There are only so many options - metal interferes with radio transceiving. Apple considers plastic to be cheap. That leaves glass, which is more expensive. Most manufacturers prefer not to spend money on a part that won't show up often in brochures and webpages.
All the more reasons why Apple makes the best products. The last thing they care is how it would look in pictures or catalogs or how difficult to shoot a product. I'm glad Apple doesn't make decisions that way. Hope they continue going their own way.
Side Side note: ATT is trying to rape you on text rates. Used to have a $5 plan that met my needs. Despite upgrading to their 4GB data plan, the ONLY plan for text is $20 a month. I think I can text other people with iOS devices, but when my awesome bank or ATT themselves texts me I guess I get to pay $.20 per text.
The same thing happened to me. Nice to know I wasn't the only one. I was able to keep my unlimited data plan, but the text plans only gave me pay as you go or $20 unlimited. Like you I had the $5 plan. Been working with AT&T customer service about it. The response so far is my old plan will be grandfathered in (go figure, really?), but haven't told if I need to do anything or if they will take care of it, since I selected the $20 option. I guess I'll see when I get my bill next month.
I doubt that moving the release date from early Summer to early Fall was the result of "hardware issues" (or due to agreements with Verizon). I think it's most likely that they wanted to separate the iPad and iPhone release dates and that iPod releases alone are not enough to get excited about any longer. The specific date of early October (vs. the usual early September date for iPods) could have been due to ironing out some hardware issue, but it's more likely that it was iOS5/iCloud/Siri development that determined the exact date.
So, I don't think it should be seen as a "delay". I think they made a conscious decision to move the release of the 4S to the Fall and that that determined the development schedule and what got included. I also wouldn't be surprised to see the iPad 3 release date move to June at the WWDC -- i.e., the "prestige" spot formerly occupied by the iPhone. (I would however be surprised to see them release a phone with a larger screen, even after the 3GS is retired.)
That's certainly a possibility but I don't think the other hypotheses can be ruled out even if they did, in fact, premeditate the iPhone release to the Fall. The one aspect that makes me think the likelihood of a component supply issue is not simply because it was held in the Fall, but because it was held in October instead of September.
I speculated after the original iPad came out that there being so close in core design that if it becomes as popular as I think it will Apple may want more than a quarter between them, while also noting the declining of the iPod.
As for it being an issue with iOS 5.0, iCloud or Siri there is precedence that Apple wouldn't withhold a HW release because of code. For starters, iOS 5.0 was pretty well baked for beta 1 as I think the iOS team was working on an assumed Summer release timetable for most of the previous year. iCloud and Siri could be rolled out later just as they did with Push Notification Service. Even Siri is only in beta at this point, an unusual move for Apple.
If I were to bet I'd say that the need to move it t the opposite end of the year from the iPad (because of component and marketing needs), the A5 and cellular baseband are my top three guess. Could be one, two, all or none of these reasons, but that's what I'd think. Before someone says it, sure the MDM6600 has been used in other devices, but not on this scale, not in this size device, and not (from what I've seen) with this much power efficiency in the cellular baseband.
How could it be delayed when Apple never announced a ship date?
There are a number of things that could have been the limiting factor in getting this phone ready
- availability of A5 chips in sufficient quantity
- availability of the GSM/CDMA chip with sufficiently low power consumption
- iOS 5
- New camera sensors
or any number of other things. Frankly, no one outside of Apple has any idea, so it's not worth speculating. It was released when Apple was ready to release it. That's all that matters.
Or, as I wrote, it wasn't "delayed" because they made a decision to move the iPhone launch to the Fall. Your post almost sounds like you think it was delayed, but don't want to call it that. I'm saying it wasn't delayed because they released it when they planned to.
PS: The 5th generation iPhone is called the iPhone 4S and it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5 so please try to use some critical thinking when posting.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
1st generation (circa 2007) = iPhone
2nd generation (circa 2008) = iPhone 3G
3rd generation (circa 2009) = iPhone 3GS
4th generation (circa 2010) = iPhone 4
5th generation (circa 2011) = iPhone 4S
6th generation (circa 2012) = You want to call it the iPhone 5????
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
You really think they could have sold the iPhone 4S back in June but held off to get iPhone users off of contracts? Besides that not making a lick of financial sense I don't know of a single AT&T user that had the 3GS that was on contract come this past June or an iPhone 4 user that is off their contract until mid-November so if you could clarify your position I'd appreciate it.
I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
I don't know. The first generation 32-bit Windows NT was called "Windows NT 3.11". It makes no sense, therefore I rest my Chewbacca defense.
