Where the hell is the 3G iPhone for Europe? We might know.
By Thomas Ricker 
posted September 5th 2007 5:30PM
posted September 5th 2007 5:30PM
The only thing more slippery than an iPhoneSIMFree release date has to be the magically, mystical 3G iPhone rumored for Europe. At least with the latter, Apple has been kind enough to drop a few dreggy hints. Add 'em all up and Apple Expo -- kicking off September 25th -- seems to be the prime time for Apple to announce a new flagship 16GB, 3G iPhone. Don't believe it? Check this: - Berlin's IFA show is over with nay a peep from Apple or from the major European carriers about a European iPhone, even though the deals seem pretty well sewn-up.
- Apple's current top-o-the-line 8GB iPhone just received a remarkable $200 drop in price. That opens the door for another iPhone priced at what's been proven to be a consumer-acceptable, $599 price point.
- That $200 easily buys Apple a total of 16GB of NAND flash (about $70 for the extra 8GB) like that found in their new iPod touch as well as a tri-band HSDPA radio with plenty of profit left over.
- Apple told us during the Q3 fiscal call that more information about the European iPhone would be made available at the end of their current -- big product transition -- fiscal quarter which ends September 30th.
- Apple Expo has seen the launch of the redesigned iMac G5 and other Apple products in the past.
Read -- 9to5Mac rumor from 17 August
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Don't you know to never buy a first gen Apple product? They usually have the kinks worked out by the 2nd or 3rd generation.
the problem is that apple won't sell the iPhone for 293.317651 euros which would be the right price, they will sell it for 399 euros (542.7597 dollar). If you compare the prices of most apple products from the us to those from europe, they always sell them for too much money, but we're kinda used to this so it's not that bad...
but our friend from the netherlands is right, in the us the iPhone seems kinda cheap...
the problem is that apple won't sell the iPhone for 293.317651 euros which would be the right price, they will sell it for 399 euros (542.7597 dollar). If you compare the prices of most apple products from the us to those from europe, they always sell them for too much money, but we're kinda used to this so it's not that bad...
but our friend from the netherlands is right, in the us the iPhone seems kinda cheap...
They should also fix camera, cos even mid-end SE K550i that I own can do much better pictures.
To all the early adopting whiners, you knew what you were in for. The price will drop, and the product will improve. On the other hand, you get urs first. Thats the cost of being an early adopter, and if you didn't think of that then you're a retard
My guess? 16 GB iPhone for europe for like seven euros, plus they'll tickle your balls in the back room.
JUST TO MAKE EXTRA SURE THEY DICK OVER EVERYONE WHO HAD BOUGHT ONE PREVIOUSLY.
Just like earlier today.
Hey! What about the ladies?
Makes a lot of sense. I was wondering today why a 16GB iPod Touch was launched but no 16GB iPhone. It would suck to not have a $399 3G iPhone, but from Apple's POV and Steve's statements about filling a lot more stockings, I can see a 3G version coming in Paris.
But, but what about us Canadians?
Though according to Steve today... WIFI is much faster than 3G you know, especially when your not at a Starbucks to hit an access point. That's terrible spin
Iphone user interface is superb compared to MS based phones. Mobile smartphone 5.0 must have been developed mostly on a regular computer w/ all of the GUI features fixed. It takes many key presses to enable bluetooth, check the time of a particular call, etc.
ATT 3G is not worth the battery consumption. Edge is slower, but your battery will last much longer. I bought a Samsung blackjack and used it on the ATT network until I moved to an area w/o cingular/ATT coverage. I unlocked the phone and switched back to Tmobile using their edge network. It is slower, but my battery life went from one day with minimal usage to three days with much usage.
iPhone battery usage probably varies greatly dependent upon your usage patterns, but ATT 3G kills your battery life. Note, that I am using the larger battery with a modified back as well
It's not att's fault if your battery drains faster: 3g chips power consumption is simply huge.
That is the point that I am trying to convey. Engineers and Business people made a decision not to implement 3G circuitry because of the power consumption and lack of integration/size versus the greater bandwidth. There is a link that I can point to with a quote from Jobs and some PCB photos, but I don't know if that is allowed here.
here, I'll jump the gun & link that article for ya:
"No 3G on the iPhone, but why? A Battery Life Analysis"
http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3036
To you Euro folks who haven't yet tried browsing on an iPhone over EDGE, I gotta concur that the iPhone's performance is surprisingly good, feels fairly close to the overall experience on 3G phones when you look at time to render/pan around complex web pages. I think this can be attributed to the iPhone's fast ARM processor, as well as an fast-performing OS and graphics & web libraries...
