Does anyone get the iPhone hype??

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Does anyone get the iPhone hype??

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Ultimate Geek
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#76166 28-Jun-2007 09:39

I guess we'll find out Saturday morning (NZ time) when engadget does a big box opening expose. :)

The FAQ says that the iPhone isn't usable until it is activated with the original SIM. What it doesn't say is whether or not
you can swap the SIM afterwards.

Personally, I think this is saying, "No, you can't buy the phone at the Apple store and not take the AT&T 2yr plan even though we let you activate it at home!"

Jason

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freitasm

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#76167 28-Jun-2007 09:42

You can't use it at all (music, video, browsing over wi-fi) until it is activated through iTunes. After this you are locked into a two year contract with AT&T.

Not very friendly.

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jpollock

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#76168 28-Jun-2007 09:52

I expect that AT&T is paying a lot of money to Apple for the exclusivity. Apple wants people to come into the Apple Store to buy it and possibly buy other apple equipment, like the headset, possibly even a macbook and 30" display. There will be a lot of foot traffic to buy the phones. I also expect that Apple is quite afraid of the possibility of bad experiences at AT&T retail stores.

So, in that situation, what are you going to do?

You lock it down the way they have. Makes sense to me.

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#76169 28-Jun-2007 09:58

If we were using this line it makes sense for Microsoft to lock down their systems. What people would do if it was Microsoft? Sue the company...

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lduncan

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Master Geek

#76170 28-Jun-2007 10:07

This is just Apple's unique take on the consumer products. It's what makes them friendly. (And conversly make geeks complain)

It's all about making the customer experience as consistent and simple as possible.

Remember that they approached other carriers, but they turned down the iPhone. With network specific features like visual voicemail, it's understandable that the phone is locked to a network which is willing to make the modifications to support this. (Not to mention phone locking is common place in the US)

What if it was unlocked, Apple would be inundated with support calls from t mobile users asking why visual voicemail is broken.

It's not done to spite users, it's clearly done for a logical reason. (Of course there is some sort of revenue sharing kickback too.)

Also if you look at the testing they have done on at&t's network, the backhaul upgrades, the coverage testing etc that fits with their focus on the consumer "experience".

And this focus obviously works.

http://www.polarbearfarm.com

lduncan

189 posts

Master Geek

#76172 28-Jun-2007 10:35

Looks like SIM slot is still user accessible from this video review:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ERyQ21BEC6s

So the phone appears to be just software locked, like most other phones over there.

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Madmax77

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Master Geek

#76174 28-Jun-2007 11:06

spazz: iPhone plans just announced..

All plans feature:

- Unlimited intra-AT&T calling (wow, that's almost inconceivable down here!)
- 200 SMS (because calling is FREE)
- UNLIMITED DATA (again, can you imagine any NZ telco offering that?)
- Specified number of other-network/landline minutes

Plans are:
$59.99 for 450 minutes
$79.99 for 900 minutes
$99.99 for 1,350 minutes

It all seems really great until you read the small print on AT&T's webite: Basically unlimited data amounts to the following

Data Service sessions may be conducted only for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) corporate intranet access (including access to corporate email, customer relationship management, sales force automation, and field service automation applications)

That's it...no streaming video, downloading/uploading content etc...not really that appealing eh? Full version below

