AT&T CEO outs 3G iPhone: "You'll have it next year"

Of course the 3G iPhone is coming, that's clearly in the evolution plan. As Jobs said himself, it's only a matter of time until improved batteries allow for it. Still, when AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson says, "You'll have it next year," well, our ears tend to perk up. The remark was made at a meeting of the Churchill Club in Santa Clara. He didn't say how much it could cost admitting that Jobs and Apple "will dictate what the price of the phone is." However, it wouldn't surprise us if fits back into the $599 slot vacated by the 8GB iPhone while toting a full 16GB of flash like the iPod touch.

[visuatec @ Feb 19th 2008 6:10PM]

so it doesn't have 3G.... so when the smarties eventually buy one with 3G it won't have 4G... and I'm going to buy a 4G one... but then they'll make fun of me because 5G is going to be released and so on...

So for those who want to wait, let them wait.... good luck!

[Rashad @ Nov 29th 2007 4:23AM]

I think apple has done a fine job putting it together. Lets just hope they don't forget the main features we need like copy and paste, and a loud speaker!

[ugg.tryptophan @ Nov 29th 2007 1:15PM]

wont matter to me, it'll be running linux before i make a phone call

[Ray Brevton @ Nov 29th 2007 4:16AM]

Wow. Guess I have to show off my iPhone as much as I can before this new version comes out.

[Ireland @ Nov 29th 2007 10:12AM]

Why, is that why you bought it? Cause it's certainly not why I bought mine.

[Derry Quinn @ Nov 29th 2007 11:40AM]

Yes, it is.

[kL @ Nov 29th 2007 6:10PM]

Don't worry, it won't. Now that secret is out, Jobs will have to change plans :)
The good news is that in revenge he might breach At&T 5-year exclusivity contract :)

[intentionbook @ Nov 29th 2007 4:47AM]

I hope it will not be more expensive that $599,, Maybee apple will cut the price again..

[Andrew Stone @ Nov 29th 2007 4:49AM]

I hope its free, and will make me a sandwich.

[404error @ Nov 29th 2007 4:36AM]

Oh lord, I can't wait until this is released and all of the current iPhone users BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW their brains out until they get another rebate or something.

[danny @ Nov 29th 2007 5:24AM]

i'll never understand this attitude. it's about time that people - particularly on this site - started to realise that it is *because* of early adopters that we get things that eventually don't suck, and very often that bring the price down. instead, we just all make fun of them for buying whatever, laughing that the price is too high, it doesn't have "x", it's "y" support sucks, etc, etc.

incidentally, no, i don't have an iphone, but i will soon enough and a lot of the issues will have been sorted out. so thanks to you people who already have one.

[Miker @ Nov 29th 2007 6:35AM]

Apple were onto a pretty sure fire thing and weren't really relying on early adopters to give them funds (I'm not saying they weren't going to use sales figures to ascertain if this was a viable market area for them though).

It was always their plan to release a slightly under spec'd first phone, so that they could easily ramp up the spec of their second generation phone within a short period of time without any hassle to them, and therefore make the second phone look that much more appealing against the first (wonder how many people will upgrade - kerching says Apples accountant), after all what they're touting isn't anything you can't get as standard on any other phone if you shop around.

It's clever marketing strategy by Apple and absolutely nothing more.

[Michael Emmons @ Nov 29th 2007 9:41AM]

@Miker: You, sir, are an idiot. As Freud was want to say, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." I find that a far more likely reason Apple did not release a 3G iPhone first is for exactly the reason they state--the 3G chipset drains the battery too quickly. Since the iPhone has been released there has been newer, lower power, 3G chipsets released which makes the addition of these chips to the phone feasible.

[Scott @ Nov 29th 2007 9:53AM]

I have an iPhone and it's great. 3G would be nice, but not as nice as my $56 per month (including taxes and fees) bill on T-Mobile with unlimited EDGE data. The lowest T-Mobile plan is $6/month. From looking at the other carriers plans, it looks like I'd have to pay around $80 a month for 3G.

Now if you're already paying $80/mo and 3G would cost you no more, then sure, it'd be better. But this is a tech-savvy blog and you should know how to get the best deal without doing what Ma Bell and Apple expect you to do.

