See that picture on the right? It comes straight from the iPhone's Q&A page. Go ahead, count the iTunes tabs... we'll wait. Right, 8 tabs. Up until now, Apple's only been showing the iPhone's iTunes sync with 6 tabs: Summary, Info, Music, Photos, Podcasts, and Video. So what can we expect on the other two (assuming this isn't
another graphics screw-up)? Well, MacRumors is speculating Ringtones on one of them, and we think they're right. After all, we photographed
a Ringtones tab during the iPhone's MacWorld debut. They're reporting that the unreleased iTunes version 7.3 -- listed as a requirement on the iPhone specs page -- will introduce a steep, $0.99 ringtones service to create your own 30 second ringtone from available iTunes (store) tracks. No word on whether it will work with tracks you already own. Whatever the case, Apple certainly seems poised to make good on their promise to "
surprise and delight" iPhone owners with software updates. $0.99, though? If true, well, it would definitely be surprising since that's the cost to purchase a full single. Now, what could that other tab be for?
Update: And sure enough, Apple's dropped the image back down to six tabs. (Shown above.) Why fight it, Cupertino? You know we're all watching. Thanks, Duvi.
posted Jun 27th 2007 3:47PM
and the further monetization of basic services begins!
but then again, they might surprise us with a way to use our own song for free.
For Apple apologists who will pay roughly $2400 over the next two years for an already outdated phone I am sure $1 is considered cheap for a 30 second ringtone.
Apple Iphone: "It’s what Apple computers have become"
honestly... I won't be happy with Engadget's cover of iPhoneMania. That is until i'm told how many gallons of skim-milk calcium fortified I could purchase at same cost of the iPhone, +2yrs service and all likely accessories included. That will really break it down for me and assist me on making my decision on whether or not to buy.
Disclaimer: I love gadgets. Especially new ones.
About two years ago, I purchased a RAZR for about $200. I've been paying about $45/month for service. Add some tax (5.5%) to the purchase price, and my 2-year price for a RAZR (sans internet) comes in at $1291.00.
Now for the iPhone, let's chop $200 off the phone because it's also an iPod... just try to fit more than three songs onto my RAZR. I dare you. We're at $300+5.5% tax. My choice of monthly fee would be the $59.95 plan (same minutes as the RAZR plan). Throw in some taxes and fees to that to get about $65/month. That yields a 2-year price of $1876.50.
The difference is $585.50, which is $24.40/month. Would I pay $24.40 a month for internet on my phone? You bet I would. Especially since my city has municipal wifi, which will kick the pants off EDGE.
Face it, for an enthusiastic gadget buyer, the iPhone is not a fiscally-irresponsible decision.
Wait wait, your moaning about spending .99c when you spent $600+ on the phone?
Meh, i could careless more money for AAPL w00t.
Besides I stick with the default ringtone haha.
Wow, my phone four years ago supported MP3/AAC ringtones. I've long since given it away.
Is there a commision based system for Apple news we are not aware of?
J/K, I know Engadget is an impartial reporting site, but the new Apple post every 5 minutes is getting old.
Btw, some of us don't use the RSS feeds, just go to the website.
That's what the scroll wheel is for. Tool.
in response to Mike Holzapfel's post, i don't like the new comments system where responses are posted directly below the original post. it seems good in theory, but it encourages posters (like Mike) to post irrelevant comments under the first post so that their comment will be seen. it's also tougher to monitor new comments because they're snuck into the middle, rather than added to the end.
thats the only reason im not getting it the ringtones no young person wants a phone that doesnt real music tones, no one wants boring ass ringtones especially young people
Maybe a few young people will want these ringtones- the ones who can write better than a drunken ape.
What young person wants boring ass ringtones when i mean young i mean under 20 who cares about you old ass people your time is over go retire somewhere
If every one over the age of 20 retires then who will be left to teach you how to write at least a 5th grade level? You’ll be doomed to stupidity for the rest of your life!
F'ing brat. If it weren't for us "old" people, you wouldn't HAVE cell phones, TV shows, video games, etc., to keep your puny mind occupied. We are the creators of your world. Punk-ass.
what the fuck else have yall old people done fuck up the earth, who is the main consumer of products young people . name one young person that doesnt have a ipod,sandisk, zune or someother mp3 player, a cell phone, most consumers of electronic products are young people, either they paid for it or they've gotten there parents to either way who is the one that actually uses the products the most. dont yall old people have better things to do than look on the internet complaining about shit. complaining doesnt do any good it rarely changes what a company puts out.
