Its things like this that make me hate Apple. I was willing to get the 3G iPhone, but after the "contract only" disclaimer and things lie this, I could live comfortably without giving Apple any of my money.
Come on people can we stop with the whole "contract" thing. Do you plan on skipping to different carriers every other month. I've used many carriers in my area, It's not much better, they all have the same spotty service. Unless you live in a city or close to it, no carrier has full coverage elsewhere.
Well everyone mentions the "contract" thing because these contracts are for TWO years. If they were one year contracts that can be a little understandable, but I don't want to be forced to stay with a carrier for two years.
And you don't have to switch every month, but what about if you want to switch in one year because you moved or if you have an argument with their customer service?
If your argue with CS.. your on your own and pretty much screwed, if you move to an area without coverage by ATT, you are let out of your contract with no ETF
interesting as to how this is spun as purely a "CYA" legal thing...
the first thing i thought of when i read it is that either 1) apple wants to be the only provider of gps routing software for the iphone (for $$ of course) 2) someone (tomtom?) got in bed with apple and wants to be the only provider of gps routing software and gave a kickback 3) some carrier like at&t wants to push their overpriced telenav crap
I am guessing option number 3 would be ATT's request.
Most likely its Apple lawyers covering their ass, although there are worse things then live guidance... say texting on a phone with no keyboard while driving....
Marriage is for LIFE. It's called commitment. How do you get out of that, without it costing you half of everything. What about leasing a car. It's no different, you agreed to what is provided to you. If you have an issue with something out of the terms of their service, THEY OWE YOU. You just need to be good enough to get it. If you have an argument with someone that gets paid crap working a multibillion dollar company and you don't get something in your favor. You need to get better people skills.
I don't know how you could possibly think they would sell this thing without requiring a 2 year contract! Were you born yesterday or were you not aware of how things work in the U.S.?? People want a cheaper iPhone, so they make a cheaper iPhone, stop bitching, yes it does require a 2 year contract but so does the LG Voyager or LG Vu or any other damn phone sold by a U.S. carrier. And i know you can also get some on a 1 year contract and pay more, but thats not how the first iPhone was, so why would this one be different.............boo hoo you won't be getting a 3G iPhone, i'm so sad
You forget the rule. It's only okay to whine about cell phone contracts if it's related to Apple. It's only okay to somehow multiple the rate plan by 24 months and add that to the cost of the device in order to say "ZOMG ITS TEH EXPENSIVE" if it's Apple.
Oh, and it's only okay to complain about absurd legalese if it's Apple.
I can think of *at least* two reason why Apple would want to restrict real time route guidance - first, is liability, the second is privacy.
On any GPS you buy, the first screen you hit on startup is the legal "it's not our problem if you're a moron", to which you have to agree to go further, followed by lockouts to menus and settings while the vehicle is moving. It doesn't take much to imagine someone jacking around with an iPhone and driving into a wall.
Second, real time time GPS also opens the door to stalking - if you can track you, it's not a big hop to track someone in your address book.
Do you understand that they raised the cost of the mandatory plan that you must have with your iPhone? And that it comes out to 240 bucks over the life of the contract, which you can't get out of? Ergo, the cost of the 3g iPhone is the same as the old iPhone, except they're pretending to save u teh moniez?
If any other company said "hay, we are gonna give you 120 bucks off this, but we'll charge you 10 a month for a year, kkthx," people would still be up in arms.
Ken, you need to fully read other manufacturers EULA agreements then if you think what Apple has is a 'reason' not to use their products. The US is a litigation playground, you need to 'CYA' with everything.
That's the problem with posting first - you didn't see the update right?
Or do you also hate the Google Maps API? In any case, the terms were obviously dictated by the need to confirm to Google's Maps API terms.
It makes a lot of sense too as they don't want the military to go and build iPhones into a Tomahawk missile or Predator plane. If I released a maps/GPS product I wouldn't want it to be used to kill people either.
I don't like cell phone contracts either, but you already knew that the initial iPhone required a contract, so you certainly shouldn't have been surprised. And if you indeed really like the iPhone 3G, you are not going to be able to switch to any other carrier besides T-Mobile, and even with them you are NOT going to be able to use their 3G network, since the iPhone doesn't support 1700mhz UMTS.
On the other hand, if you wait a few months, I bet the iPhone ends up being available on pre-paid terms.
2 years isnt so bad when you look at the canadian market... We got screwed all the time with 3 years contracts! I don't know yet if it'll be the case with Rogers but i would be surprised!
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Its things like this that make me hate Apple. I was willing to get the 3G iPhone, but after the "contract only" disclaimer and things lie this, I could live comfortably without giving Apple any of my money.
