Steve Jobs is a great salesman but let’s separate the facts and fantasies
iPhone 4
iPhone 4
Canada is the best country for an iPhone – Fact and Fantasy
Canada may have to wait until July to get one of those new phones but we have three different carriers, all with better service. Telus/Bell share a new 3G data national network that works well, especially in urban areas. Rogers reception is spotty but does drop back to non-data service almost everywhere. AT&T users rarely say nice things about their service.
Unless you elected to keep your unlimited AT&T data plan at $30 a month, US iPhone 4 users will pay $55 a month for 200 MB of data and $65 for 2GB (combined with standard talk packages). Canadians pay $50 for 500 MB of data and $65 for 1 GB.
It’s 4G – fantasy
The iPhone 4 not 4G, the Sprint HTC EVO 4G is 4G. All that means is the EVO is compatible with the roll-out of Sprint’s new higher speed data network, which is theoretically 10 times faster than 2 MB per second 3G.
They could call it the iPhone 4n since the 802.1 b/g Wi-Fi has been upgraded to 802.1n.
If you can’t do the technology, at least Jobs can steal the name.
“This changes everything again” (Steve Jobs) – fantasy
The iPhone 4 isn’t going to change much. For died in the wool Apple fans it will bring them up to some features already in the HTC EVO 4G with Android.
iPhone 4 and Sprint EVO 4G
People can make video calls with their iPhone 3GS using Skype right now wired computers and some Android phones. Other phones like EVO 4G can already do video calls, and on 3G networks not just Wi-Fi. (Skype are hopeful but not yet.)
The iPhone 4 has iBooks, where you can purchase and read a limited number of titles. Who wants to read a book on a tiny screen? That’s no improvement. You need a tablet like iPad or Amazon Kindle to read books. Kindle has a magnitude larger number of books to read. Most of Apple’s titles read like English Classics not current releases.
iPhone 4 is multi-tasking “done right” and has a HD video camera. Other phones like the EVO 4G already have multi-tasking and HD video cameras that are better than the iPhone 4. There is a lot of competition in the Smart Phone market. On features, Apple is playing catch up with the iPhone 4. For more information on how they compare, see Wired.
FaceTime video calls will make my life better – wishful fantasy
Young people will love video calling. They already do. The FaceTime promotional video demonstrates calling your children and grandchildren. Aw, won’t that be nice to be closer to my grandchildren who live a thousand miles away?
Fiction, I can already do it know on my laptop and computer but rarely do. Grandchildren are not always interested in an intense conversation. Generally they like messaging or Facebook.
To make video calling work, your relatives will have to own an iPhone 4 and pay about $750 annually for the smallest plan. If the grandparents are funding the wonderful moments of video calling, notch that cost to $1,500 a year. It would be cheaper if they owned a non-Apple phone.
Video calling may be the thing in the future when everyone automatically has the feature but not yet. It just seems like a warm and fuzzy idea. The cool part of using a smart phone is you can video call from where you are at.
The limitation with the iPhone is you have to be in a Wi-Fi hot spot. Those grandparents in the video are calling from their home (Wi-Fi) to their daughter (Wi-Fi). There is some expectation that the iPhone 4 will have 3G video calls next year.
The new glass stainless steel case is cool – fantasy
Two sides of glass have to mean more broken phones. The current model can be dropped 10-15 time and then it shatters. How many drops will this one take before it breaks? The replacements are $699 to $799.
The iPhone 4 is cool and a consumer hit
Of course people will want to own an iPhone 4. There are more than 100 million iPhone, iPad, and iTouch users who will want to upgrade at some time. AT&T broke their system yesterday trying to deal with for the iPhone 4.
People were also lined up in the streets to buy the Sprint EVO 4G which was released yesterday as well. Competition will be good for everyone.
Colin J
This is a good article, but is inaccurate in a few places. The iPhone isn’t 4G and isn’t pretending to be 4G, it’s known as the iPhone 4, not 4G
http://www.apple.com/iphone/
You can’t make video calls using Skype on the iPhone 3G or 3GS because the Skype for iPhone software does not have video capability on the iPhone, only on desktops with a compatible webcam.
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-mobile/download/iphone-for-skype/
And this one is small, but it’s iPod Touch, not iTouch.
Hope this helps.
Stephen Pate
Thanks for the correction. I made the same mistake all day yesterday 🙂 I was told Skype does video calls. I’ll double check. Officially it is the iPod touch but after using the thing for two years and now without a speaker since the latest iTunes update, it’s just an iTouch. Thanks again.
Anonymous
Another mistake, not small at all-
DataPlus- their smallest data plan (200mb) only cost $15 a month.
DataPro- their largest data plan (2gb) only cost $25 a month.
Go see yourself on ATTs website. Thanks
iPhone 4
I just ordered my iphone 4… the new apps running on iOS4 look great.
Cool Kid
I love the iphone 4! 🙂
Stephen Pate
So do I despite the problems