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jogi · Jun 15, 2008, 12:00 PM

Satisfied, but it is definitely not free in the UK... Check this out: iPhone: Behind the clever marketing… � My-Spot

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 15, 2008, 03:00 PM

I am very happy. The only thing they really ever need to add is a flash for the camera and a front facing camera for video chat. No real hurry for each though.

CIA · 02:39 AM

Considering the price, I don't think many people have much to complain about. Price of just the phone that is.
The 3G is awesome, for those of you who can use it. A large chunk of the AT&T iPhone users won't get those faster speeds, and new customers will be paying more for a data plan no better then the previous one.

Until 3G spreads out over more of the country, I'l stick with my original iPhone and plan.

My question, and it's slightly odd.
(without going into too much detail) The original iPhone deal with AT&T gave Apple a portion of the subscribers monthly service fee. This allowed Apple to, from an accounting standpoint, disperse it's profits from the iPhone over a 24 month period. This little fact also was the reason Apple could give iPhones "free" software updates. The Touch sadly didn't fall under this, so you had/have to pay for software upgrades for it. I forget the name of the law, but I believe it's the same one that made for the annoying 802.11n $1.99 "patch" to unlock the higher speed airport cards built into certain Apple machines.
Now Apple has taken a step back, and allowed AT&T to subsidize the iPhone, and Apple will not be receiving a monthly kickback from iPhone 3G sales. While the existing iPhone owners will still fall under the original agreement if they stick with their old phones/original contract.
My point being. iPhone 3G sales are no longer, from an accounting standpoint, spread out over time, (ala subscriber fees) Does this mean that Apple will now be charging for future software updates to the iPhone? With the Store launching before the 3G launch, and the software pre-loaded onto the phone, will that be it?
Yes, Apple may not be making as much per phone now over the long term, but do they plan on making up for this by selling $9.99 software upgrades every 6 months to millions and millions of new "cheap" iPhone 3G users?

<edit> Also, if this is a US law, why did the company have to charge for that 802.11n patch and iPod Touch upgrades in other countries?</edit>

analogika · Jun 17, 2008, 03:49 AM

You're talking about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Originally Posted by CIA

iPhone 3G sales are no longer, from an accounting standpoint, spread out over time, (ala subscriber fees)

You don't know this.

AFAIK, Apple can account for profits any which way they like - the Apple TV, for example, is accounted for as a 24-month subscription, precisely so that they can roll out free updates, even though it's only paid for once.

It's very likely that Apple will continue use the same model for the iPhone.

Originally Posted by CIA

<edit> Also, if this is a US law, why did the company have to charge for that 802.11n patch and iPod Touch upgrades in other countries?</edit>

Apple is US-based, and a such, its income is subject to US laws, regardless of where it is generated.

deVilliers · Jun 17, 2008, 09:35 AM

I use the camera on my Sony Ericsson mobile telephone in place of a dedicated camera. It has both a zoom and a flash. The camera on the iPhone is more basic than that on my Sony Ericsson - which is two years old.

I also enjoy transferring the photographs to my computer via bluetooth. It is not difficult at all - in contrast to the earlier posts which stated that this was difficult. And in any event, one could expect Apple to make it a simple process.

This lack of function cannot be seen as a positive point. It may be that some users will not require a good camera with a flash and/or bluetooth file transfer and/or tethering. But that does not make the absence of such features a positive point.

I will wait for Apple to improve these parts of the iPhone before I purchase one. Although the iPhone is far more advanced than mine for internet browsing and email, it is backwards in its camera, bluetooth and tethering features.

de Villiers

JHromadka · Jun 17, 2008, 01:08 PM

I have a Blackberry Pearl right now and am really thinking about getting the iPhone 3G. The one thing I'll miss is MMS. Would it be possible for a 3rd party app to have MMS?

analogika · Jun 17, 2008, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by deVilliers

I use the camera on my Sony Ericsson mobile telephone in place of a dedicated camera. It has both a zoom and a flash. The camera on the iPhone is more basic than that on my Sony Ericsson - which is two years old.

I gave up bothering.

The cam on my phone is fine, but its use is documentation, nothing more - and a 2 MP camera is MORE than enough for that.

If I want photography, I need a camera. So I got one.

Koralatov · Jun 18, 2008, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by deVilliers

I use the camera on my Sony Ericsson mobile telephone in place of a dedicated camera. It has both a zoom and a flash. The camera on the iPhone is more basic than that on my Sony Ericsson - which is two years old.

I probably haven’t used your particular phone, but every camera-phone I’ve ever used has taken pretty dire pictures, regardless of resolution or flash/zoom/etc. I’ve used 5MP camera-phones that were pitched as replacements for dedicated cameras, and I haven’t found one that made me think that I could do without a proper digicam. I also know a few people who are big into photography and they laugh at the idea of using a phone—regardless of resolution—in place of a real camera. I tend to agree with that sentiment.

As such, whilst the iPhone doesn’t have a fantastic camera, I don’t really think it’s that bad—like all cameras on phones, it’s pretty limited. So overall, it’s not a big sticking point for me.

- - e r i k - - · Jun 18, 2008, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by JHromadka

I have a Blackberry Pearl right now and am really thinking about getting the iPhone 3G. The one thing I'll miss is MMS. Would it be possible for a 3rd party app to have MMS?

The Swirly iPhone MMS Application Space

JHromadka · Jun 20, 2008, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

The Swirly iPhone MMS Application Space

Bookmarked. Thanks!

turtle777 · Jun 20, 2008, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Stogieman

Yeah, I was disappointed in the storage size. I was really hoping for a 32Gb model. My current 1st gen iPhone will hold me off until the next release. The only thing I will be missing is the 3G and GPS.

Seconded.

16 GB is just not enough if you want to have a sizable Music collection + some videos.

I think I will wait for the 32GB version.

-t

Simon · Jun 20, 2008, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

I think I will wait for the 32GB version.

I'm actually toying with that idea too.

I just wonder how long it will be till we see a 32GB version. On the orignal iPhone it took seven months. I'm hoping it won't take that long this time. Any educated guesses?