As expected Apple announced the iPhone 3g today! This is the iPhone that takes advantage of faster 3g data networks for near wi-fi data speeds.
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It’s the software stupid
Apple lead their keynote today with lots of talk about software. As with any successful platform, it will live or die by the apps that are available for it. Apple realizes that they can’t do everything that everyone wants. So many 3rd party developers announced and showcased their apps today. Apple also showcased their support for Microsoft’s Exchange syncing which is HUGE in the corporate world. Not to leave consumers out, Apple announced “mobileme“. Mobileme is the successor to Apple’s .Mac service. This service will provide push email, calendar, contacts and photos to consumer users of the iPhone.
3rd party iPhone apps will range in price from FREE on up. You’ll get your apps directly through the iPhone App store on your iPhone running the 2.0 software.
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What we know…
- Shipping: July 11, 2008
- Software: iPhone 2.0 as a free download to existing iPhone users and $9.95 for iPod touch users
- Capacity: 8GB (only in black) and 16GB (available in black or white)
- Speed: 3g data network
- GPS: YES!
- Push Data: via Microsoft Exchange and Apple’s NEW mobileme (no announcement of when mobileme goes live)
- iPhone 2.0 Software and the iPhone App store: a free download to existing iPhone users ($9.95 for iPod touch users) in early July.
- Terry’s Pet Peeves Addressed: Not sure what else from my list of “50 ways to make the iPhone better” will get solved in the 2.0 version, but one thing that has been added is a Search feature for Contacts. Also we now get Bulk Delete and Move of things like email messages.
- Other NEW Features: View PowerPoint, and iWork (Pages, Numbers & Keynote) document attachments. New Scientific Calculator. Adding photos from emails to your iPhone Pictures library. Also many more languages are included.
- Price: 8GB model $199!, 16GB model $299
Learn more here.
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iPhone 3G: Twice as fast. Half the price!
Probably one of the biggest shocks of this announcement was the price! You’ll be able to get a iPhone 3g 8GB model for a mere $199. The 16GB model will go for $299. Both models are slated to be available Friday, July 11th (I’ve got to imagine that there is some idiot out there who is already standing in line. Please tell me it isn’t so!) Don’t get me wrong, I plan to upgrade on day one, but camping has never been my thing 🙂
When you think about it, $199 is a STEAL for a touch screen iPhone, with a GPS, that is also an iPod that plays video, does web, email, mapping and allows for 3rd party apps. Wow! The first 5GB iPod was $399 if that gives you some perspective.
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Start the countdown…. July 11th can’t get here fast enough!
Terry,
I WAS so wanting to upgrade my gen 1 iPhone. I am extremely upset that Apple released this phone WITHOUT and video recording capabilities. To make matters worse yet, we still can’t receive multi media messages! Yes the price points are exciting, but my friend’s daughters LG phone can shoot video AND send mmm without a hitch.
8GB iPhone for $200 (plus phone service of course)
8GB iPod Touch $300
Am I missing something here? Or can we expect a massive price drop on pods?
Will the iPhone work as an iPod touch if you don’t have ATT service plan or are waiting a few months for existing plan to die.
I have been using my iPhone 16gb ( jailbroken set ) in Malaysia for 6 months now. I bought it at USD 850 with no warranty because at that time only a few seller knows how to jailbreak the iPhone at where i am staying . I think the market selling price for the new 3g iPhone in Malaysia will be more or less the same when it arrives here due to the fact that we still need the seller to jailbreak that current version . A million thanks to Installer otherwise there is no point to have an iPhone in our country ! No warranty means any defect , the cost of courier to USA and back will cost you approximately USD 300 and above or more , also provided that it dont get lost along the way or hijacked by local custom officers ! US people should be very very grateful that everything is pampered and gently taken care of in terms of warranty and return policy practised in USA . Outside USA , you get what you are holding once you exchanged hands when purchasing jialbroken iPhone – no warranty , but one time free jailbreak service if it hanged or frozen ! That’s all .
