Plus, it's the apple cycle. Every other iteration brings the big changes, the ones in between are just incremental steps up.

Expecting a miracle phone this time around was kinda silly.

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 9:03 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2011 9:03:02 AM

I think the bigger announcement was that the phone will be available on all the major carriers. Sprint is the only one still offering unlimited data and I haven't had problems in the 3+ years I've had it.

10/5/2011 9:39:16 AM

10/5/2011 9:43:52 AM

lol.

10/5/2011 12:54:09 PM

I really do wonder what the ratio is of people that actually are mad that they don't get to "show off" new hardware vs mindless haters that make dumb videos/pictures like ^,^^ that.

I'm betting it's easily 1:20.

Haters do, in fact, want to hate however.

10/5/2011 1:22:31 PM

I think the problem with this incremental spec bump vs the 3GS is that this time around, the competition has their shit together. Android and Windows Phone 7 actually offer hardware/software solutions that either equal or surpass Apple's offerings in every way. And it's only going to get worse in a week when Google debuts the Nexus Prime. By the time iPhone 5 is announced. there are going to be quad cores phones running Android 4.0 and Apple will be forever stuck in catch up mode rather than their former leadership position in the smart phone market.

10/5/2011 1:29:45 PM

Quote :

"I hear Hitler is now waiting for the iPhone 4SS."

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 1:44 PM. Reason : ]

10/5/2011 1:44:08 PM

^^but that's not an iphone. i need the iphone 4. do you have the iphone 4. the iphone is the best phone.

10/5/2011 3:04:54 PM

^^^

i dont care

10/5/2011 3:12:24 PM

sweet:

http://gizmodo.com/5846982/iphone-4s-upgrade-kit-for-iphone-owners-is-only-99-cents

Or Apple will pay you $200 for your iPhone 4:

http://www.apple.com/recycling/gift-card/
http://gizmodo.com/5846971/apple-will-give-you-200-credit-for-your-used-iphone-4

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 3:23 PM. Reason : haha Apple's trying to rip you off for your old device. ]

10/5/2011 3:18:15 PM

Sprint will give you more, and it doesn't have to be in perfect shape:

https://secure2.sprintbuyback.com/consumer/app/ViewEditableModelsPage/

10/5/2011 4:51:38 PM

I mean, is that just for people that haven't heard of craigslist or Ebay?

10/5/2011 5:17:33 PM

Apple: New iPhone Good
'You Should Buy It' CEO Says



CUPERTINO, CA—During a highly anticipated media event held today at the Apple corporation’s world headquarters, CEO Tim Cook announced the new iPhone 4S is good and people should buy it. “It’s a good phone,” said Cook, walking out onto a stage and gesturing at a picture of the device projected on a large screen behind him. "It's got e-mail, the Internet, and you can get apps on it. Everybody should get one. It's good." After standing in place for another four seconds without speaking, Cook walked off stage, at which point the houselights came up and all in attendance were asked to please file out of the auditorium

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 7:43 PM. Reason : http://www.theonion.com/articles/apple-new-iphone-good,26257/]

10/5/2011 7:43:08 PM

R.I.P Steve Jobs

10/5/2011 7:55:34 PM

So if we want to preorder this as soon as possible....is it midnight EST or midnight PST?

I don't know if my current iPhone will hold up until the 14th The home button is starting to work only 30% of the time...

10/6/2011 9:38:43 AM

Looks like Verizon will be taking pre-orders starting at 3:01EST Friday.

https://twitter.com/#!/VZWnews/status/121940596670726144

10/6/2011 9:42:18 AM

Will i have to upgrade anything like OSX or iTunes when I upgrade to the 4s?

10/6/2011 10:39:03 AM

Should come preloaded with iOS 5 which doesn't require a computer to setup anything

10/6/2011 11:23:55 AM

Since the SIMM card only has basic info such as contacts - what's the easiest way to transfer pictures/song/apps/etc. between an old phone and the 4s?

10/6/2011 11:37:45 AM

itunes.

10/6/2011 11:53:30 AM

I don't think the iPhone records contacts or anything else onto the sim card by default.

If you synch to iTunes (or iCloud starting soon), you'll be able to transfer basically everything onto the new phone, this was one of my favorite features transferring between successive iPhones as you can pick up the new one exactly as the old one was, even with your text history dating back years, good stuff.

