Apple And AT&T’s Relationship Just A Meaningless Tie

Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, we have heard several rumors about Apple working with Verizon to bring the iPhone to their network. It seems that some of the speculations may have actually had a grain of truth to them. Wired recently looked into the complexity of Apple's relationship with AT&T over the years and the reason the partnership continued thus far despite the many problems between the two.

Fred Vogelstein from Wired says that one of the earliest instances the relationship between Apple and AT&T fell short was with Cupertino's use of Infineon as the supplier for cellular communication hardware. Vogelstein pointed out that Infineon's technology is better suited to the European market where cellular towers are located closer to one another. Apple reported to have declined the request by AT&T insisting on working with Apple to make the hardware from Infineon work better on their network, saying things such as "No, you resolve them. They're not our problem. They're your problem."

The report further mentioned that officials from AT&T visited Apple a number of times to try and convince the company to make a trade-off between user experience and call-quality but Apple officials ended up firmly standing their ground on these requests. Vogelstein noted the following:

It(Apple) wasn’t interested in cooperating, especially if it meant hobbling what had quickly become its marquee product. For Apple, the idea of restricting the iPhone was akin to asking Steve Jobs to ditch the black turtleneck. “They tried to have that conversation with us a number of times,” says someone from Apple who was in the meetings. “We consistently said ‘No, we are not going to mess up the consumer experience on the iPhone to make your network tenable.’ They’d always end up saying, ‘We’re going to have to escalate this to senior AT&T executives,’ and we always said, ‘Fine, we’ll escalate it to Steve and see who wins.’ I think history has demonstrated how that turned out.

Wired also mentioned that Steve Jobs suggested several times that Apple must terminate its partnership with AT&T in favor of another carrier. The report pointed out that Apple engineers made several visits to Qualcomm headquarters to study the possibility of switching to Verizon's network and what doing so would entail. Vogelstein mentioned the following regarding this issue:

Apple also heavily considered switching to Verizon numerous times. Around the end of 2007, at Jobs' behest, Apple engineers (including Scott Forstall) visited the headquarters of Qualcomm - the primary supplier of the chips in Verizon's phones. It concluded that switching to Verizon would be too complicated and expensive because the chips were different sizes and would necessitate rebuilding the iPhone from scratch. Apple also wasn't convinced that Verizon's network would fare much better and let's not forget the nasty lawsuit that voiding its exclusive pact with AT&T would invite.

Mainly an extremely high cost of transition to the Verizon network has been the primary reason behind Apple's decision to stick with the AT&T network thus far as noted by Wired. However the company continued to work with Qualcomm on possible other solutions to the issue. Recent rumors have been suggesting that Qualcomm could be working on a hybrid chip that will allow the iPhone to run on both CDMA and UMTS networks and it turns out these rumors are true.

Verizon is currently making the transition to the LTE network that is expected to become available next year. Currently, AT&T has also hinted on the imminent end to carrier exclusivity by announced the revised Early Termination Fee (ETF) chargers and advancing the upgrade eligibility for many of their customers for the iPhone 4. Between these events and the fact that there is a court case regarding AT&T and Apple's partnership with the iPhone we believe that speculations that Apple would offer the iPhone to Verizon as early as next year may turn out to be true. What do you think of the whole ordeal? Do you prefer the iPhone be on a network such as Verizon instead of AT&T? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you are interested in reading the Wired article, click here.

Consumer Reports Still Does Not Recommend Apple's iPhone 4

Even after Apple tried to address the iPhone 4's atenna design issue with a press conference where they mentioned they would offer free cases for the phone to mitigate against signal loss, Consumer Reports still gives the iPhone 4 the thumbs down. In a press conference held on Friday July 16th, Jobs reiterated the company's earlier claim that all smarphones have similar problems, and that "no one has solved this problem." Apple's CEO did not hesitate to drag other phone companies into the mix such as RIM and Nokia. Job's also mentioned that Apple engineers have been "working our butts off so we can come up with real solutions" to the antenna issue and they are continuing to do so. While a real solution to the problem is being worked on, Apple will offer a free case to all customers who have purchased an iPhone 4 since it's introduction on June 24th. "We're going to send you a free case. We can't make enough Bumpers. So we're going to source some cases and give you a choice." Apple will also offer refunds to customers who have already bought the Bumper, Apple's only case for the iPhone 4. For those who have already bought third-party cases aren't assured of a refund, although Jobs did mention they can write to Apple if they want their money back and "we'll consider the request." The free cases would be available by the end of next week, to all customers who purchase iPHones prior to September 30th. After that date, Jobs mentioned the company would "reevaluate" the issue. "Maybe we'll have a better idea," he said.