1st generation (circa 2007) = iPhone (YEAH, THIS IS THE 1st GEN iPHONE)
2nd generation (circa 2008) = iPhone 3G (BECAUSE IT HAD '3G' CELLULAR RADIO ADDED)
3rd generation (circa 2009) = iPhone 3GS (BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE SAME iPHONE 3G CASING BUT MUCH SPEEDIER INTERNAL COMPONENTS)
4th generation (circa 2010) = iPhone 4 (WHAT ABOUT CALLING THE '4' IS CONFUSING ABOUT THIS BEING THE 4th GEN iPHONE?)
5th generation (circa 2011) = iPhone 4S (BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE SAME iPHONE 4 CASING BUT MUCH SPEEDIER INTERNAL COMPONENTS)
6th generation (circa 2012) = You want to call it the iPhone 5????
While people got the 3G as a marketing term - rather than an iPhone 2, and they also got the 3GS as a Marketing term = S for speed, after Apple went to the iPhone 4 and the numbers caught up with reality, they/we expected an iPhone 5 this year until recently. In the absence of an iPhone 5 in 2011, a move from the the 4S to the 6 would seem ridiculous to all but wonks who have done what you just did. Most people won't.
I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th.
And? You obviously didn't but the 3GS right when it came out or your contract would have been up or months before June. Sounds like you bought your 3GS just over halfway through it's primary cycle.
And? You obviously didn't but the 3GS right when it came out or your contract would have been up or months before June. Sounds like you bought your 3GS just over halfway through it's primary cycle.
Maybe he bought it when it became available in whatever country he lives in?
In any case most people dont buy the iPhone on it's first day, or first week.
While people got the 3G as a marketing term - rather than an iPhone 2, and they also got the 3GS as a Marketing term = S for speed, after Apple went to the iPhone 4 and the numbers caught up with reality, they/we expected an iPhone 5 this year until recently. In the absence of an iPhone 5 in 2011, a move from the the 4S to the 6 would seem ridiculous to all but wonks who have done what you just did. Most people won't.
What I think they should do is abandon numbers.
You think calling the 6th generation iPhone with iOS 6.0 with HSPA+ '4G', LTE '4G',a nd perhaps WiMAX '4G' the iPhone 5? defend that!
I'd say the iPhone 4G would make the most the sense at this time if they do plan on making it '4G' for all available carriers, but that assumes no divergence of the brand to allow for 2nd tier naming conventions.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
Besides your obvious off by one error pointed out by others, the 4S did represent a "major hardware refresh", as did the 3GS compared to the 3G. The only things that didn't change were the case -- which is still the best case of any smartphone on the market -- and the screen -- which is likewise better than anything else available.
Maybe he bought it when it became available in whatever country he lives in?
In any case most people dont buy the iPhone on it's first day, or first week.
[insult removed]. Surely you must understand that people that bought the 3GS last month under contract aren't going to be out of contract. So lets say he's in Morocco and bought it 6 months after it came out in the US why would you then use the US release date the next year? Why wouldn't you use the same release cycle for Apple's primary country -AND- the YoY timeframe in which people bought the device.
So, any of you that preordered through AT&T, does your status show backordered with no estimated delivery date? I ordered 2 hrs after it opened and mine does?!?!?! What gives?
[insult removed]. Surely you must understand that people that bought the 3GS last month under contract aren't going to be out of contract. So lets say he's in Morocco and bought it 6 months after it came out in the US why would you then use the US release date the next year? Why wouldn't you use the same release cycle for Apple's primary country -AND- the YoY timeframe in which people bought the device.
Thats the second ad hominem by the way in one thread and both reported.
All he said was "I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th"
which tells you that he bought it in America 24 months ago, or somewhere else 12, 16, 18, or 24 months ago ( all these contracts available on O2 UK for instance. In other words it tells us very little.
So, any of you that preordered through AT&T, does your status show backordered with no estimated delivery date? I ordered 2 hrs after it opened and mine does?!?!?! What gives?
Mine still shows delivery for the 14th. I hope you don't get screwed. That would really suck.
I ordered mine as soon as it would go through, through the Apple site, about 1-1/2 -- 2 hours after it supposedly went on line.
Comments
This deserves a two-week "time out".
If anything deserves it, this post does.
Ahem.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...32#post1961132
Which sounds more like the act vs an expression? I guess spelling a term wrong makes the difference?
There are only so many options - metal interferes with radio transceiving. Apple considers plastic to be cheap. That leaves glass, which is more expensive. Most manufacturers prefer not to spend money on a part that won't show up often in brochures and webpages.
