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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I actually prefer my 3GS to the current version of iPhone. I won’t go into the reasons why, as I’ve already been there. But, the recent news that the iPhone 4 breaks easier than the previous model has added more fuel to my fire.
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There are not many things that irritate me as much as someone making assumptions about me. If I were an AT&T customer (I’m not; I’m in the U.K.), I’d be extremely agitated at AT&T chief Randall Stephenson right now. When recently confronted with the notion that, should the iPhone arrive on Verizon, nearly half the carrier’s users would defect, he stated that they would find it “difficult,” thanks to being trapped in family or work plans.
Well, Mr. Stephenson, I think you’ve just made it a whole lot easier.
The issue here is reliability. Though it’s important to note that not everyone is dissatisfied with AT&T’s network or customer service — but there is a pretty large percentage who are. Millions of upset customers have translated into terrible rankings for the carrier. In fact, it came in dead last in a recent J.D. Power customer satisfaction poll. But instead of talking about ways his company is looking to improve the customer experience, as most executives would do (poll or not), I thought Randall reacted (unjustifiably) smug.
New masts, higher speed network, promises of investment — these are things he should have mentioned. In the UK, the poorer quality carriers entice and keep users by offering ridiculously good value for money deals. When upgrades are due, the companies throw as much as they can at subscribers to stop them from leaving. So, how on earth will AT&T keep its customers once the iPhone becomes a non-exclusive device? Doesn’t even look like they’re going to try, but rather, rely on contracts to keep people ensnared. Frankly, I’d be lining up to pay my early termination fee, sighing “good riddance” on my way to a Verizon store.
The thing that gets me even more about his statement is that, if the iPhone wasn’t on his company’s network, the company would be nowhere. I’m certain that the Apple handset has brought more benefit to AT&T than the other way around. On initial launch, it wouldn’t have mattered if Jobs had chosen a different carrier; people would have still flocked to get their hands on one.
Sure, customers may find it a tad inconvenient to leave. They have long contracts, family plans, whatever. The point remains that as soon as their plans end, the game changes significantly. I’m predicting a mass exodus… followed by a gradual drain. Before long AT&T will have lost half its customers and will no longer have anything of interest or value to offer anyone.
I’m hoping the carrier will announce major plans to expand before January comes around, or it’ll not be good news for Randall. He’ll just have to wave goodbye to a few million people, and more than a few million US dollars.
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My wife just had our second child! Ahem, sorry. While this may be the big news for everyone in the Bunton household, I’m not mentioning it as a gratuitous offering to invoke congratulations. No, no, I bring it up merely as context for the next “moan” on my radar.
With a new life arriving in my family, I’ve been pondering the complexities of birth and life. So the last thing I wanted was for some jumped-up, egotistical tech company to remind me of death. The company in question, as you can probably tell from this article’s title, is Microsoft. Browsing through the intergalactic web space, I noticed an article from the “funeral” held by the Windows Phone team.
A couple of weeks ago, Windows officially got the go-ahead to send Windows Phone 7 to the official manufacturing line. That’s right — in the next few months, WinPho 7 will have its official coming-out party. (There’s a lot of official stuff going on in there!) This ceremony celebrated the future deaths of the iPhone and BlackBerry. The staff paraded mobile handset–shaped coffins through the streets, with a van carrying the slogan: “Windows Phone 7 OS Platform buries the competition.”
Those of you who are used to my moans know that I am not a fanboy. Far from it — in fact, I can’t stand fanboys taking it personal when someone criticizes a product they love. So my main gripe with this whole charade is not that Microsoft has kicked dirt in Apple’s face, but rather, I’m aghast at the arrogance of a company that has been renowned for inferior cell phone software.
I’ve owned my fair share of WinMo devices in the time before I discovered iOS and Android. In that era (the dark ages), there wasn’t any competition, not really. Blackberry was a purely email-centered device, WinMo was for anyone who wanted a touchscreen (albeit a resistive one that required a stylus). This was either because they wanted to look all flash in front of their friends, or because they enjoyed having something the weight of a brick in their jeans pocket.
Not long ago the KIN 1 and 2 were released, and though both looked quite cool, they were ultimately catastrophic failures. Excuse me then if I hold some doubt over whether or not WinPho 7 will be a success.
Some people like carrying bricks around…
The old WinMo, despite many facelifts, remained fiddly and unattractive. Sure, the newer models had a better-looking Sense user interface (designed by HTC), but the same, old ugly OS was lurking in the background. Saying this, I still know a few people who are die-hard WinMo users. They hang onto their devices because they’ve become accustomed to how they work.
