AT&T restricting employees from taking vacations in June
Apple's fourth-generation iPhone could go on sale as early as June, according to a new report which mentions that AT&T has blacked out the month for vacation days in apparent preparation for the handset's launch.
"Same story as last year and the year before, but we?ve confirmed with multiple AT&T sources that the carrier has now put a block on employees taking vacations in June," wrote BGR's Boy Genius. "The only time AT&T does a straight block like this is for iPhone launches. What?s interesting is, if AT&T is blocking June, perhaps the iPhone will launch a little earlier than July this year."
No further details were reported.
In years past, Apple has used its Worldwide Developers Conference in June to introduce new versions of the iPhone before making them available for sale between two and four weeks later.
Although Apple has yet to announce its 2010 developers conference, rumors have suggested that a span between late June and early July appears most likely. Interestingly, however, the past two WWDCs have been announced by Apple in March (1, 2), leading some to speculate that this year's event may take place at a later date given that we're halfway though April with no official word from the company.
"Same story as last year and the year before, but we?ve confirmed with multiple AT&T sources that the carrier has now put a block on employees taking vacations in June," wrote BGR's Boy Genius. "The only time AT&T does a straight block like this is for iPhone launches. What?s interesting is, if AT&T is blocking June, perhaps the iPhone will launch a little earlier than July this year."
No further details were reported.
In years past, Apple has used its Worldwide Developers Conference in June to introduce new versions of the iPhone before making them available for sale between two and four weeks later.
Although Apple has yet to announce its 2010 developers conference, rumors have suggested that a span between late June and early July appears most likely. Interestingly, however, the past two WWDCs have been announced by Apple in March (1, 2), leading some to speculate that this year's event may take place at a later date given that we're halfway though April with no official word from the company.
Comments
That is right isn't it? Still a few weeks may not make any difference as WPS7 is still due much later in the year as far as I remember.
AI, it could be worth doing a timeline of all major expected mobile OS releases this year for an analysis piece on all this.
The entire AT&T company gets busier because of an iPhone launch? Seriously?
Maybe I'm missing some subtle sarcasm, but how could 1 million people walking into AT&T stores NOT cause the entire company to get busier?
As of now WWDC looks to be late June early July, unless they're giving a very last minute announcement.
I figured WWDC would center around iPhone and iPad OS 4.0, and be only days away from official release, and likely alongside the 4th iPhone launch. So it doesn't make much sense to expect on sale iPhone in June, until we hear WWDC dates.
iPhone 3G July 11
iPhone 3GS June 19
Obviously this means iPhone 4 on July 3.
In years past, Apple has used its Worldwide Developers Conference in June to introduce new versions of the iPhone before making them available for sale between two and four weeks later.
Apple has already done the tech preview for iPhone OS 4, and the SDK is in the hands of developers now. This covers the vast majority of what would be needed for updated apps.
My own guess on the hardware is a mild update from a user perspective. Same or similar shell, revised internals using a custom Apple CPU slotted below the A4 but above the current 3GS CPU. Selling points: More storage per $, longer battery life, ships with OS 4.
Maybe I'm missing some subtle sarcasm, but how could 1 million people walking into AT&T stores NOT cause the entire company to get busier?
Umm, because the majority of AT&T employees have very little to do with the Mobility side of the company. Most AT&T employees are NOT precluded from taking vacation time in June and have not been blocked from vacations in previous iPhone launch windows. Sloppy writing in the article, once again.
My own guess on the hardware is a mild update from a user perspective.
That is incorrect. This is going to be an A+ update.
iPhone June 29
iPhone 3G July 11
iPhone 3GS June 19
Obviously this means iPhone 4 on July 3.
By that logic, shouldn't the iPhone 4 be available on July 1st since each has moved up 10 days?
Too bad Verizon employees are not also cancelling their vacations.
Reuters or somebody said yesterday that Verizon is planning its launch of LTE for late 2010 (trials this summer). Sounds suspiciously close to the Apple rumor of an iPhone for Verizon in Oct 2010 - must also mean handset chips for LTE/CDMA are close.
Not that I know anything so take it all with large grains of salt.
I am worried about the process of obtaining broadband service. I'm sure it will not be as simple as we are told.
since it is already April 17 with no word on release of the ipad 3g, it may be June when the 3g hits. Think of all the new users trying to get on AT&T's service, creating whatever accounts will necessary to get broadband, installing sims cards, hounding service reps.
I am worried about the process of obtaining broadband service. I'm sure it will not be as simple as we are told.
June is the next iPhone release, not iPad.
Apple is going on a PR blitz over the next couple of months. It will release earnings next Tue, Apr 20. It may announce 1m iPads sold at the conference call. Soon after, it will announce iPad 3G shipping in US by Apr 30. In early May, it will signal it's accepting international pre-orders and announce 3G iPad plans. At end of May, it will announce international iPad sales. And somewhere in here, it will announce WWDC. Then, in June, the iPhone 4th gen rumors go full force before arrival at end of the month.
June is the next iPhone release, not iPad.
Apple is going on a PR blitz over the next couple of months. It will release earnings next Tue, Apr 20. It may announce 1m iPads sold at the conference call. Soon after, it will announce iPad 3G shipping in US by Apr 30. In early May, it will signal it's accepting international pre-orders and announce 3G iPad plans. At end of May, it will announce international iPad sales. And somewhere in here, it will announce WWDC. Then, in June, the iPhone 4th gen rumors go full force before arrival at end of the month.
So if the release is not til the end of June, why no vacation days at AT&T? In light of the apple store employees not getting their hands on the ipad til launch day, I cannot see AT&T getting early access to the new iPhones. I hope you are right about the 3g ipads being delivered this month. After all Apple did promise and they do meet their deadlines - ask anyone in Europe, Canada, Mexico.........
By that logic, shouldn't the iPhone 4 be available on July 1st since each has moved up 10 days?
I was going to lie and say I did some kind of Wolfram-Mathmatica analysis. But actually I just highlighted the dates in Excel and let Autofill tell me what was next in the series. Google Sets wouldn't do it.
: )