All the more reasons why Apple makes the best products. The last thing they care is how it would look in pictures or catalogs or how difficult to shoot a product. I'm glad Apple doesn't make decisions that way. Hope they continue going their own way.
Side Side note: ATT is trying to rape you on text rates. Used to have a $5 plan that met my needs. Despite upgrading to their 4GB data plan, the ONLY plan for text is $20 a month. I think I can text other people with iOS devices, but when my awesome bank or ATT themselves texts me I guess I get to pay $.20 per text.
The same thing happened to me. Nice to know I wasn't the only one. I was able to keep my unlimited data plan, but the text plans only gave me pay as you go or $20 unlimited. Like you I had the $5 plan. Been working with AT&T customer service about it. The response so far is my old plan will be grandfathered in (go figure, really?), but haven't told if I need to do anything or if they will take care of it, since I selected the $20 option. I guess I'll see when I get my bill next month.
I doubt that moving the release date from early Summer to early Fall was the result of "hardware issues" (or due to agreements with Verizon). I think it's most likely that they wanted to separate the iPad and iPhone release dates and that iPod releases alone are not enough to get excited about any longer. The specific date of early October (vs. the usual early September date for iPods) could have been due to ironing out some hardware issue, but it's more likely that it was iOS5/iCloud/Siri development that determined the exact date.
So, I don't think it should be seen as a "delay". I think they made a conscious decision to move the release of the 4S to the Fall and that that determined the development schedule and what got included. I also wouldn't be surprised to see the iPad 3 release date move to June at the WWDC -- i.e., the "prestige" spot formerly occupied by the iPhone. (I would however be surprised to see them release a phone with a larger screen, even after the 3GS is retired.)
That's certainly a possibility but I don't think the other hypotheses can be ruled out even if they did, in fact, premeditate the iPhone release to the Fall. The one aspect that makes me think the likelihood of a component supply issue is not simply because it was held in the Fall, but because it was held in October instead of September.
I speculated after the original iPad came out that there being so close in core design that if it becomes as popular as I think it will Apple may want more than a quarter between them, while also noting the declining of the iPod.
As for it being an issue with iOS 5.0, iCloud or Siri there is precedence that Apple wouldn't withhold a HW release because of code. For starters, iOS 5.0 was pretty well baked for beta 1 as I think the iOS team was working on an assumed Summer release timetable for most of the previous year. iCloud and Siri could be rolled out later just as they did with Push Notification Service. Even Siri is only in beta at this point, an unusual move for Apple.
If I were to bet I'd say that the need to move it t the opposite end of the year from the iPad (because of component and marketing needs), the A5 and cellular baseband are my top three guess. Could be one, two, all or none of these reasons, but that's what I'd think. Before someone says it, sure the MDM6600 has been used in other devices, but not on this scale, not in this size device, and not (from what I've seen) with this much power efficiency in the cellular baseband.
How could it be delayed when Apple never announced a ship date?
There are a number of things that could have been the limiting factor in getting this phone ready
- availability of A5 chips in sufficient quantity
- availability of the GSM/CDMA chip with sufficiently low power consumption
- iOS 5
- New camera sensors
or any number of other things. Frankly, no one outside of Apple has any idea, so it's not worth speculating. It was released when Apple was ready to release it. That's all that matters.
Or, as I wrote, it wasn't "delayed" because they made a decision to move the iPhone launch to the Fall. Your post almost sounds like you think it was delayed, but don't want to call it that. I'm saying it wasn't delayed because they released it when they planned to.
PS: The 5th generation iPhone is called the iPhone 4S and it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5 so please try to use some critical thinking when posting.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
1st generation (circa 2007) = iPhone
2nd generation (circa 2008) = iPhone 3G
3rd generation (circa 2009) = iPhone 3GS
4th generation (circa 2010) = iPhone 4
5th generation (circa 2011) = iPhone 4S
6th generation (circa 2012) = You want to call it the iPhone 5????
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
you might be off by one there
1st Gen - iPhone
2nd Gen - iPhone 3G
3rd Gen - iPhone 3GS
4th Gen - iPhone 4
5th Gen - iPhone 4S
You really think they could have sold the iPhone 4S back in June but held off to get iPhone users off of contracts? Besides that not making a lick of financial sense I don't know of a single AT&T user that had the 3GS that was on contract come this past June or an iPhone 4 user that is off their contract until mid-November so if you could clarify your position I'd appreciate it.
I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
I don't know. The first generation 32-bit Windows NT was called "Windows NT 3.11". It makes no sense, therefore I rest my Chewbacca defense.
