iPhone users have been waiting not-so-patiently for months for AT&T to get its network together in order to offer multimedia messaging (MMS). When the iPhone 3.0 operating system was announced at the Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference in June, Apple told the audience, with an almost audible sigh, that AT&T was not yet set up to allow MMS on the iPhone in the United States, despite the fact that iPhone users around the world have been enjoying it since that 3.0 release in June. It’s been a sore spot as AT&T tries to get Apple to extend its exclusive contract beyond its current 2010 expiration date as well. Verizon has been hovering, just waiting for that agreement to end so they can swoop in and gobble up AT&T’s very lucrative iPhone business. They may have to wait a little longer. AT&T announced yesterday that MMS will be available on the iPhone starting September 25.
If you haven’t already upgraded to at least an iPhone 3G, you’re out of luck. MMS will not work on the original iPhone because that device does not have the necessary equipment installed. MMS will only work on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. On September 25, iPhone users will need to update their software for the change to take effect, and then can begin sending photos via MMS with abandon.
Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. A few recent lawsuits were filed against Apple and AT&T because MMS is not yet available. The plaintiffs claim both companies have engaged in false advertising despite the fact that neither company has specified a release date for MMS before now. The claim also seemed premature considering that the carrier promised in June that MMS would be available “later this summer.” Summer officially ends September 22, three days before the scheduled MMS launch. This may add a little fuel to the fire because it will allow those plaintiffs to say AT&T didn’t deliver on its promise to consumers. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
And by the way, still no word on when tethering will be available without jailbreaking the iPhone.
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