Will 3G actually make the iphone any good?

[cdownton]

I've not bought an iphone, since my contract ran out in January and I need the latest and greatest and I believe they'll bring a new one out in June - you know, the phantom 3G one. But anyway...

I currently own a Sony Ericsson K800i on Orange UK - it's a 3G phone, with fairly ok wap capabilities. But unless I sit in a full 3G signal place outdoors, 3G really complicates the reception - it keeps phasing in and out of 3G to 2G. This means it drops calls sometimes. And it takes the phone/network quite a few seconds to transition between the 3G and 2G signal. I had a similar frustrating experience with 3 network in the UK too.

So, when 3G works it's pretty quick but in reality, if my experience isn't unique, it's going to result in a frustrating user experience.

I'll still wait for the new iphone, but I think apple will have a lot of work to optimise the 3G implementation. Anyone disagree?

 

[emotion]

The current iPhone is a lot better than that. If the 3G version has those problems there will be high demand for the older model....

We're a good 6 months away from that point though.

 

[AGSHender]

I've not bought an iphone, since my contract ran out in January and I need the latest and greatest and I believe they'll bring a new one out in June - you know, the phantom 3G one. But anyway...

I currently own a Sony Ericsson K800i on Orange UK - it's a 3G phone, with fairly ok wap capabilities. But unless I sit in a full 3G signal place outdoors, 3G really complicates the reception - it keeps phasing in and out of 3G to 2G. This means it drops calls sometimes. And it takes the phone/network quite a few seconds to transition between the 3G and 2G signal. I had a similar frustrating experience with 3 network in the UK too.

So, when 3G works it's pretty quick but in reality, if my experience isn't unique, it's going to result in a frustrating user experience.

I'll still wait for the new iphone, but I think apple will have a lot of work to optimise the 3G implementation. Anyone disagree?

As an AT&T user here in the US switching between EDGE and wifi, I honestly don't have a problem when it's EDGE-only and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Would I like faster mobile Internet? Sure. Does the slightly slower speed impact me? Not at all. With all the complaining people do about the lack of 3G on the current generation iPhone, I was expecting something horrible when I picked mine up, but I've had no problems after a month of use. I don't use Safari for anything except quickly looking up information most times, though, but I've noticed that some pages do take awhile to come up--heavy on images, that sort of thing. I'd kill for an option in Safari to turn off images like Opera has (had?). But as I said, I'm not sitting there cradling my phone and doing heavy browsing, so it doesn't bother me.

Outside the US, 3G is a bit more ubiquitous so I can see why people are clamoring for it. An Asia launch would be pretty tough without a 3G iPhone. Here in the US, though, EDGE and wifi suffice for myself and I'd wager most other users.

In short, my opinion is that people in the US are complaining just because the iPhone isn't the latest and greatest everything, even though EDGE works well 99% of the time. YMMV, of course.

 

[jaseone]

I had a Treo 750 on AT&T that had 3G prior to my iPhone and it was an absolute nightmare, exhibiting behavior just like the original poster observed in the UK. However not all 3G phones seem to perform like that so who knows what 3G on an iPhone would be like, personally I think El Jobso will lean more towards utilizing that 700Mhz spectrum instead of traditional 3G.

 

[AGSHender]

I had a Treo 750 on AT&T that had 3G prior to my iPhone and it was an absolute nightmare, exhibiting behavior just like the original poster observed in the UK. However not all 3G phones seem to perform like that so who knows what 3G on an iPhone would be like, personally I think El Jobso will lean more towards utilizing that 700Mhz spectrum instead of traditional 3G.

That was probably just the Treo--Palm devices are flaky from the get-go, usually. I know a lot of people who swear by their BlackJacks using 3G.

 

[Emulsion]

I find it odd how most of you feel that 3g in the US is such an oddity. More than half of the phones AT&T offers are 3G.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...tion&source=ICE101j11b0p0600&ContentId=900278

I feel like this is a repeat of the dial-up broadband switch. All ya'll saying you're fine with your speeds ow is like those that said they're fine with dial-up and they don't need broadband. Now do you see anyone using dial-up. The electronic organism is constantly evolving, and the cell phone market even much more so. How could the sooner the industry evolve be a bad thing. Besides advancing the date of judgement day up.

 

[jaseone]

That was probably just the Treo--Palm devices are flaky from the get-go, usually. I know a lot of people who swear by their BlackJacks using 3G.

Yet whenever someone wants to know something like a score of a game even in a sport that I don't follow I usually get the result a lot faster on my iPhone using EDGE over those using phones like Blackjacks using 3G, however 3G on the iPhone should make such exercises even faster!

 

[dayton]

I have a 3G Samsung with AT&T. I get the occasional dropped call, but no more than I had in the past with other GPRS or EDGE phones. The 3G data is really fast in my area. 1+ Mbps speed is not that unusual when I download apps to my phone. It is about equal to my wife's 3G Blackberry on Sprint. 3G has to be coming soon for the iPhone. It would seem to me, looking at the Japanese market, that an EDGE version won't cut it over there, but, then again, it hasn't stopped it from selling big time in Europe where 3G-snobbery was supposed to be a major roadblock.

 

[rayward]

Yet whenever someone wants to know something like a score of a game even in a sport that I don't follow I usually get the result a lot faster on my iPhone using EDGE over those using phones like Blackjacks using 3G, however 3G on the iPhone should make such exercises even faster!

Right. The iPhone has a leg up because of its software. But a 3G iPhone married to a widely available and reliable 3G network will be a pretty amazing thing. It'll get me to upgrade as and when it happens, but first I'll need to be convinced about AT&T's network and that Apple have solved the heat and thirst of the 3G chip.

