Couple of guys are already camped out in NYC for this freaking phone:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/video/exc...-ny-272140.php

I think Windows Mobile 6 has HTML mail. I know it can play videos.

It is much easier for Apple to control everything if it is branded and locked to one carrier. Apple is all about total control as are the USA mobile operators.

There is no doubt that Apple looked at the economics of being and MVNO and decided that would be the worm. So, if you want to start in your own backyard, and then move to the world, who would you turn to? The new ATT of course; They use GSM, they are bigger than TMo and they know and appreciate proprietary, and they would sell their souls to the devil for some short-term bump in revenue and a slight up tick in customers.

The new ATT is giving up lots to let Apple have this experiment before they go global and only Apple branded.

Me, I am going to sit this one out. Watch and see what happens and hope I can pick an N95 cheap in a few months when someone gets tired of their new toy. I doubt I will ever own an iPhone, but never say never.

Correct, WM6 does html email but it requires server side processing with an Exchange 2007 server.

I would think marketing/advertising is the big reason. ATT puts way more marketing effort into the phone because it's exclusive to them (especially if it's 5 years as has been noted some places, not sure if confirmed or rumor) vs if two or more companies are able to get it branded it's just another device in the pile. Sure it's got Apple's name on it and all, but they aren't going to invest in stuff the way they would with the exclusive. ATT is setting up some elaborate store displays among other things. Plus there's that backend stuff again (for visual voicemail, etc.), makes that more palatable for ATT to perhaps cover the whole cost of implementing.

Secondary reason: simplicity selling at the Apple Store. If it's on two or more carriers they have training and setup infrastructure for two or more sets of plans, plus two inventory SKUs for the same device (one for each brand). Not a chance. Yeah, other stores sell many phones for multiple providers, but do they do a good job of it? Or, alternatively, they could play favorites at the Apple Store and choose one of the two. How would that go over at the non-favored provider? Doesn't work well. To translate the Apple Store model to selling the iPhone, it has to be one provider. That will be complicated enough with all the different voice plans, although perhaps there is something unique in that arena as well? We don't know for certain yet what the plans are....

(I was posting this last night right at the FT maintenance window. Oops! Had to wait until now.)

Lol... More rumors

I'd love this one to be true, but I guess we won't know till Friday.

HA! See, I was right:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/26activate.html

Activate the phone in iTunes

This means you can buy the phone in store and just activate it at home. I was wondering how Apple was going to handle all the in-store activations...

Forget about activation, although there is a $36 activation fee I heard.

The plans seem to have fairly competitive rates. At worst no higher than comparable smart/PDA voice and data combinations.

How many have OSX 10.4.10 ? This is gonna be a damper to many

Anyone else notice in that activation video that the capacity indicates 80 gigs?

If you have 10.4, which has been out 2 years, you can upgrade to 10.4.10 for free using Software Update and an Internet connection.

DEFINITELY incorrect. 4GB and 8GB respectively. Although 80GB's would be great!

Craig

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/8035.html

Following a lot of speculation surrounding data plans for the iPhone, AT&T and Apple today unveiled three dedicated iPhone subscription plans. Steve Jobs said in a statement that these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of the iPhone's features.

All iPhone plans include Visual Voicemail, which allows users to see a listing of their voicemails, decide which messages to listen to, and then go directly to those messages without listening to previous messages.

All iPhone monthly service plans are available for individuals and families and are based on a new two-year agreement with AT&T. Individual plans are priced at $59.99 for 450 minutes, $79.99 for 900 minutes and $99.99 for 1,350 minutes. All plans include unlimited data (e-mail and Web), Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS messages, roll-over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. There's also a one-time activation fee of $36, while family plans will also be available.

iPhone customers can also choose from any of AT&T's standard service plans.

So, if I do the math correctly, $59.99 X 24 months before tax equals over $1,400 for two years, plus cost of iPhone. Total outlay, $2K.

I'd really be curious how many families will sign up - say a family of three: mom/dad/child = $6K outlay....wow!

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My wife and I already do nearly $100/mo with Cingular - $60/mo for 850 minutes, $10 for the 2nd line, $2 each for (50?) text messages, $20/mo unlimited data for me. My company discount takes care of all of the taxes plus a few bucks (18% discount). I've got an 8125 WM5 device, but I signed up for the data plan while the SIM was in my old phone.

So, if you're already paying a monthly cellphone bill, then the only costs you'd incur would be the incremental charges and the device cost. Without looking at the details of the family plan, I could switch to the $79.99 plan on my line, my wife keeps her current phone for $10, drop the data and text messaging, and I'd basically be at the same cost out-of-pocket. Personally, I won't be switching because I've already got a perfectly good 30GB iPod and 2GB Nano to cover my music needs.

Heck, if you've got a non-corporate Blackberry/smartphone just to get e-mail access with a $45/mo data plan + voice plan charges, the iPhone would be cheaper over a 2-year contract.