The Dust Settles: iPhone Aftermath
First and foremost, some of the most notable Mac bloggers (and, sadly, even yours truly) massively screwed the pooch with their predictions. So many things were speculated, but nobody really thought of one thing: if revolutionary things are being unveiled, they command keynote time. Jobs can’t do whirlwind tours of products like iTV, iPhone and everything else that was predicted within his two hour allotment. I knew this on some level, but failed to acknowledge it.
So, the iPhone. Jobs certainly didn’t surprise anyone with its announcement, but HE SURPRISED EVERYONE with what the iPhone is. From what we can tell now, the iPhone literally looks like Apple went to 2012 and returned with one of their mobile phones. It does everything I would ever want it to, and with such a seemingly graceful interface, that I would very literally consider switching from Verizon to Cingular just to get this device. It has potential to be that good.
But, that does not mean the iPhone is the Jesus Phone, as some forums are knighting it, nor does it mean that there aren’t some areas that traditional smartphone buyers need to have clarified in order for the iPhone to be a viable contender. More on those later.
I knew something was up when Jobs’ family was in attendance at the expo, coupled with the rumor that Jobs was so personally excited by this device that he put the Mac on the back burner at Macworld. Then you can take into account the now-famous splashscreen Apple had displayed on its home page during the week leading up to Macworld, and it becomes quickly apparent that Apple considers the iPhone to be a product that not only redefines the mobile phone market, but also Apple as a company (and that’s why Apple is now known as Apple, Inc., not Apple Computer).
From what was shown yesterday, I’d say Apple has every right to be as proud as it seems.
Apple did indeed touch off a nuclear war with this announcement, most notably against the mobile phone big boys: Palm, Motorola, Nokia, BlackBerry. Apple unveiled a device that appears to be light-years beyond any current offering from any of these vendors, and even the stock market noticed: RIMM and PALM shares fell on the news, losing between 5% and 7% of their values. Only Motorola weathered the storm fairly well.
By now, you know the story. The iPhone is a GSM/EDGE/quad-band mobile phone at its core, complete with Bluetooth + EDR. It’s a widescreen video iPod. It’s an internet-enabled communication device that handles email, chat, and browsing. It speaks 802.11b/g. It has a 2 MP camera. It runs an embedded version of OSX, replete with Cocoa, Core Animation, and many underpinnings of OSX itself. It’s a mobile computer, truth be told, and therefore is an application platform in a near-desktop sense. It has widgets. It has Google apps installed by default. It has a patented touch-screen interface that requires, on the whole, one solitary button. It has two sensors (one proximity, one ambient light) and an accelerometer (and therefore I dub it the Wii of mobile phones).
It has potential to be a truly disruptive technology, and everyone knows it. The iPhone has rocked the mobile phone market with an example of convergence that has never before been done so well, so elegantly. Look how long it took PDAs and phones to converge to the point they are now.
A quick side note: if you’re Microsoft, you’re looking at the Zune and saying, “GODDAMN did we miss the boat” and throwing chairs with wild abandon. MS comes to the digital music player party just as everyone is leaving and moving to the next house, where cell phone + music player’s parents are out of town. MS failed to think one step ahead, and all the while Apple knew the standalone music player’s days were numbered, even with iPods selling like hotcakes. THAT sort of insight is what you get when you own and define a given market and you keep corporate focus.
So yes, I think the iPhone is revolutionary. I think the product has potential to go down in tech history as one of the most influential paradigm shifts ever. I think Apple has every chance to make an enormous gash in the mobile phone market. I think Apple will sell every one of these it can make and Cingular will see defections from other carriers beyond their wildest dreams. For now, everything is roses, and champagne should be flowing in Cupertino.
But I’ve had some time to think about this, and as excited as I am about the device, there are questions.
You’ll notice that I’ve been hedging a bit in this article. I’ve said a lot of “appears” and “seems” and “if”s and “potential”s. Why? Because I have some concerns, and I’ve learned a long time ago not to be sucked 100% into the emotionalism of a keynote or marketing web pages.
My concerns are relatively simple and logical:
- The iPhone hasn’t received FCC approval yet. Even though Jobs wouldn’t have gone forth with the announcement if he wasn’t sure of its blessing, you still never know. A lot of things get held up in FCC-ville, and we can only hope that doesn’t happen here.