Notice how you are the only one who doesn't grasp the concept of punctuation? Maybe you should keep a few of those old-timers around so that you don't come off being ignorant.
CaptSaltyJack
when did you create anything. you probably had nothing to creating anything so why are you talking.
TV's were probably invented before you were born unless you were born in the 40's and if so why are you wasting time on replying to a child reply to a post
young people are the ones who are buying or getting there parents to purchase the stuff you "old" people, then the majority of the companies that manufacturer these products would be out of business
How do you create my world whats the defention of world jackass, you cant invent the world or my world cause you don't know what it is
>CaptSaltyJack
>
>when did you create anything. you probably
>had nothing to creating anything so why are
>you talking.
He said "us 'old' people" not "if it weren't for me" ... you totally missed the point of his post. Way to go.
>TV's were probably invented before you
>were born unless you were born in the 40's
>and if so why are >you wasting time on
>replying to a child reply to a post
Yes, TVs were invented long before CaptSaltyJack was born (hopefully ... if not CaptSaltyJack is REALLY OLD!!) but that's not at all what he was saying. Kids like you do not invent things. Kids like you buy them, if it weren't for us "old" people inventing things, kids like you would have nothing to buy.
We make the product, you make the market. Without the product, there is no market.
>young people are the ones who are buying
>or getting there parents to purchase the
>stuff you "old" people, then the majority
>of the companies that manufacturer these
>products would be out of business
Have you no common sense? Without us, there would be no 'stuff' for you to buy.
>How do you create my world whats the
>defention of world jackass, you cant invent
>the world or my world cause you don't know
>what it is
Defention? You've got to be kidding me. Anyway, clearly you're an idiot or a troll, I'm done with you.
Maybe the other tab pulls up the announcement that says, "We fucked up - please click here to download Flash."
Are we going to get a blog post if they change an icon too? 'Cause I'd love that.
When showing hardware and software that isn't out yet, there are bound to be inconsistencies. It's not news, for christsake - it's two tabs, probably for features we already know about. Nothing new here - and news has to be new.
I agree.
Move over Paris Hilton. World, meet the new attention whore...the iPhone.
Are you going to continue to post comments on news stories you don't want to read?
It's a BLOG for Christssake! It's about gadget interest, opinions, and speculation. Please stop being disappointed that every post isn't newsworthy. Engadget ain't the press.
It's a tech NEWS blog, Sean. And, speculation is one thing, but it's a frickin' tab in iTunes. That ain't news that you've gotta shout to the world about.
Aaronlh:
This is actually the first time I've commented as saying "stop doing this!". I'm 100% okay with the iPhone coverage - but there does come a point where too much is too much. A big ol' paragraph on the possibility of two tabs related to functions we most likely already know about is a bit too much, in my opinion - or do you just not want me to voice my opinion? Or would you rather that you simply stop posting comments in reply to comments that you don't want to read?
Yes, the attention iPhone has received is unprecedented... But Engadget is reporting to a very large audience, and contrary to a striking number of commenters, some of those people are either simply interested in iPhone or are casual browsers being redirected to Engadget from another website on account of the iPhone hype.
Engadget, having thrived for over three years, incontrovertibility understands what should be reported. I would certainly agree that the coverage is excessive, but it really doesn't accomplish anything to complain about how much attention Engadget, or any blog for that matter, has given to this over-hyped device. If you're not interested don't read the article, and especially don't make that umpteenth, superfluous comment. You're merely adding to the fire, failing to present an alternate or informative view point, thus defeating the purpose of the comment system in the first place.
Paris Hilton and the iphone, both WAY overexposed.
But which one would you want to multi-touch?
the iPhone
Yeah, I was pretty flustered about not being able to make my own tones. YTMND + Audacity = excellent ring tones. :)
But, I'm going to get an iPhone anyhow ... everything else makes up for that. I'm sure it had something to do with AT&T not making money from people making their own tones, though that sounds a bit Verizon-esque, it may be true. Think about it - it's an iPod. It's designed to play MP3s and AACs ... why can't it play them when you get a call?
why the F#$%^ would I want to pay $1.00 for a ringtone when I can make my own. Holly S#$% here comes the nickle & diming
Keep in mind, most people have been paying $2.00 plus for ringtones for a while now. Being able to make your own ringtone for $.99 isn't really all that bad. I like making my own ringtones for my Motorola L2 as well, but $.99 apiece just is not outrageous when compared to other companies.
