This is really upsetting to me (UNLIMITTED DATA ENDING)

[euph_22]

Are you serious?? Computing power doubles every 18 months on average. Phones two years from now will cost less and do more.

These are just a few things that are predicted for the next gen smart phones according to the reading I've done.

Wireless charging

Cell phones have this NOW, it's just patented by Palm/Apple. And it would prevent a digital compass from working.

Wireless file sharing

Something wrong with the 20 current standards for wireless file transfer?

Wireless HDMI output

We won't be seeing this ANYTIME soon. The bandwidth requirements are just too high, and even if you had a BT-like radio that could do it, it'd kill the battery in 20 minutes.

Internal photo printer

Do you want to lug a PRINTER around in your pocket, because I don't. Even with miniaturization it's still going to be HUGE for a cell phone. Not to mention it'd be a ridiculious battery killer to actually use it.

Internal HD projector

I could see a projector 2-3 gens from now. It WON'T be HD. And it'd be a toy, and a battery killer.

Expandable and flexible touch screens

These are 10 year out, even more to see them on a consumer device.

12+ mp Cameras with 1080p video capture

possibly, but they'd probably need an increase in storage card space to make this a reality, and microsdhc standard has hit it's upper limit. And higher mp DO NOT mean they're good cameras, and 1080p video is only a good thing if they manage decent frame rates.

Video calls

We have that now, but I expect FFC's to be standard in the next gen phones.
However, just because we HAVE video chat means we'll be using it. Video phones have been around one way or another since the 70's and they still haven't really caught on.

Above all, the thing I want more than anything are the new batteries being developed. Shaking the device causes a chemical reaction in the battery and it charges itself. This maybe more than two years off but its definitely the way to go for mobil devices.

You can't charge a cellphone like that...it wouldn't generate enough energy. to have a meaningful amount of use out of it. The future will probably be0 "solar" charged batteries (apple is sitting on a patent for a optical touchscreen with solar panel built in). It wouldn't be the main way to charge the battery, but help maintain charge during the day. (oh, and that ISN'T how the shake to charge devices work).

 

[cuban11182]

When I moved from the BB Curve to my Inc on launch day, I was told that I could keep my Alltel voice/data plans for now but there was no guarantee of that the next time I renewed.

They told me that if I wanted to get a new phone (Casio Gzone) at discounted price I couldn't use the Alltel plan that I currently had. I looked at their plan and itt was less for more. I told them no thank you I would just wait and purchase the phone off eBay. He then changed his story and allowed me to update my phones and continue on my Alltel plan.

 

[TKB]

So out of curiosity I went to myverizon to see what our usage has been: I'm consistently at 5gb a month data usage, and my boyfriend is at 20gb. I consider myself a somewhat heavy internet user and he is not. I assume this has to be an app, but to figure this out (mostly out of sheer curiosity on our parts): what exactly is data usage made up on besides web pages?

Not trying to be funny but my guess is he's downloading alot of porn. Or other movies. But probably porn. lol

 

[cooksalot]

New plan is different than renewing your contract. When you upgrade your phone, you enter into a new 2 year contract, with the new contract terms (which may include tiered data pricing). However, it wouldn't surprise me if Verizon does allow 3g users to remain with the unlimited data unless and until they switch to LTE.

When I got this phone and activated it I agreed to "Extend our contract for another 2 years". Perhaps because we're on an company employee plan?

 

[emuneee]

The move to tiered data pricing isn't so much a financial move IMO for Verizon. It makes the end-user think more about data usage. At this point, wireless data usage growth is outrunning the rate at which wireless carriers can add bandwidth. If people keep using 10GB+ a month for data and networks taking on an increased load from additional subscribers/devices, the network is going to suck. If the tiered pricing is anything like AT&T, most data users will save money. The heavy data users will:

a) reduce their data usage
b) leave the carrier entirely
c) maintain their data use, eat the inflated data costs

I'd assume that most will go with a or b and the network will be in much better shape for everyone. I'm on AT&T and I had the $30 unlimited plan, but rarely used 1GB a month because I literally have WiFi everywhere I go. So with the tiered plan, I was able to save $5, and go to the 2GB plan. I wish they restructured the pricing though. $10 for 500MB, $20 2GB...or something like that.

 

[Casbah]

Hmm..a few things..
WE are the consumers and the ones who's faithful monthly payments keep the company afloat and the CEO raking in his millions.

Why is it we just give up and moan and groan when a company does this? Why do we act like we're blessed just to be grandfathered in?
Why do we ACCEPT being treated like the bewildered herd that just follow along?
We don't just do this with phone companies but all the way up to government and politicians.

As long as subscribers and people in general ALLOW others to do this TO us (really we DO allow it to happen because we never speak out powerfully against it) we'll always be the ones who are shafted in the end.

Time for a wakeup call people!

 

[Casbah]

So out of curiosity I went to myverizon to see what our usage has been: I'm consistently at 5gb a month data usage, and my boyfriend is at 20gb. I consider myself a somewhat heavy internet user and he is not. I assume this has to be an app, but to figure this out (mostly out of sheer curiosity on our parts): what exactly is data usage made up on besides web pages?

Many things really, audio streaming like Pandora or similar apps, Evernote, dropbox, just about any app that can get realtime info is using data.

 

[dsjr2006]

It has been speculated that LTE will NOT be tiered and all 3g users in their current contract will not have to pay for tiered service.

I don't see the big deal, as by the time LTE is rolled out my contract will be eligible for upgrade and I will be going for an LTE phone which will be unlimited until everyone switched from 3g to 4g, this wont happen over night and most people who are the "data hogs" will be switching to 4g anyway, leaving the spectrum open

Non issue- for the people it will affect, it will probably lower the bill....

Hopefully it will be like Sprint mobile broadbands cards with 5GB cap for 3G and Unlimited 4G usage

 

[dsjr2006]

My Verizon line doesn't get nearly as much use, but on my AT&T line I am grandfathered in to the Unlimited data plan and have used over 15GB on multiple occasions with not a peep from AT&T.