I'm thinking that having a power-efficient 3G chipset with the kind of battery life Apple wants won't happen before 2008...
Good thing I checked NetNewsWire before clicking 'proceed' on that 16Gb iPod Touch ;oP
Ya, what about Canada??? Those rat bastards at Rogers keep screwing us! They won't give out any information and still charge an arm and a leg and a left testicle for their data plans.
Last time I checked Portugal and Northern Spain(Galicia) was in Europe, while Turkey would(could?) be considered an Asian country(Eurasian country if much) while Russia, well Russians see themselves as something else apart(they only see themselves as Europeans towards the UEFA).
And as such I can't even begin to understand why the Iberian peninsula is cut in half. Whoever made that image is seriously lacking some Geographic knowledge.
And yes, I do care about small things like this. Sue me.
Spain is in Eurpoe?
jk...
You know, i'm going to force myself NOT to gripe at this because I knew this was coming.
We all knew this was coming. Initial iPhone buyers just didn't realize it would be this soon. 3G in my opinion is a huge deal. I would LOVE to have 3G on my iPhone and I hope with all of the hackers out there, or an optional upgrade through Apple.
Either way the rumors of a size increase and 3G has me a tad...unhappy.
I'll tell you where those 3G iPhones are, sitting in a warehouse ready to be released before Christmas. You don't think Apple would lower the price of the current iPhone without a better/more expensive replacement right around the corner. I think we'll see them early 4th quarter ...in the States too.
I wouldn't mind owning the iPhone 16GB version if it came out in the UK along with a 3G chip (and on T-Mob or Vodafone with their unlimited data plans) :P
Man, you Americans got screwed over considering its a two-year contract (most common in the UK is 12month or 18month) and they charge you an arm and a leg for inferior speeds and data caps)
Apple should, by common sense, not charge more than £350-£400 for this when it comes over and even then if you get the most expensive data plans its more than likely to be free as well.
yeah rub salt in the wound... nice... real nice..
Two guys I work with got one in the first week. I do think it's the best phone out there; at least in the US. I count off a few problems:
1. no easy battery replacement - have to mail it in for $80+SH and a loaner phone is another $20
2. no 3G
3. ATT service.. not exactly good... and more often than not crappy cell service
4. 2 year contract requirement
5. Fear of another Today... ie what will sept 25 bring 3G? 16 GB??
I'm dying to get a new phone; I have Sprint(7 years now), which isn't all that bad unless you talk to their customer service folks. Their data(300-700k) is much faster than ATT's(200k), but still well below what I understand Europe/Japan/S Korea gets.
All that said, the damn phone really is great, and hard to resist.
Unlocked any gsm carrier Iphones are on Ebay for 8 and change. Where's the software unlock people?????????????????? With the new price drop and this software, it's to die for.
3G would be the tipping point in my indecision on the iphone too bad I live in the US and verizon rules our airwaves.
by the end of the year:
2nd generation iPhone:
GPS (to interact with google maps)
Stereo bluetooth headset feature
3G
and i'm sold...
We do sorta need a 3G iPhone. You complain in America that the EDGE network is slow for web browsing, but we don't even have that. We'd be downloading pages in slower than 28k dialup. If Apple decided to price a 3G iPhone at $599, that would just be stupid - we wouldn't pay $200 for 3G; we might as well just stick with our current phones, get a touch, and save that $200.
3G? How about trying to work on some basic MMS first Apple?
I have tried to look into it but am not familiar enough with mobile standards to understand. If the iPhone went 3G, would that make it compatible with Sprint/Verizon? Wouldn't that break the 5 year AT&T contract?
The term "3G" is being thrown around, but isn't a specific type of network from what I can tell so it is causing me confusion.
MMS?! Don't make me laugh. MMS (pictures and video messages) are just a waste of time. I could not be bothered to pay the stupid price most European carriers charge for that "service". I am plenty happy with email and bluetooth - and really can't stand people pointing out that the lack of that "feature". Besides they'll probably include it anyway with the 3G version - just because of crybabies like you. Damn MMS, wifi everywhere please!
Once more, there is no keynote scheduled for Apple Expo Paris. If an iPhone is to be announced, I'm pretty sure Steve would want to deliver the good news in person. So even though I hope Engadget's speculation is true, I doubt it is.