You'd think it would be difficult for Apple to justify a price for ringtones, when complete songs only cost a dollar.
Then again, you'd think it would be blindingly obvious to give the iPhone voice dialing, A2DP, MMS, IM, etc.
Everyone hoped Apple's entry would shake up the way providers currently shake us down. So far, they're just as bad as everyone else - they just have a nicer handset.
did anyone else think that engadget spelled "happened" wrong?
just proof that all of this iphone posting is causing someone's "e" key to become flaky...
They intended on puting an "i" there but used their daily quota on the next 4 iphone articles.
No, ye modern English-speakkrs spell/say everything wrong.
Post #7 Yeah!
Apple completely aside, paying for something the phone can (or should be able to) do is ridiculous. I feel like I'm being ripped off for some reason when ANY phone company forces me to pay. I'm paying for your service. If you want to OFFER ringtones for those that don't know anything about sound files, GREAT!
But don't disable the phone, THAT I'M PAYING FOR, so you can make a few extra bucks.
I want my iphonE to have a ringtone that sounds like the shaking noise a vibrating phone makes. Hopefully, that will be built in.
Right after you pay to have it enabled a la draft N.
Surely tab 8 will be games? It would be crazy for iPod games (or specific iPhone games) not to be made to work on the iPhone?
Engadget has become the regular iphone central huh ? well its all in good fun we wouldn'tt expect u to miss ur portion of this cash cow...
If you don't like it, you're welcome to use the non-iphone feeds, and stop your bitching.
THIS JUST IN: The iPhone will NOT have a button for . OH MY GOD.
I think the mystery tab will be Apple-approved (if not Apple-made) applications to install on the iPhone. Although they officially announced Web 2.0 and the like as the official iPhone SDK, I don't think that will last for long. I suspect Apple will begin distributing applications via the iTunes Store, and they will be managed in a separate tab, similar to the "Games" tab for the 5G iPod.
Like new-borns, wristbands, babysitters et all!!!
"Wristbands, 500 Phones, 50 At a Time
A shopping mall concierge desk has revealed more details about how the iPhone sales might be handled this Friday, although it’s not clear if the policies extend to other locations. According to the modmyiphone Web site, an unnamed mall will be handing out 500 wristbands at 5 p.m. to insure fairness in selling the phones. The report sounds plausible: previous retail store events have demonstrated Apple’s interest in providing a safe and fair experience, although previous pay-offs haven’t been as super-hyped as the iPhone. Also according to the concierge, the first 50 persons in the waiting line will enter the store at 5:50 p.m., with additional groups of 50 admitted to buy their iPhones until the entire 500 iPhones in stock are sold, regardless of the hour. Based on those numbers, the Apple and AT&T stores would sell about 992,500 iPhones on the first day."
From http://www.modmyiphone.com/cmps_index.php
What would be cooler would be on-hold music selected from your iPhone music collection.
Um, aren't ringtones from other carriers $2? So how is $0.99 steep?
It's not just the .99 it's the new tab. Ringtones has its own tab. That's steep.
I am sure the rampant iPhone chatter has nothing to do with the fact Apple has ads on the site.
I'm sure it doesn't – it's just a coincidence. Now here, drink this kool-aid and it'll be ALL better.
does anyone know if this phone as a vibrate function for when calls are recieved... i havent heard anything about that yet
I remember seeing that in one of the demos, but I can't recall which. Hopefully it's easy to make a shortcut to turn that on.
It does vibrate. Watch the guided tour movie- vibration is mentioned under the "Sounds" section.
For legally downloadable music ringtones, Apple's $0.99 price will be one of, if not THE cheapest. Calling it "steep" when sprint and other companies offers ringtone donwloads at $2.49 is just straight up ridiculous.
I was thinking the same thing. You'd think Engadget would know about ringtone pricing.
Yes, ringtones are ridiculously overpriced pretty much everywhere in the world - but whatever, if retarded teens (or their parents) pay for it, I don't care.
You are correct, it IS cheap... However, you're missing two points...
firstly is the ringtone is only 30 seconds long, big woop...
secondly, the fact remains that you cannot use your own mp3's as a ringtone, you are FORCED to buy a ringtone from itunes, despite the fact that nearly all phones that play mp3's allow you to set them as a ringtone with no restrictions and no DRM interferance.
