Iphone FAQs

What is the iPhone?
See http://www.apple.com/iphone

1. What is the capacity of the iPhone?
There are two models -- 4Gb and 8Gb, respectively.

2.When will the iPhone be released?
June 29, 2007 in the U.S. (AT&T only)
End of 2007 in Europe (carrier unknown)
2008 in Asia (carrier unknown)
Canada - Exact timing is not known, although Rogers has stated that they are in active discussions with Apple on carrying the iPhone in Canada.

3.What carriers will the iPhone be available on?
In the U.S., Apple currently has a "multi-year exclusive contract" with AT&T. Nothing is known for certain about other countries at this point. The iPhone is a GSM phone, so regardless of the carriers that Apple may choose to make it available to, it will only work with GSM carriers.
In Canada, it appears the carrier will be Rogers. Since Rogers is the only national GSM provider in Canada (Fido is just another Rogers brand), this is to be expected.
In Europe, recent reports have indicated that Vodafone and/or T-Mobile may be potential carriers for the iPhone.

4.What cellular technology does the iPhone use?
It is a Quad-Band GSM "Worldphone"

5.Is there or will there be an unlocked version of the iPhone?
Although this is not known for certain, it would seem unlikely at this point, due to the Apple's agreement to sell the phone exclusively through AT&T. It is expected that similar agreements may be put in place in other countries as well.

Does the iPhone have a replaceable battery?
No.

Does the iPhone use a SIM card?
Yes. The SIM card slot is located in the top of the device. The SIM card itself is stored in a tray, and can be removed using a paperclip.

Is the iPhone be compatible with iPod charging accessories?
The iPhone uses the same 30-pin dock connector as other iPod models, so any accessories are physically compatible. Dedicated chargers do not appear to be a problem, but devices that perform some other function as well as charging may not even work simply to charge the iPhone. See our article iPod Add-Ons & iPhone: What You Need to Know

What about other accessories?
Devices that perform dedicated charging and/or syncing functions should mostly work as expected.
Speakers may or may not work, and in most cases will require the iPhone to be set to "Airplane Mode" (all wireless features disable) to prevent interference from the phone's wireless radio.
Dock-connecitng accessories that require some software support on the device itself (Nike+ kit, Camera Connector, FM Transmitter, etc) do not work at this point.
Again, see our article iPod Add-Ons & iPhone: What You Need to Know.

Is the memory expandable?
No.

Does the iPhone support third-party applications?
No. Additional applications will be added by Apple only through firmware upgrades. There will be third-party applications integrated into the iPhone (such as Google Maps, for example), but these will only be those applications approved and integrated into the firmware by Apple.
The one exception to this is that Apple has provided developers with the capabilities to develop "Web 2.0" applications for the iPhone. These run from web-sites via the iPhone's Safari Web Browser, so it's not entirely accurate to call them true applications on the iPhone. Further, they will not get a place on the iPhone's Home screen.

Can you stream Internet radio stations?
No.

Can you sync with Microsoft Outlook?
Yes. The iPhone uses the same synchronization technology currently available in iTunes, and can sync contact information with Outlook Express or Outlook 2003 or later. Calendar information can be synchronized with Outlook 2003 or later only (as Outlook Express does not include a calendar feature). Note that tasks are not synchronized from Outlook, however, as the iPhone simply doesn't provide task support in its calendar application.

Can you read eBooks on the iPhone?
Not at this time. At this point, there is no eBook Reader application currently on the device, but Apple could still add one in a future firmware update.

Does the iPhone Sync Wirelessly?
Not at this time. Other than e-mail delivery and browser-based Internet access, all synchronization is done through the docking port. No WiFi or cellular over-the-air sync capabilities are presently available. This could be added in the future, however.

Does the iPhone have voice dial?
Not at this time. At this point, there is no voice dial capability, but Apple could still add this in the future through a firmware upgrade.

Does the iPhone have an iChat or other IM client?
Not at this time. At this point, there is no chat/IM capability beyond SMS, but Apple could still add this in the future through a firmware upgrade.

Can the background image be changed?
Yes. Any image in the photo library can be selected as a background image, however this only seems to appear on the certain screens.

Can alternate ring tones be selected?
No.

Can music be played via the Speaker Phone?
Yes. This can also be particularly useful for portable photo slideshows, and TV/movie playback.

Does the iPhone have a GPS?
No. A GPS is a hardware-based device, and the iPhone is pretty much hardware-complete at this point due to FCC certification requirements. However, since the iPhone does support bluetooth, compatibility with Bluetooth GPS Receivers is possible, but this would require integrated software support to be provided by Apple, which does not exist in the present model.

What e-mail services does the iPhone support?
Any e-mail service using IMAP4 or POP3. Additionally, users on Yahoo mail will be able to have their e-mail "pushed" to their device, rather than having to poll for it. The minimum (shortest) polling interval appears to be every 15 minutes.

Does the iPhone support rich-text e-mail?
You will be able to read rich-text e-mail, and likely forward them. There is no ability to compose rich-text e-mail at this time, however.

Does the iPhone have a vibrate mode?
Yes.

How easy will it be to switch between WiFi and EDGE?
The iPhone will switch seamlessly between the two, depending on your coverage. WiFi will naturally be preferred when available.

