iPhone will get MMS September 25
MMS finally arrives on the iPhone.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)Congratulations, iPhone, you can finally join the cell phone family. AT&T announced Thursday that the long-awaited multimedia messaging would arrive on Apple's device in the United States starting September 25. The iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G will support the service, but owners of the original iPhone will miss out since that handset lacks the proper radio.
In its brief statement, AT&T offered few reasons why it's taken so long to get such a basic cell phone feature. It only said MMS "required us to work on our network MMS architecture to carry the expected record volumes of MMS traffic and ensure an excellent experience from Day One."
The carrier also said it appreciates the patience of its customers (it better) and that it knows that many iPhone customers are "eager" (that's putting it mildly) for the MMS rollout. Other iPhone carriers around the world have offered MMS since the 3.0 update went live earlier this year.
On the magic day, you'll need a software update before you can send your first photo to another phone number. As we reported last month, some users have seen the MMS commands on their iPhone after the most recent software update, but they've been unable to use them.
And in case anyone is keeping score, September 25 is three days after autumn officially begins on September 22. At Apple's WWDC in June, a company exec said MMS would come later in the summer. And one more thing: we're still waiting for that promised tethering support.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent. 
Go ahead and swear, then go file a lawsuit because you didn't get MMS on your iPhone before the autumnal equinox.
I have no intentions of filing any lawsuits, but I would support those who would chose to do so.
"...so why would you blame AT&T and not Apple?"
Apparently you don't have a clue about this issue. Apple has had MMS capability for some time. AT&T has even said so. So, get your facts straight.
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Take your Apple-bashing comments elsewhere.
Possible, if people LEAVE AT&T en masse. Then perhaps AT&T's service might AT LAST finally see some improvement.
2. Watch your bill like a hawk, if there's a way for AT&T to charge for this they will.
3. As for tethering, they've not released that feature because they want to come up with some lame excuse as to why they should be allowed to charge iPhone users more money for the feature.
Face it AT&T, you are a pipe, a conduit, the cashier at Wal-Mart, we've made the decision on what device we want to use, now provide the service that other carriers are capable of and stop putting up hurdles.
AT&T Logo = Death Star
AT&T Motto "Reach out and crush someone."
You're thinking of Verizon. ATT just charges you an arm and a leg upfront.
Here is a screenshot I took a while ago. Sorry if cnet doesn't like it but ... [URL=http://img181.imageshack.us/i/img1264.png/][IMG]http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2936/img1264.png[/IMG][/URL]
all these features(mms and tethering like u said) can all be done on iphones. all ppl have to do is get them unlocked. its just funny how companies play on ppl's emotions and pockets lol
3. As for tethering, I can agree to that seeing as some people here are able to tether with the iPhone without being charged (right?), however AT&T charges extra for tethering with the blackberry, so... ? ?
"AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 GB in a month."
I have an iPhone now with AT&T. Looking forward to playing with the MMS "feature" for about two weeks or so, then I'll be dumping the iPhone and AT&T for either the HTC Hero on Sprint or the "Sholes" on Verizon.
The iPhone is a wonderful device. Too bad it's connected to AT&T....
I'm through with AT&T. Sick of dropped calls. I drop calls WHEN I AM NOT EVEN MOVING (and with 5 bars of signal strength). I am sick of voicemails that are delivered 24 hours late (or later). Incoming texts are just as late..... I cannot justify paying AT&T for that!!!
Sprint or Verizon (with an Android device) here I come!!
Put the iPhone on Verizon and I'll take another look at it.
I've tried them all. People always complain about the carrier they're on. You just hear more complaints about AT&T because iPhone users seem to expect more (not that you shouldn't if you have a really powerful phone).
But I had plenty of dropped calls on both Sprint and Verizon too, text messages that would take hours to arrive and then arrive all at once, voicemails that *never* arrived, phones that went straight to voicemail even with 4 bars of signal strength, phones that defaulted to analog mode even with 4 bars of digital strength, etc.
I also have a T-Mobile pre-paid phone right now (as a "business" phone) and I have the same issues.
The plain and simple fact is that cell phone service in the United States just sucks. It's not just AT&T. It's everybody.
oh. that's because i ditched my 3G and switched to a Blackberry Bold ... womp.
oh. that's because i live in Canada with my iPhone 3GS ... also have tethering at no charge (yet)
AT&T sucks even more than Rogers (amazing).
Don't give a rats @ss about wifi and I don't care for all the multi-media garbage. If you have to play with a browser on your cell phone you are seriously a frick'n dork. Normal people just need a good phone with access to email, attachments, appointments, etc.
I think you need to differentiate between "need" and "want". "Normal" people do not need email, attachments, appointments, etc. on their telephone - all they "need" is the ability to make phone calls and perhaps send messages via SMS. What they may "want", however, are those other features that you mentioned and I see absolutely no reason why a web browser would not be on that list. A web browser gives you access to colossal amounts of information and that is certainly very useful when you are out and about.
Frankly, I suspect that you are just making excuses for your preferred platform, which is just idiotic. Given the choice between 2 devices with exactly the same form, features and price except that one has a web browser, do you really think that people would flip a coin to decide which one to choose? People "want" a browser in their smartphone and very soon they will all have one.
