Breaking News: September 25 for MMS on the iPhone

There's a major logic-hole in AT&T's excuse making: How long have they known that MMS was coming? A VERY LONG TIME, certainly pre-dating the announcement. They knew this was coming since before the original iPhone was introduced. I'm not prepared to cut them a bit of slack.

I'd venture to say AT&T is going to be facing some unique issues with MMS on the iPhone, because of the way MMS works.

With MMS, the message is uploaded to the MMSC (essentially a web server) and a special SMS is sent to the recipient, which then downloads the content from the MMSC over EDGE/3G data.

Most phones resample images to 160x120 and video to low-bitrate 3GPP for MMS transport. It's quite possible the iPhone does not downgrade pictures or video: I don't think Apple would approve of the crappy quality. So it is entirely possible AT&T is going to have to add a ton of storage to their MMSC servers.

Tethering is another can of worms. Let me tell you, AT&T's 3G network is NOT READY for the amount of tethering iPhone users are going to be doing.

I was at DEFCON 17: Everyone who had an iPhone 3G was tethering because you never trust the DEFCON wireless for anything sensitive. Brought the 3G network to its knees. 5 bars, but I could not get a data connection or make a call unless I switched to EDGE.

Then again, I was recently in Atlanta, GA and AT&T 3G just plain sucked for no reason. Time for EDGE again.

I really hope Apple signs an agreement with Verizon ASAP.
AT&T sucks !!!

Do I even have friends that don't get email on their phone??? At first the lack of MMS really sucked but now, after over two years with the iPhone I think my network of friends are all 10-key free. Thanks but no thanks to that bridge to nowhere...

All I can say is I sure hope Apple opens up the phone to something other than AT&T (Verizon?). "Load on their network"? Well duh.. like any other cell network in the states, all the other carriers seem to handle 3G data just fine, even with MMS and even with tethering.. nothing but excuses from AT&T, which IMHO has the worst network other than T-Mobile, but that isn't saying much..

Has anyone actually gone to the Apple web page lately? There's some interesting updated, half hidden pages about RSS podcasts/Wiki pages being added with an itunes affiliate program, including sponsorship, possibly based on rankings. Huge possibility for making mobile TV programs on the internet a reality. That will be what the MMS will be used for in my opinion: all user created content, including business applications, calendars/meeting videos etc., It will be able to be pushed from itunes/iwork/ilife/MobileMe to your mobile or laptop from now on. Itunes will move onto the iphone/ipod probably. It will probably become 64-bit too. Most of the updated software programs in Snow Leopard & Server are very mobile, creative work/business oriented and easily interchangeable between OS systems. There aren't any barriers for entry into Apple now that all Windows programs and extensions are compatible in all areas of the Apple platform. Makes me think that this is a set up for cloud computing and a very mobile workforce when the tablet/4G comes in Jan. Or, maybe just wishful thinking....?

@LAGal,

Exactly. People on CDMA need to get over it and realize that GSM, or some variant of it is in the future for nearly all carriers. As I said before, living in Northern NJ, I have had 0 issues with AT&T data (Wi-Fi at house, btw). Verizon (or any other carrier) would have to deal with the same issues AT&T has now. To your point about lack of choice - I am perfectly content to pay my $35 for data and text each month and go way - as much as people may complain, required data plans makes sense considering the amount of data iPhone users consume. Speaking from experience with my last phone (Motorola V551), going without a data plan is almost cost prohibitive. You think AT&T is greedy, look at how Verizon locks you into using their own services AND charges a fee on top of it. CDMA was most likely a concession for China, nothing more.

I called ATT on September 1 and they told me that MMS was already enabled on my iPhone........ It's NOT!
It would appear that no one is at the wheel..............

The headline is misleading. There's a large proportion of iPhone users outside of the Universal State Of America; many of whom have had MMS for quite some time now. The headline should be:

Breaking News: September 25 for MMS on the iPhone on AT&T; Rest Of World Doesn't Care.

I'm still wondering what the reason for lack of 1st Gen (2G) support for MMS - yes, I know Apple says that it can't be done - hardware limitations? So How does Swirlymms work? Are jailbreakers fiddling with the inards of their beloved phones? Last time i checked, they have a variety of apps and tweaks in Cydia that will enable it: (http://www.ihackintosh.com/2009/06/activate-mms-on-iphone-2g-first-gen/) or (http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-enable-mms-on-iphone-2g-running-iphone-os-3.0/)

Granted, it may not be the easiest, it is still do-able... So is just a dismissive wave for the early adopters? those that bought em used?