 

[emotion]

I have a 3G Samsung with AT&T. I get the occasional dropped call, but no more than I had in the past with other GPRS or EDGE phones. The 3G data is really fast in my area. 1+ Mbps speed is not that unusual when I download apps to my phone. It is about equal to my wife's 3G Blackberry on Sprint. 3G has to be coming soon for the iPhone. It would seem to me, looking at the Japanese market, that an EDGE version won't cut it over there, but, then again, it hasn't stopped it from selling big time in Europe where 3G-snobbery was supposed to be a major roadblock.

The sales figures here aren't that stellar. Most people cite lack of 3G as a reason for holding off.

Of course lack of HSDPA will be the next excuse.

 

[dayton]

The sales figures here aren't that stellar. Most people cite lack of 3G as a reason for holding off.

Of course lack of HSDPA will be the next excuse.

Yeah, there is always a "wait until xxxx feature" when shopping for tech. I think 3G will carry the iPhone a long way. It's certainly what I'm waiting on. I'm addicted to the speed on 3G phone. That being said another big reason I haven't switched are some java apps that I use on my current phone. With the SDK, I should be able to port these apps pretty easily since I already have an Obj-c version for my mac. So the combo of these apps and 3G mean I would have my credit card out in a hurry.

 

[cdownton]

The sales figures here aren't that stellar. Most people cite lack of 3G as a reason for holding off.

Of course lack of HSDPA will be the next excuse.

I agree - and to put it in some context, I don't think it's 3G snobbery - it's more to do with the business model that Europe enjoys. If we're to be convinced to shell out £300 for a phone we would normally get for free (along with cashback or a free gift on an 18-month contract), then it should live up to its potential - i.e. download music, watch BBC iplayer etc on the move. And I don't mean just in Starbucks or at home sat next to my computer! After all, our other phones can do that kind of thing already, they're just poor at implementing it.

If apple can put a 3G chip in the phone, they'll have to sort out the bad user experience of 2G/3G transition that seems to happen to most people.

But I'm sure I'll get one anyway

 

[AGSHender]

I find it odd how most of you feel that 3g in the US is such an oddity. More than half of the phones AT&T offers are 3G.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...tion&source=ICE101j11b0p0600&ContentId=900278

I feel like this is a repeat of the dial-up broadband switch. All ya'll saying you're fine with your speeds ow is like those that said they're fine with dial-up and they don't need broadband. Now do you see anyone using dial-up. The electronic organism is constantly evolving, and the cell phone market even much more so. How could the sooner the industry evolve be a bad thing. Besides advancing the date of judgement day up.

It's similar to the dial-up->broadband switch only in the sense that there's a significant speed advantage over EDGE for 3G, not being crippled with one over the other. That being said, I have 1.5 Mbps DSL that I'm perfectly satisfied with using, and I don't feel a burning need to move to Comcast's 7 Mbps speed. Do I feel crippled by this speed difference? Absolutely not. Likewise, EDGE is fine for how I use my iPhone right now and while side by side I would picked a 3G iPhone, I didn't see a need to wait.

As for AT&T offering a wide assortment of 3G phones, well, that's all fine and dandy except their 3G coverage is still lacking compared to EDGE. It doesn't make sense for them to not sell them since they're in the process of deploying the network, but someone who picks up a 3G phone through AT&T might not be taking advantage of it at all yet if they live out of a 3G area.

Remember, USB was shipping on computers years before the port could even be used.

 

[err404]

Just like everyone else, I'd like to see a 3G iPhone. That said, I'm sure glad I didn't wait before I got mine. When the 3G model comes out, I'll give the old one to my GF and get the new one. win-win.

Even at 2G it is the best fitting phone from my needs.

 

[AGSHender]

Just like everyone else, I'd like to see a 3G iPhone. That said, I'm sure glad I didn't wait before I got mine. When the 3G model comes out, I'll give the old one to my GF and get the new one. win-win.

Even at 2G it is the best fitting phone from my needs.

I agree. I won't be upgrading to the 3G iPhone unless it comes on new hardware with significant upgrades over my 16 GB model, and despite a few quibbles and features I'd like to see, it's definitely the first phone I've owned that I really like.

 

[rayward]

I agree. I won't be upgrading to the 3G iPhone unless it comes on new hardware with significant upgrades over my 16 GB model, and despite a few quibbles and features I'd like to see, it's definitely the first phone I've owned that I really like.

I've got a Day-1 8-gigger, and it insinuated itself into my life within days. I could use more capacity, but I'm waiting for a 3G version before I upgrade. Even then, I may wait a little longer to see how the 3G works for people - I am concerned about battery life and network coverage for early adopters. If they nix the WiFi for 3G, then that'll be a real worry for me.

 

[emotion]

If they nix the WiFi for 3G, then that'll be a real worry for me.

I'l wager that will never happen.

The thread title bugs me a little. The iPhone is amazing right now and it's only getting better when 2.0 comes out.

That said, I might upgrade if a 3G version comes out but it will need other improvements too to make me want to prematurely upgrade - which I'm perfectly willing to do if that happens.

A great deal of the moaning about the device is from people who don't own them. I know, there are obviously exceptions to that rule but the iPhone is more than the sum of its parts - not less like most other phones.

I wouldn't be waiting...

 

[rayward]

I'l wager that will never happen.

I hope so. I am concerned because I thought WiFi was a band aid on the lack of 3G. With 3G being near-broadband and being able to handle telecom and data simultaneously, it makes WiFi moot. I'm sure they could use the space in the chassis that would be freed up by taking the WiFi chip out; like for adding a GPS chip.

 

[emotion]

Apple call the Touch a "Wi-Fi mobile platform". There's no reason to believe they think any different of the iPhone.

GPS instead of wifi? That would be insane.