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Save/ShareApple announced today that it will start selling souped-up iPhones for $199 a pop on July 11. GPS will be built-in, letting you find where you are on an electronic map. (Free add-on applications, such as Loopt, use location feeds to help you find friends on the go, along with other neat tricks.) And the new iPhones will run on AT&T's speedy "3G" (third generation) network, which ought to let you access info much faster than current iPhones.
Now that the iPhone is entering "budget travel" territory, here are some iPhone travel tips. You may be hit with enormous charges if you travel with your iPhone overseas—even if you don't intentionally use any services and never place a call. Here are tips on how to avoid these charges. I've used these tips myself on my overseas trips. [Note: I have interspersed language from Apple's and AT&T's websites with my own tips below to be as precise as possible, particularly on the instructions about how to use the device.]
Tip 1: When overseas, turn Data Roaming "off". When you travel overseas, international data usage is not covered under your AT&T plan. And because the iPhone is constantly seeking large amounts of data, you can be unpleasantly surprised by data charges while you're traveling overseas—even if you rarely use the device. To turn data roaming "on/off" tap on: Settings>General>Network>Data Roaming. Toggle Data Roaming to "off" and you will block data roaming (but not voicemail service) outside the U.S., the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Note, I'm assuming that the new iPhones will not ship with this function already in the default "off" position. It's good to check to make sure, whether you have a new or "old" iPhone.
Tip 2: When overseas, use WiFi instead of the 3G network on post-July 11 iPhones: WiFi is available in many airports, hotels, and parks to browse the Web or check email. The chips required to receive info over the 3G network pull a huge amount of battery power, and your iPhone will likely run down faster when using it.
Tip 3: Turn off your iPhone's "Auto-Check" function for email. Check email manually using WiFi instead of having emails downloaded to your iPhone automatically. That way, your iPhone won't be constantly seeking new messages—and adding charges to your phone bill—while it's in your pocket. (To turn off the "auto-check" feature, tap on: Settings>Mail>Auto-Check and select Manual.)
Tip 4: Avoid the International Voice packages from AT&T. The phone company offers to upsell you on packages that reduce your per-minute rate for making calls in exchange for paying a monthly fee. Unless you're a business person planning to make dozens of calls on the road, this will not pay off for you, on average in most foreign countries, by my calculations.
Tip 5: But do consider the "Data Global Plans", which AT&T offers for more than 35 countries. Because you'll probably be roaming, any time you receive a voicemail message or download a map or an email, you may be "roaming internationally" and paying a fortune in "data pay-per-use" charges. If you order the plan, you'll be spared wild charges on the receipt of voicemails. Plans can be added by a phone call to AT&T customer service, and start at about $6 a month. You can add it just for the month that you're traveling to a particular country and then call back on your return to de-list from the plan.
Tip 6: Beware of the iPhone's camera. When traveling overseas, some places, from mosques to government buildings to museums to train stations, don't allow you to take photos. If you are already toting a separate digital camera, you may want to stow your iPhone away.
Tip 7: Get real-time estimates of travel times on your driving route. Open Maps, and you'll see a mini version of the U.S. Type a location into the search box by street address and state or zip code, an intersection, or a major attraction (Niagara Falls). Need driving directions? Tap the button that has two arrows, one pointing up and the other pointing down. Enter your start and stop destinations. (You can click on a name in your Contacts list if you've already entered an address for him or her.) Then tap Route. You'll get an overview. Tap the button that looks like a car, in the lower-right corner of your screen. Strips of road on your screen will now change color, with red-lined roads indicating high-traffic volume. On the first screen of driving directions, you'll see a total-driving estimate that is updated by what is known for current traffic speeds on your route. This works on both "old" iPhones and post-July 11 iPhones.
Tip 8: Use Google on your browser wisely. Find the forecast for your area by typing weather chicago or weather 60609...meaning, "weather [city name]" or "weather [Zip code]." For currency conversions, use this as a model: 85 usd in euros.
Feel free to share your own tips below.
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Great post Sean! Some day soon, I'll have one of these and put your tips to good use.
Posted By Josh on June 9, 2008, 8:12 PM
I concur with Josh! Great post! Almost everyone I know has an iPhone and it seems now that since they have significantly lowered the cost of the phone, they have to get you in different places. Only $200 bucks for a phone that came out at over $600 in some places!
Posted By Megan Sterritt on June 11, 2008, 1:03 PM
So can we not use GPS while traveling overseas?
Thanks,
S
Posted By susan on June 12, 2008, 12:32 PM
I found a series of maps especially sized for the iPhone before a recent trip to NYC. The maps took the standard NYC transit map and broke it down into iPhone photo sized chunks. You downloaded them, added them as a folder of photos in your library and could browse transit information from anywhere, using no signal at all... nice! I found them here: http://www.subtraction.com/archives/2007/0827_a_subway_sys.php
Posted By Karen Freeman on June 12, 2008, 1:15 PM
Hi, Susan,
Yes, you can use the GPS with Google Maps, a built-in function. Europe will also have iPhones with GPS, running on the same network. So Americans bringing their iPhones over should have no trouble. Service in other parts of the world could be spotty.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/maps.html
When you're in the US, you pay a flat monthly fee for all-you-want-to-use of the GPS service. When you're overseas, you pay a per-minute rate as an additional charge, and that can quickly add up. If you want to save on data charges, you can use some of the above tips.
Hope that helps,
Sean
Blog editor
Posted By Sean on June 12, 2008, 1:21 PM
Karen!
Thanks for suggesting that free software from Subtraction.com. I've used it for a year and have found it incredibly helpful. It's quick and easy to download the subway map as a series of small photos, and then you can "pinch in" or "pinch out" with your fingers to zoom in or zoom out on any part of the map you want to see. I use it all the time.
