As long as everyone's mind is blown how about LTE for the iP5?

[Pliablemoose]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/16/why-is-lte-equipment-being-installed-in-an-apple-store/

Well, this is certainly interesting. While rumors of an LTE-enabled iPhone had died down for a little while, they sprung back to life yesterday with a report that just such a device was being tested by carriers. Now we've received the image you see above, which shows some 4G LTE equipment that was recently installed in a major Apple store -- by AT&T, according to our source. Making things somewhat more interesting is the equipment itself, one piece of which supports only the 700MHz and AWS bands -- both of which AT&T plans to use for its LTE network if the T-Mobile acquisition goes through.

We're also told that the Apple Store in question, and all those in the region, are now trying to increase staffing on the sales floor by about 30 percent, which is apparently not related to the usual hiring in the lead up to the holidays (that will apparently still happen later). Of course, this could simply be the result of some long-term planning rather than evidence of the next iPhone, but the timing is a bit curious to say the least.

Apple may pull off an upset here with the iP5...

UPDATE

Verizon microcells are being installed too.

WOOT!!!

 

[CrackRabbit]

If Apple launches an LTE ready iPhone 4gx/s or 5 I may actually consider switching from Android.
Right now I have my heart set on a Bionic, whenever the damn thing is going to be released.

 

[Red Storm]

Could be just an LTE iPad, which would also be neat, but not as much as an LTE iPhone.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Could be just an LTE iPad, which would also be neat, but not as much as an LTE iPhone.

Or even a Macbook with an LTE card.

 

[Red Storm]

Or even a Macbook with an LTE card.

That would be cool too, but I would never purchase one as I use way more GeeBees than the plans allow on my MBP.

 

[Pliablemoose]

That would be cool too, but I would never purchase one as I use way more GeeBees than the plans allow on my MBP.

I really want a 4" iPhone on Verizon, LTE would be ok, but not necessary...

 

[cheezy321]

that would dominate.

If the new iphone has great battery life with LTE the android fans better be prepared for it to be profusely rubbed in their face.

Warning for Trolling
Moderator PM

 

[Red Storm]

that would dominate.

If the new iphone has great battery life with LTE the android fans better be prepared for it to be profusely rubbed in their face.

There are countless other threads to start/continue a fanboy war, please use one of them and leave it out of here.

I do hope it is an LTE iPhone. People say 3G is good enough for them, but once you experience the much faster speeds, it's hard to go back. I know I personally watched a whole lot more (high quality) Youtube videos on the go back when I had my Charge. Day9 Daily at lunch/on the metro/etc.? Hell yes!

 

[Anubis]

TBH i think moving to a larger screen is more important for the iphone then adding 4G
also i dont see them launching a 4G iphone untill all carriers have a 4G network

 

[lothar]

4-4.3" screen > LTE.

 

[Spineshank]

Am I the only one that doesnt want a bigger phone?

 

[cheezy321]

Am I the only one that doesnt want a bigger phone?

I dont want a bigger one. I want a bigger screen placed on the same size phone.

 

[s44]

also i dont see them launching a 4G iphone untill all carriers have a 4G network

The two carriers they're on either have it or will have it this year.

This is definitely possible, but so is a LTE Macbook Air/iPad 4G. And it won't be the only LTE superphone, since the SGS2 looks like it will have it at least on Verizon.

 

[trmiv]

I'd go with an iPhone for my next phone if the screen was at least 4" and if I could get a decent client for Google Talk. Not sure Google ever plans on doing that given the obvious competition. That's with or without LTE. I'm not abandoning Android though, I still have and love an Android tablet. It would be cool to have a foot in both worlds though.

 

[gsaldivar]

If the new iphone has great battery life with LTE the android fans better be prepared for it to be profusely rubbed in their face.

Unlike your iPhone, I can easily swap my Thunderbolt's battery for a freshly charged one, or upgrade it, without carrying around a bulky ass "battery case".

Also, by the time you finally get your iP5 (maybe with LTE?) - many of us will have been soaking up almost a year's worth of unlimited LTE web, Youtube, streaming Netflix, video chat, Pandora... etc.



Warning for thread crapping for this post and several others in this thread which were irrelevant or barely relevant to the thread title.
Moderator PM

 

[Stang289]

Am I the only one that doesnt want a bigger phone?

I had the same opinion as you, but my eyes have all of a sudden gone to crap. I love the size of my pre plus, but I started having difficulty reading text on it because I have to hold the phone about 1.5' or more away to focus on it. I messed around with my wife's Droid X and can comfortable read on it. Who knows, in the next couple years I might have to depend on a 10" tablet sized smartphone ;P

 

[cheezy321]

Unlike your iPhone, I can easily swap my Thunderbolt's battery for a freshly charged one, or upgrade it, without carrying around a bulky ass "battery case".

