Apple, AT&T unveil iPhone service plans

After making two major upgrades, an enhanced battery life and an upgraded touch-screen surface, and adding YouTube clips to its highly-anticipated combination phone, called iPhone, Apple Inc. on Tuesday announced the service plan for the upcoming gadget ahead of its release.

In a joint statement yesterday, San Antonio, Texas-based AT&T Inc., which is Apple’s exclusive U.S. carrier partner for iPhone, and Cupertino, California-based Apple announced that the service plans for the Apple iPhone, an all-in-one cell phone/iPod/pocket computer, will cost $59.99 to $99.99 a month.

Three service plans for the much-anticipated iPhone on the AT&T wireless network were announced. All three plans offer unlimited texting, rollover minutes and visual voicemail and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling, the companies said in the release. Visual voicemail feature will enable users visually see what types of voicemail they've received and listen to each one randomly, rather than in sequence.

The $59.99 monthly plan, the cheapest package, includes 450 minutes of voice time and a $79.99 plan includes 900 minutes, while a $99.99 plan includes 1,350 minutes. In addition, several family-style plans will be available, ranging from $80 a month for 700 shared minutes to $120 for 2,100 shared minutes. There is also a one-time, $36 activation fee.

"We want to make choosing a service plan simple and easy, so every plan includes unlimited data with direct Internet access, along with visual voicemail and a host of other goodies," Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs said. "We think these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of iPhone's revolutionary features at affordable and competitive prices."

Apple’s iPhone, which was touted as "revolutionary" by Jobs in the keynote speech in January at the Macworld conference, is due to go on sale at 6 p.m. local time Friday (June 29) at Apple and AT&T stores as well as Apple's Web site. Consumers can activate their wireless service even from home via Apple's iTunes software, the companies said.

The device is priced at $499 for 4-gigabyte model and $599 for an 8-gigabyte model.

This highly-anticipated combination phone accumulates three amazing products, a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching, into one small and lightweight handheld device.

This combination phone has a built-in camera, eight hours of talk time or six hours of Internet use or seven hours of video playback (after recent battery life improvements), and runs Safari Web browser and Apple's Macintosh operating system software. It has Bluetooth, a short-range wireless technology that supports wireless headsets or links to devices like printers, and can connect to the Internet wirelessly via Wi-Fi.

Unlike the tiny multiple keys found on existing smart phones, Apple's iPhone has a single button and a 3.5-inch (9-cm) scratches-free touch screen, and is larger than the iPod Nano. With a black front and silver back, the iPhone according to Apple is the thinnest smart phone in the market, having thickness of 11.6 millimeters (0.5-inches).

A recent survey conducted by M:Metrics, the mobile market authority, has revealed that people in the United States are ready to spend $599 for this revolutionary Phone, which combines the functions of a cell phone, iPod media player and Web-surfing device.

AT&T Mobility LLC has also received more than 1 million inquiries for Apple's multimedia and Web-enabled iPhone device, the company reported in the first week of this month.

The Mac/iPod maker has already won FCC’s approval for its iPhone. In May, Apple said the regulators have given their stamp of approval to iPhone, allowing it to sell iPhone in the United States. The approval of FCC, which is an independent executive agency of the U.S. government established to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest, is necessary before a manufacturer can sell a handset to consumers.

After revolutionizing the personal computing with its Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers, and digital media market with its most popular iPod, Apple is ready to revolutionize the mobile market with its multifunctional device that has such potent qualities which make it potential for revolutionizing the handset industry.

Soon after the announcement of the wireless costs, Apple shares fell $2.69, or 2.2 percent, to $119.65, while AT&T was up 14 cents rising to $39.22.