[Andrew @ Nov 29th 2007 9:59AM]

@Michael Emmons
Please point me in the direction of these new, lower power chipsets. Granted, there has been some new chipsets and whatnot out, but not enough promising a big enough change in battery life for the iPhone to suddenly include one and not when it first came out.

[Ryan Worrell @ Nov 29th 2007 10:07AM]

@Scott

T-Mobile here too...but if T-Mobile makes that announcement on the 6th regarding 3G we might be in for a treat!

[Rich @ Nov 29th 2007 11:43AM]

@Michael Emmons
If you believe everything Steve Jobs says then I feel sorry for you.

The reason there's no 3G in the iPhone is the same reason why there's no 3G in Motorola JUIX Linux platform. Writing a 3G comms stack is a difficult and time consuming process. Too difficult and time consuming to do within the time frames of the first iPhone.

The battery life excuse is simply that - an excuse. There's plenty of ways to get around the battery draining properties of 3G already - such as switching to 2G mode when a data connection isn't active.

[John @ Nov 29th 2007 4:40AM]

3G, iPhone, SlingPlayer for iPhone - i mean it just fits don't it?

[Generic @ Nov 29th 2007 4:40AM]

guessing it will have a front camera like other 3Gs

tada the iSightPhone

[Scott G. @ Nov 29th 2007 3:08PM]

Maybe I just don't get it but why would a camera on the screen side of the iPhone be that great? I like that it's on the back. Someone please explain the benefit.

[Tony @ Nov 29th 2007 4:30PM]

Some phones have the camera on both the front and back.

Typically, the camera on the screen is VGA (or low res.) for video calls.

[pscs @ Nov 29th 2007 4:44AM]

yeah obviously next year, but the question is when next year... and i hope the camera gets upgraded as well to something like a 5mp and the 16gb replaces the current 8gb.

[Joe @ Nov 29th 2007 5:14AM]

I'd be fine with a 2 mp if it didn't suck. Putting a 5mp shitty CMOS in a phone doesn't do anybody any good.

[pscs @ Nov 29th 2007 1:30PM]

there are 366 days in 2008 :P

but still, there's 0.27322404371584699453551912568306% a day :)

[505WhatNow @ Nov 29th 2007 4:48AM]

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL RELEASE MONTH FOR THE 3G IPHONE:

FEBRUARY 2008.

Mark you calendars.

[LordFarkward @ Nov 29th 2007 5:07AM]

30th, right? got it.

[danny @ Nov 29th 2007 5:14AM]

any chance of revealing your source, or did you just throw a dart at a 12 month calendar, and it hit february?

[steve B @ Nov 29th 2007 6:13AM]

I agree, Launch it with the SDK, upgrade to 16meg make so much sense. Extra room for all those apps

[Ssco @ Nov 29th 2007 4:52AM]

I hope they don't just stick a 3G radio in there and upgrade the memory. There's so many other things that need to be added/upgraded too.
They could do with making it smaller too

[Rich @ Nov 29th 2007 5:15AM]

I hope Apple don't have the same attitude as most Apple fanboys.

I bought an unlocked iPhone and I have come across its weaknesses. Every time I point them out on an Apple forum I get shouted down by people telling me that they never used X feature on their old phone and don't see any reason for Apple to include it. 3G, better camera, proper Bluetooth support, sending SMS to multiple people, etc. - Apple fanboys seem to think that no-one uses these features and there's no need to EVER include them.

Apple fanboys really don't seem to like it when you "think different" to them.

[whatphone @ Nov 29th 2007 5:41AM]

@rich

I don't think Applefanboys have ever had a mobile before... that would explain a lot :)

[Ayle @ Nov 29th 2007 7:57AM]

You forgot copy paste and the ability to scroll textbox on weebpages... Those are the two things I hate about my phone at the moment, that and when they phone start stuttering for no reason...

[Michael @ Nov 29th 2007 8:40AM]

@Ayle
you can scroll text. Just use two fingers to scroll within the text box.

[Paul @ Nov 29th 2007 5:41AM]

Don't think we'll see a 3G iphone before May.... Apple learned their lesson about the price drop - Feb would be too close to the European launches. I see the same price point tho - the iPhones really took off at that price point. By May flash prices will have dropped and Apple can still make a ton of money per phone at the $399.00.

