I believe they're making iTouch owners pay for it, but any iPhone owner will get the update for free.
The important thing to know is that OS 3 is definitely a beta. Engadget recently took it for a test drive and said that the OS was choppy, buggy, and certainly felt like a beta. The summer release date will give time for fit and finish while granting developers time to do the voodoo that they do.
Most of this shit should have been in the phone from day one. I agree with Jeremiah. On the other hand, the iPhone is rapidly becoming the most robust phone on the market.
I know iTouch only has to pay, I'm questioning why they're making them pay. They shelled out the cash for the device to begin with.
When I said why summer it was more along the lines of "why wasn't this originally included", so I agree with those points that he's (and everyone else has) made.
I feel like I'd still be unsatisfied if I had to put up with it, is all.
I was pretty impressed with everything they announced yesterday. A LOT of the stuff that people have been clamoring for is coming, and that will do quite a bit to increase iPhone's saturation. If only they didn't have such a crappy plan requirement, I'd probably be over there already (you can have my $30 SERO when I'm long since dead and gone).
As for the cost: Upgrades will be $10 for iPod Touch, free for iPhone.
This is part of the reason I bought my friend's 2G iPhone off of him when he went 3G. I use it as an iPod Touch with the capability of making calls if I decide to slap a pre-paid card in there (unlocked, of course). Plus, I get free OS updates.
NiGHTS, they make the iPod Touch owners pay because they have to. Something about the legalities of giving away free software; iPhone owners get it for free because they have a paid subscription that includes updated content.
It has to do with how they do internal accounting for the devices. The iPhone is accounted for as a subscription device, while the Touch is a one-time sale. They (supposedly) legally cannot give away feature upgrades for free on the device, though it boggles the mind how everybody ELSE in this country manages to find ways to provide shiny new firmware for free.
Wow, I wonder what section of SOX deals specifically with that. That's very interesting, though. I'm more familiar with section 404 than anything else.
I can see how that might miff some Touch owners, but I mean *really*? It's 10 bucks.
Dare I say most people have at least 50 bucks worth of apps on their ipod anyways. Not to mention 3.0 is going to bring a lot to the table - totally worth the 10 bones.
Don't get me started on how I don't think Sarbanes-Oxley is good - that's another thread, if not another site.. but if it keeps you employed in some way, NiGHTS, that's awesome :-)
I'm sure it's part SOX and part revenue - just like the summer release of 3.0 is going to probably coincide with the renewing of those original adopter AT&T contracts. Smart business.
That's more or less fair, Jared, but don't forget they've also already paid $10 to get Calendar and notes and all the other crap that came last time. It keeps up, who knows...
Just makes me really wonder how the PS3 can come out with Life, the Cowon S9 can get friggin' widgets and shiz, and MS can put out the new Zune experience or the new XBox Experience for free, but Apple feels compelled to charge for their firmware upgrades.
Omg Nights you just hate Apple .. LincoIn had it very right..and Jared makes a great point its only $10bucks wow and its a beta for developers and theres an still open door for new developers. what Apple has done for program developers is amazing. Nights do you even own an ipod or anything by Apple ?????
NiGHTS, they make the iPod Touch owners pay because they have to. Something about the legalities of giving away free software; iPhone owners get it for free because they have a paid subscription that includes updated content.
What???! It's illegal to give away free software?! Who made that law? It sounds like hokey pokey. Is this some kind of accounting trick Apple chose to make it illegal to give free updates? How come game companies don't have this kind of accounting problem when they sell software and offer patches? How come Apple (to the best of my knowledge) is the only company that does have it?
Actually, I think in New York you can't receive products for free for some reason. I remember getting a credit report monitoring subscription for free from Walt Disney because they lost my personal information, but I couldn't receive the product for free if I lived in New York. Fortunately, I don't. Maybe it has something to do with that?
digitalvision
Detroit, Michigan
Comments
I don't own an iPhone and I know that these are major updates, but I feel like I still wouldn't be satisfied with Apple if I did.
The important thing to know is that OS 3 is definitely a beta. Engadget recently took it for a test drive and said that the OS was choppy, buggy, and certainly felt like a beta. The summer release date will give time for fit and finish while granting developers time to do the voodoo that they do.
Most of this shit should have been in the phone from day one. I agree with Jeremiah. On the other hand, the iPhone is rapidly becoming the most robust phone on the market.
When I said why summer it was more along the lines of "why wasn't this originally included", so I agree with those points that he's (and everyone else has) made.
I feel like I'd still be unsatisfied if I had to put up with it, is all.
As for the cost: Upgrades will be $10 for iPod Touch, free for iPhone.
This is part of the reason I bought my friend's 2G iPhone off of him when he went 3G. I use it as an iPod Touch with the capability of making calls if I decide to slap a pre-paid card in there (unlocked, of course). Plus, I get free OS updates.
//edit: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Brief explanation.
Dare I say most people have at least 50 bucks worth of apps on their ipod anyways. Not to mention 3.0 is going to bring a lot to the table - totally worth the 10 bones.
Lifehacker as compiled an excellent chart comparing the iphone 2.0 vs iphone 3.0 vs android.
http://lifehacker.com/5173441/android-versus-iphone-30-the-showdown
I'm sure it's part SOX and part revenue - just like the summer release of 3.0 is going to probably coincide with the renewing of those original adopter AT&T contracts. Smart business.
Just makes me really wonder how the PS3 can come out with Life, the Cowon S9 can get friggin' widgets and shiz, and MS can put out the new Zune experience or the new XBox Experience for free, but Apple feels compelled to charge for their firmware upgrades.
What???! It's illegal to give away free software?! Who made that law? It sounds like hokey pokey. Is this some kind of accounting trick Apple chose to make it illegal to give free updates? How come game companies don't have this kind of accounting problem when they sell software and offer patches? How come Apple (to the best of my knowledge) is the only company that does have it?