Prohibited and Permissible Uses: Data Service sessions may be conducted only for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) corporate intranet access (including access to corporate email, customer relationship management, sales force automation, and field service automation applications). PROHIBITED USES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, USING SERVICES: (I) WITH SERVER DEVICES OR WITH HOST COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WEB CAMERA POSTS OR BROADCASTS, CONTINUOUS JPEG FILE TRANSFERS, AUTOMATIC DATA FEEDS, TELEMETRY APPLICATIONS, PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) FILE SHARING, AUTOMATED FUNCTIONS OR ANY OTHER MACHINE-TO-MACHINE APPLICATIONS; (II) AS SUBSTITUTE OR BACKUP FOR PRIVATE LINES OR DEDICATED DATA CONNECTIONS; (III) FOR VOICE OVER IP; (IV) IN CONJUNCTION WITH WWAN OR OTHER APPLICATIONS OR DEVICES WHICH AGGREGATE USAGE FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION; (V) USING THE SERVICES FOR ANY ACTIVITY THAT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE ABILITY OF OTHER PEOPLE OR SYSTEMS TO USE EITHER THE SERVICES OR OTHER PARTIES' INTERNET-BASED RESOURCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF NETWORK OR SYSTEM RESOURCES (WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL) AND "DENIAL OF SERVICE" (DOS) ATTACKS AGAINST ANOTHER NETWORK HOST OR INDIVIDUAL USER; OR (VI) INTERFERENCE WITH OR DISRUPTION OF OTHER NETWORK USERS, NETWORK SERVICES OR NETWORK EQUIPMENT. EXCEPT FOR CONTENT FORMATTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AT&T'S CONTENT STANDARDS, UNLIMITED PLANS CANNOT BE USED FOR UPLOADING, DOWNLOADING OR STREAMING OF VIDEO CONTENT (E.G. MOVIES, TV), MUSIC OR GAMES. FURTHERMORE, UNLIMITED PLANS (EXCEPT FOR DATACONNECT AND BLACKBERRY TETHERED) CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY APPLICATIONS THAT TETHER THE DEVICE (THROUGH USE OF, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONNECTION KITS, OTHER PHONE/PDA-TO-COMPUTER ACCESSORIES, BLUETOOTH® OR ANY OTHER WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY) TO LAPTOPS, PCS, OR OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR ANY PURPOSE.

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Ultimate Geek

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#76176 28-Jun-2007 11:29

freitasm: The iPhone v1.0 does not use a SIM card, even though it's on a GSM/EDGE network.

It means you must use it with AT&T.

Just another evidence that Apple locks down everything...

If I am right removeable SIM card is one of the basic principle of the GSM standard.

And Vodafone is in talks with Apple about iPhone release according to NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10448406

BTW I am not "infected" with the hype: at the end its just a bloody GSM phone with nice user interface and WiFi.
I stay instead with my N95 wich is a quad band GSM and 3G phone with WiFi, GPS and HSDPA capabilities.

I is a kollege stoodent. Bee nice.

freitasm

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#76205 28-Jun-2007 17:23

About the SIM lock...

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lduncan

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Master Geek

#76208 28-Jun-2007 17:42

FUD anyone?

http://www.polarbearfarm.com

freitasm

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#76210 28-Jun-2007 17:45

The thing is serious. You can not remove the SIM card, you can not use your own SIM card, you can only activate with iTunes.

Talk about locking the customer. Any othe company doing this and people would be crying out - but not Apple...

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lduncan

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Master Geek

#76213 28-Jun-2007 17:57

Where's the confirmation of this?

All I can see is unconfirmed rumor from a couple bloggers, vs the keynote info and reviews and photo's from people who actually have the phone showing an accesible sim slot:

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070627_POGUE_GRAPHIC.html

So is it just FUD?

http://www.polarbearfarm.com

jpollock

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Ultimate Geek
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#76216 28-Jun-2007 18:08

relevant quote from the NY Times pictures:

“If you insert a pin or an unfolded paper clip into the pinhole and push hard, the preinstalled SIM card tray pops out. Any recent AT&T SIM card should work, although only after iPhone activation in the iTunes software.”

As I said, it will be interesting to see the unpacking reviews on Saturday. :)

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lduncan

189 posts

Master Geek

#76274 29-Jun-2007 08:04

freitasm: The thing is serious. You can not remove the SIM card, you can not use your own SIM card, you can only activate with iTunes.

Talk about locking the customer. Any othe company doing this and people would be crying out - but not Apple...

More evidence that the SIM is accessible and this is nothing more than bloggers spreading a little FUD.

From this http://www.boygeniusreport.com/Documents/iphonelaunchguide2.pdf

• SIM cards are not required for repairs, and should not be returned with the device. Advise the customer to remove the SIM card, prior to sending to Apple, and store in a safe location.

• If a customer decides to insert their iPhone SIM card into another at&t device they will have the following experience

• Visual Voicemail will not be available, however regular voicemail will be available...

• MEdiaNet will be used to access the Internet. MMS and IM messages are included in the customer's iPhone Data Plan.

• Contacts will not be accessible via the SIM

• Contacts added to the SIM while in another device will not be synced back to iPhone.

http://www.polarbearfarm.com

freitasm

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#76282 29-Jun-2007 09:33

Well, might be I am wrong this time then...

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