[lnichols]

Have a question for you iPhone users who may have been familiar with BBM before. How does iChat on the iPhone compare to BBM? From what I was looking at on the MobileMe site, it sounds like it will do everything BBM does, is still encrypted between the phone and server, and I can either use the MobileMe service, or set up my own iChat server (I have a Leopard server at work and two Snow Leopard Servers ordered). But saying and doing are two different things so I need to hear from some actual real world experience.

BBM is really the only thing keeping me tied to Blackberry currently, and if Apple releases a CDMA world phone version of the iPhone then I may look at trying to convince my organization to switch as we rely on BBM functionality for communications when we are traveling internationally as it is pretty bulletproof and encrypted. I have no desire to switch carriers for the phone, and I think that once the exclusivity agreement is up Apple will do like every other manufacturer and release phones on all carriers in the US.

[Duvi]

The iPhone does not support iChat at the moment. Mentions of iChat has been found in the SDK of 4.0, so hopefully that's a sign it's coming.

I'm looking at your carrier and if Apple ever releases one for CDMA, it will more than likely be for Verizon IMHO.

[lnichols]

I'm looking at your carrier and if Apple ever releases one for CDMA, it will more than likely be for Verizon IMHO.

Well my hope is that Apple isn't dumb and award exclusivity to Verizon. They don't have too and if the phone works on Verizon then it would work on Sprint too.

[bbgal9000]

Just downloaded an free app that still allows u to chat with ur bbm buddies! Works pretty great.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[scotts11]

Whats the name of the app?

[Duvi]

Whats the name of the app?

BeeJive

[scorpiodsu]

Well my hope is that Apple isn't dumb and award exclusivity to Verizon. They don't have too and if the phone works on Verizon then it would work on Sprint too.

It would be awarding exclusivity it would be partnering. They are going to go to the carriers they want and that's best for them at any given time. So it definitely wouldn't be dumb for them to make the best business decision for them. Also if a phone works on verizon does not make it work on sprint. Not sure why you would think that.

[lnichols]

It would be awarding exclusivity it would be partnering. They are going to go to the carriers they want and that's best for them at any given time. So it definitely wouldn't be dumb for them to make the best business decision for them. Also if a phone works on verizon does not make it work on sprint. Not sure why you would think that.

A phone on Verizon will work on Sprint because all of the CDMA chipsets are dual band 800/1900. Verizon uses 800, Sprint 1900. Now you can't take a Verizon set to Sprint, or vise versa because they only allow ESN's or MEID's form devices that they sold (although they could do it if they wanted to), but they will work on each others networks just fine. So an iPhone designed to work on Verizon's CDMA network could be same design used on Sprint, its just a matter of Apple letting Sprint have them.

Also at this point in the game I don't think Apple needs "partners". Any provider out there would sell there phone now after the success it has given AT&T and customers lost to AT&T. They have the power now to drive the market.

[scorpiodsu]

A phone on Verizon will work on Sprint because all of the CDMA chipsets are dual band 800/1900. Verizon uses 800, Sprint 1900. Now you can't take a Verizon set to Sprint, or vise versa because they only allow ESN's or MEID's form devices that they sold (although they could do it if they wanted to), but they will work on each others networks just fine. So an iPhone designed to work on Verizon's CDMA network could be same design used on Sprint, its just a matter of Apple letting Sprint have them.

Also at this point in the game I don't think Apple needs "partners". Any provider out there would sell there phone now after the success it has given AT&T and customers lost to AT&T. They have the power now to drive the market.

Yes I know it's technically possible, but your original statement was as if you could just activate any VZW phone and use it for Sprint without any other things needing to be done. Anyhow, if VZW gets an iPhone, Sprint users will still have to wait.

And I agree that Apple doesn't need partners, but that's for them to decide and not what we think. They'll make the business decision for themselves and what they get in return for having their phone. Maybe some carriers aren't willing to give Apple what they want. Probably a dumb move by the carrier, but that doesn't mean every carrier will submit to what Apple wants. Carriers are only now willing to submit because of the success. Now they are all waiting on Apple to decide what they want to do. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple release versions for different carriers slowly. Also, with Sprint going WiMax that's another technology that Apple has to support and build a device for. AT&T and VZW are going LTE in 2011 and 2012 so it's more feasible that Apple will look at these 2 for the next couple years as carrying the iPhone. I would love the iPhone on every carrier, so I can switch when I want, but the ball is in Apple's court.

[frreshh]

there is iphone to iphone ichat app its in the app store

[Scream_At_Chaboi]

Iphone Chat can't hold bbm's jock

[TgeekB]

Iphone Chat can't hold bbm's jock

You should reserve your comment until the real deal (iChat for iPhone) comes out.