This (pricing games) is just dumb. Yes, many people will be convinced by saving $100 dollars at purchase time, but if they really wanted to be competitive they'd lower their monthly rates. Considering how often I use WiFi, I'd gladly take a capped data plan if it saved $10-15/mo., and that would definitely save more than $100 over the course of the contract.
Even I would have a hard time mentally justifying dropping $500 for an iPhone after getting used to $200-300, but even that would be cheaper than paying back the subsidy. #998gbiphone3gs
@anonymousmonk: the issue here isn't that Apple wants to be competitive. Their device alone is more than competitive.
I think that if this happens, it will most likely be due to something else altogether - lemme esplain. No... there's no time. let me sum up: by now, it's probably reaching a point where it's easier and cheaper for Apple to manufacture all of their iPhone models with the same guts (just adding in different storage capacities). They've probably come close to using up their previously-ordered stock of older components that go into the building of the original 3G, and it's probably cheaper now for them to just order all identical parts from their suppliers, and build one model of iPhone - even if it means slightly increased build costs per unit. It'd still be more profitable for them to do things that way.
So really, I doubt that it's a question of seeking to be competitive with other new phones in the same price range... In my opinion, they probably even would have released an 8GB 3GS from the start if they didn't have all the leftover stock of parts for the regular 3G. But leaving the 8GB model as a regular 3G allowed them to cycle through older inventory. Now that they've accomplished that, however, it's just easier for them to offer the same model across the board. It's just a happy side effect for both them and us that it ends up meaning better hardware for cheaper. #998gbiphone3gs
If Apple could only say "Fuck AT&T" and release the iPhone (for the same price) factory unlocked, and to work with additional frequencies, the world would be a happier place.
@RT100: AT&T's service has nothing to do with them being GSM. That's the saddest part - GSM is a dirty word in the US, whereas the rest of the world thinks CDMA is a joke. In Canada, our CDMA carriers just transitioned to 3G/4G to finally abandon CDMA - and now every carrier offers the iPhone.
Verizon will as well, as 4G phones become common. In fact, you can bet who Apple will be going with when their 4G iPhone is released. #998gbiphone3gs
@mmmiles: I'm well aware of the differences between CDMA and GSM. Just because the rest of the world uses it doesn't make it better. Japan actually uses CDMA as well.
What I'm saying is that is costs millions and millions of dollars to put up an infrastructure of a cell phone network. Verizon Wireless and Sprint-Nextel have spent so much freakin money putting up CDMA towers everywhere that they're not just going to drop it on a dime.
4G is a different story, Verizon is going with the GSM crowd with LTE
Sprint is going in their own direction (again) and spending "3 billion dollars" upgrading from CDMA to WiMAX. [en.wikipedia.org]
Fact is, that there are different standards and they're both gonna be around for awhile. CDMA works better over long distances, like in the boonies in the USA. GSM is more flexible (SIM switching, etc.) but has shorter range, so it's better for more heavily populated areas, like European countries. #998gbiphone3gs
@RT100: BTW japan doesn't use CDMA. WCDMA isn't a CDMA technology. Well thats not entirely true either. The whole world pretty much uses CDMA just much lower rates then in the US.
For wide spread adoption its pretty much an american thing (north and south) and SK. #998gbiphone3gs
For a tech blog it's funny how little you know about product development. 8 months is the last stretch in CE product development - 18 months is the cycle from concept to actual.
"Apple's products are built just-in-time to avoid stock congestion or last minute changes." This may be true for ICs, screens or so but not necessarily plastics; especially if they know what the footprint of the PCB will be (I assume so) they could start their pilot on housing right about now and one of those parts can make its way to the spare part guys as heads up. #iphone2010
I remember in 1996 the dicussion of whether or not a PC was capable of handling N64 emulation. Ridiculous discussions of 32 to 64 bit being impossible and debates as to whether a PC had capable graphics ran rampant. A few months later, UltraHLE arrived and shocked the hell out of everyone.
I agree that it is technically possible to emulate an N64 game on the iPhone and the control scheme might be the biggest hurdle. Where are all these game controllers we were promised in the Touch 3.0 software update? Zeemote maybe? #n64iphoneemulator
Pilotwings 64 was a kick-ass game, and you hardly need any buttons at all to play it. Hell, it would probably be better and more challenging if the accelerometer were required for flight control. #n64iphoneemulator
"Apple's products are built just-in-time to avoid stock congestion or last minute changes. They don't have parts ready eight months before release."
