said by Morac:AT&T's statement is just stupid for a number of reasons:
1. Bandwidth is bandwidth. It doesn't matter if you are streaming from Hulu or a Slingbox, especially since the Slingbox app is limits its stream to 500 kbps.
2. Other AT&T supported devices, like the BlackBerry, allow Slingbox to stream via 3G. Also ORB works on the iPhone via 3G.
3. The iPhone works on other networks besides AT&T's. AT&T shouldn't care what anyone does on other networks.
So basically AT&T seems to be discriminating specifically against the iPhone for some reason. I can't figure out why exactly though. Even if AT&T wanted to sell their own video service, that doesn't explain why they allow Sling on Blackberry's.Note, I don't have an iPhone, I just think it's a dumb move on AT&T's part.
I think you hit the nail on the head. AT&T is doing this because they can. You wont see them do this for blackberry or WM because the makers of the OS don't care what AT&T wants. AT&T was maximum profits, plan and simple. And since AT&T has an exclusive agreement with the maker of the OS AND phone, its a no brainier for them wanting to throw little hissy fits like this because they can tell the OS maker what to do.
