A couple of other thoughts I want to share as the WWDC closes down:
There are numerous rumors going around that the iPhone 3G will, in fact, be tetherable to your notebook computer. Apparently, though, the data plan will cost more for tethering…weird.
Weird rumors are floating around that there are still additional features of the 3G iPhone that have not been made public yet. The level of certainty is variable but on the high end of certainty is that there is still an unannounced sensor of some sort built into the phone. Another, less reliable, rumor is that the 3G iPhone does, actually, have a front-facing video camera. That would be sooooo cool but I can’t see Jobs missing out on the opportunity to announce it at the WWDC.
The new plastic back panel of the iPhone, which replaces a metal panel, apparently yields significantly better voice call reception. This would be a big bonus for me as the iPhone’s reception in my home is less than ideal, resulting in frequent dropped calls and gaps in conversation.
I was thinking about the possibility of a late-breaking feature announcement for the iPhone and I could see it. It would be an interesting tactic for truly escalating the iPhone 3G hype. The phone is going to be a success no matter what. Say that no mention is made of the camera until the day the phones are available. I could see a mad rush of people - even more so than last year - lining up to get hold of one. A feature like live video conferencing would simply blow people away.
As for myself, I gotta get one on the first day, I just haven’t figured out how to do it without standing in some intolerably long line. I need to find the most remote, least trafficked Apple store or AT&T store that will have the phone and wait there.