New Details on iPhone 3G Data Plans
After a little sneaking around AT&T’s corporate website, we discovered some new details on the new iPhone 3G data plans.
- Unlimited data & email for consumers: $30/month
- Unlimited data & corporate email for enterprise: $45/month
Also interesting is the “GPS-enabled YELLOWPAGES.COM mobile application” which we didn’t see today from Apple. Take a look at the PDF & webcast of the AT&T conference call here.
Update: It looks like current customers will continue paying the standard $20/month. “All iPhone 2G users will be grandfathered and won’t be required to pay more per month for as long as they choose to use the service, including past the end of their contract.”
Update x2: If you thought you wouldn’t have to activate your new iPhone 3G in an Apple Store, you will. According to the AT&T conference call, it’s the same process and the same procedure in both stores. (Editor’s Note: I miss the iTunes activation already!)
iPhone Software Update Adds Location Detection and More
Apple has announced an update to the iPhone that offers several new features.
iPhone owners will be able to watch the new iTunes Movie Rentals, and navigate through the movies using the new chapter feature. The update also adds the ability to send an SMS message to multiple people. The group will also be saved so that you can easily send follow up messages to the same people. Safari also gets a new feature, Web Clips. This will place an icon on your homescreen that will take you to your favorite website. Users are now able to reorganize icons and have up to nine custom home screens.
Apple also incorporated Google Maps new feature of location detection. By using known cell tower and WiFi spots, the iPhone will be able to triangulate your position and allow you to get directions to and from where you are. The hybrid view of Google Maps (satellite with road overlays) has also been added.
Apple has added a new guided tour of these new features and a new finger tip about the customizable home screen. The update is free through iTunes.
iPhone Software Update 1.1.2 now available via iTunes
iPhone update 1.1.2 is now officially available via iTunes for all iPhone owners, but most changes are for international users and include changing the language and keyboard layout. The phone’s current battery status is now displayed next to the phone inside of iTunes when docked. Also, custom ringtones are now put into a ‘Custom’ menu under the Sounds preference in the iPhone’s Settings app and separated from the stock ringtones.
Apple working on iPhone SDK for February
Apple has announced that it is working on an iPhone / iPod touch SDK that will be available sometime in February of 2008. Steve Jobs posted a short note today on the Hot News page of Apple’s website that begins with the following:
Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.
You can read the rest of the note here.
New iPhone Web Apps Directory from Apple
A number of solutions are already available on the iPhone to keep all of your favorite web apps in one place, my favorite being MockDock, but Apple has now gotten their part in the game and launched a new iPhone Web Apps Directory but unlike MockDock, it has no iPhone-centric interface when navigated to on the device. Apple has also created a section to submit new web applications and a form for feedback on this new venture.
It’s easy to browse web apps and select and organize your favorites. Just visit www.apple.com/webapps on your iPhone. Browse the library, and when you find a web app you like, tap the link and try it out. If you like the web app, be sure to bookmark it for quick access later.
Apple releases new iPhone testimonial ads
Apple has posted three new iPhone testimonial-type ads which have starting running today during the football games on CBS and FOX. All three of the ads were supposedly shot in the New York City area. The ads were shot on a black background and later show the wider shot with the surrounding area visible. The iPhone users in the ads look to be the ones who were picked from the ‘Share your iPhone story’ page Apple posted weeks after the iPhone launched in late June, though it hasn’t been confirmed if these are real iPhone users or just actors.
The three ads are available for viewing at Apple’s website.
iPhone firmware 1.1.1 released
Jeez, this must be Apple update week or something, first iLife, now iWork and iPhone. If you haven’t heard by now, Apple has updated the iPhone’s firmware to version 1.1.1 adding new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. To update, just run iTunes, select your iPhone, and click the Check for Update button. iTunes will download the update, and install it.
Users are reporting that hacked iPhone’s are giving an Invalid SIM error or have been re-locked, so be careful if you have an unlocked iPhone at this point.
Other new features include double-clicking the home button, which brings up your choice of Phone Favorites or iPod controls. The calculator icon has been updated to match the iPod touch, and there are now other alert sounds to choose from.
You’ve got questions, Apple’s got answers.
Apple has posted a comprehensive questions & answers page on the iPhone section of their site which confirms some of the previous rumors that have been floating around the internet such as:
- You should use the SIM card preloaded inside the iPhone, instead of your own.
- Enter your numbers inside of the Address Book on OS X or Microsoft Outlook on a PC, since there is no easy way to transfer numbers from your old phone.
- The iPhone supports VPN.
- A 4-digit password can be used to protect the iPhone.
iPhone video review roundup!
First up, Walt Mossberg’s review!
And, David Pogue’s review is located here.
iPhone rate plans are here! Activation, too.
Apple and AT&T announced today their variety of service plans that subscribers can choose from. Individual and family plans all include unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, and 200 text messages. Plans with 1,500 and unlimited text messages are also available.
If you’re a current AT&T customer, just add the iPhone data and voicemail plan to your account. $20 a month for unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, and 200 text messages. An extra $10 gets you 1,500 text messages, and an extra $20 gets you unlimited text messages.
Also announced was that you would be able to activate the iPhone within the comfort and privacy of your own home. Without being haggled around by the snotty AT&T salesperson. Using iTunes, activation is just a click away. Of course - you may have some problems with the servers being slow that night, due to the loads of Apple fanboys trying to get their phone activated first.
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