Occ News: Iphone Delivers Up To Eight Hours Of Talk Time

[LoArmistead]

OCC News Post

 

 

We are all familiar with the iPod and its legacy. Hell, just a couple of months ago, Apple was all over the news as having sold their 100-millionth iPod (that's a lot of iPods, folks). There have also been a lot of people on the edge of their seats awaiting Apple's next creation in diversifying the MP3 player market, the iPhone. With a release date set in stone for June 29, it appears that Apple has been making some last-minute revisions to its new baby before it hits the stands.

 

Apple announced today that the iPhone's battery life has been significantly improved over the preliminary release in January of this year. Increased talk time from 5 to 8 hours, internet use from 5 to 6, video use from 5 to 7, audio playback from 16 to 24, and to top it off, a standby time of up to 10 days are among the changes implemented in this latest iPhone revision. Apple has also announced that the top surface of the iPhone has been upgraded from plastic to "optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity." The iPhone's interface will allow its users to control the iPod/smart phone hybrid with a tap, flick, or pinch of their fingers on the lovely, gargantuan, 3.5" LCD.

 

The iPhone will be both PC and Mac compatible, with a 4GB model selling for $499 and an 8GB model selling for $599, and will be available for purchase through Apple or through an AT&T retail store.

 

I don't claim to be an iFan by any means, and the thought of seeing a bunch of people walking around playing Dance Dance Revolution with their fingers on their cell phones gives me a chuckle, but based on the public's reaction to the iPhone, there isn't a doubt in my mind that it will be a success, despite the steep price tag. There is some controversy surrounding the new iPhone, however, mainly regarding the price of the unit compared to the storage space you receive. We also must keep in mind that this is a first release, and with solid state disk sizes increasing and their prices decreasing, it's not unrealistic to assume that we will see iPhones offering significantly more storage space for lower prices in the not-too-distant future.

 

Apple Press Release

 

[Nemo]

According to this news article, there are 19 million of your closest friends willing to shell out the $500-600 to buy an iPhone.

[bigred]

let em... wife loves it, I HATE it.

 

 

 

loosing the abilty to dial by touch drives me up the wall!

[ClayMeow]

you think the price tag is the only "controversy"? How 'bout the fact that's it's only available for AT&T? Here in the metro-NY area, Verizon Wireless is the most-used carrier, as it's got far superior service. I'm sure there are other markets that are similar. NY's a big market not to be able to fully penetrate. And no matter how big an iFan someone is, I doubt they'd change carriers just to own an iPhone.

[LoArmistead]

you think the price tag is the only "controversy"? How 'bout the fact that's it's only available for AT&T? Here in the metro-NY area, Verizon Wireless is the most-used carrier, as it's got far superior service. I'm sure there are other markets that are similar. NY's a big market not to be able to fully penetrate. And no matter how big an iFan someone is, I doubt they'd change carriers just to own an iPhone.

 

Very true. That same argument works in a lot of places. In DC, for instance, Verizon is simply THE cell phone provider in the area. Around here where I live, Verizon gets the best reception, and even then it's still shoddy in places (hills and trees). I've had verizon for several years now, and I am not planning on changing my thus far reliable wireless provider to go to one that offers bad service in my area for a phone that costs more than twice as much as I would ever dream of spending on a cell phone. Perhaps if the iPhone spreads to other providers in the future, and the price decreases, I'd consider it. But until then...

[SMeeD]

According to this news article, there are 19 million of your closest friends willing to shell out the $500-600 to buy an iPhone.

 

I can believe it. Back when the ipod came out a lot of people thought it was overpriced and didnt offer much but look where it is today...

 

 

I can see a lot of older people not changing carriers to own an iphone. All of those teenagers who have their parents buy them the phone probably wont hesitate to have something better than their friends have. Everyone knows how that goes.

Edited June 18, 2007 by SMeeD

[ClayMeow]

Very true. That same argument works in a lot of places. In DC, for instance, Verizon is simply THE cell phone provider in the area. Around here where I live, Verizon gets the best reception, and even then it's still shoddy in places (hills and trees). I've had verizon for several years now, and I am not planning on changing my thus far reliable wireless provider to go to one that offers bad service in my area for a phone that costs more than twice as much as I would ever dream of spending on a cell phone. Perhaps if the iPhone spreads to other providers in the future, and the price decreases, I'd consider it. But until then...

Exactly. And the odds of it spreading to other carriers any time soon is slim since AT&T and Apple signed an exclusive deal. Apple would have to put out a new phone, and depending on the stipulations of the contract, may have to change some features and probably the name too, as to not breach the exclusivity clause. In the article Nemo linked, it implies people plan on switching carriers just to get the iPhone...I'll believe it when I see it.

[bigred]

clay you do bring up a very valid point. and with verison being the largest mobile service provider in the US it IS a problem.

 

 

I found that the call quality was horrible in the detroit area, but in san diego and atlanta it sounded fine. god knows how it is other places.

 

 

now it is my understanding that apple and AT&T only have a 1 year agreement. that could be overturned in 08 depending on how sales go. remember that the initial sales of the ipod were murdered by it being mac only (that's how I got my first ipod for free... got it working with a beta of xplay on an HP... sold nearly 50 of them in one day after close to 90 days without selling one). apple has some people with very good business sense making these decisions. I'm sure sooner than later it'll come to other carriers IF sales stay as high as projected.

[Nemo]

clay you do bring up a very valid point. and with verison being the largest mobile service provider in the US it IS a problem.

I found that the call quality was horrible in the detroit area, but in san diego and atlanta it sounded fine. god knows how it is other places.

now it is my understanding that apple and AT&T only have a 1 year agreement. that could be overturned in 08 depending on how sales go. remember that the initial sales of the ipod were murdered by it being mac only (that's how I got my first ipod for free... got it working with a beta of xplay on an HP... sold nearly 50 of them in one day after close to 90 days without selling one). apple has some people with very good business sense making these decisions. I'm sure sooner than later it'll come to other carriers IF sales stay as high as projected.

I wonder how many people will be willing to switch carriers once they realize what the early termination fee will be?

[Verran]

you think the price tag is the only "controversy"? How 'bout the fact that's it's only available for AT&T? Here in the metro-NY area, Verizon Wireless is the most-used carrier, as it's got far superior service. I'm sure there are other markets that are similar. NY's a big market not to be able to fully penetrate. And no matter how big an iFan someone is, I doubt they'd change carriers just to own an iPhone.

But don't stop there! The newest news leaked from AT&T store managers is that the iPhone will require you choose from a limited selection of data plans (source).

 

Just want to carry your iPhone for music and use it as a phone? Too bad! You'll be paying for data anyways.

 

These days, the cost is the least of my concerns about the iPhone. Yeah, $500 - $600 is a lot of cash for a phone, but really it's not that bad. Combine the price of a high-quality phone with the price of a high-quality MP3 player, and tack on a fair premium for not having to carry them in separate boxes, and you've got the price of the iPhone. It's not that bad really. But Verizon is far superior to AT&T here (like many others have said). On top of that, I don't want a data plan.

 

It seems like Apple is being very cocky about this launch. I'm not so sure it'll pay off.

[sdy284]

It seems like Apple is being very cocky about this launch. I'm not so sure it'll pay off.

 

Apple... cocky about their products???

 

Never!

 

[bigred]

I hadn't heard that part.... not that it matters when you've already got data plans on 2 personal phones and voice only on 2 more cingulars and a nextel (yeah I have to carry 4 different phones and a pager at all times )