Some readers are telling us they can already access MMS on AT&T. This has been happening for a while, of course. Justin was able to use MMS during the 3.1 beta, after all. We figured AT&T was testing the system. Now, AT&T officially has until the promised September 25 drop date to get all iPhone users up and running, however, it appears more and more people are gaining access to MMS and it’s not going away (at least yet).
So, in an effort to find out just how widespread this early MMS access is, we’re running the poll above, and if you are getting MMS already, asking you to let us know where, and for how long in the comments below.
Yesterday was Apple’s annual, hype-filled, reality distorted, special music event, It’s only rock and roll, but we like it. Today is the colder, harsher morning after, and as we wipe our eyes, yawn, and look over, we wonder — did you really like it?
This is a multi-choice poll, so if you liked something, vote for it. If you didn’t, leave it hanging. Let’s see how Apple did…
Yesterday we asked you if Apple should 1) keep on improving the App Store, 2) eliminate the App Store and let people side-load applications from any source, or 3( do both by keeping the App Store but adding side-loading as an option.
As commenter Shallomon pointed out, however, we technically already have option 3, with the App Store and Jailbreaking.
TiPb’s mentioned before that Jailbreak is easily something Apple might consider “expert mode” or “iPhone pro”, a second state of the device for those users willing and able to break the root jail and install their own apps, yet also something Apple doesn’t have to offer or support as a second SKU.
Likewise, complaints that Jailbreak could potentially reduce battery life or stability are covered by users doing it — or undoing it — themselves, thus taking on that responsibility (and lets face it, my previous smartphone, a Palm Treo 680 crashed multiple times a day when making or receiving calls, and that was with standard apps installed…)
Apple can make legal arguments against the EFF and the idea that Jailbreaking shouldn’t be made an official exception to the US DMCA laws, but they can also continue to ineffectively prevent it, much like they do with the Apple TV. Win, win?
It would leaves most users happy with the App Store, and those itching to go deeper with Jailbreak as an option.
Should Apple improve the iPhone App Store, eliminate it as a single point of access to iPhone apps, or both? Given that Apple’s response to the FCC indicated there were only 40+ full-time, trained reviewers for the App Store, and 8500 apps a week for them the review, simple math makes it appear a challenge (as does casual observation of review times). Since the App Store is the only way, outside of enterprise or beta provisioning, to get native apps on the iPhone and iPod touch, depending on your point of view this is either not a problem, an untenable bottleneck, or only half of a better, more workable solution. So what can be done?
First, Apple could try to continue to improve the App Store as is. They could hire more reviewers, improve and make more transparent the review criteria, and otherwise create an environment that’s more predictable and sane for developers.
Second, as Facebook developer Joe Hewitt suggests, they could get rid of the App Store and simply allow developers to release whatever they want. Hewitt claims this works well enough for the Web and WebApps, and it’s currently similar to the model Google is using for the Android Marketplace where, after a series of automated bug tests, the app is simply released. If, post-release, the community flags the app as inappropriate (i.e. copyright violation) or malicious, Google will investigate and potentially remove it.
Third, Engadget suggests Apple create a hybrid model where the App Store remains for those users who want an uber-safe, Apple controlled single point of access, but Apple also allows for “side-loading” applications from other sources. Similar to the (currently restricted to 100 users) Ad Hoc distro method, or Enterprise provisioning method already in place, this means applications not approved for the App Store could still be downloaded and installed via iTunes.
Check out the poll up top and let us know what you think!
Apple and AT&T are being sued in Louisiana over the lack of MMS available for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS users running iPhone 3.0 software. Now, it’s gotten to the point where TiPb doesn’t pay too much attention to Apple lawsuits anymore just because they’re so frequent we’d need to get the blog roomier pants, and while we’re not lawyers and can’t comment as to the merits of this case, it’s yet another (painful) reminder that AT&T has dropped the ball when it comes to MMS on the iPhone and especially when it comes to communicating what’s happening — and keeping updated — their long suffering user base.
Apple, says the filings, has revealed that AT&T has never upgraded its towers so as to support MMS functionality. “The only excuse offered by AT&T and Apple is a mouseprint disclaimer on the website, in barely readable font, which reads ‘MMS Support from AT&T coming in late summer’”.
That’s the part where it kind of falls down for us, however. Now, I’m not on AT&T, but several of our readers are and as part of beta tests and carrier tests, some of them have indeed sent MMS messages on AT&T, and AT&T’s website seems to show it working for other phones, so… huh?