Thanks again,
Sean
Posted By Sean on June 12, 2008, 1:23 PM
Hi! Thank you.. But still not clear.. Is the GPS service included in the data plan(i.e internet)? And to use it abroad I cannot turn roaming to 'off' right? I can still turn of email checkups.. But as long as I use the GPS service I will be charged for roaming,right?
Thanks,
Susan
Posted By Susan on June 12, 2008, 1:54 PM
Hi, Susan. Yes, GPS service is included in the data plan along with the Internet service. When you are overseas, you automatically using a different network than AT&T’s. So you have to pay a charge to that company, which is tacked on through your AT&T bill. When you switch your phone’s “data (& GPS) connection” to “on,” you can use GPS on the maps and you can download emails. But when that happens, you are going to be charged.
One way of avoiding this problem, in part, is to buy a data plan from AT&T, which will reduce the charges incurred for using a foreign country’s network. But you have to use your phone or data and/or GPS fairly heavily to make the plan a good deal.
While you are not doing searches or checking email or using GPS, your iPhone may be overeager and try to scan the horizon to see if there is any updated data. While it is doing that, it is ringing up charges. So you should follow the above blog posts’ instructions—or talk to an AT&T representative on the phone—to avoid those extra costs.
Hope this helps,
Sean
Posted By Sean on June 12, 2008, 2:00 PM
Can I buy one of the upcoming new iPhones UNLOCKED? I live in Switzerland, where we use SIM cards.
Posted By Abby on June 12, 2008, 2:16 PM
All iPhone users should heed these tips! A recent trip to Canada resulted in hundreds of dollars of charges that could have been avoided!
I have long used Enjoy Prepaid long distance for overseas long distance, but have difficulty accessing cell phones overseas using my iPhone. You enter the 800 number, then the phone number you are trying to reach. My problem is, once the access number picks up, I cannot get the keyboard up with a"+" key needed to dial the overseas number. Does anyone else have this problem or have solved it with the iPhone?
Posted By Steve McCornack on June 12, 2008, 2:29 PM
Steve: I just got back from southern France and used the iPhone with no problem. To get to the "+" sign, just press the "Zero" and hold for a moment; the "0" is replaced by the "+" and then you follow with the rest of your number. "+1" is the prefix to get a USA number, then follow with the usual area code and number. Of course, you may have had a problem once you are connected with the 800 service provider. I cannot help you with that; I've never used one.
Posted By Don Marcy on June 12, 2008, 3:55 PM
I will be traveling to Europe with my sone who has an iPhone. My plan was to remove his sim card. Will that prevent any possible charges? He can still use the camera and iPod without the sim card.
Posted By Carol on June 12, 2008, 4:10 PM
To Abby: I don't think Apple will sell unlocked iPhones, perhaps not ever, but certainly no time soon. But the new iPhone will be available in lots of countries -- including Switzerland -- though it will only be sold for use with one carrier (phone company.) There are ways of unlocking an iPhone, but it's pretty risky and might render the phone unusable when a new software update comes out.
To Carol: I'm pretty sure your plan won't work. If you remove the SIM card from an iPhone, you'll just get a message when you turn it on telling you that the SIM card is missing. You won't be able to use the camera or iPod.
But I think you can call AT&T and tell them you want to turn off international roaming on your account. I'm pretty sure that will make it impossible to use the phone features while abroad, but the rest of the phone will work fine. The bonus is that emergency calls will still work (most European countries use 112 for their emergency number, not 911, by the way.)
Posted By David Troup on June 12, 2008, 6:09 PM
As has been discussed elsewhere on the net, the iPhone isn't cheaper when considering the added $10/month ($240 for 2 year contract) and charges for SMS.
Posted By Name on June 13, 2008, 12:23 AM
This is a great post, and I'll save it for when we go to Europe later this year.
In the FWIW department, regarding GPS, I believe that the use of the GPS system would not cost anything. But, the iPhone projects your location on a map, and the map information is not stored on the iPhone, it comes from the internet. So when using the GPS, the data charges you will get will come from downloading map data from the internet.
I only mention this because if you were using a portable GPS unit from Garmin or one of the other manufacturers of those devices, there would be no charge for using that device in another country. These devices do not use the internet, and have all their map data stored internally.
Posted By Ed on June 13, 2008, 9:15 AM
Hi, any word yet from apple on those of us who purchased iPhones in the last few months or even weeks, will we get any rebates, etc.? thanks.
Posted By scott on June 13, 2008, 3:23 PM
my daughter keeps borrowing my garmin. She was planning to buy one but if she gets the iphone will she need the garmin? Maybe I should get the iphone and give her my garmin.
Posted By Joyce on June 14, 2008, 11:31 AM
I have just removed my SIM card from the iPhone and am having no trouble using it on my wifi network. Camera works fine too, am getting the weather, i tunes store, map directions, real time traffic, received email I just sent my self, etc. Is there any reason to think this would not work in Europe? There is a notice in the upper left corner that says "No SIM" but it doesn't seem to be affecting wifi at all. I plan to take out the SIM card in Europe and just use my cheapo Italian phone over there for calls. Is there any way that AT&T would even know about my data usage if the SiM card is removed?
Posted By Della on July 2, 2008, 4:20 AM
great post everyone.
I'm going to Mexico City this Saturday for a while and i'd like some of those handy maps to save in my phone but i'm too lazy to look for them, any way can't finds them on the same site as the NYC maps mentioned above. is there anyplace i can find the equivalent maps of MC?
Posted By nathan on July 7, 2008, 6:18 PM