Normal is a setting on the dishwasher; it's hardly a good expression when referring to consumers
"If you have to play with a browser on your cell phone you are seriously a frick'n dork. Normal people just need a good phone with access to email, attachments, appointments, etc."
Do normal people argue on cnet about which smartphone is better?
Seriously, thats what you have to say on the topic? If your Blackberry on Verizon is so great why did you read this article?
Real-speak - we're going to stop throttling throughput from 1.7Mbps. (They're probably going to raise it to 2Mbps - I sincerely doubt they will put it anywhere near even 5Mbps even though the max [quoted] for the 3GS is 7.2 ;)
That's all I want to know. MMS isn't free on their other phones with data plans, so I fully expect AT&T to add another service fee to the monthly bill for this 'new' feature. If they include it on the standard iPhone data plan, that would go a long way towards helping consumer feelings towards AT&T. If they choose to charge more for it, then that may be another nail in the relationship they have with consumers.
I don't know that I'd use it. If I want to send a photo to another iPhone user, I simply attach it to an email message. If I want I want to send text, I send an email. It works across platforms without any issue.
I would not be terribly surprised if they put in a cap of 200 messages or something similar, then offer the premium service for higher users.
Can you give a link that says this specifically about the iPhone plans? Remember, almost every feature costs much more for the iPhone than it does for any other phone they offer...
That means no MMS included...
AT&T has been offering MMS on their other phones for some time. It is included in the text messaging plan.
If AT&T tried to charge separately for text messaging and MMS, there'd be a revolt. Given that you have to buy an unlimited data plan with any smartphone separately to begin with, both of these services should just be included. The fact that there's even a separate charge for messaging at all is bad enough. Two separate charges would be outright offensive.
"Remember, almost every feature costs much more for the iPhone than it does for any other phone they offer... "
Really? Like what?
PS Get off my lawn!
I write blog posts all the time via MMS, for example.
The only reason you must use MMS for anything is to send a picture message to someone who doesn't have a smart phone on the other end. Now, it is obviously nicer if you are having a text chat to just be able to drop in a picture, but you can also say "check your email" right now, so it's inconvenient but not the end of the world while we wait for MMS.
I do know that before the upgrade my iPhone would only get one or two bars at my house and only on edge. Now I get full bars with 3G. The surprising thing is that my battery lasts longer now.
This is just speculation on my part, but I would guess that Apple required the massive upgrade in order to keep the iPhone contract. This will be good for all ATT customers, if they have an iPhone or not.
Before the upgrade, I got better service from Sprint. Now my ATT service is better by X 10. In February when my data contract with Sprint ends I will go all ATT.
29 international carriers had MMS running when the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware was released in June. AT&T's tardy deployment of MMS has absolutely nothing to do with Apple.
iProductionKiller aka...iPhone was mostly to blame is: ?due to enough differences in hardware between the original and newer iPhones, MMS wasn?t going to be able to be supported. It was an oversite in the original design, wrong radio, hello. Now, some old phones and new phones aren't both going to take the MMS's. Lame, apple has done it again. I'm not saying ATT is a saint, far from it. The bandwidth is an excuse given that seems tollerable to both companies without admitting guilt. Apple is to blame. Every other phone, smartphone, laptop card in the world, email ".txt" whatever, supports MMS. 2 and 2 is 5 for sure."
@solicitehere--Sorry, but your logic is flawed, seeing as how 29 other countries have had MMS on the iPhone. It is most definitely a carrier (AT&T) problem.
Sheesh. You guys are talking about a matter of a few months. This feature should have been available on iPhones since day one, like it was on every single other phone on the market. My old Samsung SGH-A707 could do MMS and it's about 3 years old - and a dumbphone!
This is Apple's fault. If they had had MMS on the iPhone 2 years ago, it wouldn't have taken AT&T until now to turn it on.
The problem is, iPhone users expend X 10 the bandwidth of other smart phone users. The Zergswarm of new iPhone users would drag down any network even at normal usage. ATT has been spending a great deal of money in very lean economic times to pull off a historic upgrade.
Over the Summer, they have gone from the weakest most overused network to the shiniest spiffy new network with the best service. I find this quite impressive.
- by ulm_warhawks2008 September 3, 2009 2:56 PM PDT
- My past bills have said the same exact thing Text Messaging Plan MMS Opt Out but my August and my current bills says:
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- by eunosroadster September 6, 2009 3:53 AM PDT
- lol if you guy knew the real truth. I work in an ATT building, ATT doesn't suck, period. talk to Steve Jobs. if you think the iPhone is going to another carrier, you're mistaken. MMS sucks.
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Showing 1 of 3 pages (142 Comments)Iphone customer,
Data Plan Iphone $30
Family MSG unlimited $30
Multimedia Messaging
Text Messaging
This resembles the msg plan(Messaging Unlimited for Families) found at this link:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/services/services-list.jsp?catId=cat1470003&catName=Messaging+%26+Data
If you click on phone beside see compatible Phones...You will find the below listing that lists the iPhone 3G and 3GS as compatible phones
View Details You need a compatible plan and phone to get this feature.
See compatible: Phones and Plans
Apple: iPhone 3G - 16 GB , iPhone 3G - 8GB , iPhone 3GS - 16 GB , iPhone 3GS - 32 GB
First Gen is not listed because Apple stated that the radio is not compatible to receive or send picture or video messages.