A 3G iPhone is the Apple of the wireless world’s eye. Apple CEO Steve Jobs was expected to announce the iPhone 2.0 Monday at the opening of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Along with January’s MacWorld event, WWDC is a natural venue for blockbuster announcements. Apple, as usual, has been tight-lipped about the final features and pricing for the 3G iPhone, but speculation abounds.
“I am hoping to see the incorporation of Geo-positioning technology as well as a robust suite of location-based services for the iPhone,” said Tim Deal, a senior analyst of broadband services for Pike & Fischer. “This is one area where it has clearly fallen behind its peers.”
A $199 iPhone Could Be At Hand
The next-generation iPhone is due out in just a few days. The latest version will support 3G, which means much faster wireless networking. Improved location services and GPS are expected.
Corporate users won’t be left out. Apple is offering support for corporate e-mail and a host of new applications that could help the iPhone compete with the Blackberry on the business front.
There have been rumors that the 3G iPhone will let consumers download songs directly from iTunes over the AT&T cellular network. AT&T is ready for the device, with an upgraded 3G network to handle the traffic and downloading speeds of up to 700 Kbps to 1.7 Mbps and uploading speeds of 500 Kbps to 1.2 Mbps.
Then there’s the price. The 3G iPhone could cost as little as $199, thanks to an AT&T subsidy. That last point, if true, could draw the ire of first-generation iPhone consumers who shelled out several hundred dollars more for their devices.
Will Apple Spurn Early Adopters?
The long-standing rumors of a 3G iPhone at a lower price will undoubtedly be met with enthusiasm, Fischer said. However, he added,…