Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, iPhone
Next generation iPhone now in testing phase
Mac Rumors has received word from Pandav, creator of iPhone application iBart [iTunes Link], that they've spotted usage records for the next-generation iPhone.PinchMedia, the firm that provides analytics for the iBart app, allows Pandav to see what devices its apps are running on. Pandav noticed an identifier for "iPhone3,1" in their logs. The iPhone 3GS hardware identifier is "iPhone2,1", which means the next-generation iPhone is already being tested.
iBart is a guide for San Francisco's train system, which lends further credence to the rumor. The iPhone 3GS was spotted in October of 2008, again by PinchMedia statistics, and was also being used in the San Francisco area.
Based on the past three years of releases and comments by Apple's senior VP of marketing, Phil Schiller, the most likely launch date for the next-generation iPhone (iPhone 3GSS? iPhone 3GX? iPhone 4G?) is either June or July of 2010.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paperless said 4:13PM on 11-29-2009
Great news!
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Jash Sayani said 5:59PM on 11-29-2009
Chinese dudes have already leaked pics...
I will be upgrading to it from my First Gen iPhone.
Information Central said 4:43AM on 11-30-2009
It'll be great news when it's a CDMA phone and we can switch to Verizon.
Jesse said 4:33PM on 11-29-2009
I'm wondering what this iPhone will look like, how expensive it's, whether it's tied to a contract, and how flexible or powerful it's.
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Kevin said 4:29PM on 11-29-2009
Yeah, great. Only 7 months and my 3GS will be obsolete. Terrific. (LOL)
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Charli said 4:50PM on 11-29-2009
just keeping with the trend.
however, there aren't really any 4g networks up and running and those that are launching spring 2010 won't be all that widespread by summer. a handful of major cities and that's it. not enough to really sell the devices.
add to this the rumors about Apple looking into buying dual GSM/CDMA chips despite saying time and again that they aren't going to make a CDMA phone and I have to wonder if this device is a phone at all.
what if those chips and these tests are on the tablet -- which was rumored would be based on the iphone OS NOT the full computer one. one of the dominant rumors for the Tab was essentially a double sized ipod touch working as a netbook, e reader, ipod, game device (using resized phone/touch apps) with both wi-fi and optional cell data (unlocked so you could add it to whatever current service you might have for your cell phone).
if they were getting ready to announce it in January and release in the late spring they would probably be field testing it by now.
thought to ponder
Josh said 5:11PM on 11-29-2009
Yeah, just like every other piece of technology you have.
Rembert Oldenboom said 4:38PM on 11-29-2009
It was known the 3GS was just an intermediate version. T-Mobile NL already warned customers (not publicly btw) not to break open their contracts to upgrade from 3G to 3GS but advised them to wait for the real thing, expected spring 2010. So I'm still waiting for that real thing, although I' m quite fine with my 3G.
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Bloobie said 4:48PM on 11-29-2009
Give us a unibody iPhone with OLED screen, 802.11n, magnetic induction charging, and LED flash and I'll be a happy camper. :)
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Anthony said 7:18PM on 11-29-2009
No, it will be kinda unibody, with the bezel extending more onto the back, and it will have wireless N, but no wireless charging or flash...
3/4 of the back is plastic, the rest is the chrome.
The big thing with this one though is the 64GB memory capacity and a built-in digital thermometer. (wireless N is amazing, kinda, I guess...)
Sharif said 12:44PM on 11-30-2009
Wireless-N is a SUPER stretch; show me 1 phone with it equipped currently. It's just not ready for prime time on a mobile like iPhone let alone anything smaller than a brick.
Steven said 4:47PM on 11-29-2009
Apple needs to stop updating the iPhone every year. As long as they are going to force a two year contract, they should be nice and only release a major update every two years. My contract is up next month and I have no choice but to get a 3GS. It would be bad enough waiting the 6 months to get a 2011 iPhone 4G Regency Brougham, now I have to be disappointed with a phone I don't even have yet in just half a year?
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Bloobie said 4:51PM on 11-29-2009
Wow. I was not aware that the telcos come pointing a gun to your head saying that you must buy a new iPhone when your contract is up. You do have a choice. It's to wait until the 4th generation model comes out next summer.
Charli said 4:59PM on 11-29-2009
you must not be in ATT then. cause I have had the same phone for 4 years. bought it on a 2 year contract, never upgraded. so technically I'm on a month to month. I was going to buy my first iphone a couple of months ago but then started thinking I would wait and see if the tablet is announced cause I would rather have a dumb phone i can slip in my pocket and pay $30 for 3g to a tablet than get an iphone.
Steven said 5:27PM on 11-29-2009
What I meant was now that I have the option to get a 3GS for $200, I can't turn it down. Plus, my current iPhone is falling apart (the wifi broke and the speakers/battery life are going), so I really do need a new iPhone.
microfud said 10:48AM on 11-30-2009
huh? You don't have to update your phone, just because your contract expires. You'll continue on the same terms as before. you can upgrade (or not upgrade).
There are still plenty of folks using their original iphone.
As for not upgrading the iPhone. Yeah. That's a good business model (sarcasm intended). I'm sure that the droid phone, blackberry, etc would all stand still and not upgrade their phones during that time.
Tracy said 1:14PM on 12-03-2009
Hilarious! good post
Digaos said 4:51PM on 11-29-2009
Well... I'm in my third iPhone (original, 3G and now 3GS).
I'm pretty sure I will end up buying the next version... (as long as Rogers offers a decent upgrade price).
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brian said 9:28PM on 11-29-2009
I'm in a similar boat--owned a 1st-gen, 3G, and now a 3GS--but I can't imagine what they'd add that would make me want a 4G. I went from the 1G to the 3G because I wanted the GPS and I went from the 3G to the 3GS because I wanted video recording--which, coincidentally, were #1 and #2 on my list of things missing from the original iPhone. (And because I was able to sell both on eBay for more than I paid for them--thanks, AT&T lock-in! :-) ) I'm sure there are features they could add but I literally can't imagine anything that would make me really want to upgrade. Thermometer? Altimeter? Barometer? Tachometer?
Phil said 5:17PM on 11-29-2009
Hope it comes with some great stuff.
This will be replacing my 3G.
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