True, but design is finalized months before release, and then there are the many prototyping iterations. And let's face it, that midboard is pretty freakin' generic. Maybe if I saw the next-gen #00 Phillips screws, I might be more convinced? ;-) #iphone2010
@Geraldo: That's what I concluded, that maybe they obtained parts specs not from production (as on the 3GS) but someone involved in prototyping. #iphone2010
While I have played both Genesis and Snes emulators on the G1 (which has the advantage of a keyboard) the number of buttons on the N64 controller means any on screen controller is going to need far to much screen real estate to make this work well. #n64iphoneemulator
@Giannicolus Jones: I dunno... you're right about the dock connector interface - but I just don't see the practicality of carrying/using a controller that's twice as wide and 2-3 times as thick as the phone itself just to be able to play a few games. It'd almost be more practical to just carry a laptop w/ an N64 emulator.
Don't get me wrong though - I'd love me some Ocarina of Time on my iPhone... I just don't know if there's an easy solution to the control scheme issue. #n64iphoneemulator
11/06/09
I'd actually like to see a wider switch to how t-mobile is doing it and make it no contract pricing. #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
*(not counting the $100 monthly fees) #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
11/06/09
Even I would have a hard time mentally justifying dropping $500 for an iPhone after getting used to $200-300, but even that would be cheaper than paying back the subsidy. #998gbiphone3gs
11/07/09
I think that if this happens, it will most likely be due to something else altogether - lemme esplain. No... there's no time. let me sum up: by now, it's probably reaching a point where it's easier and cheaper for Apple to manufacture all of their iPhone models with the same guts (just adding in different storage capacities). They've probably come close to using up their previously-ordered stock of older components that go into the building of the original 3G, and it's probably cheaper now for them to just order all identical parts from their suppliers, and build one model of iPhone - even if it means slightly increased build costs per unit. It'd still be more profitable for them to do things that way.
So really, I doubt that it's a question of seeking to be competitive with other new phones in the same price range... In my opinion, they probably even would have released an 8GB 3GS from the start if they didn't have all the leftover stock of parts for the regular 3G. But leaving the 8GB model as a regular 3G allowed them to cycle through older inventory. Now that they've accomplished that, however, it's just easier for them to offer the same model across the board. It's just a happy side effect for both them and us that it ends up meaning better hardware for cheaper. #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
But I know that will never happen :[ #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
I scoff! Scoff! Scoff! Scoff! #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
Verizon will as well, as 4G phones become common. In fact, you can bet who Apple will be going with when their 4G iPhone is released. #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
What I'm saying is that is costs millions and millions of dollars to put up an infrastructure of a cell phone network. Verizon Wireless and Sprint-Nextel have spent so much freakin money putting up CDMA towers everywhere that they're not just going to drop it on a dime.
4G is a different story, Verizon is going with the GSM crowd with LTE
Sprint is going in their own direction (again) and spending "3 billion dollars" upgrading from CDMA to WiMAX. [en.wikipedia.org]
Fact is, that there are different standards and they're both gonna be around for awhile. CDMA works better over long distances, like in the boonies in the USA. GSM is more flexible (SIM switching, etc.) but has shorter range, so it's better for more heavily populated areas, like European countries. #998gbiphone3gs
11/06/09
For wide spread adoption its pretty much an american thing (north and south) and SK. #998gbiphone3gs
11/03/09
"Apple's products are built just-in-time to avoid stock congestion or last minute changes." This may be true for ICs, screens or so but not necessarily plastics; especially if they know what the footprint of the PCB will be (I assume so) they could start their pilot on housing right about now and one of those parts can make its way to the spare part guys as heads up. #iphone2010
11/03/09
Okay... So only about 3/10 actually worked, But still, It shouldn't be a problem for the iPod #n64iphoneemulator
11/03/09
Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done. #n64iphoneemulator
11/03/09
11/03/09
Also, the controls, how? movement, z button, a, b, l, and r, and 4 c buttons. #n64iphoneemulator
11/03/09
I agree that it is technically possible to emulate an N64 game on the iPhone and the control scheme might be the biggest hurdle. Where are all these game controllers we were promised in the Touch 3.0 software update? Zeemote maybe? #n64iphoneemulator
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/04/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
True, but design is finalized months before release, and then there are the many prototyping iterations. And let's face it, that midboard is pretty freakin' generic. Maybe if I saw the next-gen #00 Phillips screws, I might be more convinced? ;-) #iphone2010
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
Don't get me wrong though - I'd love me some Ocarina of Time on my iPhone... I just don't know if there's an easy solution to the control scheme issue. #n64iphoneemulator