- Cingular has to literally change some aspects of its network to ensure a phone this advanced works properly. These things can not only take time, but also suffer growing pains as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of some early network glitches as iPhones become available because there will be a few remaining bugs to be worked out. Frankly, Apple can’t afford this, and they know it — the June timeframe isn’t just for FCC bullshit. Cingular needs time to get its act in gear too. This is the first time Apple’s has surrendered part of the user experience control to another company, and if they’re nervous, they have a right to be. If Cingular drops the ball, the iPhone is blemished. Apple doesn’t pull all the strings here. Think about how that must drive Jobs crazy.
- The iPhone is an awfully ambitious device. I’m wary of whether its functionality will really hold up in the face of everyday, business-class usage (BlackBerry’s strong suit), or it just demos well. Demo hardware != production hardware.
- The first version we see will be Revision A, which is a scary moniker in Apple’s world. Not only is the hardware new, but the OS variant is new and Apple has never played in this game before. I absolutely guarantee there will be first-run bugs. Bank on it.
- What about the business users? Apple is pricing the iPhone at bona fide smartphone levels (actually, more, but whatever), which means every college kid and starving musician will not be buying them. The target demographic is smartphone customers, and that means business users. So: will the iPhone sync with Outlook/Exchange, in either a push- or polling fashion? This is a key question for so many business users. It’s a must-have. Yahoo push-based IMAP is great, but that’s a far cry from the email hub so many organizations use.
- Wait for real-world reviews. Why anyone would order this (you can’t yet, which is probably a good thing) FCC-unapproved and sight-unseen is beyond me. What needs to materialize is evidence that the phone works as advertised, and for $500 or $600 bucks, this teensy criteria shouldn’t be overlooked.
- Durability. Such a gorgeous device, but will it stand up to the rigors of heavy daily use? It better.
Overall, I think you know where I stand on the iPhone. I think it’s incredible, I think Apple has genuinely put the fear of god into other mobile phone companies, and we’re witnessing a truly disruptive technology at its inception. But don’t get caught up in the somewhat irrational exuberance: there are hurdles left to clear before the device moves from amazing concept to amazing commercial success. And in the fullness of time, the latter is what really matters to users and Apple’s share price.
Technorati Tags: apple, osx, iphone, cingular, macworld, jobs, ipod, mobile_phone
I think it’s EDGE not 3G, but great post btw.
Chill out dude.
Dont take it as a conventional telephone. Think of the Apple iPhone as a portable iMac device manufactured by Apple for those blokes who wish to carry their beloved Mac around. Or call it an Apple PDA..
“will the iPhone sync with Outlook/Exchange, in either a push- or polling fashion?”
Time for companies to engage their brains and drop Outlook for something modern, like Gmail.
Harshad: the iPhone needs to be something so much more than just an extension of Mac owners’ Macs. Apple doesn’t decide to enter the massive mobile phone market just to make a boutique product, just like they didn’t introduce the iPod to be a mere musical extension of one of the Mac’s strong suits.
Apple Computer is now Apple Inc. Their reach is far broader.
You have to consider this an evolved smartphone. Even if you don’t, personally, the market will.
Tom: nice idea to think about, but in reality enterprises aren’t dropping Exchange anytime soon to conform with the nuances of any mobile device, much less Apple’s. Plus, corporations would never trust an online application like Gmail with their confidential email. Not in this lifetime.
I’m hoping to get clarification soon on what the iPhone can do vis-a-vis Exchange.
Uh, Harshad, I don’t think so…it’s a phone.
First, to the “But it runs OS X!” crowd, I’d point out an obvious one: It doesn’t run Mac OS X. It has selected bits and pieces in there. So the concept that you can take the Microsoft Word that you bought in the store and run it on your iPhone is untrue.
Will third-parties be able to build applications for iPhone OS X? According to rumors, the answer is No. So forget running Fetch, FeedForAll, or some other non-Apple application on your iPhone.
So, ultimately, it’s a phone. Way cooler than most of the phones out there? Definitely. But from the sounds of it, it’s only a platform for Apple and their selected friends.
Peter: I agree with you, but with one clarification: Jobs says it is indeed running OSX. Anyone who knows these devices knows that’s simply not true, which means it’s more likely it’s running an embedded version of OSX, just like Windows Mobile 5.0/6.0 phones are running embedded Windows.
