World of Apple

Apple has announced via press release that it will offer six service plans to buyers of the iPhone, all plans include unlimited data transfer.

AT&T monthly plans for iPhone

The six plans are as follows, all include unlimited data 200 SMS text messages, roll over minutes and unlimited mobile to mobile calling.

• $59.99 for 450 voice minutes
• $79.99 for 900 voice minutes
• $99.99 for 1350 voice minutes
• $119.99 for 2000 voice minutes
• $169.99 for 4000 voice minutes
• $219.99 for 6000 voice minutes

All plans have a one off activation fee of $36.

“AT&T has the largest voice and data network in America, the largest mobile-to-mobile calling community and the fewest dropped calls,” said Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO, AT&T. “AT&T has invested more than 16 billion dollars in its wireless network between 2005 and 2007, and iPhone customers will enjoy the best voice and data network in the nation.”

“We want to make choosing a service plan simple and easy, so every plan includes unlimited data with direct Internet access, along with Visual Voicemail and a host of other goodies,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of iPhone’s revolutionary features at affordable and competitive prices.”

Boy Genius Report claims to have its hands on the iPhone’s data plan, the site says that the plan will be around $34.99 – $44.99 per month and include unlimited data transfer, and either 2000 texts or unlimited texts.

The report also mentions that Fed Ex will be taking care of deliveries to retail stores on Friday.

Boston.com is reporting that AT&T will charge users wishing to terminate their contracts $175 to do so.

Even though AT&T isn’t subsidizing the iPhone’s hefty price — $499 to $599, depending on the storage capacity a customer chooses — the company will charge a $175 termination fee for iPhone users who want to break their two-year contracts.

Th article goes onto write that cancellation fees are in place to prevent the carrier from losing too much money on the subsidies they place on handsets.

Interestingly the iPhone is notably free of subsidies, AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel commented on the situation;

“There are certain fixed costs we incur in serving every customer who establishes service with us.”

USAToday has written a report based on an interview with AT&T’s Larry Carter, senior vice president of sales, on how AT&T is preparing for the launch of the iPhone on Friday June 29.

The article writes that AT&T has added 2000 extra sales persons to stores across the country in preparation for the launch.

To get “iReady” for the big day, Carter says AT&T added 2,000 extra sales people to stores. Half will be there just to help handle the expected early crush of buyers. The other half, he says, will stay long-term to help with extra customers the iPhone is expected to draw to AT&T’s stores.

The exec also explains that not everywhere will have the sale stockpile of iPhones;

Carter would not say which stores will have the biggest iPhone stockpiles, but allowed that iPod users are a “natural market” for the smart phone. As such, he says, stores in areas with big numbers of iPod users — such as New York City, Chicago and much of California — will be well stocked

If your local store sells out, Carter says sales people will take mail orders, and devices will be shipped in 3 to 5 days, inventory permitting. “Ultimately, we will meet every customer’s desire to have one,” Carter says.

The article also explains that there will be more surprises due on June 29;

Carter says AT&T also will announce new service plans for it [the iPhone].

In a sub-article on the same page the online publication interviews Balsu Thandu an AT&T technician who has owned an iPhone for over 2 months.

The technicians have logged more than 10,000 hours on the phone, including more than 5,000 hours of voice calls and near 5 gigabytes of data usage. Most phones, he says, get about half that much test time.

For the actual testing, technicians frequented all the places where consumers go: office buildings, subway platforms, stairwells, elevators, crowded bars, sprawling suburban malls and congested city streets. They also showed up incognito at Apple and AT&T stores.

Thandu says he took the iPhone with him on long runs, sweating all over it. “We wanted to test the limits of it.”

AppleInsider reports that tipsters are noting that “their local AT&T/Cingular wireless stores will temporarily close around 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. and not reopen until 6:00 p.m.”

The move is said to prevent large “mobs” of people crowding into stores prior to the iPhone launch.

“[AT&T stores] will be setting up roped queue lines for when they re-open at 6:00 p.m.,” reports an AppleInsider tipster. “They then plan on staying open till 10:00 p.m.”

AppleInsider notes that some stores in more populated areas are possibly going to open until midnight on June 29.

It appears that some clarification has come out of Apple regarding yesterdays confusion over exactly what time the iPhone would go on sale.

It has now been revealed that the iPhone will go on sale at 6PM local time on June 29th, giving purchasers on the Eastern coast of America a 3 hour head start over those on the West.

The confirmation came from an AT&T memo stating:

The iPhone will go on sale on at AT&T retail stores June 29 at 6 p.m. local time in each market.

iPhone Capable of Flash?

A screenshot of the recent iPhone advert has been posted to Flickr, it points out the portion of the New York Times’ that features a flash video.

It should be noted that the website could simply be fabricated onto the iPhone and does not prove the iPhone’s ability to play Flash.

Flash on the iPhone?

Banners Appear in AT&T Stores

A Mac Rumors user has posted pictures of an AT&T store that shows a banner in the window stating the iPhone release date of June 29.

iPhone Banner in AT&T Store

iPhone Banner in AT&T Store

Apple has released three new adverts for the iPhone, in particular a release date of June 29th has been confirmed in the adverts that have aired on TV.

The first advert called “Never Been an iPod” demonstrates how the iPhone is like no other iPod.

The second is called “Calamari” and shows a user staring of watching ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ but gets a sudden craving for Calamari, a simple Google Maps search for Seafood brings up the nearest location and the user dials the restaurant.

Finally the third ad named “How To” shows How To turn it on, listen to music and more.

Engadget is reporting that sources tell them that Apple and AT&T are working on adding IPTV capabilities to the Apple TV.

The sources state that the release plans are yet to be “worked out”.

Engadget compares the service to AT&T’s current TV service called U-verse (Wiki).

Brier Dudley of the Seattle Times offers an interview with Glenn Lurie, president of National Distribution for AT&T’s wireless operations, responsible for National Retail Operations, National Dealers, Direct Mail/Direct Response, Resale, eStore Sales and Service via Cingular.com, as well as Prepaid/Hybrid Sales

The interview offers background on Lurie and his history with AT&T, but also goes into some details of the iPhone we haven’t heard of in the past.

When discussing the potential success of the iPhone Lurie said;

“The anticipation that we’re seeing, the buzz we’re seeing, at least for me, has far exceeded our expectations of how important this would be to the business and us,”

The interviewer mentioned that he was sceptical on the price of the iPhone compared to current competition, Lurie answered with;

Here’s how I’d explain it. The most popular iPod, a 4-gigabyte Nano, costs $200. If you’ve got a RIM BlackBerry or Palm Treo, you probably paid $200 minimum. Then you’ve got a phone that you got for free or paid maybe $50.

There are other things — you have the widgets, some of the Google applications that are coming — there are just so many things here that the price will not be an issue.

When questioned on whether a subsidy would be offered for the iPhone Lurie said;

We’re not talking about that.