In recent tests originally sparked by consumer complaints, Consumer Reports confirmed that the iPhone 4's signal-loss problem was in fact real. CR also determined that a Bumper, a case, or even something like a small piece of tape could alleviate the issue. Although some people think Consumer Reports handled their tests incorrectly, many consumers still follow the advice of the popular blog before making purchases. Consumer Reports believes that Apple's offer of free cases is a good first step, however Apple has indicated that this isn't a long-term solution, it has only guaranteed the offer through September 30th, and has not extended it unequivocally to customers who bought cases from third-party vendors. CR states they look forward to a long-term fix from Apple, as things currently stand, they still do not recommend the iPhone 4.

Consumer Reports iPhone 4 Reception Problem Study Is Flawed

As many of you may already know, Consumer Reports, a popular product review and comparison organization recently announced that it can't recommend the iPhone 4 due to its widely publicized reception problems. The whole situation is turning out to be a PR nightmare for Apple as mainstream media also have picked up the story. As of right now, rumors are floating and PR experts believe that Apple will have to recall the iPhone 4 due to the problems. Bob Egan, an electromagnetic engineer who has experience in exactly the kind of issues Apple is currently facing with the iPhone 4 is claiming that Consumer Reports has conducted a flawed experiment. Egan explains:

"To even reasonably run a scientific test, the iPhone should have been sitting on a non-metallic pedestal inside an anechoic chamber. The base station simulator should have been also sitting outside the chamber and had a calibrated antenna plumbed to it from inside the chamber.

I have not seen CR’s claim directly that the finger effect reduces the iPhones sensitivity by 20db as reported elsewhere, but unless CR connected to a functional point inside the iPhone that number is fantasy.”

He also pointed out that the assumption made by Consumer Reports to test the change “by varying the base station simulator levels by varying the base station simulator levels – seems to assume the iPhone receiver and/or transmitter operate in a linear fashion (the same way) across all signal strengths," which is is a bad assumption.

Bottom line. From what I can see in the reports, Consumer Reports replicated the same uncontrolled, unscientific experiments that many of the blogging sites have done.

Adding:

I’m not saying that Apple has no h/w problem and they surely have a s/w issue. But I’m still wondering that if the software signal algorithm was not AFU’d in the first place how many, if anyone would talking about this “problem”

Apple released a public statement two weeks ago stating that the signal strength bars were being displayed incorrectly and that they plan to fix the issue with a software update that will provide users with a much more accurate indication of reception in a given area. Egan notes that it isn't known "what part of this problem is Apple's and what part is related to the AT&T network." Looks like we will all find out soon enough when Apple releases the iPhone software update for the iPhone 4 which will correctly display the signal strength. Do you think the issues are getting blown out of proportion? What is your take on the whole situation? Drop us a comment below.

U.S Samsung Galaxy S Variants Already Rooted Before Release

Even though the smartphone isn't officially released yet, the US versions of the Samsung Galaxy S (T-Mobile Vibrant and AT&T Captivate) have already been rooted. Thanks to justadude from the XDA developer's forums everyone who already has theirs or is about to get one this Thursday can root their phones. The best part about this root is that you only need to download the file, load it, and boot into Samsung's recovery. It is very nice to see that Samsung is playing nice with the hacking and development community, especially when others such as Motorola (who has locked the bootloader) are making things more difficult for many. Check out the instructions below:

Note:

This will work on the T-Mobile US-branded Vibrant and generic Galaxy S Models

Important:

By performing this you are doing so at your own risk, this may void your warranty, and we or anyone else is not responsible if you brick your device.

How To Root Samsung Galaxy S Variants (AT&T Captivate and T-Mobile Vibrant):

Download

SGH-959 Root Update.zip

Instructions

The following method should be pretty care-free but there is always a risk with activities like rooting a device or flashing a new firmware.

1. Download the the file ( SGH-959 Root Update.zip) and rename it to: update.zip


2. Put update.zip on the INTERNAL SD memory (/sdcard if you are using a 3rd party file browser, the root folder if you are using the "Files" app that comes with the Vibrant)


3. From command, prompt /terminal, enter: adb reboot recovery


4. In Recovery menu select 'Reinstall Packages' (use vol_down then power to select)

The phone will reboot and you will have:

1. su+Superuser


2. busybox (/system/xbin/busybox)

Credit goes to justadude from XDA developers and Leshak at Samdroid

Stay tuned for more news and updates from the hacking and development community by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feeds.

