On the eve of the iPhone going to Verizon (possibly), some questions...

[DjTj]

So apparently I'm eligible for an upgrade.

Anyone have an idea of how much the iPhone will cost with an upgrade?

I think you can get $50 or $100 off of the $200 cost, depending on what kind of plan you had.

Meh iPhones.

Windows phone 7 is the future!

Windows 7 needs to get itself onto a Verizon phone. Then all the platforms can really battle it out on one carrier.

[I_Bleed_B&G]

If you guys are looking to upgrade, I recommend doing it at Radio Shack. They buy your old phone from you. The bought my iphone 8gb 3G phone for like $120 when I switched to the Evo back in June. Ending up only paying $80 for the Evo

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Meh iPhones.

Windows phone 7 is the future!

After switching to Mac I'll never ever go back to Windows.

The computer at my parents house just crashed and they had to pay like $500 to get the hard drive restored.

One of my roomates had an HTC with Windows on it, another had the iPhone. One of them was very happy with their phone, the other had to replace his multiple times.

Microsoft sucks.

---------- Post added January-11th-2011 at 04:24 PM ----------

I think you can get $50 or $100 off of the $200 cost, depending on what kind of plan you had.

Awesome. I am pumped.

[mattsb84]

The computer at my parents house just crashed and they had to pay like $500 to get the hard drive restored.

One of my roomates had an HTC with Windows on it, another had the iPhone. One of them was very happy with their phone, the other had to replace his multiple times.

What do either of these situations have to do with Microsoft?

I've been wiating for Verizon to get access to the iPhone. My contract is up with ATT, and I'm still using a 3G model, as I was waiting for an update to the 4. Wonder if Verizon would upgrade my phone for switching to their network?

[TheGoodBits]

What do either of these situations have to do with Microsoft?

I've been wiating for Verizon to get access to the iPhone. My contract is up with ATT, and I'm still using a 3G model, as I was waiting for an update to the 4. Wonder if Verizon would upgrade my phone for switching to their network?

You would pay $199 with 2 year activation for your new phone. Your AT&T model won't work on the Verizon network.

[mattsb84]

Bummer. Guess I could stick with ATT until my phone craps out then.

[HOF44]

Bummer. Guess I could stick with ATT until my phone craps out then.

Maybe try what someone above said. Go to Radio Shack, if they do both Verizon and AT&T they may credit you for your phone and you can use it for the Verizon phone.

[I_Bleed_B&G]

Maybe try what someone above said. Go to Radio Shack, if they do both Verizon and AT&T they may credit you for your phone and you can use it for the Verizon phone.

Correct. They will buy the iphone 3G. You will probably get $90-100 for it so you can put that toward your new phone. Only pay $100 for your new silly

[Homercles82]

After switching to Mac I'll never ever go back to Windows.

The computer at my parents house just crashed and they had to pay like $500 to get the hard drive restored.

One of my roomates had an HTC with Windows on it, another had the iPhone. One of them was very happy with their phone, the other had to replace his multiple times.

Microsoft sucks.

---------- Post added January-11th-2011 at 04:24 PM ----------

Awesome. I am pumped.

Wow, your coincidental evidence is overwhelming. I will forward it to the cyberpolice and have them rectify the situation immediately.

If you are looking for an iPhone on Verizon you need to wait for an updated version. You are a complete tool if you buy an iPhone4 and not wait for the LTE 4G compatible version. You will hate your data transfer rates but hey at least you can make a phone call because that is why you buy a smartphone, to make phone calls right?

The speed difference is undeniable. The ability to keep data moving while on the phone is something you don't know you missed until you can't do it.

Unless Apple releases or announces, with a firm date, an LTE compatible iPhone you are wasting money and 2 years of being locked in on that slower phone.

[redskins59]

The Iphone4 is already obsolete, but people will defnitely buy it. AT&T has landed the best android phone. The name's Motorola Atrix.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/

Apple will never do this.

[BayouBrave86]

My contract runs up with Verizon in Feb, am I crazy to think about switching? The iPhone is whatever to me. I'm thinking I could get a great deal with AT&T. But I'm intrigued by these dual-processor phones, I wonder if any will be out by March? The Thunderbolt was rumored to but yeah turns out it is basically the Evo. No thanks.

[Blackest Eyes]

Not going to lie, I've been waiting for this announcement for a while, but until Apple offers an LTE version of their iPhone I can't be bothered with it. There are just way too many occasions where I rely on having data services available while I'm having a phone conversation.

Let's see how long before LTE becomes reality for the iPhone.

Next year. Anyone with a 4G enabled phone will tell you how un-awesome their battery life is. Not to mention 4G is still in its infancy and the coverage isn't very spread out and the speeds aren't what they should be.

[grego]

My contract runs up with Verizon in Feb, am I crazy to think about switching? The iPhone is whatever to me. I'm thinking I could get a great deal with AT&T. But I'm intrigued by these dual-processor phones, I wonder if any will be out by March? The Thunderbolt was rumored to but yeah turns out it is basically the Evo. No thanks.

a friend of mine just got a phone thru virgin mobile. $20 a month for 300 minutes and unlimited data. no contract, btw. he's on the sprint network, which happens to work far better for me than the verizon network i currently have. for $45, you get unlimited everything with no contract.

cant wait til my verizon contract is up in july.

[MattFancy]

I got a call last night from Verizon telling me BlackBerry Tour is now a retired phone and I can upgrade mine now. Which is nice and all, but my contract expries in 2 months anyway. So I'll just wait a few more months and see what the pricing is on 4G. I'm hoping its not something ridiculous.

