iPhone Gets An Upgrade!
19/06/07
The multi-faceted gadget 'iPhone' will now have eight hours of talk time - up from five, six hours of internet use, seven hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback and 250 hours on stand-by.
The 3.5 inch screen has also been upgraded "from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity," the company said.
"With eight hours of talk time, and 24 hours of audio playback, iPhone's battery life is longer than any other 'smart phone' and even longer than most mp3 players," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
"There has never been a phone like iPhone, and we can't wait to get this truly magical product into the hands of customers starting just 11 days from today," he added.
The last-minute tweaks will fuel speculation that Apple staff are having to work round the clock to meet the June 29 launch deadline.
The company has already delayed its next generation computer operating system so its staff could prioritise work on the device, Apple's first phone, which has been built off the success of its iPod music and video player.
Given the fervour surrounding the product, the upgrades are no doubt also an indication of the enormous pressure the company is feeling to live up to such high expectations.
Despite its cost - prices start at $499 - an estimated 19 million of America's 100 million mobile phone users are interested in buying the handset, according to a survey by M:Metrics.
An estimated seven million Britons are also keen to buy an iPhone when it comes on to the UK market later this year, the same report said, although no date has been set.
The survey of 11,060 mobile phone subscribers in the US and 5,293 in the UK also found the 64 per cent of Americans and 56 per cent of Britons were at least aware of the iPhone.
"This data confirms that the iPhone has sparked the imaginations of consumers and is not merely a topic of conversation among insiders and technology enthusiasts," said Mark Donovan, senior vice president at M:Metrics.
Fans appear not to have been put off by the fact that Apple has agreed an exclusive deal with AT&T, the biggest US wireless provider, so customers on other networks will have to change providers and sign a new two-year contract.
In fact, according to the survey, 67 per cent of those most keen on buying an iPhone are subscribers on other networks. Analysts say the iPhone could worry rival networks if customers start switching to AT&T purely so they can have an Apple handset. AT&T says it has received more than a million email inquires about the phone.
The blogosphere is already abuzz with tips and advice on the best strategy for securing an iPhone when the go on sale. Websites such as iphonefreak.com and everythingiphone.com have been set up to discuss techniques, including where to camp out.
The 4GB version of the iPhone, which will cost $499, and the $599, 8GB version, go on sale at Apple's 170 Apple Stores and 1,800 AT&T stores. It is expected to sell out immediately.