The I-phone forsakes some standard phone features for some new, flashy ones.... The question seems to be do you prefer the features that the Iphone has introduced, or the ones everything else has?
Normally I don't get along too well with people who type in all caps, but this time I actually agree with you up until the last two sentences.
Everyone chill out. It's just a blurry tab until Friday, and then we can all find out what it is and get on with life.
First of all, "another graphics screw-up"? Whoever confirmed that the 80GB thing was a screw-up??
JD:
I don't want you to have to wait until Friday.
The blurry tab is for: Pr0n. iphoNE Pr0n.
Ringtones for other carriers like Sprint are $2.50. Hell, SONGS for other carriers are $2.50. Some charge a bit over $3.00 for ringtones. If you can't pay $.99 to make an iTunes song a ringtone after buying an iPhone, you're a dumbass that needs to be kicked off the face of the planet.
Really, quitwit'thebitchin'. It's getting old. If you don't like the iPhone, don't post in an iPhone thread. Get out of the basement and get some fresh air.
I swear, the internet creates more dumbasses than the GOP.
Amen!
Seems to me as if something like this will hurt the fledgling Phone Sherpa (http://www.phonesherpa.com/) if you can make 30 second clips of otherwise regular iTunes tracks. Of couse if all the tracks on iTunes were DRM free, folks could be doing this today with their own tracks for free.
Compared to some of the prices for ringtones in the UK, which can be £4.50 or even more each, ~£0.50 will be rather cheap.
yea...yea.. i agree, every thing just sucks. the iphone, the steve jobs, the apple, the every body that will buy it because they want it. I just hurts me not to see a iphone post here at the engadget,every non iphone post is a missed chance to show the ppl how much i phone is the sux. god!
Does anyone know where the SIM card goes? If the thing can't be opened for the battery then can it even be opened for the SIM?
It seems like with all the restrictions it would make sense that they don't let you swap users on the phone.
Any thoughts?
it goes in the top, you can see the slot in the pictures
I've heard that they've "locked" the phone to be only used on Cingular/AT&T. I'm not sure if they meant that the SIM card tray wouldn't be able to pop out but that dosen't make any sense.. I think they meant that the programming code is fixed that cannot be "unlocked" to be used on any other GSM carrier.. Though, I can be wrong but--
Only T-Mobile uses SIM cards from my knowledge.. and this isn't a T-Mobile phone. I'm assuming you've only ever had T-Mobile?
I think it's hilarious that there's all this frenzy over a $600 phone (yes, that's right, it's a fancy cellphone), yet everyone panned the PS3 for being the same price. Don't get me wrong, I think the iPhone looks like it's going to be a great gadget. I'd love to have one, but if I had to choose which of the iPhone or PS3 I had to burn $600 on, I'd probably choose the PS3.
Thankfully, I don't have to make that choice.
the fanciness has zero to do with it. the fact that it's the only one on the market like it is dictating the price tag.
Me either.
Like most working stiffs, I can't afford either one.
Ringones WILL be available. Apple is working out everything, so if not included with v7.3 then in a few months. The last button, access to AT&T myAccount. They said iPhone users will have access to AT&T account information (for minute and text meters and payments) via iTunes. Maybe the last tab will be for that. Who knows, only 48 hours will tell.
OK, have i got this right, we have a smartphone coming out mid 2007 with 4 or 8GB of memory, WIFI, multi touch screen, and we can't just choose our own mp3's as ringtones ?? Come on, my 4 year old T610 could do that.
has anyone heard of phonezoo.com! it allows you to make ringtones out of your music or view other peoples ringtones and send them to virtually any phone via a text message... FOR FREE!!!!
(i hope phonezoo finds a way to send it to the iphone)
I understand why they are selling ringtones but it is a bunch of crap. I can use my songs as ringers on my pocket pc today and it is 2 years old! I feel like every new tech is nickel and diming us and I for one am sick of it. The 360 and it's overpriced content as well as most cell providers screwing their customers on overpriced content (Verizon is the worst at this).
I really wish that these providers would quit crippling built in functionality and leave the choices with the makers of the phone, which in this case wouldn't have helped as Apple is seeing $$ in ringtones like the rest of the cellphone world but as usual, the consumer gets screwed.
BTW, that extra tab is for games - I would count on it.
its
My ringtones currently cost 2.50, so 99 cents is better. Still, it would be awesome if they let you, for free, just create ringtones from your songs in itunes.
