Walt Mossberg promises 3G iPhone in 60 days

While talking up web as a video delivery medium at a Beet.TV executive summit, Walt Mossberg casually yet confidently mentioned that the iPhone will be going 3G in 60 days. Of course, it doesn't take an illustrious position as tech pundit to the masses to figure out a 3G iPhone is just around the corner: price cuts, stock shortages and word from Ralph de la Vega himself have rapidly narrowed down the launch window, but a semi-guarantee from Uncle Walt is certainly icing on the cake. The video snippet is after the break, or hit up the read link for the whole thing.

[Via 9 to 5 Mac; thanks, TedB]

[Ellianth @ Apr 5th 2008 2:12PM]

lol, watch Apple delay the iPhone by 1 day just so they can say the guy was wrong :p.

[Jared @ Apr 5th 2008 4:31PM]

I would love that, it would show everyone how useless he truly is

[Doerrfan @ Apr 5th 2008 2:22PM]

Oh just what i want to see, more 3G iPhone hype, im sure the already endless news stories for the past year weren't enough.

[Reader @ Apr 6th 2008 4:09PM]

Damn, didn't even think about how it will be in 30 days... Hope not as bad as when the first iPhone was coming out (or thought to be).

[Maestro @ Apr 5th 2008 2:12PM]

Hope he's right (but not as much as I hope Engadget fixes the reply system.)

[Snipermonky @ Apr 5th 2008 8:29PM]

Seems to be working fine.

[JAmerican @ Apr 5th 2008 2:14PM]

JAmerican promises GTA IV in 24 days.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 5th 2008 3:35PM]

CUBSWILLWIN promises the cu... Oh never mind!

[Bobs @ Apr 5th 2008 2:15PM]

Walt Mossberg found dead in his longbeach apartment 29 days after making iPhone statment

[JAmerican @ Apr 5th 2008 2:17PM]

Cause of Death seems to be Apple-Branding iron to the throat and heart. No suspects as of this moment.

[Erik @ Apr 5th 2008 3:59PM]

This just in! Suspects have been named in the death of Walt Mossberg.

A terrorist group by the name of Applebee's has stepped forward, claiming they killed Mr. Mossberg because he, "wasn't eating well enough in the neighborhood."

[ryan @ Apr 5th 2008 2:19PM]

I think someone's going to have his 3g iPhone taken away for bad behavior

[nickels @ Apr 5th 2008 2:20PM]

hmmm interesting :D

[TedB @ Apr 5th 2008 2:23PM]

Woooo they got my tip! Walt is known for being a great source, I really hope Steve Jobs does not have the apple geniuses lynch him for leaking it!

[Dave @ Apr 5th 2008 2:24PM]

GTA IV > 3G iPhone

sorry but that's just the way it goes

[Bob @ Apr 5th 2008 2:28PM]

wait a second!! 60 days thats just about a week before WWDC where Steve will say that the 2.0 firmware is out and guess what 3G! If this is true I hope 3G will not be a payed upgrade but a free upgrade on AT&T. The old iphones (by that I mean the ones now) have a 50/50 chance of being 3G compatible already and just need to be switched to the 3G network. If they aren't then I demand a free upgrade to a new iphone!!

[catachip @ Apr 5th 2008 2:34PM]

You can't do a software upgrade to 3G, it's a different type of radio.

Even if they could, Apple would not create such huge confusion among customers by having some capable of being upgraded and others not.

[Abuzar @ Apr 5th 2008 3:14PM]

And I demand free Milk!

It ain't happening is it?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 5th 2008 3:57PM]

I demand no IRS. That isn't happening either, sadly.

[conor @ Apr 5th 2008 7:22PM]

I hope that's sarcasm

[Abuzar @ Apr 5th 2008 8:30PM]

Do you know how AWESOME free milk would be. If I had my own cow I would feed it chocolate all day for all natural chocolate milk.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 5th 2008 11:35PM]

what would happen if you fed it spinach? :P

[sam @ Apr 5th 2008 2:31PM]

stop the press, 3g cell phone in 60 days! is it 2003 all the sudden or why is this news worthy??

[erik @ Apr 5th 2008 4:04PM]

oh i see what you did there...

[Stem $ell @ Apr 5th 2008 2:37PM]

~~

3G, more Watt 3G-- Battery's in question...

[Chris G. @ Apr 5th 2008 2:42PM]

There is no 3G radio in the current iPhone. If there was, it would have already been revealed during its FCC filing.

You can't do a software upgrade to enable 3G. It requires an all new radio (hence all new iPhone)

[Inugami @ Apr 5th 2008 2:46PM]

Hey i got a question for phone experts and/or Jail break people.

With the 3G Iphone coming out if we are able to jail break our new 3G Iphone will i be able to use it on my regular Verizon plan? not sure if Verizon has enabled 3G or what not.

[ScOObyDoo @ Apr 5th 2008 2:48PM]

The iPhone will NEVER EVER work on Verizon. It's a totally different system.

[R0B3RT @ Apr 5th 2008 2:48PM]

Target promised it last month the even had signs saying it was out. Whats your point.

[Togarth @ Apr 5th 2008 2:51PM]

I don't know why Apple were unable to deliver a 3G device in the first place it was obvious to me and anyone with a a brain that they would have to! Still the chosen one is always right, right fanboys?

[roach @ Apr 5th 2008 2:57PM]

Yes, he is always right. Say what you want, the iPhone has revolutionized the cell phone industry. People can say there are phones that compare or exceed, but that is really not the case. Now the iPhone is NOT for everyone, don't get me wrong. But they have a great product and people love it, so do your Apple bashing elsewhere.

kthxbai

[Engadgetluvsappl @ Apr 5th 2008 3:18PM]

Maybe it has 'revolutionalised' the American market, but no others. Sorry that I had to bring you back to reality.