WinPho 7 is a complete overhaul. It’s an OS designed for social network–addicted teenagers, geared for users with short attention spans and an attraction to bright colors and modern fonts. MS is clearly trying to attract an audience it has never really had before: kids! The platform will be shedding the old-timers that are still holding to the old WinMo phones in favor of this new demographic. And I’m guessing these older professionals, now shunted, will flock to BlackBerries, Android handsets or iPhones.
That’s not to say that some of the new features aren’t really cool. It certainly looks slicker, and the interface seem really attractive, with integration of multiple apps, features and OS functionality in one place. That may just be a great experience, if the end result looks anything like the demos. But is it enough to topple Apple and Google? I don’t quite think so.
As a lot of us iOS consumers know, we’re very happy with our phones. In many surveys, especially recently, the iPhone constantly tops the list for customer satisfaction among all smartphone wielders. It would take something incredible to lure me away, and I’m frankly not willing to gamble on another Microsoft-powered handset again, no matter how flashy it is.
What do you guys think? Have I got this totally wrong? Or does WinPho 7 actually have a chance in the smartphone war? Share your thoughts below or Tweet me @TiP_Cam. I promise I’ll get back to you as soon as I can — as soon as I do some feedings and change a few diapers.
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Remember back in the day, how everyone complained that iOS didn’t have multitasking? In the sneak peak of iOS4 last spring, it was Steve Jobs’ first point. He claimed Apple had found a way to let multiple apps run without dismally draining battery life or processing power. What he didn’t say was that, for some of us, having this option wasn’t really going to change how we use our phones. (Except for maybe the rare instance we remember that playing Pandora in the background is possible, or we need to run a nav app without closing.)
For me, multitasking hasn’t really lived up to the hype. It may have something to do with the fact that, by nature, I’m not really a multitasker to begin with. I like to concentrate on one thing at a time and give it everything I’ve got — whether it be spending time with my daughter, reading, writing, or playing Civilizations on my iPhone 4. If someone sends me an email or message, I ignore it until I’m done. It’s the same as I’ve done since the dawn of the mobile phone. (In those days I played Snake 2, not Civilizations.) Maybe I’m not that uncommon — guys generally don’t do well with multitasking. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to open up a “female vs. male” argument. I do marvel at my wife’s multitasking ability, though. She’s brilliant at it; she can give 3-4 things her full attention and get them done more efficiently than I can. So I don’t even attempt doing several things at once.
Hi, my name’s Cameron Bunton and I’m a multitaskaphobic.
This scenario would be my worst nightmare
Even with iOS 4, I’ve primarily carried on using my iPhone 3GS the way I always have, except for one aspect: It’s now a little easier to switch between applications. But that’s both a blessing and a curse.
See, I love tidiness and order. My computer desktop is ridiculously clean. Any loose files on the screen either get removed to the trash can, or filed in an appropriate folder. Now imagine the fellow I just described going into the apps tray. Ack! Every time I hit the home key twice, I am bombarded with a mess that sends my Type A side crazy. My brain screams, “THERE’S A WHOLE LOAD OF USELESS STUFF HERE YOU HAVE TO DELETE!” Just for sanity’s sake, I often hurry to return to my homescreen and pretend that bottom tray doesn’t even exist.
Meanwhile, the apps continue to run in the background. What gets me most is that this shouldn’t tie up resources or sink the battery, thanks to that nifty “frozen state” feature that suspends applications exactly where you stopped. And according to Jobs, the software’s automatic task management means the iPhone should keep things running smoothly without user intervention. All of this is supposed to happen, but I’m not sure it does. If I look at my 3GS’ battery meter, I’m almost certain it doesn’t.
Whenever I run an app optimized for iOS 4 multitasking, the battery life in my 3GS drains like water in a hole-ridden bucket. And the OS slows down to the pace of the older iPhone models. It’s no surprise that the iPhone 4 has the A4 processor in it; without it, I don’t think it could handle this “awesome” new feature. (And I pity the users who are schlogging along with the iPhone 3G and iOS 4. I hear Apple’s working on this debacle. I’ve got fingers crossed for you guys.)
Am I alone here? Do you guys multitask often? How are you finding performance and battery life? Let me know in the comments below, or tweet me @TiP_Cam
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A few nights ago, my wife and I began our three-hour car journey to see my in-laws. The sky was clear, the stars were out, and the motorways were quiet. Life was bliss during that drive, and we arrived at our destination safely. Then I hooked into their Wi-Fi and checked on our site.
