MacWorld unveils 16Gb iPhone to all GSM networks
By Triston McIntyre
Though the iPhone has swung the allegiances of many consumers from their old cell phone networks to AT&T, there are many still who are waiting patiently for the next generation iPhone to hit production so other service providers can host the revolutionary little phone. Hopes may become realities at MacWorld this January, as some speculate that a surprise 2nd generation iPhone could be debuted.
Analyst for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. David Bailey believes that, in addition to the ultra-portable MacBook, a 16 Gb iPhone, carrying twice the capacity of the current model, will be made available at the upcoming MacWorld, according to Bloomberg.
That wouldn’t be a particularly far stretch; Apple has lowered the price of the current 8Gb version, which allows a 16Gb iPhone to take up the previous price point. What is much more significant about the possibility of a 2nd generation iPhone is that AT&T won’t have exclusive rights to distribution and service; AT&T has dibs on the first generation, but many speculate that the second generation will be distributed to other service providers.
Some may wonder why Apple would wait until after Christmas to distribute an iPhone to multiple service providers. The answer is this: Jobs is AT&T play in the money pit one last time before AT&T becomes just another service provider again.
If, in fact, the iPhone will be distributed to multiple networks, that begs the question, “Will it be open to GSM and CDMA, or just GSM?” Though I think that the technology could easily be incorporated with the iPhone to make it work on a CDMA network, I think Jobs will withhold access to CDMA networks like Verizon to milk the iPhone’s success for all it’s worth.
The 2nd generation iPhone will be 3G-oriented, and that is obviously linked to GSM networks as well. Keep those fingers crossed that Jobs is feeling benevolent, and will distribute the 2nd generation iPhone to other networks like T-Mobile come January.
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December 24th, 2007
I hope this is true, then the iphone will dominate all
December 24th, 2007
What is it about an exclusive 5 year contract with AT&T that you do not understand? AT&T has exclusive rights to the iPhone in the US in exchange for revenue sharing. Users of other provides can wait patiently for another 4 1/2 years. You can look all this up. No need to thank me
December 25th, 2007
V. Minton is right. And how could tech writers get this so wrong? The phone won’t go to other providers for YEARS.
And, there’s no way a 16 GB phone will replace the $599 price point. It’ll replace the $399 one and the 8 GB will go to $299.
Maybe the 3G version will get a higher price point, but there’s no way the 16 GB will. Esp. after the $100 rebate. iPod pricing sets the precedent here, with the new models getting the same price as the old ones.
Long live V. Minton!!
December 25th, 2007
Oh, and great headline!! There’s been no such announcement of a 16 GB and there may not be at Macworld. Good luck with that!
December 25th, 2007
It was obviously an opinion-speculation piece. AT&T has rights to the current iteration of the iPhone; it hasn’t been confirmed by anyone that future generations won’t be available to other networks. We can dream, can’t we?
December 25th, 2007
Not to be mean spirited but wrong is wrong. Painting an iPhone blue and calling it a bluPhone will not work either
Looking forward to g3 iPhones in Japan, Korea, China, Russia, the rest of the EU, all with Intel chips for 2008.
Cheers,
v.M.
December 25th, 2007
Please don’t misuse the phrase, “to beg the question.” What you meant to say was “raises the question” or “prompts the question.” How would one even beg a question? One might beg for an answer but not beg a question. The phrase in its proper use refers to the logical fallacy of circular reasoning. Read this site for more information on how to use this phrase correctly: http://www.fallacyfiles.org/begquest.html
December 26th, 2007
The wording of your headline implies it has happened. Last I checked it was Dec 26th and not Jan15th. Come on, you can do better than this.
January 13th, 2008
What is with the title of this article?
It’s a blatant lie - there is no 16GB iphone yet, and it will not be unlocked by apple to any network other than AT&T for the next 4+ years.
No wonder nobody reads blorge.com, or has any idea what it is.
January 15th, 2008
“Keep those fingers crossed that Jobs is feeling benevolent, and will distribute the 2nd generation iPhone to other networks like T-Mobile come January. ”
you have no idea how this works, do you? apple and ATT have a 5 year contract, the iphone can NOT be sold to any other provider during this time. Visual voicemail is a creations of ATT, and the iphone needs that service in order for the application to work.
February 5th, 2008
Well they did release the 16GB and we all know what thats referring to. Obviously Apple is making more space for the upcomming 3rd party apps that will need more space. But if I didnt have my iphone already, i still wouldnt buy the 16GB. $499?!?!?! no way. So everyone expect the 3rd party apps to be coming very soon.