Possible iPhone 4 Recall As Apple PR Disaster Grows

Now that the iPhone 4 has been out for a few weeks and many people have had it in their hands to test, the antenna / signal dropping situation has been demonstrated time and time again to be a very real issue. Holding the lower left hand corner of the iPhone causes a significant loss in signal strength. For those who are in low-signal areas to begin with, this often results in losing their connection entirely and not-surprisingly as soon as the corner of the phone is released, the connection is restored.

Apple issued a statement regarding the matter on July 2nd which essentially said that the iPhone is incorrectly reporting signal strength via the number of bars displayed. In an attempt to resolve the matter, Apple plans to release a patch to fix the discrepancy soon. In other words, a user whose phone says it has 3 bars in reality has less than that and after applying Apple's fix the phone would read the correct amount of bars for that person (1 or 2 bars). In reality it isn't a fix... touching the specific spot will continue to kill the signal since many believe that it is a hardware issue as opposed to a software one.The fix will just allow users to have an advanced warning of the results knowing when it will most likely drop their connection or lower their signal strength as opposed to it being a surprise.

This week, many people are discussing a hardware recall, which they feel is bound to happen. Professor Matthew Seeger of Wayne State University told Cult of Mac that there is an "inevitable" hardware recall. Meanwhile, Dr. Larry Barton doesn't understand Apple's slow response to the issue, stating that "There has to be a military-like response to this issue and we have not seen this kind of urgency."

Something like a hardware recall would be a huge disaster, considering the damage that has already been done to Apple's PR. Many sources that people look towards for opinions and information such as Consumer Reports (CR) have already suggested that people should not buy the iPhone 4. Many of you can say what you want but CR is a pretty definitive guide for a huge number of consumers who look to research before making a purchase.

Furthermore, rumor has it that Apple is holding out to release the software fix since they want to patch the jailbreak exploit as well. Many in the jailbreak community, such as the iPhone Dev Team, have already figured out and released images of a jailbroken iPhone 4 and are waiting for Apple to release the next OS update before they release their jailbreak utility. How long is Apple willing to hold out to try and patch the exploit? Time is ticking and the frustration and anger of many just continues to rise. Apple has to act fast, let's see their next move.

Apple Deletes Original Consumer Reports Thread On Support Forums

If you were one of the people looking for a message thread on Apple's support forums pointing to Consumer Reports' article about "not recommending" the iPhone 4, it isn't there any more. Apple's support forum moderators deleted the thread. You can still catch some of it from a cached page by Bing. Only two smaller threads have been left on the forums.

If the loss of signal happened once maybe one could believe it is a glitch but a number of people saying that it has happened several times makes it an issue. It is hard to imagine though there being any good way to interpret Apple's actions. Every post found in a google search of Apple's discussion boards leads to the same result of receiving the following message: "Error: you do not have permission to view the requested forum or category."

Sadly this isn't a surprise since this isn't the first time we have heard about Apple deleting discussion board threads on topics which are less than stellar discussions about Apple's products. It seems to be a standard operating procedure for the Apple discussion boards. There are still some negative threads on the discussion boards but those are only the ones that the moderators have decided to leave active, most of the controversial topic threads are often deleted. It's hard to imagine what Apple hopes to gain from doing something like this since instead of having one negative news story, we now have two: Consumer Reports comes out and doesn't recommend the iPhone 4 and ten Apple seems to be trying to prevent people from talking about it on their support board. What do you think of the whole ordeal? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Consumer Report's Take On iPhone 4 Antenna Issue

Earlier today, Consumer Reports surprised many people with a public announcement effectively withdrawing their recommendation of the iPhone 4 to potential Apple smartphone buyers. The support was yanked given the lingering reception problems and so-called death grip that continues to frustrate many. Apple mentioned previously that they are in the middle of preparing a software update to attack what many consider a hardware problem.

Consumers Reports commented on their electronics blog indicating that it tested three iPhone 4s that were acquired at three different Apple retail outlets in the New York area. All of the tests were performed inside a controlled environment of a radio frequency isolation chamber. "In this room," the publication notes, "which is impervious to outside radio signals, our test engineers connected the phones to our base-station emulator, a device that simulates carrier cell towers. We also tested several other AT&T phones the same way, including the iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre. None of those phones had the signal-loss problems of the iPhone 4." The company took a further jab at Apple by saying:

Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that 'mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength.' The tests also indicate that AT&T's network might not be the primary suspect in the iPhone 4's much-reported signal woes.

