“It has some downsides and limitations—most important, the overwhelmed AT&T network in the U.S., which, in my tests, the new phone handled sometimes better and, unfortunately, sometimes worse than its predecessor. But, overall, Apple has delivered a big, well-designed update that, in my view, keeps it in the lead in the smartphone wars,” Mossberg reports.
“The most important downside of the iPhone 4 is that, in the U.S., it’s shackled to AT&T, which not only still operates a network that has trouble connecting and maintaining calls in many cities, but now has abandoned unlimited, flat-rate data plans,” Mossberg reports. “Apple needs a second network.”
MacDailyNews Take: Hear, hear!
Mossberg continues, “However, on at least six occasions during my tests, the new iPhone was either reporting ‘no service’ or searching for a network while the old one, held in my other hand, was showing at least a couple of bars. Neither Apple nor AT&T could explain this. The iPhone 4 quickly recovered in these situations, showing service after a few seconds, but it was still troubling.”
“Just as with its predecessors, I can’t recommend this new iPhone for voice calling for people who experience poor AT&T reception, unless they are willing to carry a second phone on a network that works better for them,” Mossberg reports. “For everyone else, however, I’d say that Apple has built a beautiful smartphone that works well, adds impressive new features and is still, overall, the best device in its class.”
Full review here.
MacDailyNews Take: The AT&T millstone around Apple’s neck pollutes what should be a wonderful review. Read it and weep, Mr. Jobs. Then wise up – unless you continue to want your beautiful products to be obscured and marred by inept, greedy third-parties whose exclusive deals outlived their usefulness at least a year ago.
The Android FUD Army is in full force. Making a mess at the comments page.
Bah who cares about AT&T;? Just head to just about any other country in the world to enjoy vigorous competition in GSM.
The rest of will just get on with life while the USA plays catch up and Apple enjoys market dominance. Maybe you guys can switch to metric while you’re about it…….
If there was any plan for multiple signal providers, Steve would have told us. There is not. The one we have is the one we are going to have – for better or worse.
So, all you can just get over yourselves. And, when did you decide that you could think for yourselves. Steve does that for us and, BOOM, it just works!
I was in San Fran and I had no problems. It worked really well. Even the data speed was above 2.79 Mbps. But, I do not live there. But in the LAX area it works fine for me.
So, my iP1 is a little old by current standards with it’s 2G service. I carry an iPad for all other reasons and use it to test the service as I move around.
I wrote this on MDN before for another article and felt it was worth posting again. So here you go…
I love Apple. I love my iPhone. I admire AT&T;. I think the way the media and MDN reports on AT&T;is about as unbalanced as Fox News reporting on Obama’s handling of the economy. Had it not been for AT&T;(Cingular) the iphone wouldn’t have seen the light of day. Verizon didn’t believe in the product, T-Mobile’s lackluster network wasn’t even an option and Sprint…well Sprint isn’t the healthiest of carriers from a financial stand point to develop a partnership with. It was AT&T;who listened to Jobs and gave Apple what they wanted. They believed in the product and made it possible for Americans to enjoy. Their network performance has been overly criticized and has even become fashionable to hate as having a Facebook or twittering. No device of this magnitude has put more of a strain on a carrier’s network than the iPhone. Let’s face it. We love our iPhones and are data hogs without regret. AT&T;realized this a long time ago but did they run and hide and jump ship when it came time to renew their exclusivity with the iPhone? No they didn’t. Had they done so and removed the noose from around their neck their network speeds would have greatly improved. Instead they chose to cater to Apple and improve their network by investing billions and those in cities who had less than stellar data performance before KNOW that their iphone experience has improved quite a bit. THIS is why Apple continues their partnership with AT&T;. They know the anti-AT&T;rhetoric on the news and online is just that- rhetoric. Behind the scenes they see a wireless partner that works well. From a financial standpoint to a performance standpoint. Those holding on to their dreams of a Verizon iPhone should really wake up. It’s not going to happen anytime soon. The CDMA platform they utilize for their network is aging and far from standard in the rest of the world’s networks. By waging their war against rival AT&T;they have since lashed out at the iPhone and instead have put all their eggs in one basket with Google’s Android series. This doesn’t float well with Apple and further deteriorates and hopes of a partnership with them and a Verizon iPhone. Verizon doesn’t mind however because they, along with the other major networks, know the strain of the bandwith slayer that is the iPhone has on a carrier’s network. They’ve seen how a revolutionary device like the iPhone brings a carrier’s network under a microscope and close scrutiny like what has happened to AT&T;. So do I admire AT&T;mobility? You bet I do. Thank you for delivering us the most beautiful and powerful mobile phone the world has seen and keep up the good work.
Three iPhone on a family plan with AT&T;and not one complaint about the service from them. Based on MDN’s take Apple should just outright abandon At&t;and move to a new “magical” carrier. I wonder which carrier that would be.
Verizon is a public service nightmare. They are not an option for me.
@Me – I also live in St. Louis and had the first generation and currently a 3GS (until tomorrow), and have had awesome service with AT&T;. I have actually never had a dropped call and travel frequently. You think maybe you have a bad phone?
“…its shackled to AT&T;, which not only still operates a network that has trouble connecting and maintaining calls in many cities, but now has abandoned unlimited, flat-rate data plans. Apple needs a second network.”