My contentement turned. I was immediately upset by the rumor that AT&T’s US rival, Verizon, could be getting a better iPhone. Feature-wise, the iPhone 4 is brilliant, though many smartphone lovers are annoyed at the relative smallness of the display; the A4 is fast, on comparable to other high-end 1GHz smartphones, at least the ones that are out right now. But could Verizon really be adding an Apple device with more screen real estate and faster, 1.2 GHz processor?
“Cam, I don’t understand. Why are you upset about Verizon’s rumored Apple device? You’re from the UK!” True, but the UK, and most of Europe for that matter, uses GSM networks. So for me, if there’s any truth to this rumor, then I don’t even have the option of getting the best iPhone because Jobs decided to give Big Red the awesomest device ever. So even if I got a CDMA iPhone with a 3.7” display and quicker speeds, it wouldn’t work over here.
As for American consumers, I can’t even imagine how irritating this is. Millions of people purchased the iPhone 4 just a couple of months back, convinced it is the best phone around (until next June at least). Now there’s word they could be getting the shaft? Some of you wanted Verizon to begin with, but are locked into a contract with AT&T. That CDMA network is stronger and more reliable in the U.S., and it also bears up under tremendous data loads from the likes of phones such as the Droid group (including the latest Droid 2). Makes me wonder how the decision to go with AT&T was made in the first place:
Darth Vadar: So, you want to join the dark side?
Steve Jobs: Yes, your Darth-ness.
Darth Vadar: What makes you think you’ve got what it takes?
Steve Jobs: Well, we signed an exclusivity deal with a carrier that we knew sucked at reception in some major metropolitan areas. Go ahead and try to make a phone call in the Big Apple, I dare you.
Darth: Yes, the West Side Highway is pretty dicey. Got stranded there with a storm trooper once. Go on.
Jobs: Well, that’s not all either. I sacked our head guy in charge of the iPhone 4. He stupidly made it with a crippling flaw. In one particular spot, if it was given the “Death Grip,” reception would drop. But we refused to issue a recall. Meanwhile, that latest phone still got millions more customers tied into contracts with that carrier.
(Twiddling thumbs) Now we’re looking at releasing THE perfect phone on the best carrier, with no antenna faults. Pretty dark huh? Everyone thought that only one network provider in the States would have the iPhone, committed to it, and now will be forced to watch as Verizon customers get better iPhones.
Darth: Man, that’s evil.
Jobs: So am I in?
Darth: I’ll just call the emperor quickly on my iPhone. Ack! No coverage.
Jobs: MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
Was all this just an evil multi-year master plan? A strategy to ensure the iPhone would remain hot, with minor improvements every year, then a major leap forward, culminating in an even better handset going out to another network?
Judging by comments, many TiP readers seem skeptical. In fact some of them are pretty fed up with the gossip and having their hopes dashed by stories like this. And I don’t blame them. Rumors of the Verizon iPhone have literally been circulating for years. So is this just another phoney fake of a story designed to stir the masses to a frenzy? There are some compelling arguments this time around — and a few sketchy aspects as well.
What strikes me is the assertion that a compatible, CDMA handset already exists (so they wouldn’t have to create one from scratch in a hurry) and the fact that Verizon is speeding toward 4G (making the timing of a hot Apple 3G handset a “now or never” situation). But there are also some fishy parts of this rumor — and it’s not the notion that Apple would partner with Verizon, a company that has been publicly slamming its phones in advertisements. (After all, business is business, and there’s a load of money that could be made here.) For greater market share, I have no doubt the companies would kiss and make up. No, what I’m hung up on is the idea that Apple would bend to Verizon’s design wishes. The rumor suggests that Cupertino put the antenna inside and changed out the device’s exterior (to something more durable) at the behest of Verizon.
I believe wholeheartedly that Verizon would try to put its hands on the device. But there is no way Steve Jobs would take orders from a carrier, especially when it comes to design.
So I’m wondering if there’s a grain of truth in here, amid all the muck. If there is, then I think it’s clear that Jobs has sold his soul to the Empire. It would be a slap in the face to loyal customers who adopted the new device early.
What do you think of all this? Would this version of Verizon iPhone worth breaking an AT&T contract for? Or would you be so mad, you’d jump ship from iOS? Maybe you don’t even want to mull it over, because you’re tired of this rumor. However you feel about this, let us know. Comment below, and follow me on Twitter: @TiP_Cam
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