I have warned – until most people must think I am some kind of a Jihadist – that the iPhone and now the new iPad (two million and counting) are The Devil’s Instruments.
And it seems that Mr Jobs just might be the devil himself. Or at least his friends at AT&T are.
So the announcement by AT&T yesterday that it is introducing a new data plan for iPhone and will abolish the unlimited data program can best be described as confirmation of my ardent beliefs.
True (mercifully) the plan lowers the cost for the majority of AT&T users – but for heavy users like me (potentially, if I was so inclined) this could represent a disaster.
And, equally, this puts the idea of mobile web browsing-based travel applications and content under more scrutiny.
According to an AT&T spokesman, the new cap is 2GB per month. The company argues that since 98% of their users fall below that level, it’s OK.
As of June 2009, the number of iPhone OS-powered devices sold in the US had exceeded 25 million – that number has, using a conservative estimate, now doubled.
So for the more than one million heavy users this could be a bit of a shock. And this latest development comes just in time for the release of iPhone 4.0, with the new multi-tasking OS.
I suspect there will be a lot of unhappy people when their bills arrive in July.
Why would this have an impact? Simple – multi-tasking will increase your data usage significantly, meaning they will find they are exceeding their data plans easily and quickly.
This scenario is not unlike that which affects the poor iPhone suckers who forget to turn off data when they travel.
Meanwhile, those people who have an iPhone 3G or older will not be able to upgrade to the new OS, and thus will have to buy a NEW iPhone. (Yes all you people who thought you had a deal buying up those old 3G devices at $99).
There will be tears!
For reference: my average PC data consummation is 500MB (I have a little monitor that tells me that every day).
About Timothy O'Neil-Dunne
I wish I had stats on my mobile data usage but I’d imagine 2GB is plenty for most mobile tasks, short of video streaming. The overage of $10 per GB also seems quite reasonable. Those looking to tether a laptop for any serious computing probably do need to look elsewhere.
As alluded to towards the end of the article, this pales in comparison to the roaming charges travelers tend to face while abroad.
Also just a correction on the OS 4.0 situation, unless things have changed since the announcement 3G users WILL get OS 4.0 but WILL NOT get the multitasking (no doubt easily fixed with a jailbreak). Only the original iPhone (2G) will not get OS 4.0.
- iPhone 3G user happily on an “Unlimited**” data plan
Another one to add to the list would be the Skype iPhone app is going to have a fee for Skype to Skype calls made while on 3G, it does all seem a bit backwards and decidedly un-mobile at the moment.
Storm in a teacup really. US$25 for two gig of data is pretty reasonable in my book.
As far travel apps are concerned, build them so they don’t require connectivity to function.
Agree with Paul that roaming charges are what users — especially those who lack an unlocked device — should be far more concerned about — those charges are criminal.
I pay 50 dollars a month in Australia for my iPhone and get 500MB (Plus a few calls). I think you guys are pretty lucky over there. It could be worse- you could use an iPhone in Australia.
I would assume AT&T have put the limits on the because iPhone users slowed the network to a crawl over and over again by using too much data. The multi-tasking thing came from users geting upset over it being missing from the OS when it was available on android. Jobs said he was waiting until they could do it right, meaning until 3GS came out. The 3G would NOT have enough power to run something like that without tons of lag. And people are lucky to get a 3G at 100 dollars, that was never offered here.
I’ve had an iPhone for over two years. I use it without concern of data usage (I’m on Rogers’ 6gb plan). I’m a techie and a pretty heavy user. And I’ve never used more than 250mb in a month.
This change is bad optics but will have little impact on almost all users … Unless you’re using your tethered iPhone for BitTorrent downloads.
Timothy, I don’t think you should paint Apple with AT&T’s incompetence (other than they were dumb to tie themselves to an inferior network…although it was the best GSM network in the US, which enabled them to simultaneously launch the iPhone in Europe and much of the rest of the world).
With regard to AT&T’s announcement, there is an excellent analysis from Daring Fireball on the pros/cons which can be found at http://daringfireball.net/2010/06/good_and_bad_regarding_att_data_plans
And while I do agree that the app approval process is unnecessarily mysterious, arduous and unpredictable, but that doesn’t make the iPhone or Jobs the Devil.
Please keep these comments coming. I agree with Graham – the price for cool is pretty high outside of the USA. I have yet to find a “good” country…. and I am trying.
As a frame of reference my email with data apps turned off (on my BB) is usually north of 2.5 per month. I hardly use any of my devices for watching video. I prefer the lean back experience. Although I am quite happy and am starting to use Hulu and other online sites. What I hate is the constant promotion of video on a mobile without a HUGE warning label. WARNING YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE GOUGED.
I still think Jobs is the devil!
Cheers
Timothy
And just so no one thinks I am totally a loon… here is a good analysis from Marketing Week:
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/opinion/why-apple%BFs-in-a-profits-league-of-its-own/3014091.article
Cheers
Timothy
Except that AT&T specifically stated that current iPhone/iPad users that have the unlimited plan will be grandfathered into it as long as they want. So those one million heavy users you speak of won’t see any change at all.
If this change results in being able to finally make a call in NYC without it being dropped by AT&T, then WHATEVER, I’m happy.
Wow – how soon we forget??!!
Before the iPhone the only mobile applications or games and even access to the web was allowed through the operator portals – remember those?? The quality and content available was mediocre at best and device and network performance was atrocious. Apple has set a new standard for ease of use, performance and functionality – they deserve credit in my opinion.
I certainly agree that data and voice roaming charges are criminal but what does that have to do with the iPhone – my Android and Blackberry devices costs just as much?
As far as monthly costs are concerned I pay $30 per month for 6GB in Canada. In more than 2 years of usage I have never come close to exceeding that amount and I consider myself a power user – 2GB is more than enough for the vast majority of users.
Full disclosure – at QuickMobile we develop apps for SmartPhones (multiple platforms) and now the iPad – we have never had an issue with the approval process at Apple and now the average approval time is less than a week.
Thank goodness the operator walled gardens have fallen, people can vote with their wallets and the usage behaviour of iPhone users speaks for itself! No wonder Nokia, Google, RIM, MS and network providers worldwide are scrambling to redefine their offerings – “iPhone the Devil’s Instrument?” tempest in a teacup indeed! Timothy, the genie is already out of the bottle….
Interesting analysis of iPhone/iPad based upon AT&T’s pricing change. There was a great opinion piece in the NYTimes a few days ago about the amazing power that Apple (in particular Steve Jobs) now weilds: http://su.pr/21DkS8
@Mark. I am not sure if the statement about AT&T grandfather rights for existing high data users. My local office denied it. (I live in Redmond home of AT&T Wireless). I cannot get a straight answer out of AT&T either. So if you have some definitive statement please do send it.
@Everyone. Thanks for all your comments on this. I think its a great tool if ONLY the conspiracy of the Devil’s disciples didn’t conspire against it. Oh where is the Google like person who will come in and give us free bandwidth?
Oh Where oh Where has my little doggie gone……….