iPhone Buyer's Guide

From Mac Guides

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To date, the iPhone has been on a yearly update timeline, with a new model released each June. Each new model update has brought double the storage of the previous generation, typically at the same price point, along with other updates. If an update trend were to be extrapolated from the limited data available, it appears as though every other year brings about major hardware and internals updates (original 2G iPhone, 3G S), with the in-between years being more focused on adding some features and updating the cosmetics but based on the same hardware as the previous generation (3G, 2010 iPhone??).

AT&T's exclusivity contract with Apple for the iPhone is set to expire in 2010, however AT&T is reportedly attempting to extend the contract. Recent rumors suggest that, due to the similarity of 4G cellular network technology plans by AT&T and Verizon, if the iPhone is expanded to Verizon (or other carriers), it most likely won't happen until these carriers have rolled out their 4G networks (assuming AT&T's exclusivity has expired by then). Verizon and AT&T have planned to roll out 4G beginning in 2011.

The most realistic speculation for a 2010 iPhone update (assuming there is one) at this point in time is the addition of a few features to the current model (3G S) and some cosmetic updates (perhaps new casing), but no major internal hardware or architecture updates until the 2011 iPhone (this would follow what occurred with the 3G update to the original 2G iPhone). This 2011 iPhone would coincide with the introduction of 4G cellular networks as discussed above, so it is unlikely that 4G cellular hardware would be included in the iPhone until 2011.

See also

• iPhone