Before, Consumer Reports was an avid suporter for the iPhone 4 claiming that there were no signal loss issues during the first round of testing and that there was no good reason NOT to buy an iPhone 4. This message seems to have changed in a dramatic fashion. "Apple needs to come up with a permanent -- and free -- fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4." Consumer reports however did propose one possible way of mitigating the epic reception trouble by using a wad of duct tape to fill the antenna gap located on the bottom left side of the device, stating that "It works" although "it may be not be pretty."

So what do you guys think? Are you still getting your iPhone 4? If you are an iPhone 4 owner, are you experiencing any antenna issues? Let us know by sharing your thoughts below!

AT&T Giving Away Free MicroCell Service To “Valuable Customers”

Recently, Engadget received news from a reader that AT&T is giving their "most valuable customers" free range-boosting femtocells by giving them a free no-strings-attached 3G MicoCell. The AT&T customer received an old-fashioned paper letter in the mail offering his family a the 3G MicroCell. All the customer had to do was drive down to a local AT&T store where he was given a 3G MicroCell with no explanation from the dumbfounded reps at the retail store. The customer did mention that his calls did frequently drop at home but he did not complain much about it and paid his $180 per month for his family plan. According to him, the only reason he feels he might be one to qualify for the free 3G MicroCell is because his contract was set to expire in the near future. We are currently waiting to hear news from AT&T about the whole issue but you can check out the letter and device below:

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Samsung Captivate (Galaxy S) Coming To AT&T On July 18th For $199

AT&T has just announced that the Samsung Captivate - the AT&T version of the Galaxy S - will be available for purchase on July 18th (only 10 days away). The Captivate sports a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, 4" WVGA Super AMOLED display, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 5 megapixel camera with 720p recording, and Android 2.1. The device itself will be priced at $199 on contract (no mail-in-rebate necessary). Are any of you interested in picking up the first serious AT&T Android offering? The device will also shortly be ready on all four national US phone carriers so for those of you waiting for this device on your other network, the wait shouldn't be much longer.

Samsung Captivate featuers:

• Super AMOLED 4” touchscreen display – improved off-axis viewing and better outdoor visibility
• Entertainment galore with six-axis motion sensor and 3D graphics engine and surround-sound audio
• 5 MP camera with HD video recording
• Choose from thousands of apps on the Android Market™
• Integrated social networking tools – one place for status updates
• 16 GB on-board memory for photos, videos, and music – expandable memory up to 32 GB

AT&T Says Lower Upload Speeds Are Caused By Software

Earlier today, AT&T released a statement saying that the widely-reported iPhone upload speeds had been traced to a software defect ni a particular cell-site gear. The problem with Alcatel-Lucent UMTS base stations that they say "impacts less than two percent" of all AT&T customers "under certain conditions." The company said that the issue is being resolved and that there is a fix coming, but they won't mention when it will be released. They somehow still claim to be providing "normal upload speeds." The upload speed issues were first experienced and complaining about starting late last week in larger cities. Reports started pouring in from less populated areas as the holiday weekend wore on as well. iPhone 4 users that had previously been experiencing and enjoying 1.5 MB/s range stooped as low as 100 kb/. Other people within the same area didn't see any effect, leading to thoughts that the problem was relegated to particular cells. In today's statement, AT&T corporate communications confirmed the issue, stating that firmware on Alcatel-Lucent equipment was to blame for the problems. Here is what they said:

AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent jointly identified a software defect -- triggered under certain conditions – that impacted uplink performance for Laptop Connect and smartphone customers using 3G HSUPA-capable wireless devices in markets with Alcatel-Lucent equipment. This impacts less than two percent of our wireless customer base. While Alcatel-Lucent develops the appropriate software fix, we are providing normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers with HSUPA-capable devices.

Furthermore, in a statement to Matt Buchanan at Gizmodo, an AT&T rep mentioned that the carrier does not "have a definite time for the Alcatel-Lucent software fix to be complete at this point; we expect to know that soon." Are any of you still experiencing the slower speeds on the network? Or was it just something you experienced over the holiday weekend? Share your thoughts and comments below.

Is AT&T Capping iPhone Data Upload Speeds?

Recently, many users from The MacRumors forums are comparing their recent upload speeds from their iPhone's and are complaining about what appears to be capped uploads at 100 kbps rather than the 1.6mbps norm. The users have been comparing rates captured with tools such as Speedtest.net's Speed Test to put numbers on the perceived performance drops, which is considerably large compared to the way things were just a week or two ago. According to the thread, affected cities include: NYC, Central Jersey, Boston, Orlando, Seattle, South Jersey/Philly, Columbus, Cleveland, West Houston, Phoenix, Northern Colorado, St. Paul/Minnesota, Suffolk County/Long Island, Quad Cities, South Jersey, Denver, Detroit Metro, and Cincinnati.

