The next iPhone is widely rumored to debut in September, but according to an AT&T rep, it’s going to slip even later, and won’t be seen until October.
According to a new report sourced from a user who recently spoke to an AT&T rep about signing up for the next iPhone, AT&T has already hosted meetings with many of its staff, coaching them on what to say to customers asking when the new iPhone will arrive. That makes sense: many people who signed up for the iPhone 3GS when it became available in July two years ago will be looking for a new iPhone in a month or two… an iPhone Apple won’t be providing.
According to the AT&T rep, corporate is telling employees that the next iPhone has been delayed because of the “white iPhone” until October.
That’s one month later than has been widely rumored, although it still fits into Apple’s announcement line-up. If Apple announces the next iPhone at their annual iPod event in September, they could ship the new iPhone just a few weeks later.
As for whether or not the next iPhone would be a true work phone, with each handset capable of working on both AT&T and Verizon, the AT&T employee said that wasn’t discussed at the meeting, but that he personally believes that Apple won’t do it “until the next iPhone after 5 when 4G will be on it.”
If that statement is to be believed, consider that confirmation that the iPhone 4S will not boast LTE capabilities, and that AT&T is telling its reps as such.
[via MacTrast]
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
45 responses to “AT&T Rep: iPhone 4S Will Come Out In October, But With No 4G”
This is not to be belived – if Apple is not to deliver a new phone until september or october thy will have to deliver a lot more than a 4s upgrade. IPhone will be way behind a lot of Adroid phones regards tec spes at least. It is more likely that we will see a iPhone 5 in the autum. If not we will see a 4s in july as is a normal iPhone timeline.
I am guessing the 4S (which is really a 5) will be a stop gap until they release the iPhone 6 in summer 2012.
Give me a break. You are writing an article based on what an AT&T rep said. I do not think AT&T is telling their reps to say that to customers.
an apple fan – who workes for german telekom – told me that they don’t expact a new model until early 2012… :-/
Bullcr*p. Why do even print this stuff? “A friend of a friend tells me that…” this is puer rumor mongering. I have asked AT&T employees for years about forthcoming iPhone hints and I get the same response every time: “I don’t know any more than you do.” Apple has not told AT&T or Verizon when the next phone is coming and AT&T surely has not shared the tech world’s biggest secret with its thousands of hourly-wage + commission employees.
Nonsense. All is as before.
1) All indications are that the next iPhone will come out in the September/October time frame.
2) iPhone is not, and will not be, “way behind” any Android phones regarding tech specs. The next iPhone will have a dual core chip of the same general variety you find in Android phones, but no doubt about 25% faster. It’s cameras will still be more or less the same as most Android ones by spec, and take pictures far better than all of them.
3) LTE is currently still a gimmick that doesn’t work that well and has limited availability.
So just like with all the previous versions, the new iPhone will have more or less the same technical specs as Android phones, (with the exception of a few that have one or another bleeding edge feature that actually adds nothing more to the phone and is more of a problem than a feature). The software and hardware tuning Apple is able to do will make that same spec hardware perform much better and more reliably than the Android equivalent, and users will end up (as always) far more satisfied with their iOS purchase than with their Android one.
“… the 4s (which is really a 5) …”
This makes no sense given that the iPhone 4 is literally the only iPhone released where the number matches the version.
I agree with everything other than the comment about the camera. The 8MP on the Droid X takes much better pictures than the 5MP camera on the iPhone.
I’m surprised this is even a story.
Att has not held meetings with employees as what to say about the next iPhone. I should know. I am an att employee
No “4G” or LTE then I don’t want it. Not going to be strapped with an outdated phone for two years. I’m ready now to replace my iPhone 3G. I will wait to see what Apple deploys but if it’s not as mentioned, so long iPhone.
Well Apple already said millions of times, no LTE in the Iphone this year. But HSPA (the fake 4G speeds) has been heavily hinted at for the 4S. Doesn’t really matter if you don’t even have an HSPA network in your area like me.
I’m glad I picked up a Verizon iPhone 4 when it came out. Looking forward to the iPhone 5/6 LTE next year :)
yes apple need to pump alot into these new iphones coming out to stay alongside competition, but il be saving up to buy whicheve comes out
Disagree with #2. And #3 is irrelevant in many cases because BOTH sides are guilty of “X is not good because it’s not popular/doesn’t work yet/ had a bad launch/ is completely pointless/ lacks features ect…..”