[Wolfticket @ Nov 29th 2007 5:44AM]

Wow, 3g. Next thing you know they'll be letting you use mp3s as ringtones.

[Chuck @ Nov 29th 2007 8:15AM]

You can already do this. The newest update to the iPhone and iTunes brought back this functionality. Do some research and you'll see how easy it is.

[Kunikos @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:01PM]

I thought you couldn't use any arbitrary mp3 as a ringtone, but were forced to use iTunes Music Store ringtone downloads or create ringtones out of iTunes Music Store purchased songs.

What if I want to use an mp3 that's a capture of a television show episode that I own on DVD?

[yoyodude64 @ Nov 29th 2007 6:38AM]

will there b a trade in program for current iphone users?

[Michael S. @ Dec 9th 2007 2:23AM]

All of you need to get a life. All phones have there ups and downs. Apple will not ever tell anyone release dates of any new product, it is a publicly traded company, and they never will. There will be no rebate, the first one was lucky for all of you cry babies. What about the people that spent $3000 on imacs only to see a newer more powerful one released for $1000 less. Suck it up and deal with it like men and women. Technology is advancing daily welcome to the 21st century.

[Andrew @ Nov 29th 2007 6:43AM]

My magic 8 ball is telling me that this will be out in the UK before my current contract ends in March, but then again, he's lied before!

[Jared Gibbs @ Nov 29th 2007 7:28AM]

I'm glad I bought the 4GB version for $299 because I figured sooner or later 3G would be on the mantle. I'll just give the wife the old one.

[Jon @ Nov 29th 2007 10:06AM]

What a lucky gal! Always thinking of her first! lol
just teasing

[seanchk @ Nov 29th 2007 7:43AM]

I've had my iphone for 2 days and all I can say is wow !! this thing is awesome
My first apple product and I am very happy, by the time the 3g version appears I might be ready to upgrade but I'm in now hurry.

[Michael Long @ Nov 29th 2007 7:44AM]

Actually, the power problems with 3G chipsets have only been half the equation.

In order to have 3G support one also needs a 3G network, and AT&T has been struggling to roll it out nationwide. Only 38 states have 3G access, and even there it's limited to a handful of cities.

See: http://www.iSights.org/2007/11/3g-iphones-defi.html

[Kunikos @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:03PM]

Yep. There aint shit for 3G GSM coverage in Reno, Nevada. Only 3G speed EV-DO coverage.

[Jah @ Nov 29th 2007 8:26AM]

Now a 3.5G iPhone with a 3MP camera and A2DP would be worth the Eruo750 that Orange France wants to charge for the current low tech version.

[JS @ Nov 29th 2007 8:56AM]

I've heard all of this specsmanship about how bad the iPhone is because it isn't a smartphone and it doesn't have 3G.

Ironic how the most popular smartphone applications are the ones that allows you to turn off 3G in favor of improved battery life.

Video compliant GSM 3G currently makes up less than 15% of the UK, and much less than that for the US. How could have Apple rolled out a 3G iPhone on the current GSM networks without falling well short of expectations?

[Jah @ Nov 29th 2007 9:49AM]

3.5G is great - i downloaded a 40MB video file in a few minutes (around 5) and watched it. I use my 3.5G phone as a modem for my laptop, its like howe broadband! In the UK people use video taken with mobile phones for uploading to a lot of social web sites.

[Jared @ Nov 29th 2007 8:59AM]

By the time iPhone v2.0 comes out hopefully we'll start to see Android in action. I like my iPhone, but it certainly has issues (all of them mentioned by prior posters) hopefully Android will put more pressure on Apple to fix these issues. Next year should be a pretty exciting year for the mobile phone industry.

FYI, still no 3G in my area (Western NY) even though they've been promising it for 2 years. Frankly I thought EDGE would be terrible, because it was marginal on my Sony Ericsson, but it's actually acceptable on the iPhone.

[T-Bone @ Nov 29th 2007 11:22AM]

A 3G iPhone would indeed be nice but in most places would be no better than the current iPhone. The best part is, even in those few cities that do have 3G, coverage is spotty!