> it could be that the GSM iPhones have hardware or driver problems that the CDMA iPhone 4 does not. But, alas for AT&T, GSM iPhone users around the world do not share in the problems of GSM iPhone users in the United States.
Certainly not true. Writing from Europe: I've had all the iPhone 4 dropped call problems in the middle of the city whenever I've forgotten how to "safely" hold the phone until I've bought the bumper case. My provider here is T Mobile.
The problem here is not related to the "death-grip." The problems with AT&T's network affect all versions of the iPhone, not just the iPhone 4.
As a Canadian, I never get to see how well the AT&T data speeds are on an iPhone (the prices are insane for roaming), but on the times where I've needed to do voice calls, the AT&T experience is—at best—not great. I don't have that problem here in Canada.
I had bad service in NC (just south of Raleigh, near Fort Bragg), but was astonished to find that moving to Tampa made my service worse. I drop calls, can hardly hear, and lose data signal constantly. I'm ready to switch, even though I just bought a brand new iPhone 4 a few months ago.
My only concern is this - why buy an iPhone 4 on Verizon when the next model is due in a few months? Will be interesting to see if this pisses people off.
My only concern is this - why buy an iPhone 4 on Verizon when the next model is due in a few months? Will be interesting to see if this pisses people off.
That’s one of the downsides of having such a simple product line. Who (except for a tiny minority) even knows when HTC or Samsung release a new phone? The announcement of a new iPhone makes headlines and it’s also introduced as a replacement, not just another different model. (Technology progresses. Blaming any tech company for introducing a newer, better and cheaper model is stupid. A phone you buy today will be just as good in three years.)
My guess would be that people will not be very pissed. There will be lame jokes but not much outrage. I think that Apple will go for a two-year rhythm when it comes to major iPhone updates and that the next iPhone will consequently mostly receive a speed and RAM bump, maybe some nice software features and some cool hardware thing (NFC?) and that the case and other specs will stay the same. (Except for changing the case I don’t even know what they could conceivably do to make this a major update.) Current iPhones would obviously equally benefit from software updates (well, mostly – hopefully).
Apple will definitely continue to sell the current iPhone even after the next model has been introduced – just like they are still selling the 3GS now.
AT&T has horrible service on MacDill AFB; they have impeccable coverage in the rest of the Tampa Bay area except the exact middle of the 275 bridge to Pinellas. I'm not sure how other carriers do on MacDill.
I can't help but feel like not having data while using voice would be a bigger annoyance to me than Gruber found it. I often look up maps while on the phone with someone. Also losing wi-fi during a call could be frustrating.
I completely agree. I use data fairly regularly when I'm on the phone. That is enough of a factor for me that I don't think I could switch until it gets resolved with Verizon's network updates.
It seems that a bunch of bloggers received pre-release Verizon iPhones for review. It's probably because expectations have already been set for the iPhone 4 and Apple doesn't need to worry about reviews negatively affecting initial sales.
It's not often that you see two reviews for essentially identical products from the same source. This was a pretty smart move by Apple.
Could it perhaps have been supplied by Verizon instead? They'd be the ones with the most to gain right now in terms of PR - get all the bloggers to talk about how much better the network is since the hardware itself is a non-story (which is exactly what the ones I've read have said so far).
UPDATE: The footnote in Gruber's article actually says "supplied by Apple" so... guess not. :)
Apple invited Gruber as press to the iPhone 4 Antennagate conference last year. He was also invited to the opening of the Philly Apple Store. Apple isn't the only one reaching out to Gruber — Google sent him a Nexus S for review as well (which I don't think he ever got around to writing).
I'm curious about the wifi tethering. Ad-hoc wifi networks created on a Mac are only WEP-"protected"; I wonder if the iPhone's is a true WPA(2) access point. I wouldn't be comfortable walking around with an effectively wide-open WEP AP attached to my mobile data connection.
I also wouldn't be too presumptuous about getting the AP feature in previous hardware, if it is a true access point - 'master' mode isn't supported by all wifi hardware, although it may well purely be a firmware ("baseband") issue. I don't expect to get the feature on my old iPhone 3G, though it would be a nice bonus on the iPad.
Verizon sells phones. They will continue to sell phones. They will continue to own and push (and control) the Droid brand. The iPhone, though, is a phone they don’t need to own, push, or control. Apple will sell it for them. Verizon just needs to sell their core competency: cellular networking.
