We’re kinda shocked at this, and we can’t help but wonder if this is the first sign of change in the Tim Cook years, but Apple and AT&T are apparently in talks to change the 3G icon in the iPhone 4S’ status bar to a 4G one.
Now before everyone gets the pitchforks out and starts to march on Cupertino, let’s have a bit of a recap.
Apple took great pains to point out an increase in speed during the iPhone 4S launch on Tuesday. Apple’s newly redesigned antenna, the company claims, means that the theoretical maximum download speed of the 4S is twice that of the other 3G-equipped iPhones. That’s 14.4Mbps up from 7.2Mbps, for those not paying attention. That’s HSPA+, and whether that constitutes 4G, very much depends on your outlook on the whole mobile speed battle.
AT&T, and T-Mobile for that matter, have both put their stake in the ground, saying that HSPA+ is indeed 4G, though AT&T is also currently rolling out its own LTE network, which most would agree, is much more 4G than HSPA+ ever will be. The fact that AT&T has two separate ‘4G’ networks on the go at once, perhaps shows that even they aren’t sure about HSPA+.
According to This Is My Next, AT&T now wants Apple to make the iPhone 4S read its network as 4G,on its own network that is. At first that sounded preposterous – Apple has never done what carriers have asked and, on more than a few occasions, has actively sought to do the complete opposite.
Now, it appears confirmation has been received that AT&T and Apple are indeed working together to put a 4G icon in the stats bar of AT&T iPhone 4S handsets.
It’s quite a departure from the way Apple usually treats its carrier partners, and could possibly be the first sign of changes inside the famous Cupertino company. Is the Tim Cook era going to be one of a more understanding approach to its mobile carrier friends, with Apple no longer being happy to make enemies, happy in the knowledge that they need Apple more then Apple needs them?
We’ll no doubt get to see the answer to that question as the months and years roll on, but here’s hoping Apple doesn’t turn into a pussycat overnight!
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