Who Here Cares About 3G?

[Michael319]

im just curious, who mainly cares about 3g. i mean we all get the firmware update.
also 3g isn't available everywhere and if i need to surf the web faster ill get onto a computer, after all it is just a cell phone. Also with 2.5 edge ill still have the same service bars as u.

[emjoi]

Outside of the USA it's very important.
In Australia we run on GSM and 3G. If you are going to release anything new and impressive it just has to support it.

[ayasinsk]

If you are in the right mind, then you would care about 3G

[PG4G]

Same service bars? Yes. Better speeds of that service for data? Thats what 3G is.

That will kick rear end...

That and I live in Australia, so it must be 3G or it won't work on our systems - any carrier.

[PG4G]

Also, sorry for the double post, but you must also remember that 3G will probably bring much better features to the phone, that and it will sell way faster as both 3G and 2G capable.

If the iPhone can get both capabilities then it will run everywhere at decent speed, and sales pick up.

The more sales pick up, the more Apple spends tech time and getting more techs onto it to make those software updates really count for something.

[deftdrummer1]

face it michael, you want it.

[Michael319]

nah I just got my iPhone last week. 3 g isn't avialable everywhere and plus I'll have same service idc much about speed I dont surf web too much.

Also I know the iPhone will look and have diff features and buttons but we also get new firmware

[PG4G]

New firmware doesn't make up for any extra cameras or other functions the 3G version may get with it.

[bobb-mini]

Well, u already got it, so no sense on pouring cold water on u. Enjoy!

[Michael319]

obviously it wont give me new cameras, but it may give us the option to record videos

and it should def include sms messaging or w/e it is that allows u to send pictures and possibly an aim/msn application.

the firmware will definetly add some sweet things, but obviously the 3g will have other features, because just labeling it at a 3g phone won't make people go crazy and buy it since some dont know what it means.

BTW with my current iphone i can still use it in portugal, so im not worried.

[iphonerobert]

i Definately care a lot about 3G!
As soon as the new version is out ill be selling my old 16GB phone and buy me a new 3G version!

[bobb-mini]

I dare say most ppl knows what it means. They are not able to give u a dissertation on it, but they KNOW it's BETTER. 'Coz that's what they heard/friends told him/her.

I know a gal, a diptsy(sp?) broad (very cute though) who's ####ed 'coz as soon as she bought the phone, ppl told her, 3G comming soon!

[deftdrummer1]

michael I think you are label your perceptions of the 3g iPhone as everyone elses perception as well. There is an overwhelming number of people who are aware of the next generation iPhone and who are excited about its capabilities.

You have to remember that this is an American company who's primary market is the U.S. and European nations. 3G is rapidly expanding here every year and the new iPhone will only help to speed up the process.

Also michael, you say 3G is not important but many of the features you seek are greatly enhanced by faster data seeds. Case in point; you want to be able to take videos with your phone, but then what will you do with them? You will likely want to send them to friends and family, if not at first then definitely over time. Also, you are interested in multimedia messaging, something that would be greatly sped up with 3G.

Again, sure you will have the same voice call coverage, but the same "service" thats debatable.

[Michael319]

I know its slower but I'm sure i can still send the videos or pics. Also AT&T may charge more for 3 g

[black5gipod]

selling point for me is if they charge more for 3g. im at my max already

[imitchellg5]

Nobody charges more for 3G. And by February 19th 2009 all phones will need to be 3G anyway.

[Michael319]

ill upgrade when im sure apple has gotten rid of all the bugs. i have a big feelin the 3g iphone will have lots of bugs. Ill wait until a yr or so from now when i can upgrade and when 3g is more stable everywhere.

that way i dont have to worry about traveling and if they have 3g.

[iPirate]

Nobody charges more for 3G. And by February 19th 2009 all phones will need to be 3G anyway.

Woah, that's news to me. Is this to go along with the whole digital cable thing for T.V's? :cool:

[imitchellg5]

Yeah it does. I only heard about it recently.

[kyussmondo]

It would be nice if you had more features at the same price. Like you though I would rarely need the 3G. I'm either at home where I am on Wi-Fi anyway, at uni on Wi-Fi or driving where I can't really surf the net. The only time I ever really use Google Maps on the move and that is quick even using 2G.

Let's hope the networks really mean unlimited, because I can see more people watching YouTube videos on the move WHEN/if 3G gets added. I really don't know why the US doesn't follow the GSM standard like the rest of the world. It's like anything Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD, Betamax vs. VHS...it's bad news for the consumer until a standard is agreed. America is the wealthiest nation by a wide margin, it should have the best mobile networks but it doesn't, it would benefit hugely if they had standards. Of course land area doesn't help, although I don't hear Aussies complaining, although I'm not sure what coverage is like in the outback lol.

[emjoi]

In Australia CDMA was used outside the cities, but Telstra wanted to close CDMA and introduce 3G. The government demanded that the CDMA could not be closed down unless the replacement system had just as much coverage. Does the 3G cover as much as the CDMA did? People will argue the point, but it is pretty extensive.

http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/networks/coverage/index.html
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/networks/coverage/images/ausmap.gif

[Dyvim]

And by February 19th 2009 all phones will need to be 3G anyway.
I think you are confused. You are thinking about the shutdown of analog wireless networks (or else the switch from analog to digital TV). This applies to very old cell phones, older vehicles with OnStar, and some home alarm systems (those that use a cellphone to phone in alarms rather than the landline which could in theory be cut by a burglar). If you have an analog cell phone, your wireless carrier has been bugging you about upgrading to a digital phone probably for over a year now and gradually raising rates for providing service to your archaic analog phone (my parents went through this). And AT&T and Verizon already shut off their analog wireless networks on Feb 18, 2008 and OnStar shut down their analog network even earlier on Jan 1, 2008. Of course, EDGE phones such as the iPhone (which are digital not analog like all cell phones sold for the past several years) continue to work fine.

See here (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021500036.html).
Woah, that's news to me.
That would be because it is simply not true.

[gowanis]

i am anxious to get 3G. I find EDGE to be unbearably slow.

I work in Jersey City and EDGE signal is HORRIBLE here. I'm lucky if I get 80 KBPS, sometimes its as bad as 20 KBPS.

[deftdrummer1]

thanks dyvium for clearing that up, I knew it wasnt true and I was about to ask initchllenge for his source.

[scoss]

also there is the the issue of a better battery, plus the stupidly annoying recessed headphones jack will be put right. i also have heard that they are going to use a brighter OLED screen which should increase battery life.

so apart from 3g, there are a whole hosts of improvements coming to the 2 gen iphone.

[deftdrummer1]

including gps