Lie=like
Come on people can we stop with the whole "contract" thing. Do you plan on skipping to different carriers every other month. I've used many carriers in my area, It's not much better, they all have the same spotty service. Unless you live in a city or close to it, no carrier has full coverage elsewhere.
@Scott Miller
Well everyone mentions the "contract" thing because these contracts are for TWO years. If they were one year contracts that can be a little understandable, but I don't want to be forced to stay with a carrier for two years.
And you don't have to switch every month, but what about if you want to switch in one year because you moved or if you have an argument with their customer service?
@Eric M
If your argue with CS.. your on your own and pretty much screwed, if you move to an area without coverage by ATT, you are let out of your contract with no ETF
interesting as to how this is spun as purely a "CYA" legal thing...
the first thing i thought of when i read it is that either
1) apple wants to be the only provider of gps routing software for the iphone (for $$ of course)
2) someone (tomtom?) got in bed with apple and wants to be the only provider of gps routing software and gave a kickback
3) some carrier like at&t wants to push their overpriced telenav crap
@Patrick
I am guessing option number 3 would be ATT's request.
Most likely its Apple lawyers covering their ass, although there are worse things then live guidance... say texting on a phone with no keyboard while driving....
@ Eric
Marriage is for LIFE. It's called commitment. How do you get out of that, without it costing you half of everything. What about leasing a car. It's no different, you agreed to what is provided to you. If you have an issue with something out of the terms of their service, THEY OWE YOU. You just need to be good enough to get it. If you have an argument with someone that gets paid crap working a multibillion dollar company and you don't get something in your favor. You need to get better people skills.
I don't know how you could possibly think they would sell this thing without requiring a 2 year contract! Were you born yesterday or were you not aware of how things work in the U.S.?? People want a cheaper iPhone, so they make a cheaper iPhone, stop bitching, yes it does require a 2 year contract but so does the LG Voyager or LG Vu or any other damn phone sold by a U.S. carrier. And i know you can also get some on a 1 year contract and pay more, but thats not how the first iPhone was, so why would this one be different.............boo hoo you won't be getting a 3G iPhone, i'm so sad
@ Ken
Well o2 in the UK are releasing pay and go sim cards to there iPhone users so maybe something similar will hop up in the states soon?
Coolone3000,
You forget the rule. It's only okay to whine about cell phone contracts if it's related to Apple. It's only okay to somehow multiple the rate plan by 24 months and add that to the cost of the device in order to say "ZOMG ITS TEH EXPENSIVE" if it's Apple.
Oh, and it's only okay to complain about absurd legalese if it's Apple.
I can think of *at least* two reason why Apple would want to restrict real time route guidance - first, is liability, the second is privacy.
On any GPS you buy, the first screen you hit on startup is the legal "it's not our problem if you're a moron", to which you have to agree to go further, followed by lockouts to menus and settings while the vehicle is moving. It doesn't take much to imagine someone jacking around with an iPhone and driving into a wall.
Second, real time time GPS also opens the door to stalking - if you can track you, it's not a big hop to track someone in your address book.
Reid,
Do you understand that they raised the cost of the mandatory plan that you must have with your iPhone? And that it comes out to 240 bucks over the life of the contract, which you can't get out of? Ergo, the cost of the 3g iPhone is the same as the old iPhone, except they're pretending to save u teh moniez?
If any other company said "hay, we are gonna give you 120 bucks off this, but we'll charge you 10 a month for a year, kkthx," people would still be up in arms.
Ken, you need to fully read other manufacturers EULA agreements then if you think what Apple has is a 'reason' not to use their products. The US is a litigation playground, you need to 'CYA' with everything.
That's the problem with posting first - you didn't see the update right?
Or do you also hate the Google Maps API? In any case, the terms were obviously dictated by the need to confirm to Google's Maps API terms.
It makes a lot of sense too as they don't want the military to go and build iPhones into a Tomahawk missile or Predator plane. If I released a maps/GPS product I wouldn't want it to be used to kill people either.
I don't like cell phone contracts either, but you already knew that the initial iPhone required a contract, so you certainly shouldn't have been surprised. And if you indeed really like the iPhone 3G, you are not going to be able to switch to any other carrier besides T-Mobile, and even with them you are NOT going to be able to use their 3G network, since the iPhone doesn't support 1700mhz UMTS.
On the other hand, if you wait a few months, I bet the iPhone ends up being available on pre-paid terms.
2 years isnt so bad when you look at the canadian market... We got screwed all the time with 3 years contracts! I don't know yet if it'll be the case with Rogers but i would be surprised!
i mean wouldn't be surprised!