I wish Uncle Walt lots of luck finding that “second network” with unlimited data, since the 3G data plans from the other carries all cap usage at 5 GB, generally with no option to auto-pay for overages like the new AT&T;plan (they may just drop you instead).
I love the tethering on the new AT&T;plan for $45 with 2 GB cap; if I exceed the 2 GB I’m automatically charged $10 per GB which is perfect for me.
Currently if you really need unlimited mobile data you’ll have to go with Sprint/Clear WiMAX 4G. Hopefully future 4G LTE plans will be a better deal.
Steve Jobs made his bed with ATT and now lies in it – his ONLY comment is that the carrier is working on the problems – which may be a lie.
Note that he DOES NOT say it’s going to get better or that there will be competition which just might speed up the day when it does actually get better.
Verizon coverage has been getting gradually worse where I live and work following the elimination of analog service. I used to never, or very seldom drop calls in the early days of digital, now I drop several per week with the same phone I have had for over 3 years. A friend who switched to AT&T;has better luck here, but quality of service in the US is lagging behind much of the world in cell phones just as in other areas. Unfortunate truth of our time. Apple products and technology are one of the US’s bright spots.
When will these reporters realise there is a world outside of AT&T;and America where these phones are running perfectly well on their chosen networks.
Apple needs to start selling unlocked iPhones over the counter across all retail outlets, everywhere in the world ASAP. Locked phones are just stupid and pointless in my opinion. I mean.. sure iPhones are selling like hotcakes, but I guarantee they will sell more unlocked phones… although they would be more expensive. But worth it… I bought my iPhone 3g locked to the carrier here in India, but they unlocked it for me officially after 1 year of the agreement.
@mogambo- unlocked iPhones equal higher prices. Are you prepared to pay double the price or possibly more for an iPhone? When the price for a handset isn’t subsidized it sky rockets!
Walt said, “Just as with its predecessors, I can’t recommend this new iPhone for voice calling for people who experience poor AT&T;reception, unless they are willing to carry a second phone on a network that works better for them,” Mossberg reports. “For everyone else, however, I’d say that Apple has built a beautiful smartphone that works well, adds impressive new features and is still, overall, the best device in its class.”
Wow – just, WOW! We are stuck folks. I can’t recommend ANY cell phone for making phone calls – not that I have tried all of them, but the ones I have used are all junk for making phone calls. I am on ATT because of the roll over minutes, not because of iPhone. I just don’t think we have a really reliable cell service in America…
And, SuperDave-0, yes, I am willing to pay for unlocked iPhone IF I can use it with any cell company I choose.
He mentions AT&T;as a deal breaker – maybe in the US, but everywhere else round the world we dont use AT&T;.
I use O2 in the UK and their signal strength is amazing – always 4-5 bars anywhere I go.
Reading these reviews makes me glad I live in the UK- multiple carriers; good-ish 3G coverage by O2 and now HDSPA or whatever coverage. Sounds like you guys in the US have it pretty bad.
This is especially true in my room, where I appear to have a full 3G tower all to myself!
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super dave are u kidding o bama has handle nothing right unless u dont like any seafood what is the count on the days and to all the at&t;lovers in Green Bay more dead coverage and when i switched to V had phone numer traverser but because the bill was sent out in advance of my next billing month they charged me for the month then sent it to a bill collector in 1 week also had at&t;tv quit that crap but month later they took out next monthpayment after I was told it would not happen 6 weeks later still no refund GET IT
I wish some of these guys would leave NY or SF to accurately review the network. I seldom have trouble.
How did he get a WHITE iPhone???
I hear Pelosi wants dropped calls taxed, so her cesspool San Fran can open more pot shops!
Conclusion for me: I’ll continue holding out on any smartphone until I feel that I can justify spending $100 a month. In fact, I doubt I could ever justify it. Even if AT&T;and/or Verizon or whomever worked perfectly, $100 a month is crazy to me. But with crappy networks, its pure insanity.
I’ll hop on board the smartphone market when I can get unlimited plans for around $50 a month. Until then, I’ll keep using my iPad and iPod touch and keep looking for wifi hotspots.
This is not an iPhone 4 review, this is instead a review of AT&T;and Walt’s city block personal reception in Walt’s personal world only.
AT&T;’s problems are good problems to have and if it were another carrier, it would be the same or worse.
Look back ten years…every single issue(other than Window’s viruses) is tied in with lack of bandwidth and has made tremendous progress from those days, but now it is a new generation of mobile bandwidth sucking devices, and AT&T;or any other carrier can’t grow or keep up at the same rate…they’ll eventually do it, but it is not a speedy process. Maybe now people can realize that Apple will NEVER step backwards to Verizon’s CDMA and finally get over it.
Im currently on travel…specifically, in Sicily, Italy. Great reception throughout. I’m just really afraid to activate the data plan. ATT’s data plan sucks. Wifis are good here though…especially in Catania.
Just got the new iPad and checked out the coverage at the cottage in the Laurentians, not far from Montreal. No coverage at all. Never mind which phone: there are simply no towers. However, my two-way Satellite (HughesNet) system works for Internet, and I can use my landline for phone calls. In my situation I can’t even justify a cheap cellphone. But I do love my iPad and my iPodTouch. Too bad the Pad’s missing the Apple clock app and the Apple Weather app.
The Touch has them, but not the Pad. What about the Phone4??