Thanks, AT&T!

So the big announcement yesterday from Apple was the release date for iPhone OS 3.0 and the next generation iPhone – the 3GS! Finally, we’ll be able to enjoy full support for MMS, tethering, and turn-by-turn directions!

Unless, of course, you haven’t jailbroken your iPhone.

You see, these iPhone 3GS and OS 3.0 doohickies caught AT&T completely by surprise, so they won’t be supporting MMS or tethering on release day. While even the lowest-end free AT&T phones support MMS, MMS won’t be available until “late summer” for the iPhone. And AT&T isn’t even estimating when tethering support will arrive. Of course, jailbroken iPhones have had all this functionality for over a year now, so technically the most advanced technology is just a voided warranty and DMCA violation away!

There is at least one benefit for iPhone 3G owners, though. Due to our honored status as “valuable AT&T customers,” we get the privilege of spending almost double what a virgin iPhone user would to get the new phone, and we only have to re-up for another 2 years to take advantage of the offer!

Thanks, AT&T!

I believe the rest of the iPhone community will agree with me when I say you have my continued loyalty and support, until the minute your exclusivity deal with Apple ends and the exodus of us valued customers can begin to a carrier with the actual capacity to support us!