iPhone hardware is 3G... Software is 2.75G

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icfireballicfireball
Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
It appears the iPhone's SIM card is a 3G SIM card. http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-973...?tag=cnetfd.mt



So what does this mean? It means Apple may have put a software/firmware block on to limit the capabilities to 2.75G.



Similar to how Apple shipped macs with 801.11n secretly for activation when the n base station came out, do you think Apple will activate the SIM card on the iPhone to full 3G for a small $1.99 fee or similar?



Perhaps Apple is just waiting for Cingular Wireless to get their network up to snuff.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    audiopollutionaudiopollution Posts: 3,226member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    It appears the iPhone's SIM card is a 3G SIM card. http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-973...?tag=cnetfd.mt



    So what does this mean? It means Apple has put a software/firmware block on to limit the capabilities to 2.75G.



    Similar to how Apple shipped macs with 801.11n secretly for activation when the n base station came out, do you think Apple will activate the SIM card on the iPhone to full 3G for a small $1.99 fee or similar?



    Perhaps Apple is just waiting for Cingular Wireless to get their network up to snuff.



    I can use a 3G SIM card in my old SE T610. It doesn't mean that my old phone is suddenly endowed with new hardware.
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  • Reply 2 of 5
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    Exactly. The hardware is still 2.5G. Also, Apple has said they are amortizing the sales of the iPhone so that they can provide substantial software improvements without imposing that kind of $1.99 fee.
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  • Reply 3 of 5
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by audiopollution View Post


    I can use a 3G SIM card in my old SE T610. It doesn't mean that my old phone is suddenly endowed with new hardware.



    Correct, but why would Apple use a 3G SIM card if all of the other phone hardware was 2.75G? I'm not saying that a 3G SIM card means iPhone for sure has 3G hardware, but I think it's a possibility.
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  • Reply 4 of 5
    audiopollutionaudiopollution Posts: 3,226member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    Correct, but why would Apple use a 3G SIM card if all of the other phone hardware was 2.75G? I'm not saying that a 3G SIM card means iPhone for sure has 3G hardware, but I think it's a possibility.



    I expect that AT&T will provide 3G SIM cards to all new subscribers.



    Why bother with keeping stock of non-3G SIMs when all new subscribers can be provided with a card which will follow them as they upgrade their phones (in the future) to 3G capable hardware.
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  • Reply 5 of 5
    aisiaisi Posts: 134member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    I'm not saying that a 3G SIM card means iPhone for sure has 3G hardware, but I think it's a possibility.



    I don't think it's a possibility. Semiconductor Insights, ThinkSecret and iFixit did a teardown of the iPhone, the baseband processor PMB8876 from Infineon Technologies "combines EDGE modem technology with the multimedia functions for mobile phone applications yadda yadda." Sorry, no 3G.
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