“Way behind” no. behind? yes
Nvidia and Google both have multiple OEM’s signed up for the Kal-EL quad core chip to be in phones by winter at it’s release (With a Google nexus 3 being a prime contender. ) The only thing at this point that concerns me would be battery life, but Then again, on a nexus phone google makes sure we get as much juice as possible(can’t say the same about Other Android phones.*cringes*)
In the camera arena? Nokia has for the most part gotten both Android and Apple beat down with a 16MP camera(MP don’t make the camera but we are going based on that a 16MP looks nice.) and the DX2 8MP looks to be putting up quite a fight, although Apple’s camera is nice as well.
I’ll give apple software compared to Carrier OEM android phones. Nexus phones However I’m not letting take a hit because they function as they should and offer much more in the realm of control.
Also don’t use the Absolution fallacy. If everyone WAS more satisfied with iOS, then Android would not exists. Just saying.
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Specifications aren’t everything! All Apple cares about is user experience.
Most consumers (but maybe not tech-heads) just want a phone with good battery life that makes clear calls and keeps them connected to friends and family. If a phone takes photos, that’s a nice extra. A 5M pixels camera will produce a lovely 10×8″ print and a photo that looks great on an HDTV screen. Why would you want anything more that that, and if you do, why not buy an SLR?
By giving the majority of consumers what they want, Apple continues to rake in huge profits. Catering to a few geeks won’t bring in anywhere near as much money, which is why they won’t get into a specifications war with Android phone manufacturers.
Why should the thing have 4G/LTE? It’s only available on AT&T’s network in a handful of the top 10 metropolitain areas of the U.S., not EVEN “Nationwide” yet, and will not be for years. AT&T hasn’t even finished building its EDGE network across the entire occupied parts of the country. AT&T hasn’t even finished building its 3G network across the entire occupied parts of the country. So why saddle the next iPhone with 3 different radios, 3 different sets of antennas, and a battery that would be hard-pressed to make it half a day trying to connect to whatever one of these half-finished networks it sees as available.
I simply don’t uderstand why people are in such a hurry to make a change when their plan is up. My phone plan expired 3 years ago. I am still using the same phone at the same price. Should one of the phone companies get to the point where I don’t have to pay a foolosih amount for an IPhone data plan I will be able to take advantage immediately. Until then my phone works fine. I make and receive calls without problem and use my IPad for whatever else I might need.
I highly doubt that ATT has told their people anything. Because Apple likely hasn’t told them anything. So take any talk of a delay with a giant salt lick.
As for the LTE, we know from Apple’s history that they don’t jump on the latest tech just cause. LTE isn’t widespread yet and it has caused serious battery issues. Apple won’t play that game. So no LTE until at least the 6 is really not a shock.
As for all the rumors about glass cutting machines, curves etc. Frankly I suspect that that is prep work for prototyping the iphone 6 and we could still very well get an announcement about the iphone 5 the week of WWDC (just not at WWDC) or the week after, with a release in mid July. it will be either 4 models of the 5 for each carrier (16W, 16B, 32W, 32B) with the iphone 4 refit as an 8GB two color choice for each carrier. or they will use the alleged dual chip already in the Verizon to have one line that is activated to the correct carrier via software. Same 6 choice spread.
The iphone 5 however will be just a slight processor upgrade, perhaps a slightly better camera and maybe a screen with a bit less glare. But that’s it. Basically iphone 5 is to iphone 4 as the iphone 3gs was to the iphone 3. Not really a huge jump for those with the 4 so no real need to upgrade but for the 3gs users it’s a reason to make the leap
” I am still using the same phone at the same price.”
That’s why folks jump to upgrade when they can. You don’t get a discount when your contract is up
By the talk of the carriers they front up to $400 for your phone in exchange for you agreeing to a contract (and an ETF if you want to leave early). You pay that back over the two years as part of your monthly fee. So basically about $12 of every month is paying off your iphone (less if you are on a non smart phone). AT the end of 24 months you have paid for your phone. But you don’t get that $12 off your bill. You are paying the same $80 or so a month just like you did on contract, just like you would if you bought a full price phone.
So if you are going to be paying off a phone you didn’t buy anyway, why not buy a new phone and actually be getting something for your money
Actually they probably have held meetings. That went something like “Apple hasn’t told us shite so when someone asks that is what you are to tell them. Don’t guess. Just ‘We haven’t been told’ “
the iphone 4 is already “way” behind as far as tech specs. its old technology thats a simple fact. dual core chipsets are already launching on multiple android devices and to say that even if they launch dual core procs that the iphones will be faster is just ridiculous. makes me believe you have never tried anything other than the iphone 4. ive owned and spent a significant amount of time with both and the iphone 4 just does not cut it. reliability? ive never once had a problem with my android device so if you could please stop reading other forums and have some original thoughts of your own