Also, by the time you finally get your iP5 - many of us will have been soaking up almost a year's worth of unlimited LTE web, Youtube, streaming Netflix, video chat, Pandora... etc.

LOL. You seriously think carrying around extra batteries is a good solution? Seriously? That is absolutely hilarious. Its funny you call a 'battery case' bulky, but not an extra battery. Way to show your true colors.

If this iPhone has great battery life and LTE it will be pretty impressive in the face of android. Android will have absolutely zero excuses for the pathetic battery life on their LTE phones.

Edit: I still highly doubt LTE will be included on the iPhone 5.

 

[akugami]

Unlike your iPhone, I can easily swap my Thunderbolt's battery for a freshly charged one, or upgrade it, without carrying around a bulky ass "battery case".

Because an extra battery is not bulky. Neither is the extended battery pack.

And considering the relatively bad (compared to an iPhone 4) battery life of the HTC THunderbolt, you need the extra battery just to get through the day when an iPhone 4 will do fine on the stock battery with no battery boosters.

Also, by the time you finally get your iP5 - many of us will have been soaking up almost a year's worth of unlimited LTE web, Youtube, streaming Netflix, video chat, Pandora... etc.

And I care about your data use because?

 

[gsaldivar]

Its funny you call a 'battery case' bulky, but not an extra battery.

There are many extended batteries that fit inside the stock battery compartment. And it's easy to leave an extra battery at the office or in the car in case you need it.

And if you do decide to get a larger battery, yes they are typically lighter than battery cases because you are simply replacing the stock battery with a larger one, and not carrying around two batteries enclosed inside a huge plastic case.

None of this requires a visit to the "Genius" bar by the way...

This doesn't even begin to explore the many other possibilities for maximizing battery life by optimizing the phone with a power management app, by installing a custom ROM, or by simply turning on the LTE radio only when you need it.

 

[gsaldivar]

B relatively bad (compared to an iPhone 4) battery life of the HTC THunderbolt, you need the extra battery just to get through the day

You're comparing apples and oranges. If you switch the Thunderbolt to 3G mode the battery life is quite comparable to the iPhone 4.

 

[preslove]

By the time the iPhone5 comes out, it better have LTE.

 

[akugami]

You're comparing apples and oranges. If you switch the Thunderbolt to 3G mode the battery life is quite comparable to the iPhone 4.

You want to talk about apples and oranges but then you have to change your argument with qualifiers or else your point is baseless. My argument is 100% valid and not apples to oranges when you consider your whole post.

The bottom line is your first point about bulky battery cases is ridiculous and laughable when you mention extra battery packs for your own phone.

And you can't go around bragging about LTE on your phone and then when someone points out you need the extra battery packs just to equal the better battery life of a stock iPhone 4 you say to turn off LTE to get better battery life. Why are you bragging about a feature you aren't going to use? And you're using said feature as a bullet point on why your phone is better. That's laughable.

In all fairness to HTC and others using LTE chips, those chips are new and very power hungry. As they optimize the LTE chips and build later generation LTE chipsets, power consumption should drop drastically. It's a similar situation to what we saw when 3G chips first came on the scene.

 

[senseamp]

LOL. You seriously think carrying around extra batteries is a good solution? Seriously? That is absolutely hilarious. Its funny you call a 'battery case' bulky, but not an extra battery. Way to show your true colors.

If this iPhone has great battery life and LTE it will be pretty impressive in the face of android. Android will have absolutely zero excuses for the pathetic battery life on their LTE phones.

Edit: I still highly doubt LTE will be included on the iPhone 5.

Swappable batteries are in fact a good solution. If you are going on a long hike and want to use your phone for GPS or as a camera, or you are on a long plane trip using it as a entertainment device, you can just put a new battery in and keep going. It's not bulk in your pocket or your hand, since the extra battery can just go into your backpack.

 

[Zargon]

^^ that.


and comparing any current 4g lte phones battery life to that of a 3g phone is just improper, very much apples to oranges.

 

[gsaldivar]

You want to talk about apples and oranges but then you have to change your argument with qualifiers or else your point is baseless.

Whatever.

Battery life isn't the "Android deal killer" that Apple fans are making it out to be. The large screen and LTE radio put the Thunderbolt into a totally different class than the iPhone4. Obviously, those features require more power than your 3.5" 3g phone from last year.

Bottom line:

Swapping and upgrading your phone's battery is easy and convenient when the manufacturer doesn't insist on sealing them inside the device. These are features, not drawbacks, and the only thing preventing you from admitting so is that there isn't an Apple logo on the device.