“The latest case in point is the new iPhone 4. It’s chock full of new features — 100 of them, Steve Jobs says. But many are new only to Apple. A front-facing camera for video chatting? Running multiple applications at one time? The ability to shoot high-definition video in a handheld device? You don’t need an iPhone 4 to do those things,” Jaroslovsky writes. “No, what Apple does best — does brilliantly, in the case of the iPhone 4 — is to create a unified user experience. It doesn’t have to invent the technology; it figures out how to fit the technology together to make it easy, seamless and mainstream.”
“Physically, the new iPhone has undergone the largest overhaul since its 2007 debut. Gone is the rounded design of all the previous models, replaced by a thinner body that now lies flat on a level surface. Gone too is any trace of plasticky feel. The new exterior is made entirely of hardened glass and a metal frame that is reputed to improve wireless reception,” Jaroslovsky writes. “The iPhone 4 needs all the reception help it can get, especially in the U.S., where it’s available exclusively on AT&T Inc.’s network for $299 for a 32-gigabyte model on a two-year contract, and $199 for 16 gigabytes. Sad to say, even the new design hasn’t eliminated the dropped calls that have plagued the phone from its debut and tarnished AT&T’s image in key markets like New York and San Francisco. I lost three in my first hour of using the phone in midtown Manhattan.”
MacDailyNews Take: Hello, Mr, Jobs? Every iPhone 4 review pockmarked by AT&effingT. Uh, hello? Can you hear us now? Oh, right, we’re all stuck on AT&T. In some places, especially where reviewers happen to live and work, two cans and a string would work better.
Jaroslovsky continues, “If you’re actually able to get a call through, you’ll notice some big improvements. Apple has added a second microphone and noise-canceling technology, and the results are instantly apparent… In true Apple fashion, the value of the overall package is greater than the sum of its already impressive parts. The long lines and rapturous reviews that have greeted the iPhone 4’s debut are by and large justified.”
Full article here.
ATT sucks but Verizon sucks better?
MDN makes it like it Jobs is ignorant or clueless about the perceived AT&T problem.
Just wait two more years. If AT&T still remains a problem for some, Jobs will give them another carrier (likely T-Mobile, but also possible is Sprint. Verizon is highly unlikely, since Steve can hold a grudge for a long time).
The noise canceling technology works great. I was in my convertible, driving down the 5 with the top and windows down. Talking (illegally until I sync my blue tooth headset at home) on my iphone to a buddy. He was amazed at the difference. He couldn’t tell I was on the road, and saw a distinct improvement over the 3gs with the Jawbone headset.
Nice job on the feature Apple.
Well I can say that I have used several iPhone models for 3 years outside the US and have never lost call.
Did I read this wrong or did this guy say the apple was tarnishing at&effing;t’s image? If anything, that’s completely 180 degrees to the truth, IMHO as an ex-AT&T;employee! The service has been sh!tty since before the wonderful iPhone was conceived!
AT&T;has been fine for me and I live in downtown Manhattan, NY. I certainly would not want to be on Verizon.
AT&T;is the most incompetent, bloated joke of a company, ever; Even moreso than Microsoft. Until they are no longer the carrier, I’ll stick to a prepaid Tracfone and my iPod Touch, as I refuse to give AT&T;another red cent.
Assuming the Apple – AT&T;exclusive contract is still valid, what are the options? Does the agreement have a performance clause that would let Apple out early? Could SJ back a truck of money to AT&T;to get them to agree to end the exclusivity? Is SJ trying to get a deal with T-Mobile to avoid having to make a special CDMA version of the iPhone?
“Hello, Mr Jobs. Hello? Can you hear me? HELLO!? Is that better? Good. Yeah, sorry, I’m using an iPhone 4, and I was holding it wrong.”
@Liopapa
My guess is you have no idea what it takes to build up the network.
This is not an easy task and cannot happen overnight.
And you all should be thankful that AT&T;took a gamble on iPhone.
Otherwise you will be probably buying crappy apps from Verizon for $9.99 a pop.
I do not have any problems with AT&T;and I live in redneck country.
I’ve been with AT&T;since the day the first iPhone went on sale, and I’ve never had any reason to complain. That is until the day the iPhone 4 went on sale and I couldn’t successfully place my order for 12 hours. I’m willing to forgive them for that.
I have to say, the AT&T;bashing is getting old. It’s not a perfect world and if you can’t deal with it… personally I think you should move on and get another carrier. I’m not saying to get rid of your iPhone but there are clearly “alternatives” for your iPhone to use a different carrier.
The guy right behind me did that with his phone. It’s cheaper for him, which he is happy about but if you ask him how his new carriers network is for browsing the web, he’ll give you quite the earful. Not to mention all his other issue such as updating, calls….the list goes on but hey, he’s saving a few bucks.
Be careful what you wish for folks.