So, will there be app development (and even an Xcode Mobile)? Probably. Does this mean that you can take desktop OSX apps and run them on the iPhone? No.
Good comment.
Makes me wish I had dropped $400 for the video ipod last christmas…
Hey, if you listened to steve, than you know that it can communicate with exchange for your mail
One of the criteria for me buying one of these things is that it is actually a “smartphone”. Which means that it *must* have third party applications available(*). Without a doubt this thing looks like it’s going to put my Treo to shame. But if Apple is the only vendor who can extend the functionality, then I might have to restate that claim.
I too am excited about this device. But my excitement level really falls if there’s no way to do 3rd party development.
(*) I’m using the definition of “smartphone” as provided by Wikipedia.
Durabily? Is that some kind of aftermarket accessory that will transform the iPhone into a time machine?
The biggest drawback is that it is not 3G. To me this is a rediculous blunder. By the time the phone launches all the other Smartphones / PDA’s will be 3G. Currently There are the Treo 750, Blackjack, 8525, and soon to be launched Blackberry. 3G is literally 3X faster than EDGE, and for those graphic intensive apps like Google maps, that will make a huge difference.
The only reason I can think is that they will launch a new version with 3G and charge an extra $300 dollars for it like they have done with the Treo 750 (3G) vs Treo 680 (EDGE).
The timing is perfect for iPhone with the new AT&T now going public as well. They will be pushing more money into advertising and marketing than any other company ever has. Plus Cingular has more spectrum than any other carrier (recent info is telling us that Cingular has more sites in Southeast US than Verizon has nationwide). So in a sense I disagree with your diagnosis of Cingular’s state of affairs.
Overall I agree with your post, and think that this phone will definitely revolutionize the wireless phone industry (btw, I’m a Cingular Agent).
Jay: you caught a typo. You win seven million dollars. Nice work!
Thanks. I’ll fix it.
My predictions:
First off nobody but the US has the public visible FCC database so Apple can role out whenever and however it wants to in Canada (NOT MENTIONED!!! Yeah I live there)/Europe/Asia regardless of what they said via dates in the keynote. 2008 for Asia especially is too late, unless…
The CDMA version will be required for Japan (weird ass cell networks over there).
Therefore in 2008 I suspect we get the Rev.B in two models both with the next gen of WiFi plus other improvements:
GSM/3G for Cingular/Canada/Europe
CDMA/3G for Verizon/Canada/Japan
The only network dependant features are RAM vmail and maybe some of the google stuff and by UK law you have to sell unlocked versions, so sans contract versions will be out soon enough.
Secondly I suspect that the Rev. B version of the phone will be designed to switch between 3G and WiFi Max seamlessly to save you money via some Apple version of Skype and public/password know WiFi Max networks.
Third post-iPhone I bet we get the 6G iPod which is is this minus the phone features and with a 100GB hard drive instead. Still has wiFi and and so forth as this is also when they announce syncing/iTunes Store via WiFi.
With the 3G version of the iPhone I bet you the iTunes Store also works there, EDGE is too slow.
Also with Rev. B iPhone I bet we get the iPhone nano. No 3G and maybe two-thirds to one-half the size and only 4GB storage (I assume Rev. B gets jumped to 8/16 GB storage) but otherwise feature identical. Remember this is a year out at least so price will have dropped, it can be thinner, and the regular screen is HUGE so some space can lost off it.
The thing that intrigues the most is how can it have an Intel processor? Intel already sold its Xscale division, so it must be something new (very unlikely) or some ultra low volt variant of a PC-class Core CPU (wich I find just a little less unlikely).
For OS X I do not see much problem running it, it is Unix which means it can be easily extended and reduced, the interface changed and even run without a fancy GUI. The fact that it runs Core Animation means that it has some Leopard derivative OS at least and probably even sports some kind of GPU. Running OS X from flash memory has obvious advantages in power consumption and performance, so yes, it may be able tu run in theory a very close version of the desktop OS X but it is early to know. Why else bother running javascript widgets? and it would allow to have a native “official” flash player, which is a must for a full featured browser. But a full install of OS X would not make sense without third party application support and from a required HD (ok, flash memory) usage.
Just my wild speculation.
I’m not sold on this first version.
