06/07/2007, 9:40am, EDT
Thursday, June 7thiPhone ad suggests Flash, no 2-year need?
Apple's fourth iPhone ad may allude to previously unexpected features of the iPhone and its service, careful studies show. A look at the new promotional piece shows that the embedded Flash video on the New York Times website, while unplayed in the commercial, is properly visible -- displaying its typical controls rather than the error message which typically appears on the site when a browser lacks the necessary Adobe plugin to handle the content. The news suggests that most or all sites enabled with Flash for animations and controls will work properly, broadening the iPhone's usefulness online.
Equally significant may be the alterations to the ad graphics, observers note. Beginning with the airing of the fourth ad on TV, the end sequence no longer contains the "use requires 2 year activation plan" message that had accompanied the AT&T logo. Apple has also retroactively erased the notice from its earlier three ads.
The motivation behind the sudden change is unknown but may indicate either simple preference to remove the disclaimer or a new expansion of payment options beyond the two-year contract agreement that would otherwise be necessary to use the iPhone with AT&T's service. The carrier has just recently introduced a data option to its GoPhone pre-paid service but has made no indication that the Apple handset would qualify for such packages. [via Flickr user Andreas]
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- unlocked gsm cash purchase - financing for those that prefer such - pay as you go option
Let the uncontracted carriers outside the USA fight it out & actually compete on a fee for services basis rather than the current obfuscating mix of variable airtime, subsidized phone & 'network access' fees...
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/games/boomshine
while I am driving home!
On the other hand, it shouldn't be all that surprising anyway, because Flash is handled by core services in MacOS X.
However, it may simply be that iPhone's Safari includes streamlined ways of dealing with content it can't handle, replacing it with a preview rather than an ugly error message.
I think given the content of the ads, it'd be a bit ironic and unlikely, not to mention illegal vis-a-vis false advertising, if the iPhone's browser were to be watered down. Yes, I know Steve originally said "no flash"...but maybe he was meaning the camera!
BTW, to geobunny, I didn't realize Steve-o said "No flash". But it seems more likely that's for the limited camera on the thing then for web support (and Flash is used heavily on a lot of sites, and it would be hard to say its a full-featured browser without support for some plug-ins.)
And, more importantly, and more sign of the mysterious 12th app????? Because we know it couldn't have been a slip-up in the ads, using an older picture or phone OS, but that Apple was trying to hide something but, for some reason, let the advertisers get a hold of the phone with the mysterious app anyway.
And how come no one's here being an ass and complaining about how the add talks about the "internet", but should say "world wide web". Someone raised a ruckus over this on AppleInsider!
Given that I have at least 1 year left with tmobile and a Nokia E70 with a little new-tech smell left on it, I think I shall wait for the higher-capacity iPhone with builtin GPS and a landscape touchscreen keyboard..