I watched the online streaming and live feeds with presentation pictures and comments of the new Mac (hardware and Snow Leopard) today from Apple’s WWDC in San Francisco this morning. I probably only got to see about half of the iPhone section. From what I saw, there was obvious less enthusiasm about the iPhone new features than the Mac hardware and software changes (which, by the way, look very cool and I look forward to Snow Leopard on my 2 Macs). To be fair, I didn’t watch the part about the 3GS version and the prices.

However, what I did notice was the glaring omission in new features: a quality network for the iPhone in the U.S. Unfortunately, Apple continues to partner with AT&T in the U.S. While other carriers would have the new support for MMS in a little over a week, AT&T won’t have it until the end of the summer (let’s all hold our breath). When the tethering feature was announced, AT&T was not even mentioned which was heard very clearly by those attending. Until Apple adds the new feature of un-tethering itself from AT&T or AT&T gets their act together and provides a quality network for the iPhone, I’m not getting one. I’m not sure which is more likely to happen, but I’m guessing it will be Apple that makes the first move.

I was already hesitant to get an iPhone because of the experience my good friend and neighbor has with the iPhone. When he needed a new laptop last year, he converted to the Mac. I’d been touting Mac for a couple of years and influenced by the fact that I’m his tech support, he took the plunge and he is really happen he did. At the same, he time decided to switch to the iPhone. While he loves the features and usability of the iPhone and it’s interaction with his Mac, he has been very unhappy with the plethora of dropped calls. It’s not unusual that our phone conversations have to be restarted one or more times due to his iPhone disconnecting.

What makes this even more frustrating is that it happens probably most frequently when he’s at home and not moving around when he’s on the call. His complaints to AT&T have fallen on deaf ears. He was informed that he signed a contract that had a place on the form indicating only “moderate” coverage in our area. I guess I have a different perspective of moderate coverage. They say moderate, I say crappy. Since I live 7 houses away from him, I also fall into the crappy–sorry moderate–coverage area. This was confirmed by looking at AT&T’s coverage map for my area. Just so you know, I don’t live in a rural area or in any kind of metropolitan fringe area. I live in Sacramento in a very populated area pretty close to I-80 and probably about 1.5 miles from a large AT&T office. ( The AT&T office just happens to be on the edge of the “good” coverage area.)

Another item of note regarding my friend’s iPhone AT&T disappointment was AT&T hinting to him that they would sometime soon have an improvement to their network to better support the iPhone. With the information presented, and missing, from today’s WWDC keynote speech about the iPhone, that doesn’t seem very likely.

With crappy coverage, behind the curve with iPhone features such as MMS and possbily never tethering support and who knows whatever other features that Apple develops for the iPhone that AT&T will take forever or may never support, don’t expect to see me with an iPhone anytime soon.

Filed under: Apple by admin