The Apple iPhone 3G is coming and people are almost as excited about it as they were about the first one. Are you? Will you be switching?

I don’t have an iPhone. I have wanted one since they came out, and I wanted it even more after playing with one. At first, I thought that someone would have to come out with something close enough to appease me. LG got close, but didn’t hit the mark.

Two things kept me from buying the iPhone. The first was the cost. Even though I have a $500+ phone now, Apple is famous for 1-upping themselves pretty often, making first generation products drop in value pretty quickly. Just watch ebay over the next few weeks. The second reason I’ve stayed away is because they penned an exclusive deal with AT&T. Sure, I could get one that would work on my long-time provider, Verizon, but then I’d be loathe to receive support for the thing, and Verizon had me locked into a contract (I’m free next month, coincidentally).

So now I am faced with a decision. Do I pick up a super cheap hacked iPhone for Verizon, do I pick up a brand new 3G when it comes out and go with AT&T (who has the exclusive for four more years), or do I stick with what I have and wait for something comparable to the iPhone?

Pros and cons of moving to AT&T and the iPhone 3G
When you buy a cell phone and cell phone service, the goal is to get a phone with good service, not to get a toy. I have to keep reminding myself that. That said, the new phone should be faster and have much faster web services. Plus, the 3G network is supposed to drop less calls (I keep hearing about iPhones and dropped calls). It looks like it’s the best choice when it comes to having a new phone, but I have a feeling I could regret moving from Verizon to AT&T. A downside is that I lose the benefit of mobile-to-mobile for all my Verizon friends, but when I add in a data plan, it seems cheaper than Verizon. This is also the newer phone, so it’s not “unsellable” as soon as I get it like an older model.

Pros and cons of getting a hacked older iPhone on Verizon
First of all, the cons. It wouldn’t be supported at all. I also would not be able to get newer software developed for the new models (unless I can and just don’t know it). Finally, the older models will be nearly impossible to sell for a while with the 3G hitting the market next month. But that also works in my favor. I figure I can get more on ebay for my old phone than I’ll have to pay for a hacked first generation iPhone with extras early next month. This is also a nice medium between not getting an iPhone and having to bend over backwards for one. There is also some other hidden benefits to getting a hacked iPhone, like the tons and tons of homebrew out there, not having to worry about voiding a warranty (since it’s already voided), etc.

Pros and cons of sticking with what I have
There’s not much good or bad about leaving things well enough alone. I don’t have an iPhone, but I have a pretty decent phone that is well supported and is made to work on Verizon. But I still don’t have an iPhone. My current phone has two drawbacks that I think an iPhone would handle nicely. The battery life is horrible. I am constantly running out of battery life. The iPhone has a much smarter method for locking/unlocking. I have to tap in a specific spot on my phone and then hit an unlock button, compared to the slide touch lock iPhone uses.

At the end of the day, I know a few things for sure:
- I really want an iPhone
- The timing of next month’s 3G iPhone opens the door for me to get one
- Michelle made me promise she gets one if I do.

So what about you? Do you have an iPhone? Do you plan on grabbing a 3G?