1st generation (circa 2007) = iPhone (YEAH, THIS IS THE 1st GEN iPHONE)
2nd generation (circa 2008) = iPhone 3G (BECAUSE IT HAD '3G' CELLULAR RADIO ADDED)
3rd generation (circa 2009) = iPhone 3GS (BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE SAME iPHONE 3G CASING BUT MUCH SPEEDIER INTERNAL COMPONENTS)
4th generation (circa 2010) = iPhone 4 (WHAT ABOUT CALLING THE '4' IS CONFUSING ABOUT THIS BEING THE 4th GEN iPHONE?)
5th generation (circa 2011) = iPhone 4S (BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE SAME iPHONE 4 CASING BUT MUCH SPEEDIER INTERNAL COMPONENTS)
6th generation (circa 2012) = You want to call it the iPhone 5????
While people got the 3G as a marketing term - rather than an iPhone 2, and they also got the 3GS as a Marketing term = S for speed, after Apple went to the iPhone 4 and the numbers caught up with reality, they/we expected an iPhone 5 this year until recently. In the absence of an iPhone 5 in 2011, a move from the the 4S to the 6 would seem ridiculous to all but wonks who have done what you just did. Most people won't.
What I think they should do is abandon numbers.
I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th.
And? You obviously didn't but the 3GS right when it came out or your contract would have been up or months before June. Sounds like you bought your 3GS just over halfway through it's primary cycle.
And? You obviously didn't but the 3GS right when it came out or your contract would have been up or months before June. Sounds like you bought your 3GS just over halfway through it's primary cycle.
Maybe he bought it when it became available in whatever country he lives in?
In any case most people dont buy the iPhone on it's first day, or first week.
While people got the 3G as a marketing term - rather than an iPhone 2, and they also got the 3GS as a Marketing term = S for speed, after Apple went to the iPhone 4 and the numbers caught up with reality, they/we expected an iPhone 5 this year until recently. In the absence of an iPhone 5 in 2011, a move from the the 4S to the 6 would seem ridiculous to all but wonks who have done what you just did. Most people won't.
What I think they should do is abandon numbers.
You think calling the 6th generation iPhone with iOS 6.0 with HSPA+ '4G', LTE '4G',a nd perhaps WiMAX '4G' the iPhone 5? defend that!
I'd say the iPhone 4G would make the most the sense at this time if they do plan on making it '4G' for all available carriers, but that assumes no divergence of the brand to allow for 2nd tier naming conventions.
How exactly do you figure that "it makes no sense to think the 6th generation iPhone will be called iPhone 5?"
The 4th generation iPhone was dubbed the 3GS, and the 5th generation iPhone was the iPhone 4. I think the is obvious historical support that points to the next iPhone being named 5. I would even go so far as to guess that Apple will then release a 5S the following year and adopt the obvious cycle of a major hardware refresh followed by a relatively incremental update the following year.
Besides your obvious off by one error pointed out by others, the 4S did represent a "major hardware refresh", as did the 3GS compared to the 3G. The only things that didn't change were the case -- which is still the best case of any smartphone on the market -- and the screen -- which is likewise better than anything else available.
Maybe he bought it when it became available in whatever country he lives in?
In any case most people dont buy the iPhone on it's first day, or first week.
[insult removed]. Surely you must understand that people that bought the 3GS last month under contract aren't going to be out of contract. So lets say he's in Morocco and bought it 6 months after it came out in the US why would you then use the US release date the next year? Why wouldn't you use the same release cycle for Apple's primary country -AND- the YoY timeframe in which people bought the device.
[insult removed]. Surely you must understand that people that bought the 3GS last month under contract aren't going to be out of contract. So lets say he's in Morocco and bought it 6 months after it came out in the US why would you then use the US release date the next year? Why wouldn't you use the same release cycle for Apple's primary country -AND- the YoY timeframe in which people bought the device.
Thats the second ad hominem by the way in one thread and both reported.
All he said was "I'm posting this from my 3GS whose contract expired on September 29th"
which tells you that he bought it in America 24 months ago, or somewhere else 12, 16, 18, or 24 months ago ( all these contracts available on O2 UK for instance. In other words it tells us very little.
And you are on ignore.
So, any of you that preordered through AT&T, does your status show backordered with no estimated delivery date? I ordered 2 hrs after it opened and mine does?!?!?! What gives?
Mine still shows delivery for the 14th. I hope you don't get screwed. That would really suck.
I ordered mine as soon as it would go through, through the Apple site, about 1-1/2 -- 2 hours after it supposedly went on line.