Guys...I have a feeling that engadget is secretly hosted at..
http://www.apple.com/PR
Hot tips for what to expect on engadget today:
6.00pm z0mg!! The font used on the iPhone disclaimer text in the Chinese manual has been changed!!! Shock! horror!
6.02pm False alarm on that story guys. Sorry. Our bad. It was the Dutch manual.
6.05pm Exclusive! Steve Jobs wipes own ass with 10 dollar bill. We take a closer look at the in depth details to this breaking story.
Has anyone mentioned if you can receive calls while the phone is docked/charging/syncing? It would seem reasonable to me, for a consumer to demand that they are able to receive calls at all times.
I ask because iPods basically shut down during charging.... at least mine did way back when I owned an ipod.
It's talked about in the Activation & Sync video on Apples site. If you get a call while it's syncing/charging, iTunes will pause so you can take the call.
I am NEVER paying for my ringtones. NEVER. As for the final tab, I imagine it will be your AT&T billing information possibly including minutes etc. Nothing cool or mysterious. Zoom into the picture, it looks like it was just added on. The top of the final tab is perpendicular to the image, not the angle of the graphic.
"Has anyone mentioned if you can receive calls while the phone is docked/charging/syncing? It would seem reasonable to me, for a consumer to demand that they are able to receive calls at all times."
Yes, you can receive calls while docked. If you watch the video on Apple's site it says if you are synching when a call comes in it will cancel the sync so you can answer the call.
It will be a cold day in hell, before I pay a dime for a ringtone. If my phone doesn't have the ability to use my own songs/files as ringtones, then I'll be using whatever comes stock till I switch phones.
The price they charge for these things are outrageous.
Engadget, STOP IT.
I don't care if the fanboys rank me down.
Many people don't use feeds, and it's SO ANNOYING to keep seeing iPhone, but not just iPhone, STUPID iPhone posts. Look at this post! Seriously! Who cares that two tabs were removed! Things are always changed before launch! This is so annoying it's driving me insane I'm off to Gizmodo.
I don't want to visit iPhone free engadget because some things about the iPhone ARE interesting. Like the reviews.
A missing TAB? Are you KIDDING? What the hell Tom!
You are probably the most worthless person on this site.
I've read many iphone posts and every time i scroll down the comments, you seem to always make an ass of yourself.
No one has a gun to your head forcing you to click any of the stories. I'm sorry you feel you are the only one that matters in the world, there are actually a bigger majority of people who enjoy the investigative and late breaking nature of engadget, like myself. ( not to mention the iphone, which is a pretty big deal for technology. )
Please do the world a favor and bury your head in the sand for a while. There will be plenty more iphone posts to come, and I hope each one will bring misery and suffering to you, in which point you will share with the world via comments, where we will proceed to realize how worthless you really are. Keep up the great work Jonathan.
The picture on the "right" has 6 tabs. Unless you meant my other right.
the pictures were just updated
Ok. What?
Oops wrong post above... was trying to Reply to Adnan Osmani
Did you notice that the colors on the bottom also changed. There is yellow content now as well.
I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE DAMN SIM CARD GOES
Goes behind the battery, YES the battery is removable. You'll find out with everyone else tomorrow morning after 9am
Did you really just call it the "iLoser phone" and then type out "Bwahahaha"?
...who's the loser?
That's what I love about Mac users. They analyze every bit of minutiae.
I'm at work all day, I cant have 50 cent as a ringtone.
i guess you dont know it costs over 2 bucks on every other phone to buy a REALLY crappy ringtone
It's NOT just a phone, you idiot. A phone makes and receives calls. The iPhone is also a video iPod. Do you know what that is? You can also surf the Internet...the REAL Internet! And geez, why don't you educate yourself on this device and learn all about it before saying something as stupid as "it's just a phone." You're probably actually that fat guy representing the PC in the Apple commercials. Are you THAT hung up and jealous of Apple's ingenius products/operating system/computer etc....?? The proof in in the pudding, baby, and Apple wins hands down. The iPhone will revolutionize the mobile device industry. Just read the New York Times article "Chasing the iPhone." Read it and weep dear PC loser user.
Actually Jomo, you are not forced to buy from iTunes. I've got Phone Sherpa up and running on mine and the sound quality of the ringtones is killer. BTW - I'm taking the songs directly from my iTunes. That said, my files are not locked and it only works for unlocked files.