Upload speeds affect the ability to do things such as sending pictures and video-email over the 3G network, as well as to upload any kind of bandwidth-hungry data using your 3G connection. The folks over at TUAW gave the test a spin in Denver using SpeedTest.net's application as well as FCC Mobile Broadband Test and INetQCheck. They said they experienced as the ones reported by the Macrumors forumgoers. Comparing both runs on INetQCheck tests with those of SpeedTest.Net, many users didn't even crack 100kbps using 3G.

The question that arises is why the sudden change? AT&T has been contacted by several different people but everyone has yet to hear back from them due to the holiday. Our guess is that this comes in line due to AT&T's recent data plan changes, probably in an attempt to enforce data austerity and guard AT&T's business from high bandwidth demands. Some people suggest that the hypothetical upload caps are a consequence of holiday weekend infrastructure work and that speeds will return to normal tomorrow.

We will check and you can stay tuned for more info regarding the topic by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feeds.

Apple's Response To The Death Grip - Bars Displayed Wrong

Apple earlier today finally acknowledged the iPhone 4 antenna issues also known as the "Death Grip." They said that it is in fact just an optical illusion - a bug in how the software displays signal-strength bars on the screen. In a "Letter From Apple" posted on their website this morning, the manufacturer claims that the iPhone 4 "mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should" and that people who see drops of four or more bars must be in a weak signal area. Apple did mention a software fix that will be coming in "a few weeks," and that it will only incorporate a formula recommended by AT&T for calculating bars while "the real signal strength remains the same."

After a week of Apple steadily denying the existence of the iPhone 4 antenna issue, today's "Letter" is the first admission from the company that "iPhone 4 can drop 4 or 5 bars when tightly held in a way which covers the black strip in the lower lef corner of the metal band." The company says they were shocked to find out that the formula users to calculate bars is totally wrong and that it causes the iPhone 4 to display more bars when it should really be displaying less bars and it concludes that people who were complaining about this issue were most likely in an area that had weak signal strength but they didn't know that because the high bars they were seeing were never real in the first place.

This response is actually really disappointing because the so-called "formula" is no more than a mapping of signal strength readings to bars. Anandtech noticed in their testing earlier this week that the fifth bar has a really broad range from -91 dBm up to -51 dBm, so that you can lose as much as 40 dBm and still show five bars. That may have something to do with the formula they are talking about but Apple didn't mention anything about users who have noticed loss of sound quality and dropped calls due to the "Death Grip" or even Anandtech's testing showing an average 20 dBm drop in signal. Maybe Apple is hoping that the complaints will go away when people see more bars on their screen or maybe there is another software review that they aren't discussing publicly. It doesn't seem that it should take "a few weeks" to implement and test a change to just one formula. We'll have to just wait for the update or news to be revealed.

You can stay tuned for more info on the topic by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feeds.

If you want to read the full letter, you can do so by checking out the link mentioned earlier in the post or read below:

Dear iPhone 4 Users,

The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and users have told us that they love it. So we were surprised when we read reports of reception problems, and we immediately began investigating them. Here is what we have learned.

To start with, gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce its reception by 1 or more bars. This is true of iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, as well as many Droid, Nokia and RIM phones. But some users have reported that iPhone 4 can drop 4 or 5 bars when tightly held in a way which covers the black strip in the lower left corner of the metal band. This is a far bigger drop than normal, and as a result some have accused the iPhone 4 of having a faulty antenna design.

At the same time, we continue to read articles and receive hundreds of emails from users saying that iPhone 4 reception is better than the iPhone 3GS. They are delighted. This matches our own experience and testing. What can explain all of this?

We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising.

Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.

To fix this, we are adopting AT&T’s recently recommended formula for calculating how many bars to display for a given signal strength. The real signal strength remains the same, but the iPhone’s bars will report it far more accurately, providing users a much better indication of the reception they will get in a given area. We are also making bars 1, 2 and 3 a bit taller so they will be easier to see.

We will issue a free software update within a few weeks that incorporates the corrected formula. Since this mistake has been present since the original iPhone, this software update will also be available for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G.

We have gone back to our labs and retested everything, and the results are the same— the iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. For the vast majority of users who have not been troubled by this issue, this software update will only make your bars more accurate. For those who have had concerns, we apologize for any anxiety we may have caused.

