Comments on: iPhone users love their Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi usage for smartphone users, particularly iPhone users, is on the rise.

[ballmerisanape]

Maybe these numbers include the iPod touch? The touch is selling like hot cakes...

[sythara]

Not likely. I mean how con you confuse the two?

[SeizeCTRL]

@ sythara

what do you mean? they are almost the exact same device minus the phone. I'm sure anyone picking up web stats will not really be able to tell the deference between Safari on the iPod Touch and Safari on the iPhone. Unless you are looking for the phone ear piece at the top, you really can't tell the difference between the two.

[Vegaman_Dan]

The Touch and iPhone both only report themselves as Safari running on a portable device. The stats don't differentiate between the two. That said, there aren't nearly enough Touch units out there to really skew the numbers that much.

[SteenMachine]

ballmerisanape is correct (on both comment and screen name).

The iPod touch users are included and could be significantly adding to the numbers. According to most analysts, iPod projected sales this quarter are ~ 20MM, while iPhone are should be around AAPL's last quarter (~6.x MM). How many of the 20MM iPods are Touches? Given the number of commercials I see on TV, plus the lower price points, 40% (8MM) seems quite reasonable.

[rshah29]

Please gravitate towards the fastest available speeds. If WiFi is available and your iPhone can get onto it easily, why not?

As for Verizon fearing VoIP services, we're too late in the 2000s to be afraid of new technology eating our lunch. You either adopt or lose. Case in point: music labels failing to adopt digital music.

If Verizon is truly afraid, they will eventually lose the battle.

[drhamad]

I also use wifi on my iPhone because it drains the battery significantly more slowly than does 3G.

[slickuser]

That's because AT&T's 3G network sucks!!!

[ntodorov]

I had some thoughts about Storm vs iPhone but without WiFi - forget it!!!
How it is possible RIM to do such a bad decision?!?

I have a friend that have blocked its 3G data connection and uses iPhone browsing only with WiFi. This speaks by it self.

[aaydogan]

Lack of Wi-Fi is one of the Blackberry Storm's greatest shortcomings. The combination of a dead slow interface and no Wi-Fi should kill this iPhone pretender early on in the running. Oh, what phone do I use? Verizon Blackberry 8830. I want an iPhone, but not AT&T. (a replaceable battery and cut/paste functionality wouldn't hurt either) I guess I just want it all: touch screen, wi-fi, bluetooth, speed of use and speed of connectivity, great coverage (domestically and internationally) and a reasonable price (initial cost and usage costs).

My two cents!

[Xedous]

The reason more users are using Wi-Fi is because they are hanging out at Starbucks all day, writing their epic novels on their Macbooks, with their cardigan sweaters draped over their shoulder, drinking the venti-triple-mocha-sugar-free-non-fat-latte. ;) I kid, I kid.

[Cheetahjab]

but you don't kid, it's sadley true

[SeizeCTRL]

The whole reason I bought an iPod Touch was because my crappy little Instinct lacks WiFi. For the most part, I have to give credit for Sprint on at least trying to fix all the issues with the Instinct, but it came too late as I had already purchased the iPod Touch to make up for all the shortcomings of the Instinct.

Any time I am at WiFi, I don't even bother pulling out my phone and going 3g... it's right to the iPod Touch and using WiFi for a lot of the same reasons above... speed and reliability.

[davg]

Not only is WiFi much faster and more reliable than 3G, when available, but it also saves on data roaming charges when in other countries. I would never consider a non-WiFi phone, as data roaming charges are prohibitive when travelling and WiFi is the obvious solution. Verizon may think its going to make money by forcing its users to pay huge data roaming changes, but all it means is that any knowledgeable user will avoid Verizon altogether.

[gefitz]

Uh, this is news? And, wouldn't AT&T actually like to see some of their customers (a lot of whom pay a flat rate for "unlimited" data) do MORE over WiFi? I mean, at this point, the speeds of 3G, plus the limitation of not (legally or practically)) being able to stream audio/video relegates 3G to not much more than a backup in many situations anyway.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Customer response to new BlackBerrys such as the Storm and Bold prompted RIM to issue guidance way above previous expectations despite the economy.
I love it. Apple must hate this news as their stock has taken a beating lately , and it shows Mr Smug the iPhone isn`t the only game in town.

[jejmonte]

Wi-fi is also a good thing for someone that travels alot, as more and more airlines are starting to roll out wifi. I wuld be hppy to just use my BB rather then my laptop to answer emails. Hopefully the Iphone will come out sooner then later on Verizon, as I am not a big fan of the Storm.

[irondog1970]

I don't use 3G simply because I still have a 1st gen iPhone. I'm waiting for AT&T to beef up their 3G before paying more for less service.

As for Verizon, I agree with the poster who said that if Verizon is fighting technology, they will ultimately lose (rshah29). Users of Blackberry are already paying for the Verizon monthly contract as well as the data plan option, so they are already making their money. As Princess Leah said, the more you tighten your grip, the more star systems you'll let slip through your fingers.

Or as any gambler in Vegas will tell you, know when enough is enough.

[Amyaz]

I was traveling in Argentina with a friend. I had an iphone, she had a blackberry. She expected to be able to use it the entire trip, but there was never a network available. I had brought my phone for use as a music player - and wound up having wifi access almost everywhere we went! And it didn't cost me a dime. The experience left me a very happy iphone owner.

[project10]

I agree with the ease of WiFi connection reason, I own a Samsung i600 and I have to jump through (slow) hoops to make it connect to WiFi, even to the point of turning off the mobile part, that's just bad UID.

[cabrillo24]

If you could use Wifi over 3G why not? I like having that functionality. I was shocked to hear the Storm lacking this feature.

[iBuzz]

I can't understand Verizon's resistance to WiFi on its phones. With more and more people wanting to listen to Internet radio, watch videos, download apps, and surf on their larger-screen phones, WiFi provides a way to relieve the burden from the cellular network.

The majority of my iPhone data use is done through WiFi either in the office or at home. If I want to check the weather, movie times, sports scores, pick a restaurant, etc., it's just so much easier to pick up my phone to do these things. That info is always a button tap away. And most times I'm either home or in the office when I'm doing these things.