Official iPhone on Verizon Press Conference, Announcement and Discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Adam Gregorich]

David Letterman introduces the new Verizon commercial

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Michael_K_Sr

I think most of their criticism is pretty silly. If they want to savage a phone because it doesn't do simultaneous voice and data then they shouldn't be recommending a single phone sold by Verizon or Sprint. Likewise, a new Android device seemingly is released every other week. I don't see them issuing cautionary advice not to by the latest Motorola or LG smartphones because something better may be just around the corner. Just an absurd double standard here.

I think the difference is that the iPhone is such a data-centric device, more than any other phone, that is why they are making a big deal out of it, and a lot of current users like Ron for instance currently use that capability. They aren't issuing cautionary advice on the latest Motorola or LG smart phones because they ARE the latest. The Verizon iPhone 4 while new to Verizon, is on the verge of being replaced with the 5 which WILL be the latest. If someone like RAF wants to buy it now knowing full well there there is probably a new model coming out soon, then great. But there is nothing wrong with giving people all the information so they can make an informed decision on what is best for them.

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Consumer Reports, like everyone else outside of One Infinite Loop, has no knowledge of what the future holds for the iPhone. Just because a new GSM model has been introduced every summer means nothing in this case. There's no guarantee that a CDMA/LTE iPhone 5 is being released in 4-5 months.

 

[DaveF]

It seems a lock that there *won't* be an LTE phone this summer. If CR is reporting there will be, they should leave the apple rumor business to the pros.

 

[Sam Posten]

Unlimited 3G for $30 confirmed:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/25/verizon-confirms-iphone-will-get-30-unlimited-data-plan-we-try/


Trade in program launched (turn in your AT&T iPhone for verizon credit)

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/25/verizon-ramps-up-trade-in-upgrade-programs-in-advance-of-iphone/


Comprehensive Q&A:

http://gizmodo.com/5743097/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-verizon-iphone-and-making-the-switch

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Brilliant move! Putting the jackboot on the throats of the fence sitters that are waiting for that Verizon iPhone 5 that they are SURE is coming in June. Get unlimited data now or get tiered data when the next phone rolls around.

 

[TonyD]

Originally Posted by Michael_K_Sr

Brilliant move! Putting the jackboot on the throats of the fence sitters that are waiting for that Verizon iPhone 5 that they are SURE is coming in June. Get unlimited data now or get tiered data when the next phone rolls around.

Did you see somewhere that Verizon will delete the unlimited plan in just a few months when the next iphone comes out?

 

[Dennis*G]

As spotted by SlashGear, WSJ has posted an update indicating that the unlimited plan is a decidedly limited time thing, with tiered pricing to come in the "not too distant future." Intrigue!


It will be just like AT&T. I think the unlimited is to get people into the phones right now and grandfather themselves, when iPhone 5 ships they will drop unlimited just like AT&T did for the iPhone 4 launch.

 

[DaveF]

Hotspot: $20/mo for 2 GB, $20 per 1 GB overage. (Verizon's standard plan, the say)

http://www.macworld.com/article/157402/2011/01/verizon_iphone_mobile_hotspot_plans.html

 

[Ted Todorov]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveF

Hotspot: $20/mo for 2 GB, $20 per 1 GB overage. (Verizon's standard plan, the say)

http://www.macworld.com/article/157402/2011/01/verizon_iphone_mobile_hotspot_plans.html

How does it compare to what they charge for a MiFi plan? Hope AT&T is forced to match Verizon's data plans. AT&T's current tethering plan is a joke.

 

[Sam Posten]

Again, don't forget you can't use the frigging phone when it's in hotspot mode on Verizon...

 

[Sam Posten]

If you are serious about switching right away (and I think most people should wait for LTE, but that's just me), trade in pricing allows you to negate the ETF that AT&T will charge:

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/01/26/verizon-iphone-pre-orders-to-start-at-3am-et-on-february-3rd-offering-atandt-trade-ins/

 

[DaveF]

And Wolfram Alpha has an ETF calculator to help with your decision

http://developer.wolframalpha.com/widgets/gallery/view.jsp?id=e1241d1b9692c1e9f4ebbf6896f0e33e

 

[Sam Posten]

Badass!

 

[DaveF]

John Gruber (DaringFireball) has his review up.


http://daringfireball.net/2011/02/verizon_iphone_4

It’s the same phone. The only difference is the network. And Verizon’s network is better.

When Apple and Verizon announced their deal for the iPhone 4 last month, there was much hemming and hawing about a technical CDMA limitation: it doesn’t support simultaneous voice and data. My thought was: if this CDMA simultaneous voice-data restriction is a deal-breaker, how come we’ve never heard complaints about it from the 94 million existing Verizon customers?


[...]


CDMA’s limitation only works one way: when you are on a call, you can’t use data. But when you are using data, calls come through. If you decline the call, data continues, almost uninterrupted. When you’re using the hotspot feature, if you accept a call, Wi-Fi clients receive no data for the duration of the call, but the Wi-Fi connection is not dropped. As soon as the call is ended, data resumes.


I haven’t run into a problem with this once in the week I’ve had the phone.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

From the early reviews I have been reading, the AT&T

network seems to be rated more reliable but data speeds

are 40% faster on the AT&T network.


I can sort of back up that claim. I have a PC air card

that I use for my notebook via Verizon. It's very slow

compared to tethering off my iPhone with AT&T.

 

[Ted Todorov]

You mean *Verizon* is rated more reliable.


And yeah, CDMA as specified is slower than GSM based 3G, much slower than HSPA+ which is a souped up version of GSM based 3G. Too bad AT&T's backhaul in NYC can't handle even the regular 3G much less HSPA+...

Fast, reliable, NYC -- pick any two. Want all three? Move to Europe. We were in Paris last month -- pristine quality phone calls and fast data on my iPhone *while riding on the Metro, deep underground* -- it's like being on a different planet. And everyone seemed to have an iPhone 4, so it wasn't a question of underutilized networks. US cellular providers are incompetent. All of them.

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

From the early reviews I have been reading, the AT&T

network seems to be rated more reliable but data speeds

are 40% faster on the AT&T network.


I can sort of back up that claim. I have a PC air card

that I use for my notebook via Verizon. It's very slow

compared to tethering off my iPhone with AT&T.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Ted,


I'm sorry. Typo. Yes, Verizon rated more

reliable but 40% slower in data speed than AT&T.

 

[Sam Posten]

Most normal people arent going to notice that 40% speed differential and ARE going to notice the call clarity and lack of dropped calls tho.


If you are remotely a power user it seems prudent to wait for LTE instead of going off contract on AT&T early. LTE will give you the best of both worlds.

 

[Thomas Newton]

WSJ - Verizon Says It May 'Throttle' Heavy Data Users Ahead Of iPhone

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703652104576122030887519022.html?mod=WSJ_newsreel_business