As a reminder, if you are not fully satisfied, you can return your undamaged iPhone to any Apple Retail Store or the online Apple Store within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.

We hope you love the iPhone 4 as much as we do.

Thank you for your patience and support.

Apple

CDMA Compatible iPhone 4 Coming To Verizon In January 2011

A CDMA version of the iPhone has been a rumor for a long time now, but Bloomberg says it won't be a rumor for much longer. The site is claiming that Verizon, the largest U.S mobile phone company will finally introduce coverage for Apple's iPhone early next year (as soon as January). Bloomberg is reporting that two familiar sources shared inside information about AT&T's iPhone exclusivity coming to an end.

Verizon Wireless, which is currently working hard on rolling out a high-speed fourth-generation network, is expected to include the iPhone in its big new product unveiling in January at the Consumer Electronics Show. The iPhone being covered on another network will dramatically improve performance and user experience for both AT&T and Verizon customers because the network expansion will reduce the burdens that are currently present on AT&T's congested network, due to it being the solo carrier of the iPhone in the U.S.

Analyst John Hodulik from UBS AG tells Bloomberg that Apple is going to drastically "increase the number of devices it sells in the US when exclusivity at AT&T ends."he also mentioned how its "hard to ignore the quality issues AT&T has faced." Niether Apple, AT&T, or Verizon are commenting on the Bloomberg report released, which makes it seem the iPhone coming to Verizon is more than just a mere possibility. There are some folks out there who believe this is all a stunt and that Verizon is releasing this information just to get people to hold off from purchasing their iPhone 4 right now while they release their "hot new phone lineup."

As always, stay tune to us for more information on the whole ordeal. You can do so by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feeds.

iPhone 4 Has Improved Speed On AT&T's New "3.5G" Network

One of the things Apple added to the iPhone was High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) and it significantly improves performance. This weekend, ZDNet reports indicated 60% faster downloads and a 500% increase in upload throughput. The results will vary depending on the support for HSPA on the local AT&T cell. Various users have confirmed the increase in speeds in different areas. People in Boston are reporting double the download throughput and between eight and ten times the upload throughput. New York City users, which have notoriously been complaining about a congested network still found improvements as well in download speeds as well as five to ten times the improvement in uploads.

The iPhone 4 supporting HSUPA as well as High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) makes it Apple's first "3.5" phone. Wireless phone carrier, AT&T is using HSPA as an evolutionary step towards its 4G LTE network which they planned on deploying in 2011. The company has begun testing the new and advanced 3.5G network, capable of up to 7.2 Mbps downloads, in six cities - Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami - with 19 more to come by sometime this ear. The HSUPA adds an additional transport channel called the Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH), which allows for uploads as fast as 5.8 Mbps.

If you are an iPhone 4 owner why don't you test out your speeds and let us know if you have any improvements. Drop us a comment below to share your experience.

AT&T Announces Expanded 3G Capacity In NYC

Those of you who live in New York City and use AT&T should finally be seeing some relief according to the carrier. An announcement made earlier indicates that the company has seen a 47% improvement in Manhattan due to an 850 MHz spectrum layer. The wireless phone company has been no doubt making an effort to keep up with the demand but most of the improvements are so incremental that they are hard to notice for individual users. The announcement made today also touts the company's 7.2 HSPA rollout which seems to promise more to come and at a faster rate as well. It's hard to say on day one whether there is any noticeable difference but keep an ear and an eye out for improved service. If you are a San Francisco user, tough luck, AT&T has revealed no news of any overhaul for San Francisco customers as of yet.

You can check out the press release for the announcement below:

AT&T Expands Wireless Capacity for 3G Mobile Broadband Network in Manhattan and Throughout NYC

Additional Spectrum Allocated for 3G Voice and Data Applications

NEW YORK, June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AT&T* today announced the completion of a local initiative to increase the wireless capacity of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Manhattan as well as the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. As a result of this upgrade, customers in these areas are expected to experience improved 3G wireless voice and data connectivity and performance, especially during peak hours.

The network enhancement includes the addition of new layers of frequency, also known as "carriers," to more efficiently manage available spectrum and increase 3G capacity. The additions have been applied to nearly all cell sites in Manhattan and in other areas as needed throughout the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. The result is an increased allocation of network resources for AT&T's 3G network to support ever-growing demand for mobile broadband services.

"Our goal is pretty simple: in the city that never sleeps, we're working 24/7 to make sure our customers have a great experience every time they make a call, check e-mail, download a song or video, or surf the Internet on their AT&T device," said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager for AT&T in NY and NJ. "Adding more capacity to cell sites is just one way we are doing that."

