The MacBook Air: The AT&T Connection

As if we didn't have enough speculation, Valleywag jumped on the bus with a prediction that cellular wireless capabilities will be built into the Air, and that they'll be supported by AT&T.

While possible, we still have the same AT&T problem that we have with the iPhone: AT&T has been glacially slow in rolling out 3G coverage throughout the United States.

Actually, there's another problem there too, but let's take first things first.

As I pointed out in More 3G iPhone Mania, just 38 states have some form of 3G support, and in most of those access is limited to just a handful of major metropolitan areas. Ice ages have moved faster.

So Apple could add AT&T-based 3G support that today only a few lucky people in a few big cities can use.

Or they could simply support EDGE (which everyone seems to hate), and have a "cutting edge" device using soon to be obsolete technology.

Not to mention that yet again we'd be tied to a single carrier.

Or they could plan for the future and do as some rumor sites have suggested: support WiMax.

Unfortunately, we'd then have wireless capabilities that no one can currently use.

Huh. And what about our other problem?

Well, another factor at play here relates to the iPhone. Remember how last year the iPhone was announced at MacWorld, but wasn't scheduled to ship until June?

While one reason was undoubtedly the fact that the software simply wasn't ready, another was that such a device requires FCC certification, and Apple couldn't do that prior to introduction AND keep it a secret.

Are you willing to wait six months to get an Air?

But, as always, there's another option:

What if they offloaded that kind of connectivity to a device that specializes in communication and can be easily upgraded as times and networks change?

One that's already certified?

The iPhone.

Yes, what if your iPhone could act as a wireless modem for your notebook?

So with the current iPhone you'd have 2.5G EDGE capabilities, and with the next generation you'd gain 3G, and with the next you'd get 4G, and so on.

And what if the Air could automatically connect to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth? No wires needed.

Just a thought.

[via ValleyWag]

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Related Articles:

• The Wireless MacBook
• The MacBook Air: An Ultra-Portable Concept
• The MacBook Air: The AT&T Connection
• Want A Small Thin Light Notebook? Here's How.

Comments

[Kevin]

and a good thought at that.

[Ernest]

For your information, most mobile broadband hardware (at least since 3 years ago) supports various technologies (GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA/HSUPA) and auto-switches once signal changes from one mode to the other. I dont exactly see your point therefore as to why you are worried about 3G or EDGE only devices.