David,
The iPod touch doesn’t require a 2 year AT&T contract with a data plan. This is why it costs more than the iPhone. The iPhone is subsidized because of the contract requirement.
Terry,
I’ve been reading so much about phones that I’m beginning to go blind. I am very sick of palms. I’ve had 13 so far with Sprint – all Palm based (only a couple of actual hardware issues and the rest they blame the phone but I’l never know for sure) and can’t say much good about them – phone calls that never rang, voice messages that never notified me (I found 13 new messages one time and just a few days ago I found 8 that I was never notified of on my phone screen), starts to call then just hangs up, calls my fax machine on i’ts own, deletes a contact here and there as it feels necessary, and on and on and on. I’ve been considering the iphone and your reviews were great, however I found nothing regarding compatability with PC’s. I have Dell systems and don’t know what to expect when it comes to syncing. I use Outlook for my addresses and calendar. Have you done any research on that or do you know anyone who has?
Also I am quite hesitant that even though our laws in California require all cell phone calls from a vehicle to be hands-free, the 3g still doesn’t offer voice dialing. I can’t believe any cell manufacturer wouldn’t include that one. Even Palm has that missing.
The issues with Flash are also a big concern as I use the web a lot in business.
I also stopped into a AT&T store yesterday and was told that Apple offers a 1 year initial warranty and only one additional year for $60 and NO more coverage after 2 years. It doesn’t sound like a very good warranty either. Some people change their phones, jobs, cars, etc. like their underwear therefore it’s not a concern to them, but others like me keep things a bit longer. I think it’s funny they offer 2 years but also require a 2 year contract. Hummmm. Wonder what they are thinking 🙂
One other thing I am having a hard time with, and it appears it may be with the Blackberry also; a case. I do a lot of construction work around dust and dirt and need a hard case with NO openings. I really don’t know why case manufactures don’t make more available. Seems all of them have openings in them to access the key pad, plug in a cable or sync or something. I just remove my phone when that is necessary. Palm seems to be the only one who makes a hard plastic clamshell type case with a horizontal type of belt clip that I love. Can’t seem to find anything out there for either the iphone or Blackberry and haven’t found any reviews including that. I’ve found that the stores are more bent on selling the phone than how you protect it after getting it.
I am very seriously considering a Blackberry and wonder why the iphone would be the better choice given the missing features and no other providers as a choice.
Wadda you think 🙂
So could you just use a first gen iphone as a web browser and an ipod without AT&T service?
My cube neighbor has an iPhone that he paid 399 for and he realizies he can get much on the resale market when the new one is 199.
So if someone wanted a iphone for a ipod, this would work right?
Jeff,
The iPhone DOES work with PCs! It does sync directly with Outlook and iTunes for Windows.
As far as hard cases go for the iPhone, I’m sure there is one out there for you. They’ll also be a slew of new ones for the iPhone 3g
No voice dialing yet
No Flash support yet
As far as the iPhone vs the Blackberry, it’s about the user experience, ease of use and features that made me choose and stick with the iPhone. There’s nothing out there like it or even close.
Calvin,
Out of the box an iPhone won’t work as an iPod until it has been activated/hacked. However, once it has been activated (like in the case of your friend), you can use it as an iPod even with the phone service disconnected. The real challenge may be future software updates that try to “reactivate” the iPhone once they’ve been applied.
Dear Terry ,
Correct me if i am wrong , I think AT &T just newly launched their 3G data services and because of that , they cant support 3G voice calls yet as it takes time to fully test voice calls just like in my country when they launched 3G many years back , i also like to guess that the apple guy at the keynote address with the camera iphone with sillicon case is the 3G iphone with camera and 32gb test unit or prototype being the reason he covered his iphone so that people cant see the back print of 32gb . Thanks and regards to you Terry .
Jim Mun
I know if you jail break it it will work as an ipod , but will it still run all the other features except the phone capabilities. I have a wifi source and don’t need another phone (I rarely use it) ,but this is cheaper and and has more features than the ipod touch