Cringely: 3G iPhone in time for Christmas

Long-time tech columnist Robert X. Cringely knows a thing or two about Apple. After all, he was one of the company's first employees (he foolishly turned down a stake in the company in favor of a few hundred bucks in cash, back in Apple's garage days) and has followed Jobs and friends since before there was any silicon in the valley. So when Cringely claims to have some inside information on the goings-on in Cupertino, I can't help but think it just might have a ring of truth to it. Which is why Cringely's latest column is such a doozy. He claims the iPhone will get 3G connectivity this fall. "It is my understanding that Apple and AT&T are planning a fall roll out for full 3G iPhone service, with technical trials already underway in certain AT&T markets," Cringely states. "It provides average mobile data download connections between 400 kilobits per second (kbps) and 700 kbps." Not quite blazing fast but still, a major improvement over the current EDGE data network.

This brings up a few questions, however--namely, does this mean a new version of the iPhone will be released in just a few months? "Given that it is coming so soon after the iPhone introduction, I can't believe that even Steve would make us buy new phones," Cringely writes. "It is very likely that a firmware upgrade will awaken the 3G within all you iPhone owners." That's a pretty lofty claim--that Apple built 3G support into the iPhone and didn't tell anyone. Still, it's not like they haven't done it before. But would Apple bring 3G support to the iPhone so soon after a launch that stressed the benefits of EDGE? Cringely seems to think this would serve as an early Christmas gift for the early adopters, while giving non-owners even more reason to buy the device during the holiday season. I'm not so sure, however. In my mind, the iPhone won't meet 3G until AT&T's network is good and ready. And when that will be is anyone's guess.

For more on the 3G iPhone rumor:
- see Robert X. Cringely's latest column