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Verizon iPhone 4

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Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#51

Post by adestefan »

TomOfTTB wrote: post #14
bho wrote: post #10

I'm surprised that there's no LTE. Isn't Verizon's new network supposed to be up and running soon?

Tim Cook's (non)response (via TechCrunch's live blog)... Will not comment on the roadmap." No promise of a new CDMA iPhone in summer. Tim Cook: We chose CDMA because the LTE chipsets forced some design concepts that we would not make. When will be able to see an LTE-enabled iPhone? A. We're not commenting on unannounced product.

My guess would be batter life. The first generation of LTE chips probably suck that thing dry in a couple hours.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#52

Post by roadnottaken »

schammy wrote: post #36
mey wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Incoming calls will interrupt data activity. (Will interrupt hotspot) ArsTechnica has an excellent live blog going of it. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/01/liveblog-of-veri...

> Incoming calls will interrupt data activity. I don't see why people make a big deal out of this. How often do you really need to talk AND use data at the same time? I've never, ever, ever, ever, ever had to or even had the inclination that I wished I could. I think it's one of those features that sounds cool, but in reality no one really uses.

I routinely send my wife pictures* (via MMS or e-mail) while we're talking on the phone.

*Not what you think... usually pictures of the cat or what I'm cooking.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#53

Post by haribilalic »

I'm in Australia, where all our carriers are GSM and have the iPhone (in addition to it being sold unlocked directly from Apple), so I don't care about Verizon or CDMA, but I would love to know if the hotspot feature will make it to the standard iPhones, even if AT&T doesn't like it.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#54

Post by stanleydrew »

schammy wrote: post #36
mey wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Incoming calls will interrupt data activity. (Will interrupt hotspot) ArsTechnica has an excellent live blog going of it. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/01/liveblog-of-veri...

> Incoming calls will interrupt data activity. I don't see why people make a big deal out of this. How often do you really need to talk AND use data at the same time? I've never, ever, ever, ever, ever had to or even had the inclination that I wished I could. I think it's one of those features that sounds cool, but in reality no one really uses.

I work out of coffeeshops occasionally and use my Nexus One as a wifi hotspot to avoid unencrypted public networks (which is free for me on T-Mobile by the way). Its awfully nice to be able to take a phone call and hold on to the data connection so that I can continue working while on the call if need be.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#55

Post by ugh »

listic wrote: post #22
TomOfTTB wrote: post #4

Pretty much what everyone expected. The same phone on Verizon's CDMA network. The only a few things I noted were... 1. You can use it as a WiFi Hotspot 2. Redesigned antenna (obviously) 3. Verzion isn't getting the 3GS (which is probably why AT&T was so quick to drop it to $49)

Is Verizon's CDMA network technically compatible with anywhere else in the world? (e.g. so that you can us the same phone in U.S and elsewhere, provided it is not locked) Specifically, which frequency band does U.S. CDMA use?

And how does that work with the switch to LTE? It seems that AT&T eventually wants to invest in LTE infrastructure, too (but HSDPA can offer at least nearly the speed Verizon’s LTE has to offer at the moment so I don’t think they need to hurry). Will the US converge on one standard? (At least in the sense that building a phone that works both with AT&T and Verizon gets easier?)

It also seems like Verizon really needs to hurry up with LTE (I don’t even know whether you should call it 4G if HSDPA can be nearly as fast) because CDMA doesn’t go very fast. AT&T doesn’t have that same speed gap because they are using UTMS which can go much faster. (The current iPhone is limited to 7.2 Mbps, though.)

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#56

Post by billjings »

One thing is a huge surprise here: wifi hotspot.

If you follow Gruber, he's made the point that Apple doesn't consider this a new device, and that Apple will probably sell it as the exact same device to customers. This is one significant area where it's not, though - if you buy an iPhone on Verizon, you get this feature. If you buy one on AT&T, you don't.

Apple to date has stood pretty firmly against the idea of carrier differentiation. There is nothing about the iPhone on AT&T that reminds you that it is an AT&T device, no preinstalled apps, no logos, nothing.

So that's why the hotspot is a surprise to me. I'm sure that Apple has been pushing for this on AT&T all along, but it seems to be a chip in the carrier fragmentation armor.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#57

Post by biot »

shade wrote: post #30
TomOfTTB wrote: post #4

Pretty much what everyone expected. The same phone on Verizon's CDMA network. The only a few things I noted were... 1. You can use it as a WiFi Hotspot 2. Redesigned antenna (obviously) 3. Verzion isn't getting the 3GS (which is probably why AT&T was so quick to drop it to $49)

I've been thinking of dropping my AT&T iPhone 4 for a Droid Bionic on Verizon later this year. Given that, I'm really hoping they'll be charging extra for the wifi hotspot feature like they do with Android, or if they're not, making it free for Android users as well. (edit: To be clear, the liveblogs I've glanced at haven't specifically said if it will be free or not, and Verizon apparently won't talk about plan pric…

    > I'm really hoping they'll be charging extra for the wifi hotspot 
    > feature like they do with Android
If they don't end up charging extra, I'll be happy to charge you for it so that you're not disappointed.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#58

Post by kemiller »

mey wrote: post #19
TomOfTTB wrote: post #4

Pretty much what everyone expected. The same phone on Verizon's CDMA network. The only a few things I noted were... 1. You can use it as a WiFi Hotspot 2. Redesigned antenna (obviously) 3. Verzion isn't getting the 3GS (which is probably why AT&T was so quick to drop it to $49)

Incoming calls will interrupt data activity. (Will interrupt hotspot) ArsTechnica has an excellent live blog going of it. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/01/liveblog-of-veri...

Perhaps the skype announcement that was floating around will ameliorate that somehow.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#59

Post by achompas »

siglesias wrote: post #28
ayb wrote: post #15

Since Apple normally releases new iPhones in June, does this mean the Verizon iPhone 4 will be obsolete in less than 6 months? It will be lame if Verizon has the iPhone 4 and then AT&T gets a new GSM-only iPhone 5 in June.

They'll just launch the new phone on AT&T (as good will, a concession) and do the Verizon version in time for Christmas, then sync back up during the next refresh cycle. EDIT: Justification is that off the top of my head Apple has never refreshed a major product in six months, except for speed bumps. Apple had to move quickly by launching the iPhone 4 now and not waiting for summer to launch both versions of iPhone 5…

There's no way this happens. Rumors suggest Apple tested this CDMA iPhone 4 for a year, so you have to assume they've already developed a CDMA iPhone 5.

Re: Verizon iPhone 4

#60

Post by evo_9 »

adestefan wrote: post #51
TomOfTTB wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tim Cook's (non)response (via TechCrunch's live blog)... Will not comment on the roadmap." No promise of a new CDMA iPhone in summer. Tim Cook: We chose CDMA because the LTE chipsets forced some design concepts that we would not make. When will be able to see an LTE-enabled iPhone? A. We're not commenting on unannounced product.

My guess would be batter life. The first generation of LTE chips probably suck that thing dry in a couple hours.

My guess is Tim Cook didn't want to talk about iPhone 5 features that Mr. Jobs may reveal this summer.
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