iPhone 3G: everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask)
By Ryan Block 
posted Jun 12th 2008 2:27PM
posted Jun 12th 2008 2:27PM
If you're anything like us, just about everyone in your called you up this week to ask if you think they should get the iPhone 3G; it really doesn't help matters that there's just an absurd amount of (mis)information floating around about it right now, too. So this one's for you and your fam -- we're dishing out the straight dope on iPhone 3G, a to z, so feel free to pass it on. Hit the read link for the straight dope on everything we know so far.
Here's one: will you be able to use GPS by itself, i.e. no A-GPS?
In other words, will GPS still work if you switch off 3G and EDGE (if you can) or even with Plane Mode turned on? This is to avoid downloading satellite location information in order to save bandwidth, if we are not using unlimited data plans.
Argh. Fine, I'll use the "Read" link...
Does it support MMS now - and if not will they allow third party apps to achieve this ?
Will it have Flash(Adobe) support? C'mon already!
Again?!!?! Haven't you done this same post twice before already? Let people search!
Ryan is telling the Mobile readers here to ask on the main page (via the Read link).
My biggest questions are; who is eligible for the iPhone 3G upgrade? If you aren't eligible, how much will it cost?
Yes, Matt is right. What will the full retail price be? Why have they surreptitiously omitted the price for non-qualified upgrade? What is this "penalty fee" for not activating and how much will it be? Don't they require you to activate at store?
If your eligible for a 2yr upgrade then you are eligible for the 199 and 299 pricing... if not there will be a third price... but all prices still require the 2yr contract either way.
I was going to buy an iphone from someone today, and when they called to cancel the service, the person warned them that they were ineligable for an upgrade on July 11th, and that without their old iphone they would not be able to upgrade for 199
any ideas
does anyone know if there'll be sideways texting on this one? It seems like it was a major complaint with the first one but it doesn't seem like it was addressed yet
um i have a question- why wont everybody that has the resources to buy this phone(money, ATT are the only resources) buy it
oh right they will cause it is sooo fuqing awesome
i wonder what the difference in sales will be with the iPhone vs the Bold?
(both are ATT only phones at the same pricepoint)
and to answer everybodies questions........
Rick-no clue(hopefully_)
Shaun-no and hopefully
Juice-Razor 1973 is right, shut up already-and no it will not
Matt-i remember them saying if you bought the phone from may 27th(???) on you could trade in your old iPhone in for a free new iPhone
but otherwise you have to pay up
TJ-ask in store
mikusd-of course you cant turn in an iPhone that has been deactivated and still get a free upgrade-that would be a bad idea for ATT or Apple
Garrick-i hope there will be sideways txting but since they have not mentioned anything, im gonna assume that there will not be
and i cant answer my own question.....
You do not give your old iphones back... You are free to give them away or sell them to friends or family. May 27th is the date to actually return your iphone and get the difference back...
I would just like to know the circumstances that would cause a person to be able to not activate the phone within 30 days and therefore be slapped with a penalty as reported by Reuters. And how much is the penalty?
I've got an interesting question. Now that the data pricing is more like a PDA, does anyone know if you will be able to activate this on the PDA personal plan for $35 a month? I know this may sound stupid but the reason I am curious is because everyone I know is on Verizon so I will still use that but I wouldn't mind getting this phone for the PDA functions. I have the touch now but would really like to get my emails and access the web anywhere there is data coverage.
Iphones work on Iphone plans... They do not work on PDA plans... actually the price for PDA plans dropped from 35 to 30 a few months back. From what I have seen the data plan is just data and will require a seperate texting pkg but nothing has been officially stated. The phone will have penalties for the buyers if not activated within 30 days... this is to keep people from hacking the phones for other providers... cough cough Verizon...
@somekid:
missed the point. the question is...if a person with standard service and no iphone walks in before they are up for an upgrade, what is the price?
can this phone be unlocked and used with t-mobiles 3g???
What about using the new IPhone 3G as a Modem for Note/Macbooks, is this possible with the 3G? Cause afaik the old one doesn't support this :)
seriously the answer to everyones questions is JAILBREAK! thats what makes the iphone worth looking at.
What frustrates me about the iPhone is Steve Jobs. He has the capacity to build an iPhone with all the top features currently on the market....but won't. Instead, he releases iPhone after iPhone knowing that the Apple Groupies will throw away the iPhone they bought six months ago for his "latest". How about looking at ALL the features an HTC Touch or Touch Pro has and putting THEM into a $400 iPhone!
It frustrates me because I'm in the market for a smartphone and when the ATT Tilt came out, went over to their store and tried EVERY smartphone there for two things: what could I type the quickest and most accurately on out of the box AND which smartphone was the most intuitive and user friendly without looking at a manual.
And Damned if the iPhone didn't come in first on both counts! But I won't buy one because it's so feature-poor compared to other smartphones.
Then there's the stupid stuff like non-user replaceable batteries. If my business life is in that phone, I can't afford the time lost sending it out for a new battery and waiting for it return (if it doesn't get lost or crushed in shipping). Just so I have to pay top price for a battery from HIM instead of being able to go on eBay and get the same battery for 90% less!
Steve, you can play this game a little longer, but not too much longer. The Blackberry 9000 and the forthcoming smartphone from Samsung both have iPhone sized displays....and a lot more features.
You've got the next 6 releases of the iPhone already designed: why jerk us around with a v2 when you could release v6 tomorrow? Because you're GREEDY, think you're smarter than the rest of the world, and in reality, don't give a damn about your Apple devotees beyond what's in their wallet.
Good luck.
and this is EXACTLY why I call Apple the "George Lucas of technology" - change not but a few things (none of which make a life-altering impact), and market it as the latest and greatest.
Yes and......maybe. It could be unlocked but depending what he's done with the firmware, you may lose some functionality. Jobs is very, very sneaky.
Since iPhones are sold in Europe now, a better bet may be to wait until the 3G version is released over there, and then buy one already unlocked.
i agree with "garrick" i have had many cell phones and this one espically needs a landscape qwerty keyboard.....i switched cell phones in 3months because of this problem. i wish apple would be open to these concerns in the future.