What I wonder is if Verizon will continue with their massive Android advertising, without it Android's U.S. numbers might slow down. It is very interesting that Motorola's best new Android phone, the Atrix, is an ATT exclusive.
They probably will. AT&T seemed to spend a lot of time and effort promoting other non-iPhones. The people who want iPhones are probably already sold on them. Apple is also advertising it, too. The networks likely still feel a need to reach out to the people who don't care about the hardware itself and just want the services they offer, so they can use the other phones for that purpose.
From an article I read a few weeks ago, the Atrix is just the name of the version they're selling AT&T, while the Bionic is the name of the version they're selling Verizon. One has more RAM, the other has more ROM, and the Verizon version supports LTE, but otherwise the same phone...
I had a 1st gen iPhone the day they came out. Loved that phone. Sadly I couldn't stand AT&T's customer service. So I went to verizon and bought a Droid. Loved that phone too, but anymore I just want a iPhone again. I miss having my easy integration with my contacts, iTunes, and iPhoto
Anyways I will be waiting till this summer for when the next generation supposedly comes out.
[+] [-] acqq|15 years ago|reply
Certainly not true. Writing from Europe: I've had all the iPhone 4 dropped call problems in the middle of the city whenever I've forgotten how to "safely" hold the phone until I've bought the bumper case. My provider here is T Mobile.
[+] [-] halostatue|15 years ago|reply
As a Canadian, I never get to see how well the AT&T data speeds are on an iPhone (the prices are insane for roaming), but on the times where I've needed to do voice calls, the AT&T experience is—at best—not great. I don't have that problem here in Canada.
[+] [-] ugh|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nhangen|15 years ago|reply
My only concern is this - why buy an iPhone 4 on Verizon when the next model is due in a few months? Will be interesting to see if this pisses people off.
[+] [-] ugh|15 years ago|reply
That’s one of the downsides of having such a simple product line. Who (except for a tiny minority) even knows when HTC or Samsung release a new phone? The announcement of a new iPhone makes headlines and it’s also introduced as a replacement, not just another different model. (Technology progresses. Blaming any tech company for introducing a newer, better and cheaper model is stupid. A phone you buy today will be just as good in three years.)
My guess would be that people will not be very pissed. There will be lame jokes but not much outrage. I think that Apple will go for a two-year rhythm when it comes to major iPhone updates and that the next iPhone will consequently mostly receive a speed and RAM bump, maybe some nice software features and some cool hardware thing (NFC?) and that the case and other specs will stay the same. (Except for changing the case I don’t even know what they could conceivably do to make this a major update.) Current iPhones would obviously equally benefit from software updates (well, mostly – hopefully).
Apple will definitely continue to sell the current iPhone even after the next model has been introduced – just like they are still selling the 3GS now.
[+] [-] khafra|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yesimahuman|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] SoftwareMaven|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mqt|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brianwillis|15 years ago|reply
I wonder if Gizmodo got one?
[+] [-] mqt|15 years ago|reply
It's not often that you see two reviews for essentially identical products from the same source. This was a pretty smart move by Apple.
http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/02/verizon-iphone-review/
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/technology/personaltech/03...
http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/02/verizon-iphone/
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/02/verizon-iphone-review/
[+] [-] marcc|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] BigZaphod|15 years ago|reply
UPDATE: The footnote in Gruber's article actually says "supplied by Apple" so... guess not. :)
[+] [-] Jonnyrealed|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] flyt|15 years ago|reply
http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/10/steve-jobs-responds-to-ipho...
[+] [-] pmjordan|15 years ago|reply
I also wouldn't be too presumptuous about getting the AP feature in previous hardware, if it is a true access point - 'master' mode isn't supported by all wifi hardware, although it may well purely be a firmware ("baseband") issue. I don't expect to get the feature on my old iPhone 3G, though it would be a nice bonus on the iPad.
[+] [-] doki_pen|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sambeau|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] guelo|15 years ago|reply
Fun times!
[+] [-] BigZaphod|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dangrossman|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] neild|15 years ago|reply
The fact that "Android" and "Droid" are becoming synonymous for many people is very, very good for Verizon.
[+] [-] thecasper|15 years ago|reply
Anyways I will be waiting till this summer for when the next generation supposedly comes out.
[+] [-] iqster|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] glhaynes|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] to|15 years ago|reply
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