10/6/2011 12:12:09 PM

Can you load a backup from one phone onto another? I'd rather not lose my Goodreader and Stanza settings/edits if I get a new iPhone.

[Edited on October 6, 2011 at 1:34 PM. Reason : Would restoring a backup even do that, or am I SOL?]

10/6/2011 1:34:00 PM

I'm trying to decide whether to switch to Sprint when I pre-order new phones for my wife and me. Does anybody have any input or links to good information about AT&T vs. Sprint w.r.t. data speed over 3G?

edit:

Getting easier to find stuff on google today... couldn't find much yesterday.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394144,00.asp#fbid=oFxC6P5yOOA

[Edited on October 6, 2011 at 1:42 PM. Reason : .]

10/6/2011 1:37:46 PM

On paper, a GSM carrier like AT&T should be faster than CDMA carriers like Verizon or Sprint since the theoretical max of EVDO Rev-A tops out around 3.4Mbps (basically 1-2Mbps in everyday use). It "should" be faster on AT&T than Verizon or Sprint but it's pretty much a wash depending on your area.

[Edited on October 6, 2011 at 1:59 PM. Reason : ]

10/6/2011 1:59:11 PM

well then there's the whole infrastructure & coverage area debate.... it's not just about data speeds the technology has the "capability" for.

10/6/2011 2:24:01 PM

Quote :

"Can you load a backup from one phone onto another? I'd rather not lose my Goodreader and Stanza settings/edits if I get a new iPhone."

Barring a massive jump (from say iPhone 1 and old versions of those apps to iPhone 4s and new versions) I don't see why it shouldn't work, it worked that way for my wife from iPhone 1 to iPhone 3G, though someone with more recent experience might know otherwise.

10/6/2011 2:24:57 PM

How does the preorder with verizon work!? Do you still have to go to the store and pick it up/activate/sign the contract?

Or do they mail it to your home or what?

I'm eligible for an upgrade but it says my wife isn't eligible until October 18. Would they let her go ahead and upgrade?

I guess I just need to call verizon...i have too many questions

10/6/2011 5:14:35 PM

when we have opened new lines or ordered phones from verizon, you sign a contract digitally. this is for a business account so idk if they do the same for the normal consumer.

10/6/2011 5:19:49 PM

i called verizon

he said that they send it directly to your home and you don't have to go to the store whatsoever.

if you'd rather them activate it and handle the contract, then you go to the store. He also said they are strict with the upgrade dates so i can preorder one but my wife can't b/c she has to wait until october 18.

that sucks. .....guess we'll wait until the end of the month and just go to the store.

i also still have my sweet alltel unlimited data/my circle plan and he said i can keep it

10/6/2011 5:26:06 PM

I honestly do not understand AT&T. It's like they are trying their hardest to piss me off. I bought 3 iPhone4s on launch day. I've been a customer for over 10 years now, I always pay my bill on time and my monthly phone bill is pushing $200. By all accounts I should be the poster boy for someone who qualifies for an early discount on a new 4S. But according to them I need to wait until next March.

My mom, on the other hand, has her line (which is on my family plan, but is a brand new line) qualify on 11/25/11. Which I just don't understand. Either way, I plan on getting a 4S on her line then and since she doesn't care about upgrading just swapping hardware with mine. Hopefully that will have given them time to figure out a jailbreak anyway. It's certainly not the end of the world, but I really wish it wasn't so hard to figure out what actually qualifies you for an early upgrade. It seems like it's just random, to be honest.

10/6/2011 7:53:18 PM

Does anybody know when Cricket is getting the iPhone?

10/6/2011 8:53:54 PM

I'm a 7 year loyal sprint customer but their evdo network has blown ass.

10/6/2011 9:30:43 PM

i've liked my at&t service, but they're suckin hard right now.
we're trying to set up a new account under the gf's name because she's got a discount. the pre-order process absolutely refuses to let me transfer my current number (with at&t)... but hers (alltel) is perfectly fine. i've been on hold for going on 45 minutes repeatedly hearing the same two ads.

you'd think they'd want people to buy new phones...

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 4:47 AM. Reason : ]

10/7/2011 4:47:06 AM

I don't think they're too concerned about people buying the new iPhone. It's a product that sells itself.

And they're probably busy dealing with a bunch shit-ton of customers who aren't eligable for an upgrade trying to weasel or finagle their way around the rules.

