But I can’t use those features. Why? Because my iPhone is crippled by Apple’s exclusive carrier agreement with AT&T.
I’ve never been a fan of AT&T, a company that seems remarkably creative when it comes to screwing customers over. As an iPhone user, I already pay a premium for service and sign a Draconian two-year service contract for a decidedly stingy and lackluster plan. Similarly-priced plans from other providers include free, unlimited text messages … but because mine doesn’t, I pay AT&T even more.
My iPhone makes it possible to check email, surf the Internet, and use interactive maps on the go. That might prove useful when I’m traveling abroad — like the time I was lost in London, or this September, when I’ll be in New Zealand — but because AT&T charges unreasonable and prohibitive fees for International service, these services can’t be used in foreign countries.
And then, to add insult to injury, today’s iPhone 3.0 announcement introduced multimedia text messaging and data tethering for the iPhone … unless you’re an American with AT&T service. (I know, I know. These are “coming.”) Oh — and there’s no upgrade path for current iPhone 3G users like me.
My attitude toward AT&T has gone, today, from extreme distaste to total contempt. I’m not alone.
As an early adopter and a lover of gadgets, I’m exactly the sort of person Apple has targeted with the new iPhone 3GS. I’d love to have the new features: the camera, the videos, the digital compass, the power boost, the speed boost, the greater capacity. I’m willing to pay for them.
But as long as long as one “feature” of the iPhone is AT&T service … count me out. I’ll stick with my iPhone 3G until I can get me some iPhone goodness that isn’t in any way associated with AT&T.
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