[Togarth @ Apr 6th 2008 6:17AM]

@roach
"revolutionized the cell phone industry" WOW you really do believe everything Steve's factory tells you! Well thats the power of advertising for you!

Anyway back to reality, There are many cell phone manufacturer's that produce devices with far more function, flexibility, portability and choice of provider than Apples first and IMHO rather shakey foray in the phone market. The word "revolutionize" means "to effect a radical change" In Europe it has 100% failed to achieve that, in fact it has failed too meet its sales targets and projections why? it is NOT a 3G device something even base models achieve and something I questioned Apples head's wisdom in omitting from its only media rich phone offering!

[Johan S @ Apr 5th 2008 2:52PM]

Eh he seems like a nice guy. Umm, but the bit he rambles about how ads are not relevant sounds to me (i hope I am wrong) like he's setting up justification for a massive privacy intruding endeavor (for the sake of delivering relevant ads of course). I don't want info about me available to random idiots or creeps who may hax0r into their crap. Now I dunno about you folks but I rather sit through boring irrelevant ads on TV than be a sucker in some Database.

/tinfoil hat off
*zap*

privacy .. bad.

[rishi @ Apr 5th 2008 2:53PM]

whats wrong with the reply system?

[roach @ Apr 5th 2008 2:59PM]

It is messed up. Just click the date under someone's name and make sure it says "replying to thread #XXXXXXXXX"

problem fixed!

[Richard Lai @ Apr 5th 2008 2:55PM]

"The old iphones (by that I mean the ones now) have a 50/50 chance of being 3G compatible already..."

Seriously, WTF?

[Sora267 @ Apr 6th 2008 12:58PM]

Apparently, Apple figured out how to make 3G simply a software upgrade instead of a hardware upgrade.

[Reader @ Apr 6th 2008 7:41PM]

It's like a genetic disease you get from one of your parents. They probably had a robot infected with 3G that occasionally stamped iPhones.

Anyway, back to reality. That guys "upgrade to 3G" comment gave me a good laugh.

[Inugami @ Apr 5th 2008 2:56PM]

So whats the price that we can expect on a 3G Iphone?

400-500?

[TedB @ Apr 5th 2008 2:58PM]

@ ScoobyDoo

Never ever is a bit harsh... Verizon will be switching its system to GSM .. aka at&ts type system in the 4G era, which will happen in a few years. I am not sure about this part, but I am pretty sure those 4G towers will be backwards compatible to the 3G and 2G standards. If so you might be able to use the iPhone on the verizon network... in a few years lol.

What is up with this reply system?

[roach @ Apr 5th 2008 2:59PM]

again...

It is messed up. Just click the date under someone's name and make sure it says "replying to thread #XXXXXXXXX"

problem fixed!

[Richie @ Apr 5th 2008 3:15PM]

I just hope it has 32gbs. That's what I really want.

[pathogen @ Apr 5th 2008 2:59PM]

damnit We just ordered my replacement and it'll be here monday or tuesday. /sadface

[Vesh @ Apr 5th 2008 6:20PM]

Aaaahhhhhh!!

Guess you have to click the date of the person that started the thread, not the date of someone who replied...?

[Vesh @ Apr 5th 2008 6:17PM]

@ roach

You rock.

That is all.

[ScOObyDoo @ Apr 5th 2008 3:01PM]

No; it will be switching to LTE, which is not something the current iPhone (with EDGE) will be able to seamlessly work on. Saying Verizon "will be on GSM" is not true.

[Seanross @ Apr 5th 2008 3:02PM]

Demand a new iPhone for what? You knew what you were buying when it came out, if you wanted a 3G iPhone then you should've waited. Thats like demanding to get a new car model free just because you bought the old one... What the hell is with this sense of entitlement people get nowadays...

[bill @ Apr 5th 2008 3:06PM]

all i gota say is if they want me to get a new one they'd better have more than just 3g i need a 32gb flash and gps and bt2.0 if not 2.1 if they want to be the high tech shits that they want to be. really though im tired of this 8gb and 16 isnt even worth it to upgrade apple if your out there 32gb, gps and better bluetooth.... maybe a better camera otherwise the nokia's are looking sexy at least i can switch out the sd cards and stuff on those.

[Crabs @ Apr 6th 2008 3:19AM]

It already has Bluetooth 2.0, and better, it has BT 2.0+EDR. The only issue with Bluetooth on the iPhone is that Apple has almost completely limited what you can do with it. I don't know why they did, and it's one of my few gripes with the iPhone, but my guess is it's either to inhibit slowing down the phone due to some weird BT device you've hooked up, or it's to inhibit killing the phone's battery, or both. I don't know, obviously, I'm not Steve Jobs, but those would be my guesses.

As a general comment, to those of you saying that the iPhone should've been 3G from the start, there's a good reason why Apple didn't do that. And they stated it from the beginning, and I think they made the right choice. 3G radios, at the time the iPhone was released, killed your battery life. However, the Broadcomm chip that I believe was released in November, and my guess is will be the new chip for the iPhone, that combines Quadband GSM chip, EDGE, 3G, (and WiMax if you want it) onto one chip, and uses less battery life than standard single radio chips before it used. So a year ago, the idea of 3G in the iPhone was...touchy. Yeah, you could do it, but you'd sacrifice battery life, so...leave it out. I agree with that.

And you know, they tested the iPhone against the Nokia N90, which is a 3G phone, and the iPhone beat it. In page loading, and in battery life. So I'm good with EDGE. Sure, now that there's a better chip, I'll welcome 3G with open arms. And as the iPhone was as fast as it was on EDGE, I'm excited to see how fast it is with 3G.