10/7/2011 7:57:00 AM

truth.

just frustrating. i gave up after 65m on hold. i can only take the same two ads so many times at 4am. what sucks is that once att got their website crap together i was cruising right along until i got to the number transfer portion. it sucks that you can't move forward with pre-ordering until you get past that. i almost just told it to give me a new number, but that becomes a bigger pain in the long run.


[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 8:50 AM. Reason : geez i can't type today]

10/7/2011 8:50:08 AM

Anyone having luck with getting Sprint to give you early upgrade if you're not up for it?

10/7/2011 8:56:04 AM

Pre-ordered two phones for AT&T with apple.

ATT.com's pre-order tried to force me out of my unlimited data plan, Apple's pre-order let me keep it.

10/7/2011 10:40:12 AM

I just realized that AT&T forced me to change my data plan. Goddamnitsomuch. How do I go undo this? Or am I fucked?

10/7/2011 11:38:59 AM

After 40 minutes of pre-order failure frustrations with AT&T in the wee early hours of the morning I just gave up and went back to bed. When I woke up the kinks were all worked out and I had no troubles.

10/7/2011 11:53:36 AM

If you just continue through on AT&T's page when it warns you that your data plan is incompatible, it will still let you place the order.

In other words, they're only trying to con you into switching out of it.

I just went through Apple's site and bypassed all the tomfoolery.

edit: Sayer I think you're fucked. You fell for their trap.

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 12:22 PM. Reason : d]

10/7/2011 12:22:02 PM

Nope, not fucked.

Just spent 20 minutes on the phone with AT&T, and they are aware that's it's asking people to switch, which is not what it's supposed to do. It's only supposed to prompt NON current iPhone users to switch. But for people who already have an iPhone, the system is supposed to let you keep your Unlimited Plan.

They're going back and fixing all the orders that got screwed, and if it is still fubar when I get my phone they'll fix it for me then.

10/7/2011 12:27:28 PM

Wow, I'm surprised. I figured the glitch might've been just a little bit intentional to get grandfathered accounts off unlimited without making headlines for pulling it away.

At any rate, gg!

10/7/2011 12:31:46 PM

I'm amazed that they haven't killed all the grandfathered unlimited plans.

I guess Sprint entering the picture is giving them pause. The potential of losing a large chunk of early-adopter types might be giving them pause.

10/7/2011 12:46:14 PM

i think they're just biding their time until the 4G iPhone comes out. Then they can move everyone off since it's a "new" network.

10/7/2011 12:47:24 PM

it they try it in < two years they can suck my balls and cancel my contract so I can get the new phone on a new network with maximum discount. Same if there's no new phone and they try to cancel it anyway in < two years.

10/7/2011 1:10:56 PM

This is really pissing me off. Please learn... particularly those in the press...

The iPhone 4S is HSDPA, NOT HSPA+

Listing max down/upstreams:

4G candidates, not official
LTE-Advanced 1Gbps/500
WiMax 802.16m 1Gbps

pre-4G
LTE 100/50 (up to 300)
WiMax 802.16e 128/56

3G:
HSPA+ 21/5.8 (up to 672)
HSDPA 14.4/5.76

In no way is HSPA or it's variants ever been considered 4G or even pre-4G, at best it's a modified 3G to attempt to get close to other networks capped pre-4G speeds.

10/7/2011 4:28:38 PM

I've seen a several instances where AT&T and Tmobile have referred to anything 14.4 and beyond as HSPA+ so they've been trying to stretch the definition to pre-21. Also the ITU modified their definition for 4G to include "evolved" 3G technologies so they pretty much cleared the way for anything to be called 4G likely due to all the bitching and moaning from AT&T and Tmobile at the time

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 4:40 PM. Reason : ]

10/7/2011 4:38:22 PM

Point is, iPhone 4S is HSDPA, not HSPA+, so it's STILL not 4G, and if the ITU changes their 4G definition one more time to include HSDPA, I'm gonna lose it. I don't even see how HSPA+ could even be compared to LTE or WiMax, it's still not even close.

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 4:53 PM. Reason : .]

10/7/2011 4:53:01 PM

ha I hope AT&T doesn't call their LTE 5G or you might lose it

10/7/2011 5:58:42 PM

Wondering if I should include the AppleCare+ with my new 4s. With the new 49 dollar replacement fee included not sure if apple is going to change their lenient policies regarding damage replacement.

10/7/2011 6:00:10 PM