iPhone 5 buyers demand iCloud storage and LTE as must-have f
Source: Beatweek
The lingering iPhone 5 launch window has potential buyers upping their list of demands regarding what the device should offer. Chief among those priorities are the inclusion of LTE networking and cloud-era local storage which goes up and not down. The fear among would-be users is that Apple will exclude 4G LTE despite Verizon and AT&T pushing for it, out of respect for the relatively small percentage of user (particularly of the latter carrier) who will be able to take advantage of the next-gen network at present. And as Apple pushes iCloud as a way of keeping music stashed on a server far away, users are looking to hold Apple to an increase in local iPhone 5 storage after having topped out at the same capacity for a couple generations.
“The iPhone 5 better either have 32 GB or 64 GB storage on it,” says Beatweek reader sar73. “I am hoping that Apple doesn’t become a bunch of shysters and put less storage on them so they can force customers to use iCloud instead. I guess that ran across my mind because if the ip5 had less memory but ip4 or 3gs were still available with ample storage on them, the ip5 wouldn’t sell. Just an outside of the box view”…
Meanwhile, Will Ashby wants LTE on his iPhone 5 and he wants it now: “I honestly don’t care when it comes out this year as long as it has LTE. If it doesn’t I may have to pass. I love Apple products but LTE is insanely fast and no 3G phone can compete because its not about the phone but the network. Knowing Apple they most likely will because every company is selling their 4G as the next big thing and if it doesn’t have it the companies will not promote it as much as their 4G phones. Don’t get me wrong. the iPhone 5 will sell like crazy with or without LTE, but will lose a significant amount of potential buyers with a lack of LTE. LTE for Verizon covers 100 million nationwide which should be enough incentive to add it, but thats just my two cents.”
Verizon’s 4G LTE nationwide map looks like it covers far less than a hundred million subscribers; in fact Verizon Wireless only has about 110 million customers total. Perhaps Will was referring to the total number of people who live within range of Verizon LTE and could potentially become customers. In any case, point taken regarding Apple looking oddly out of place if it launches the iPhone 5 as one of the few remaining smartphones not to offer LTE…
Then there’s Beatweek reader TGMzero who may or may not find himself sniffing around elsewhere if the iPhone 5 lacks LTE: “Hopefully it drops early October. I’m need it to test against my Droid Bionic. I love all this technology. I’m actually wondering if the i5 will have Verizon LTE. Not a deal breaker, but it could be a blow in Androids favor. Sure, LTE drains batteries like no ones business, but personally, its worth it. Again though, not a deal breaker. Verizon’s 3G is great, and I have a grandfathered unlimited plan so I’m good. A larger screen is also on my wish list. Not huge, but even a couple mom’s would do.” Here’s more on the iPhone 5.
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