AT&T recently deployed a WiFi hot zone in Times Square to help AT&T customers stay connected in "America's Crossroads," one of the busiest locations in the world.

Wireless data traffic on the AT&T network has grown more than 5,000 percent from 2007 to 2009, largely attributed to the increasing popularity of advanced smartphones and the performance of AT&T's 3G network, the nation's fastest. Our network teams are enhancing network capacity, capabilities and performance to keep up with unprecedented demand for mobile services.

In New York City, we've added a layer of high-performing 850 MHz spectrum to deploy more radio capacity and enhance in-building coverage throughout the city. As of the first quarter of 2010, we've seen two consecutive quarters of strong voice quality improvements in New York according to internal measurements. In Manhattan, quality improved 47 percent quarter over quarter.

Additionally, as of the first quarter of 2010 our national 3G average data download speeds are up 25 percent versus a year ago based on internal data.

Earlier this year, AT&T completed a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation's fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T's network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with an enhanced mobile broadband experience, both today and well into the future. Faster 3G speeds are scheduled to become available this year and in 2011 on a market by market basis as AT&T combines the new technology with the increased deployment of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, primarily with fiber-optic technology. Late this year, we plan to upgrade our network to HSPA+, the latest generation of our 3G platform.

AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, delivering voice service in over 220 countries and data service in more than 195 countries. AT&T also offers voice and data roaming coverage on 130 major cruise ships, as well as 3G services in 115 countries.

AT&T Rumored To Get 2 iPhone Shipments On June 29th

The folks over at ModMyI got word from an insider at AT&T about Tuesday's iPhone 4 shipment to retail stores. There are supposed to be two shipments coming in, one early Monday night that is expected to sell out quickly and then another "stealth" second shipment Tuesday between 10:30am and 12:00pm. The store managers said they won't wait until all the iPhone 4s are gone before telling the people in line that there is a second shipment coming. Reservations from the people still in line will be taken so they are suggesting that those of you who are or will be in line stay in it because some people might not get to buy it because they don't have upgrade eligibility or they are over their credit card limit. 2% of the said iPhones being shipped are going to be set aside (half of them being 16GBs and half being 32GBs, for "customer escalations", meaning phones that customers bring back and want replaced. Below is the official leak quote:

An inventory report will be available Monday afternoon to the store mangers that will indicate exactly how many iPhone 4 (16GB and 32GB) they will receive in their Monday and Tuesday shipments. The manager is to subtract 2% with a 50/50 split of 16GB and 32GB. This will provide some inventory for customer escalations.

Supposedly this is all being done "to ensure an extraordinary customer experience." So are any of you people who haven't gotten their iPhone 4 planning on trying their luck with this? Let us know by dropping a comment below.

Certified iPhone 4 Insurance Plan Now Available

There were rumors before of AT&T possibly fixing to certify a third-party iPhone insurance program and now Asurion seems to have been given the green light. According to the company, MobileProtect is the "only iPhone (and iPhone 4) insurance to protect against loss or theft (a large portion of the phone claims) while also covering water or other liquid damage, accidental damage, and out-of-warranty failure." There is a hefty $11.99 per month fee which needs to be paid and that doesn't even include the deductible, which makes the whole ordeal even more expensive. The company's press release can be found below for any of you who might be interested:

iPhone(R) Customers Can Now Enroll in a Comprehensive Insurance Plan

MobileProtect™ is the first product to cover loss and theft in addition to water or other liquid damage, accidental damage, and out-of-warranty failure for your iPhone.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Asurion, the global leader in technology protection services, recently announced the launch of MobileProtect, the most comprehensive insurance program available for the iPhone -- including the iPhone 4. With Asurion MobileProtect, iPhone users who lose their phone, have it stolen or damaged -- including water or other liquid damage -- or who experience a failure after the warranty has expired can receive a replacement iPhone as quickly as the next day.

"Nearly 50 percent of claims we see are filed for lost and stolen phones," said Cindy Christy, Asurion President. "MobileProtect is the first product to include loss and theft coverage in addition to protection for damage and failures after the warranty expires. Plus, it provides the added convenience of next day replacement in most cases."

Consumers need a comprehensive solution when faced with a lost, stolen, damaged or failing iPhone. The cost of replacing their coveted iPhone can leave consumers responsible for paying the replacement price of up to $699 out of pocket. MobileProtect provides customers with a single point of contact for total peace of mind and total protection for their iPhone while helping customers avoid costly replacements.

iPhone customers may enroll in MobileProtect up to 30 days after activating their new iPhone. Enrollment is simple: Customers simply visit the App Store(SM), download the Asurion MobileProtect App on their iPhone, click "get started" and follow the guided process.