Is this once again an absurd claim distracting from the real issue — that summer grows later and later, and there’s still no word on iPhone MMS from AT&T? What are they waiting for, a Special Music Event?!
Our sibling site, TreoCentral.com, reminds us about the NY Times report that even hands-free cell phone (including iPhone) use while driving radically increases the risk of accidents:
Studies say that drivers using phones are four times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers, and the likelihood that they will crash is equal to that of someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are generally considered intoxicated. Research also shows that hands-free devices do not eliminate the risks, and may worsen them by suggesting that the behavior is safe.
Some states have passed laws requiring hands-free phone use (it’s required where I live), some are no passing no-texting-and-driving laws, and some are trying to see if they can ban mobile use entirely.
Driving while talking on the phone is singled out, of course, though we’d suspect driving while following a map, eating, tuning the radio, checking out the scenery, even talking to another passenger (though arguably they have additional eyes on the road to mitigate) are all distracting to one degree or another.
TiPb’s curious what you think about talking on the phone while driving, and what, if anything, you think should be done about it?
Apple announced that iPhone 3.0 would include MMS functionality way back on March 17 at the Sneak Peak Event. At WWDC 2009 Apple announced MMS would be available by launch day, June 19, to iPhone users all over the world — except on AT&T.
Since then AT&T, already enjoying the disdain accredited to all modern, oligopolistic carriers, has taken an even worse beaten than usual in the arena of public perception. Either they were incapable of supporting the sheer number of iPhones they exclusively locked down on their network, or they were incompetent in handling the roll out in a timely manner. Even Apple’s VP of iPhone Software, Scott Forstall, gave AT&T their equivalent of the stank-eye during his WWDC keynote segment. “Late summer” is all we’ve heard in terms of schedule, and the summer… it grows late.
But here’s the thing we’re curious about: let’s say AT&T did launch MMS back on June 19 like the rest of the world, or let’s say they launched it today even — would you really use it? How many and how much? What kind of an onslaught is AT&T desperate to delay looking at here?
Techcrunch asks the impertinent question: can AT&T handle the iPhone. The pertinent answer thus far is: no. The iPhone is a consumer success the likes of which no smartphone has experienced before. There are more users using more features that consumer more bandwidth that likely even Apple or AT&T ever estimated, and it’s put an extreme hurt not only on existing infrastructure, but a hurt that’s growing faster than infrastructure expansion can handle.
The answer to many is simply to have the iPhone on Verizon, which is believed to offer a better network. While obviously splitting the iPhone between AT&T and Verizon would lesson the individual demand on both — load balancing the user pool, so to speak — we’re curious as to whether or not Verizon could have, or could still, handle the iPhone all by itself.
It’s largely reported that Verizon was the first US carrier offered the iPhone after all. If they’d said yes, and if the iPhone grew on Verizon as fast (or faster, given their reach) than AT&T, would Verizon have suffered the same problems — and bad reputation — AT&T is suffering now? CDMA towers, while serving more with less, still have their limits, after all. (TiPb’s heard that some feel BlackBerry hits CDMA networks hard — they ain’t seen anything like the freight-train of hurt the iPhone is bringing.)
Rumors about the iTablet, the still mythical Apple media/web pad, are just growing stronger and yes, it does remind us of the heady days before the iPhone announcement. But just like the iPhone wasn’t a click wheel iPod with a phone dialer bolted on, the iTablet — if and when it ever ships — may not just be an iPod touch on hulk serum.
TiPb takes a look, and runs some polls, after the break!
It’s time again for another From the Forums post, today we have a few good poll threads for our forum members to participate in. Not a member you say? Well all you have to do is register right here for free! After you take a care of that, check out the following threads!
Another image, floating around the internet this past week, shows the iPhone 3G plastic back casing next to the rumored 3rd generation’s matte casing . So this thread is pretty basic, Matte or Shine? So far the matte finish has a comfortable lead in the poll. What’s your vote?
Today’s second thread contains a couple images of the rumored next generation iPhone’s auto-focus camera, compass, etc… in action. Again this thread contains a poll – are the images fake or are they legitimate? You be the judge!
Next up we asked the question that pretty much all Apple fans have been asking, will Steve Jobs be attending WWDC in any way, shape, or form? As long Mr. Jobs is healthy and feeling up to it, TiPb sure hopes to see him make an appearance. What are your thoughts?
For our last poll of the day Rene asks who wants a glowing Apple logo on the next generation iPhone?! We are thinking this one will be split pretty much 50/50. At first I was against the thought of this but have since changed my mind. If used properly it could come in handy. What do you think?
