little on the slow side. I also find my wife calling me frequently needing directions or wanting to catch a movie and being able to put her on speakerphone and look up things online is a nice perk of using AT&T. Verizon doesn't offer that. Though I'm all for people leaving AT&T where they don't get the service they expect. AT&T needs to feel a little sting in their wallet for where they've failed. Hopefully this will spark a price wars in the U.S. It seems like it's already starting with the new lower unlimited talk plans on AT&T and VZW.

Does anyone know if Sprint offers 3g and talk at the same time? Or is their technology the same as Verizon? I know they both use CDMA but I thought there were some small variations in their implementation.

 

[Eidorian]

OMG you guys!

Oh, wow! How could you get it so wrong? Look, here is the real answer!

This is even better than the elevator.

 

[D 5]

Oh my_

http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=212232&stc=1&d=1264482664

 

[Eso]

Ok, that's just freaky how all the colors match up EXACTLY. I'd expect some of them to be off, but it looks like they were all copied with the dropper tool. I wondered why all the colors didn't quite go well together. They all seem bleak and dull. I figured there'd have to be some clue in them because they didn't look very "Apple."

Really, they don't look very "Apple"?





Red, green, pink, orange, light blue. Oh yeah, the light gray and purple nanos match too - so much for carriers, eh?

Who is coming up with these stupid hidden meanings to the artwork on the invite? Do you visit fortune-tellers and read your horoscopes too? Each one is more ridiculous than the last (remember that one guy saying that if you mixed up all the outside colors you would get the orange in the middle, symbolizing the industry missing the mark on a tablet whereas apple gets the bullseye?). Give it up already.

It's an ad, nothing more. The executives went to the graphics department and said "give us something that conveys creation or being creative". The artists went to work, submitted a handful of ideas, and the executives said, "The paint splatter one looks best, let's use that". End of story.

 

[Casiotone]

I'd just like to point out to those who seem to have missed it, that this guy totally owned all theories pertaining to the significance of the colors in the banner. You are making yourself look really, really dumb by continuing.

If anything, the rainbow colored Apple logo might be the real motivation behind the colors in the invitation (Apple going back to its roots, reinventing Personal Computing?) and the carriers logos have nothing to do with this.

 

[Slayerboym88]

im hoping att allows iphone users to have free data on the itablet.

this is ridiculous to have an itablet plan x iphone data plan

Amen. As much as I am holding out for this tablet to buy a new computer, I have a sinking feeling that it's going to come with some whopper of a data package (which to me, right now, is anything more than the cost of the tablet itself). I'm preparing myself for envy and disappointment at the same time.

 

[cmaier]

I really hope the tablet will run Mac OS X I hope so!

yeah. not going to happen.

 

[rth231]

OMG you guys!

Oh, wow! How could you get it so wrong? Look, here is the real answer!

Their latest creation... Apple Juice!

 

[kockgunner]

He tablet is coming too fast. I missed the days where it was still a myth and every rumor added exponentially to the hype. Now that it's coming pretty much in a day, there will be no more hopes and dreams

 

[puppyflightclub]

If anything, the rainbow colored Apple logo might be the real motivation behind the colors in the invitation (Apple going back to its roots, reinventing Personal Computing?) and the carriers logos have nothing to do with this.

not that serious. jokability x have a bit of laughs

to pass time by till Wednesday.

 

[Small White Car]

It's an ad, nothing more. The executives went to the graphics department and said "give us something that conveys creation or being creative". The artists went to work, submitted a handful of ideas, and the executives said, "The paint splatter one looks best, let's use that". End of story.

Yeah, that's clever, but I reject any non-Fanta explanation. Try again!

 

[geofly]

iWhispernet

I like the color theory. Makes me wonder if Apple could convince all the cell carriers into a combined FREE (to consumers) data service for the Tablet (like Amazon's "whispernet" for Kindle)??
Carriers that now want a part of the iPhone action once the AT&T monopoly dissolves, would need to agree to support the Tablet too.

There’s no way Apple will again expose themselves and their customers to the frustration and sales limitations that went with restricting a device to one carrier. Besides, I dont see the Tablet having a removable “SIM card” or something that binds it to one particular carrier. Apple likes simplicity, and they can use the iPhone’s leverage to bend carriers to a happy arrangement regarding the new tablet.

If not, then at the very least, people with an iPhone could share the data contract with their Tablet, either through tethering, or more likely through a separate connection to the same subscription.

Apple has the clout to push something like this through.

 

[dagomike]

Really, they don't look very "Apple"?

View attachment 212234

View attachment 212231

The tablet could come in the paint colors. Everyone just assumes it will be metallic/black.

 

[Aranince]

If anything, the rainbow colored Apple logo might be the real motivation behind the colors in the invitation (Apple going back to its roots, reinventing Personal Computing?) and the carriers logos have nothing to do with this.

This is the best explanation so far.

I am hoping for a content creating along side media consumption. Think of it like a clip board. That is what I want.

 

[DrMatatan]

Colors...

Maybe the colors indicate the introductions of colored iphones and or colored tablets.

 

[cmaier]

Maybe the colors indicate the introductions of colored iphones and or colored tablets.

Or maybe a black and white invitation would look stupid