One of the most important aspects of the iPhone is how it’s breathed the air of change into long stodgy, backwards thinking mobile cellular providers. We can argue whether its been less effective post iPhone 3G where subsidies have returned, but either way Apple fairly neatly removed the carrier middleman from its usual intrusive position in the smartphone space. App Store is clearly the crowning example thus far, but frequent firmware updates is sometimes likewise cited.
On the latest This Week in Tech (TWiT) podcast, however, Digg founder Kevin Rose credited an unnamed source inside Apple as saying AT&T had to approve the next iPhone firmware update. Of course, Rose has been, er… somewhat less than accurate in regards to iPhone news in the past (including his reports that the iPhone 3G would have video iChat). In his corner this time, however, are server logs showing iPhone 2.0.1 traffic on popular Apple news sites originating from both Cupertino and AT&T HQ regions.
Has AT&T always played a role in firmware testing or is this a new factor in a post 3G world? If it’s new, will it make 2.x updates take longer than 1.x did? And do international carriers like 02, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Rogers, Orange, etc. all have similar advanced testing privileges? If so, will 22+ (70+ eventually) carriers wanting to test new firmware result in huge delays or staggered launches? Or is this just another well Dugg tempest in a Royal Jasmine teapot?
On a side note, the same episode of TWiT saw the crankiest of geeks, John C. Dvorak “dot org slash blog” claim that one particularly damaging rumor circulating about Steve Jobs current health was deliberately and maliciously spread at an exclusive CEO gathering by an as-yet unnamed but well known executive with a personal grudge against Jobs and Apple. Dvorak maintains the rumor, which recent reports have indicated is false, was spread to other CEOs who then propagated it, adding to the confusion and downward pressure on Apple’s stock. If he can get a second anonymous confirmation on the story, Dvorak claims he will name names in his Marketwatch column.
As a huge fan of Karma, that should make for an interesting day, and likely more than a “slime bucket” response from El Jobso.
It’s the end of July and there’s still plenty of summer left, so snow and avalanches are still many months away. Fortunately, any time of year is perfect for an App Avalanche, and there are always new and updated apps in the App Store for your iPhone. It’s time for App Avalanche 3!
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The iPhone might be the best iPod ever, but as Steve Jobs keeps saying, if no one else can compete with Apple, Apple will compete with itself. Witness a number of new iPod rumors that have just surfaced.
First up, iPhone Atlas brings word of a new iPod Touch. Seems the latest developer deep diving in the upcoming iPhone 2.0 code, in addition to cut and paste, has discovered strings for what looks like iPod Touch 2,1. To give perspective, the original iPhone and iPod Touch were 1,1, while the iPhone 3G is 1,2. A jump to 2,1 then looks to be an upgrade quite a bit more significant than what the iPhone just enjoyed. A replacement? An additional model? A twice-sized iTablet? And what will this mean for the similarly Mobile OS X powered iPhone?
Next up, iLounge says the next iPod Nano will shed its “phat” and grow tall again to accommodate an iPhone/iPod Touch wider-screen aspect ratio of 1.5:1 (bumped from the current 1.33:1). iLounge — and almost everyone else who picked up the story — headlined the form factor as “Zune-like”, for obvious link… er… attraction purposes. Well played!
Also, while rumors have swirled over multi-colored iPods being introduced in the next generation, which harken back to marketing mishaps like the Flower Power iMac of yore, MacObserver reveals a new Apple patent application for “computing device with dynamic ornamental [i.e. color changing] appearance”. Though supremely awesome in concept (Predator-like chameleon camo class awesome), iLounge claims any rumors of multi-colored iPods coming this year are inaccurate. Instead, each model will sport its own anodized aluminum skin, much like the old iPod Nano.
Lastly, Apple Insider says Apple is advising resellers to stock up soon, as iPod shortages this way come. Clearing out stock in preparation for another Special Event this autumn? The last one not only debuted the iPod Touch, but a new iPhone Firmware which included the WiFi Music Store, so we certainly hope so!
Apple released iTunes 7.7 just before the iPhone 3G hit on July 11, and now Software Update is ready to serve us up iTunes 7.7.1. What’s new in the point release? Apple provides their typical super-detailed notes:
includes fixes to improve stability and performance
Gizmodo points out that this release follows only days after Apple’s FairPlay DRM was cracked for iPhone Apps. Coincidence? We’ll see.
If you’ve already installed 7.7.1 — like I have — all that remains is to sit back and see if the devs find any interesting strings this time around, or if an even more welcome update — iPhone 2.0.1 — follows soon…
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We know the $199 initial price tag of the iPhone 3G is carrier subsidized, but we don’t really know by how much, or for how many. Rogers Wireless president Nadir Mohammed, however, shed some light on what just might be representative of iPhone 3G deals world wide. During Rogers Q2 results call, Mohammed revealed that they “didn’t anticipate that we would launch that device under any model this year,” but once announced on June 9, it “slammed on the brakes” on their other handsets — ouch — and led to a huge cut on the Nokia N95 to try and get some demand back.
