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SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

post #1 of 9
5/13/09 at 12:10pm
Thread Starter 
SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store. Price is $29.99

Unfortunately for users...Apple (most likely meaning AT&T) forced Sling to offer the software crippled. It will only work via the Wi-Fi connection and not over 3G. Never mind that Sling offers the same SlingPlayer mobile software for Blackberry that can be used over the same AT&T 3G network.

I don't know...I kind of feel if they are going to take away a major feature from the software for iPhone, it should not be the same full price at the app store as it is when buying it for Windows Mobile or Blackberry phones. I think I may skip this one on principle alone...at least until Apple and AT&T come to their senses and upgrade the iPhone version to work over 3G.

My prediction is that Apple will make a 4G version of the iPhone, let their exclusivity with AT&T run out and you will see the iPhone on Verizon in a year or two. AT&T will hold out till then in (Since their network 3G investment is significant). Then at that time, once there are multiple carriers offering the iPhone in the future....the laws of competition will mean AT&T will finally have to succumb to offering features like this (streaming data over 3G)...because if they don't...someone else will to steal their customers. So disappointing.

Apparently, AT&T is classifying the iPhone a computer...not just a phone...and thereby restricting its data use (under the iPhone "unlimited" plans) over their 3G network on things like the SlingPlayer. Cause as we have read stories before...the iPhone "unlimited" data plans are not really unlimited.
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post #2 of 9
5/13/09 at 4:43pm

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

AT&T is claiming that due to the huge numbers of iPhone 3G users, allowing SlingPlayer to work over 3G would swamp their (still emerging in places) 3G service in various areas of the country. Also, surveys indicate that iPhone users would be more prone to use Slingshot on a daily basis than Blackberry users.

AT&T will probably revisit this issue every three months or so; and I'm sure that when they feel they're on a little more solid footing with their 3G network, Slingshot *will* be available on 3G.

In the meantime ... There are a *lot* of WiFi hotspots out there ...
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post #3 of 9
5/18/09 at 7:41am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
AT&T is claiming that due to the huge numbers of iPhone 3G users, allowing SlingPlayer to work over 3G would swamp their (still emerging in places) 3G service in various areas of the country.
LOL--so much for AT&T boasting about having "the best network coverage" and having "More Bars in More Places"; signal strength and coverage don't really mean a whole lot if the network infrastructure isn't sufficient/adequate enough to handle those who access the network, which they pretty much conceded as much by not allowing the Sling app for iPhone to work over 3G.

In any case, guess I'll just enjoy using my beta while I still can...
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post #4 of 9
5/18/09 at 8:11am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Just to be perfectly clear on this, the "having more bars in more places" has nothing to do with data connectivity. And the AT&T EDGE data network is pretty extensive and solid across the continental US. I don't see a problem with what they're advertising.

I think the bottom line on this is that Apple wanted Slingplayer out *now* while AT&T would have preferred to wait until much later in the year. Releasing the player and restricting it to WiFi for about six months is a good compromise.

AT&T's 3G network is expanding on an exponential curve. They are even de-emphasizing EDGE in some areas due to the fantastic growth of 3G. But now is not the time to complicate matters with a bandwidth hogging app which will confuse their 3G coverage analysis readings.
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post #5 of 9
5/18/09 at 10:18am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
I think the bottom line on this is that Apple wanted Slingplayer out *now* while AT&T would have preferred to wait until much later in the year. Releasing the player and restricting it to WiFi for about six months is a good compromise.
If they indeed allow the 3G version of SlingPlayer (and other video apps) within 6 months, great.

As for AT&T's "fantastic growth of 3G", until they make their network work way, way better in New York City, San Francisco and Chicago (where incidentally both a majority of opinion makers and huge numbers of iPhone users reside) such statements will be met with derision.
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post #6 of 9
5/19/09 at 12:10pm

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Todorov
As for AT&T's "fantastic growth of 3G", until they make their network work way, way better in New York City, San Francisco and Chicago (where incidentally both a majority of opinion makers and huge numbers of iPhone users reside) such statements will be met with derision.

Thanks for pointing this out Ted. I thought the previous statement was taken direct from an AT&T press release.
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post #7 of 9
5/28/09 at 8:46am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

I think the article linked below is pertinent to this thread (and pretty much verifies the information that I disseminated in Post #4) :

Electronista | AT&T details 7.2Mbps 3G, backbone upgrades
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post #8 of 9
5/28/09 at 9:48am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Same sort of press release that AT&T distributed prior to the 3G's release last summer and yet AT&T's data service is still garbage. I won't take anything they say at face value.
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post #9 of 9
5/28/09 at 11:10am

Re: SlingPlayer mobile for iPhone is now available at the App store.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
I think the article linked below is pertinent to this thread (and pretty much verifies the information that I disseminated in Post #4) :

Electronista | AT&T details 7.2Mbps 3G, backbone upgrades
The problem right now is not that 3.6Mbps, (the current AT&T 3G speed) is too slow (already, in theory, that is faster than Verizon's EVDO), the problem is that too often it DOES NOT WORK. Especially in New York, San Francisco and Chicago.

Until AT&T fixes its 3G so it works reliably, at full speed, in the cities mentioned, with their many iPhones, doubling the theoretical speed won't help one bit. Yes, a backhaul upgrade is good news. But I'll believe any of this when I see it New York and my friends see it in San Francisco. Until then I remain fully skeptical.
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