Who's buying the new iphone?

[vinylphilemag]

Keep in mind that Jobs can do one thing that Microsoft couldn't do: Jobs can block applications from being available on his platform. No matter what Microsoft did, that was never one of the way they exercised their power.

Be careful here: remember "DOS ain't done until Lotus won't run"? And Jobs can only block apps via the Appstore. Regular OSX apps can be installed via other methods (thankfully). That said, Appstore, refusal to embrace (or even allow) Java and Flash, and a few other things are what prevents me from being an Apple fanboy, despite my admiration for some of their products.

 

[RBFC]

Anyone hear an update on Verizon getting the iPhone late this year?

Lee

 

[vinylphilemag]

Anyone hear an update on Verizon getting the iPhone late this year?

Lee

Unless Verizon switch to a GSM-compatible network, I'd be mildly surprised if the iPhone is supported on their network. That's what Telus and Bell had to do up here in Canada in order to get the iPhone: they were CDMA-based but are transitioning to GSM/HSPA.

 

[flez007]

I will, but not now.... Same issue as Steve's down here...

 

[FrantzM]

Unless Verizon switch to a GSM-compatible network, I'd be mildly surprised if the iPhone is supported on their network. That's what Telus and Bell had to do up here in Canada in order to get the iPhone: they were CDMA-based but are transitioning to GSM/HSPA.

Vinyl

Not to go too deep in it but it is likely they moved to GSM for reasons that had nothing to do with the iPhone. GSM is used in over 80% of the world.. Thus GSM infrastructure components are less expensive than CDMA in general plus the very important revenues stream that global roaming represents, etc... I doubt the iPhone was the principal reason..

I love the Apple interface but the refusal to use basic things like Flash has me wondering. I want to be able to choose who I want as a provider so... By he way out there nothing is close to the elegance and intuition of the Apple interface but one has to admit that the battery life when used as a music player (don;t even think video) AND a Smartphone is abysmal .. Blackberry it is for now.. a business phone none better (Interface is not that great ) but for e-mail synchronization .. it is completely integrated with Internet e-mail and Corporate e-mail plus the Blackberry Messenger allowing you to IM ANY Blackberry user with a data plan anywhere in the world for free... Android-based handset are moving forward and are a challenge ...

 

[rblnr]

Battery life on the 4 is much better than any iteration of the 3. Tough to run out of juice.

What's interesting is that as Android gains market share, Apple has to add carriers in the US market and their bargaining position with Verizon has consequently worsened. It's rumored that Apple will switch to Qualcomm for their communication chips -- Q does a lot of CDMA. In any case, Apple's had plenty of time to build a CDMA phone; hard to believe making one w/that tech. is much of a problem. I think the wait has more to do w/the exclusivity contract w/ATT and revenue negotiations with Verizon.

 

[flez007]

Frantzm - the Sybase mobile software brings the iPhone all the corporate functionality (and even more) than the propietary network of Blackberry. I have mine with this stack and it brings in all the security, central panel management and mail functionality that I need.

 

[RBFC]

The G4 channel reported that Apple will be building CDMA iPhones in Dec 2010. We'll see.

Lee

 

[FrantzM]

Frantzm - the Sybase mobile software brings the iPhone all the corporate functionality (and even more) than the propietary network of Blackberry. I have mine with this stack and it brings in all the security, central panel management and mail functionality that I need.

I'll check this software out.. In the meantime battery life , the forced wedding with ATT and the refusal to use Flash remain weak points of the IPhone. Once resolved this makes of the i{hone a dream phone for now ...not just yet again ( I did buy the very first version only to lose it , it was hacked to work on another network )

 

[vinylphilemag]

My wife and I ended up getting his and her's iPhone 4s last weekend. There are a few things that irk me (Flash, and the whole App store ecosystem thing, mostly), but overall I like it. It's way better than my old steam powered Treo 680 (though I'm wondering what to do with all the leftover coal!). Up here in Western Canada we have a choice of about 6 carriers (although behind the scenes I think it's just two): Rogers, Virgin, Telus, Bell, Koodo, and Fido.

 

[Steve Williams]

My wife and I ended up getting his and her's iPhone 4s last weekend. There are a few things that irk me (Flash, and the whole App store ecosystem thing, mostly), but overall I like it. It's way better than my old steam powered Treo 680 (though I'm wondering what to do with all the leftover coal!). Up here in Western Canada we have a choice of about 6 carriers (although behind the scenes I think it's just two): Rogers, Virgin, Telus, Bell, Koodo, and Fido.

Any issues with reception depending on how the phone is held?

 

[nephilim]

I've had one (an unlocked unit from HK) for over a month now. I am very happy with it. No dropped calls or antenna problems. Also, faster and better battery than the 3GS model.

 

[audioguy]

Love the iPhone but can not stand AT&T. I live in a major metropolitan area (Atlanta) and have huge number of dropped calls. I have used both Verizon and Sprint and both are WAY WAY WAY better than AT&T. My wife works in Montgomery and has the same issue. I have a daughter who lives in Charlotte, NC and has the same issue. Another daughter in Dallas and has the same issue. REALLY crappy cell phone service (and actually seems to be getting worse). I've been looking at some of the newer phones that Verizon offers and seem to offer most of what the iPhone has but with a much better network.

 

[Steve Williams]

Chuck

wait a little longer for the iPhone V (rumored to be "5" as well as Verizon-at least rumor has it)

 

[vinylphilemag]

Any issues with reception depending on how the phone is held?

Nope, although I do use a freebie case that came with it, so I don't actually touch the antennas.

 

[rblnr]

I have no major reception issues and hold the phone w/my left hand. Versus older iPhones, I find it to be exactly as Walt Mossberg reported in the WSJ -- at medium and strong signals, the reception is better than the older phones, at very low signal strength, just a bit worse.

Would be happy to dump ATT as the NYC metro area is not it's strong point to put it mildly (although they just cut a deal to work in the subway), but had such beyond lousy into byzantine customer service/billing issues w/Verizon when they were my carrier, I'm hesitant to go there if the option comes around. See Verizon's latest billing scandal here