[Kosher Ham]

The Iphone4 is already obsolete, but people will defnitely buy it. AT&T has landed the best android phone. The name's Motorola Atrix.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/

Apple will never do this.

That phone is ...Wow. I saw a short preview for it a few days back, but this thing looks like Motorola is going to blow the competition away. My contract is up, but there won't be any deals on this one. Still rumored to be in the 200-300 dollar range which is fine.

EDIT: There goes my plan for replacing my old phone with the same phone.

[#98QBKiller]

I'm on AT&T and I have the iphone 4 but I don't plan on switching. I've been on AT&T for almost a decade now and I've always been pretty satisfied with them. They were saying on the news last night that Verizon's data plan is going to cost more anyway. Plus you can't use data and voice together with Verizon. And I'm skeptical about how their network will hold up for the first few weeks while new iphone customers flood the system.

[Reic]

Next year. Anyone with a 4G enabled phone will tell you how un-awesome their battery life is. Not to mention 4G is still in its infancy and the coverage isn't very spread out and the speeds aren't what they should be.

I just bought an Evo 3500MaH battery for 25 bucks online, I have not received it yet but its said to triple or quadruple battery life time, I am only on 3G and I can only get about 4 hours worth of battery life. I tried turning on 4G in Richmond, since thats the only city with 4G on sprint in VA, but it couldn't even find it..

[RedskinsNation]

Current 4G claims by Tmobile, Verizon and Sprint are bunk IMO. First off Tmobile is not on a 4G like network at all. It is an HSDPA+ like AT&T b ut with lower overall speeds.

CNET has tested both networks and AT&T is faster despite Tmobile's dumbass commercial claims.

Sprint is on Wimax 4G which has lower overall bandwidth available but is not touching capability at all in test markets.

Verizon is going LTE (long term evolution) 4G but it's early speeds are not going to touch the actual capabiilty. AT&T is moving to LTE as well.

As of right now, mass market available networks AT&T has the fastest mobile broadband network, Verizon spent all its money on CDMA low bandwidth 3G coverage so it has more coverage areas but less overall speed.

So the lesson is a non-"4G" capable iPhone will be slower averall than an AT&T model but you will have coverage in areas that AT&T doesn't.

Why can't Verizon's current network handle voice and data at the same time? Verizon uses EV-DO for data which is not meant for voice transmissions so when you take a call the CDMA chip has to move from EV-DO to 1xRTT mode to handle voice. 1xRTT is used for data when EV-DO is not available.

True, but technically isnt the true "4g" supposedly like 80 or 90 x faster than 3g?

Im on TMobile (i have the MT4G) and the "4G" may not technically be 4G but its 10x faster (literally) than 3G. The old 3G phone i had prior to this one felt like 1G when comparing speeds.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Verizon's iPhone Gamble

Don't Buy the Verizon iPhone 4

[MattFancy]

So if you buy a 4G capable phone, do you have to use 4G or could you still just use the 3G?

[Homercles82]

True, but technically isnt the true "4g" supposedly like 80 or 90 x faster than 3g?

Im on TMobile (i have the MT4G) and the "4G" may not technically be 4G but its 10x faster (literally) than 3G. The old 3G phone i had prior to this one felt like 1G when comparing speeds.

Correct. Tmobile's old network was slower than 3G anyways. I know. I had it. NO 4G system being implemented right now is true 4G. I have not read about Tmobile's plans to actually use LTE or WiMax but I suspect it will be LTE since that is upgradeable over a longer period of time. They are pimping a HSDPA+ network which is 3.5G which is what AT&T has been using for a while now. AT&T has the widest high speed mobile broadband area of all cellphone carriers right now. That will hold true until Sprint or Verizon get their 4G spread out to the whole country and not just metropolitan areas.

So if you buy a 4G capable phone, do you have to use 4G or could you still just use the 3G?

I know with Sprint you have to pay an extra $10 per month if you have a 4G phone to help cover costs of using the upgraded network in metropolitan areas. Otherwise, it downgrades to match whatever network you are in.

[codeorama]

Correct. Tmobile's old network was slower than 3G anyways. I know. I had it. NO 4G system being implemented right now is true 4G. I have not read about Tmobile's plans to actually use LTE or WiMax but I suspect it will be LTE since that is upgradeable over a longer period of time. They are pimping a HSDPA+ network which is 3.5G which is what AT&T has been using for a while now. AT&T has the widest high speed mobile broadband area of all cellphone carriers right now. That will hold true until Sprint or Verizon get their 4G spread out to the whole country and not just metropolitan areas.

I know with Sprint you have to pay an extra $10 per month if you have a 4G phone to help cover costs of using the upgraded network in metropolitan areas. Otherwise, it downgrades to match whatever network you are in.

there was a resent article on yahoo talking about the lack of a true 4g. none of the carriers will be offering true 4g for a while.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I am thinking about getting the atrix as well.

[Blackest Eyes]

there was a resent article on yahoo talking about the lack of a true 4g. none of the carriers will be offering true 4g for a while.

Exactly the reason buying a "4G" enabled phone right now is kind of silly. Once Verizon & AT&T are using LTE and they both have the same iPhone, things will get really interesting.

[MattFancy]

Exactly the reason buying a "4G" enabled phone right now is kind of silly. Once Verizon & AT&T are using LTE and they both have the same iPhone, things will get really interesting.

Not really because you don't have to use the 4G.