My prediction:
Jobs has already bought out the ATT agreement, and is accomodating an ATT request to delay announcing an additional carrier for a few months so that ATT can lock-in as many upgraders into contracts as possible during this latest iPhone revision cycle.
Once that upgrade curve begins to wane (I predict early fall), then you’ll see Apple announce another carrier, just in time to ride the resulting upgrade bump into the holiday season.
iCal me….
I drop maybe one call a month on ATT. [Colorado]
Looks like most reviewers (and MDN) live in areas that are inundated with iPhone users.
But I see iPhones ‘all over the place’ in Colorado as well. Hmmm..
MW: Sure
yep, pretty sure
I live in the Pacific Northwest, and most of us enjoy traveling throughout our states to enjoy the landscape in our part of the country, thus often finding ourselves venturing outside the bounds of our few densely populated cities… and AT&T;service rarely extends more than a few miles beyond any suburbia. Yet our friends with Verizon (and even T-Mobile) seem to have no problem remaining connected. AT&T;= suck. Me = 1st gen iPhone, until iPhone+AT&T;is history. 🙁
Why is it that even tho the USA is the most technologically advanced country in the world they have this (alledgedly?) cellular network problems with dropped calls etc?
If everything else is hi-tech/state-of-the-art then how come this particular arena has problems?? What’s the story behind that?
My work requires lot of work in Europe and I never have any issues with dropped calls here. I currently use 3GS, before that I had 3G and I will pick up iPhone 4 soon enough as soon as I hear that the antenna problem is fixed.
Does the noice canceling mic work to cancel noise when listening to music? That would be awesome.
I live in a linear world. Everything I need to do and every place I need to go is within a mile and a half of an interstate highway. So phone reception is great, no matter what the carrier is. The differences are only inside buildings.
When I first got my first iPhone, none of my calls were dropped, but it was not possible to place or receive an AT&T;call from within the building where I work. Other carriers were fine. Then there was a four or five week period during which all of my calls were dropped. One call was dropped eight times in the course of a single conversation! Suddenly, there was a change. There are no dropped calls, and I am usually able to place calls from within the building where I work.
Steve Jobs said that when they are working on cell service, things get worse before they get better. Maybe that’s what I just went through. After AT&T;loses their exclusivity with the iPhone, they’ll have to rely on the quality for their service, so I think they are busting their anatomy to get it fixed.
I live in an area where all carriers are excellent, so I can be patient.
when this blog is done ripping AT&T;, maybe they will say something about Apple putting out a phone that loses reception when you hold it, since that messes up the reception of the antennae built into the metal frame of the phone. Lots of the reviews mention this. Personally, I don’t think the reception will be bad, and I have no problem with AT&T;service, which has been very solid for 3 years. The whining never ends here though.
@Altivec Guru
Do you realize you’re saying that you will stay with an older phone, older tech, and poorer reception (even than the current version) just because you don’t like AT&T;? Shooting yourself in the foot just so you can show everyone how hard it is to keep hopping, isn’t it?
By the way, the initial exclusive agreement with AT&T;was reportably 5 years. Two years to go (at least, and then we’ll see how many other carriers want to pay Apple’s subsidy charge to carry a phone that is no longer exclusive).
@Euroboy
Unlike Europe, much of the US infrastructure is privately owned, which means that there is a lot of duplication, service isn’t perfect, unprofitable areas don’t get served, and that we don’t own our own country. Each phone company has its own network. In my neighborhood, there are two cable TV companies, therefore two cable networks buried in the ground in my neighborhood.
This is why our internet connections are so slow and our cell phone service is so poor.
@pastrychef
You obviously don’t venture north of 34th Street. The network in Midtown is a disaster.
Everybody on every effing network has dropped calls at some time. I won’t apologize for ATT’s failings as a network, but having used most all of that at one time or another here in Los Angeles, I can say they are all hit and miss. It simply depends where you are .
I HAVE TO SAY, however, that there are too many here who seem determined to forget that ATT was the only major cell network to give Apple the ability to make the iPhone different. For me that offsets a lot of other sins. I am grateful that ATT was either desperate or bold enough to take the iPhone gamble. Who’s with me?
I’ve been back and forth about MDN’s (and just about everyone else) ripping Apple for ATT’s baggage. On the one hand, Apple has to know there’s a problem, but OTOH, the iPhone arguably would not exist as we know it today with ATT’s original acquiescence.
The bottom line is that the experience of ATT’s network sucks for a good chunk of users in major markets like NYC and San Fran. If another carrier opened up, irrespective of the experience on that network, it would lighten the load on ATT. Features like Netflix streaming and tethering are only going to increase the problem in the absence of another carrier option. If another carrier was available, I’d gladly pay the shipping to mail them the cancellation fee in pennies.
Keep the pressure on them, I say. Go MDN!
I agree that this whining about AT&T;is getting really old. They have a contract with AT&T;till 2012 I believe so until then just shut up. If you really hate it that much you are more than free to go somewhere else. You all sound like a bunch of little kids that haven’t got their way.