The subsidy on the iPhone 3G, meanwhile, is reportedly the steepest Rogers has ever offered, but is worth it due to the iPhone 3G being “highly, highly attractive” to those willing to pay more on their monthly contracts to support the handset — just the kind of customers Rogers (and all carriers) value most. The very same customers that Rogers believes will quickly recoup the $150 million worth of iPhone 3G’s they committed to up front. (Apple Insider assumes at $450 a unit times 333,000 units).
That’s a lot of loonies!
Hmm. YESSIM has claimed that they can unlock iPhone 3Gs using a YESSIM SIM card for all the unlocking purposes. They have video-proof complete with convoluted instructions and a dodgy FAQ on their website. The Sim Unlock was developed in Europe and requires a jailbroken iPhone 3G. Are we taking this with an ordinary grain of salt or a Mt. Everest sized one?
What raises TiPb’s eyebrow is the fact that their website has common spelling and grammatical errors. Plus it seems like they’re pimping their product more than showing the process. But hardware Sim Unlocks do seem to be from foreign countries and use some mysterious, voodoo magic to unlock the iPhone. So I guess if they’re right, we can forgive them for everything.
What do you think? Is this legit? Or should we wait until a non-SIM Unlock method?
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So there have been some reports that the white iPhone 3G has been showing cracks in its plastic housing already. From the pictures shown, some look like it could be scratches while others look almost, definitively cracked. I knew that the plastic would not be as durable as the original iPhone’s but cracks in the casing? That’s a lot worse than I ever imagined.
Is this a case of internet propaganda or could this really be happening? Anyone with white iPhone 3Gs like to tell their side of the story?
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First up, legendary id Software founder and Doom and Quake mastermind John Carmack spoke to Forbes about iPhone gaming:
“We wanted to do something for the iPhone, but we just didn’t have the scheduling or the resources available. I really regret not having something at launch. We have a title we want to develop exclusively for iPhone. I’m not announcing anything specifically, but it would be a graphical tour de force.”
id clarifies it will be an existing property, and Carmack goes on to say the iPhone is Xbox or PS2 class when it comes to power, a little lighter on the graphics, but a lot heavier on the RAM, and when (and if) the business model makes sense, he could easily see spending $10M on developing an iPhone game.
Next up, TUAW covers the Torque Game Engine and its recent release for the iPhone. Torque would sit on top of the OpenGL ES system and help developers create better graphical experiences faster via their Game Builder software.
Lastly, Gizmodo shows some video of the updated NES emulator (for jailbroken iPhone’s and iPod Touch) which adds accelerometer support for increased gaming goodness.
Me thinks iPhone gamers are going to see an amazing second wave of software in the coming months.
AT&T has a plan developed specifically for the hearing impaired who’d like to own an iPhone: Unlimited SMS, Unlimited Data, Visual Voicemail, and 40 cents a minute for calls. A good deal all around for $40 bucks a month. Scratch that — it’s $50 now for iPhone 3G users, but like the standard plans, iPhone 2G users can still get the plan for ten bucks less. All you need to do to apply is fill out the requisite forms from AT&T. Also notable: corporate plans of the same clock in at $65, but hey, at least the company is paying that bill.
Electonista via TUAW
At the TechCrunch Mobile Web Wars event (basically a Silicon Valley roundtable discussion), the topic of conversation often turned towards, you guessed it, your favorite gadget, the iPhone. Many Execs were claiming that the traffic generated by the iPhone is extraordinary and the amount of apps downloaded in a matter of weeks are jaw-dropping.
Here are the notable facts and figures:
- Pandora has been available for 18 months in other mobile platforms which resulted in 12,000 monthly subscriptions to the service. In 6 days with the iPhone…350,000 installs on the iPhone.
- And before you cry foul because of the paid vs free debate, Pandora says that the App Store lets the company make money through ads whereas on other devices they were forced into a subscription method.
- 1 million Facebook users downloaded the Facebook App
- Average iPhone user is 47 times as active on Loopt as those on other phones
It wasn’t all cheery for the iPhone though, Vice President of S60 software technology management David Rivas continues to claim that his devices can do everything that the iPhone and also offers hundreds of millions of users to choose from. But Bart Decrem, CEO of Tapulous (TTR and Twinkle), fired back saying you need a “developer environment and a delivery channel” to capitalize on those users.
Right now the iPhone does. And everyone else doesn’t. Zing.
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