Filing a claim is just as easy. MobileProtect subscribers may visit www.MyMobileProtect.com 24 hours a day, seven days a week to report a lost, stolen, damaged or faulty iPhone.

"In our conversations with customers we often heard how valuable iPhone protection would be," said Mike Dolezal, Asurion Product Manager. "To a growing number of consumers, the iPhone is central to their work and home life. If something happens to their device, MobileProtect customers don't have to be without their iPhone, their direct connection to family and friends, for long."

Pricing and Availability

MobileProtect is now available for the iPhone, including the iPhone 4. To get started, consumers simply download the app from the App Store within 30 days of activating their new iPhone. Rather than large up-front fees, MobileProtect customers will be charged $11.99 monthly and there is a one-time deductible for each approved claim of $99, $149 or $199, depending on the iPhone model. To learn more, visit MyMobileProtect.com.

*Next Day Delivery not available in all areas.

About Asurion

Asurion is the global leader in Technology protection services. From lost, stolen and damaged wireless handsets to malfunctioning computers or HD-TVs, Asurion provides more than 90 million consumers worldwide with best-in-class, next day device replacement. The company can also protect user content and software. Asurion is the exclusive provider to many of the world's premier telecommunications and retail companies. Asurion is privately-held with more than 5,000 employees and operates in six countries across three continents.

For more information, visit www.asurion.com and MyMobileProtect.com

Shipping Notification Emails Being Sent Out For iPhone 4 Pre-Orders

Although the answer as to why some iPhone 4 pre-orders have been randomly canceled is still up in the air, there is some good news too. The rest of the 600,000 people who managed to get past Apple's ordering issues will now be glad to hear that the newest iPhone is now shipping. Not everyone should have gotten the shipping notification email just yet, but don't worry, you are bound to get it soon. Let's see if anyone gets lucky enough to get an early delivery. If you have gotten your dreaded canceled email or a delightful shipping notification, let us know in the comment below!

Apple and AT&T Canceling Random iPhone 4 Pre-Orders?

We aren't sure exactly what is happening but several people have been receiving an iPhone 4 pre-order cancellation email from Apple and AT&T saying that their order could not be authorized. Seems like an issue wit AT&T authorization to us and given all the of the problems that both Apple and AT&T had all week dealing with the large number of pre-orders, we aren't surprised that issues are still occurring.

The email being sent out by Apple is:

Dear Customer,

We were unable to complete the authorization process for your iPhone order. As a result, we had to cancel your iPhone order. To complete the purchase of your iPhone, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an AT&T company-owned retail store.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

Sincerely,
Apple Online Store Team

The email being sent out by AT&T is:

Your iPhone order has been cancelled.

Your credit card has not been charged.

If you believe you have received this email in error, please return to the AT&T store where you placed your order.

Sincerely,

AT&T

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iPhone 4’s New Antenna System To Offer Less Dropped Calls

One of the many things that Apple is known for is the design of its products. However, in the new iPhone 4 you may have noticed tiny black seams across the rim of the device, all of which seem to not go along with the company's regular persistance in design. This is exactly one of the reasons why people questioned the authenticity of the iPhone 4 prototype first revealed by Gizmodo. Steve Jobs had revealed during his keynote address at WWDC that the stainless steel bands on the new iPhone 4 are actually a part of the "primary structural element" of the device that house the iPhone's antenna system. As seen from the video below the seams cater to the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS functions while the other part is dedicated to UMTS and GSM functions.

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This could be very good news for iPhone users, especially to those who are in the New York and San Francisco areas who regularly suffer from high dropped call rates. AT&T is usually the one typically blamed for not bilding sufficient infrastructure that caters to high network usage, there have also been reports in the past that suggest that Apple is equally to blame for the poor network coverage on the iPhone. Senior vice president for telecommunications research at Nielsen, Roger Entner, wrote that a flawed design of the iPhone's "air interface" was a primary cause for the high dropped call rates on the device. The air interface connects the phone to the cell towers and is responsible for both voice and data transmission. It is suspected that the new antenna system should fix the network connectivity issues, which should result in fewer dropped calls (at least for AT&T's iPhone customers). Never the less, Apple's engineers should be praised and given credit for this new design, which, as Jobs noted, has never been done before in a phone. A round of applause for Apple who continues to keep innovating. What do you think of the iPhone 4's new antenna system? Drop your comments below!

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