Is there a headphone port on the iPhone?
Of course. Note, however, that the headphone port is recessed in such a way that many headphones will require an extension adapter in order to fit within the headphone port.

Will the iPhone have an FM radio?
No.

Is this a true widescreen display?
The resolution is 320x480, which is a 1.5 aspect ratio. This is the same aspect ratio that NTSC DVDs natively use (720x480), and most "widescreen" computer monitors. This is a slightly different technical aspect ratio from a widescreen 16:9 TV (1.78), but there are differences between how TV and computer displays render pixels on a widescreen video. The short answer is that it will play normal anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen videos with no cropping. Cinemascope "anamorphic" widescreen movies (2.35:1) will still have the black bars at the top and bottom, as they would on a widescreen TV as well. During the Keynote demo, both Zoolander (1.78:1), and Pirates of the Caribbean (2.35:1) were shown, so the differences can be seen by looking at the Keynote.

Will this phone support HSDPA in the future and up to what speed?
In the version that has been announced - no. As is usually the case with Apple, nothing has been announced regarding future product directions. Obviously higher speed technology is inevitable, but only Apple knows for sure when that's going to happen. Current indications are that only a minority of the North American market would be able to take advantage of an HSDPA phone based on current infrastructure anyway, so it is unlikely this feature will be added until there is broader infrastructure support.

Will SIP be supported?
Again, in the current version - no. Since the iPhone will not support third-party application at this time, it is also unlikely that this will be a user-installable feature. It should be noted that SIP phones in North America are generally frowned upon by carriers as it provides a way of making phone calls that does not use the cellular phone network.

Is e-mail encryption supported?
There are really two aspects to this question. Encrypted e-mail content (using S/MIME or PGP) is not presently supported, however, the iPhone does support e-mail communication over encrypted connections, as almost all mainstream e-mail clients now support SSL.

Is the iPhone be available for purchase without a contract?
Yes and no. You can purchase the iPhone without having to sign up for a contract in-store, either at an Apple or AT&T store. However, you will not be able to use any aspect of the iPhone, including the iPod features, until y ou have activated the iPhone with an AT&T service plan via an activation wizard in iTunes. During this process, AT&T will require you to sign up for a two-year contract.
This activation wizard must be re-run each time the iPhone is "Restored" to factory settings via iTunes.

Can another carrier's SIM card be used in the iPhone?
No, the iPhone is locked to the AT&T network.
While it is certainly possible that somebody may eventually be able to figure out how to unlock the iPhone so any SIM card can be used (similar to other cell phone devices), this has not been successfully done as of yet.

Can another AT&T SIM card be used in the iPhone?
Yes, most AT&T SIM cards will work fine in the iPhone, but will need to be activated for iPhone service via the iTunes Activation wizard.

Is the iPhone usable at all without a SIM card?
Yes -- once it has been activated (see above). The iPhone is fully functional without a SIM card, with the obvious exception that you will not be able to make or receive phone calls, or use any EDGE-based data features. Wireless access via WiFi is still usable within range of a WiFi access point, however.
Note that this can only be done once the iPhone has been activated with an AT&T contract through iTunes' Activation Wizard.

How is Apple handling contract activation for the iPhone, particularly for phones sold in Apple Stores and online?
The iPhone contract and activation paperwork will not be done over-the-counter, but rather the process will be handled via the iTunes application. " iTunes will guide users through steps to choose a service plan, authorize their credit and activate their iPhone. Once activation is complete, users can then use iTunes to sync their contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts, TV shows and movies to the iPhone just like an iPod."

Is the iPhone useable as an iPod without a contract or service plan?
Since the Activation Process described above is required of a new iPhone, it is not practical to assume that you can purchase it with the intent of not using it as a phone. Once activated, however, the iPhone appears to function properly without a SIM card inserted, and will therefore likely continue to function even with a dormant SIM card.
Note that you will need to go through the activation wizard again if you ever perform a "Restore" on your iPhone (returning it to factory settings).

What are the pricing plans for the iPhone?
See AT&T, Apple reveal iPhone service plans.The basic run-down appears to be as follows:
All plans include unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS text messages, rollover minutes, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling.
The first plan, priced at $60 a month, includes 450 anytime minutes and 5000 night and weekend minutes.
The second, which runs $80 a month, includes 900 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes.
The third, and most expensive, plan offers 1350 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes, at a price of $100 a month.
Plans four, five, and six offer 2000, 4000, or 6000 minutes for $119.99, $169.99, or $219.99, with unlimited night and weekend minutes.
Users with existing voice plans with AT&T can add an iPhone data plan for an additional $20 a month that will provide unlimited e-mail and Internet access and Visual Voicemail.
SMS package upgrades are available -- $10 a month for 1,500 SMS messages, or $20 a month for unlimited SMS messages.
All plans are based on a new two-year service agreement with AT&T, and include a one-time activation fee of $36. Family plans are also available.Additional information on the iPhone can be found at Apple's iPhone Support Page and in the iPhone User's Guide (Manual) . iPhone users in particular should see the user guide -- it's a fairly detailed 124 page manual that didn't come in the box with the iPhone and needs to be downloaded separately