It looks kind of too big for a phone, and I still have to carry about my 60 gig iPod to keep all my music mobile.
I’ll wait for a year or two until it’s down to the size of my current iPod and holds 500 gigs or something.
As a pre-release device, I think this thing is awesome. I’ll bet that the other phone companies hearts sank faster than their share price when they saw it. Incredible as it is, I keep thinking back to the first iPod and see where it’s reached now. Where is this thing going to be in 3 years time?? The iPhone sets the bar to almost unreachable heights for many companies. I can’t help but think that they timed the announcement for a post-Zune timeslot. “So…. is that your best shot? OK, here’s what you SHOULD have done…. heeheeheehee…”
I like the post though I think that you should get a new presentation.
Wow, very incisive article. While I agree with you completely about the difference between a successful concept and a commercial one, Apple has proved they can do it with the ipod.
Even the imac has moved from being the exclusive preserve of the ‘creative dept’ to being used by housewives and students.
This phone truly is a jump of a few generations in terms of human technology in absolute terms. Not just of a mobile phone or a music player or a personal digital camera or a web device.
A combination of all of the above was expected, but the speed of delivery is what has taken everyone by surprise and caught the competition with their pants down.
About no. 5 and the target users. I’m a student going on to uni next year, and I would like something that can keep me organised, and so far, I am really impressed by the iPhone, because of its capability to call too (and all that other mumbo jumbo).
Like Microsoft OS’s, why can’t they create different versions eg. “Student version”, “Home version”. It would all make life easier.
“So, will there be app development (and even an Xcode Mobile)? Probably. Does this mean that you can take desktop OSX apps and run them on the iPhone? No.”
Well, I doubt you’ll ever see an Xcode mobile–and, even if you did, I doubt anybody would use it. Developing apps wants a bit more horsepower than what a mobile phone would deliver. Of course, since Xcode already supports cross-machine debugging, it’s not difficult to believe that Apple already has a development environment based around Xcode running on the Mac.
But what remains to be seen is whether or not Apple will release this to the public and whether Apple will allow third-party apps to be installed on the iPhone. So far, as I said, the rumor mill says that this will not happen.
erjee: yes, Steve said it will communicate with Exchange, but in what ways? POP/IMAP? Not all organizations allow that. What about calendar appts? Contacts? Changed/edited calendar appts?
These are the things that a business-class users needs to know before he ditches his BlackBerry or Treo w/Goodlink software.
mjh — Apple wouldn’t have touted Cocoa, etc. being on the iPhone if there wasn’t a strong application presence on the device.
Of course, does that mean it’s open to 3rd parties, like MS Windows Mobile, Palm, and to a lesser extent BlackBerry? We’ll see.
rickbennett — the only reason I say what I said about Cingular’s network status is that, if I recall correctly, His Steveness himself said that Cingular has to make some network tweaks for the iPhone’s visual voicemail. It wasn’t a condemnation of Cingular’s infrastructure of ability to provide service.
And yes, I agree that it should be 3G. Like I commented on another blog, this is the first device of its kind, and it will be improved AND diversified. Recall the first iPod and look how it proliferated, expanded, and had functionality added to it.
I expect the same with the iPhone — new models, smaller models, better storage, 3G, refinements everywhere. No matter how you cut it, Apple is new to this game, and it will be cutting its teeth in a very competitive market.
BlackBerry, Palm, Nokia, Motorola — they know the challenge has been issued and they won’t be standing still. It bothers me to read all the blogs about how the iPhone is a guaranteed slam-dunk, because there’s still a lot of work to do to take it from cool concept to cool product with actual market traction.
Jeff, you mentioned in an earlier post that iPhone was registered by Cisco. Apparently, Steve doesn’t read your blog, and Cisco is now suing Apple for infringing their trademark.
Rick, you may want to watch that keynote again, because Jobs actually says that they are going to make a 3G iPhone in the future… I’m really rather surprised that so many people missed this.
Also engadget had a Q&A session with some of the Apple VPs who unfortunately revealed that it uses a sort of psuedo OS X and (like the ipod) won’t be an open project for 3rd parties to develop for. So we can’t expect any 3rd party applications – at least not yet.
I definitely agree that the iPhone has the potential to go down as one of the most innovative and remarkable products in history, and it should only expand on its capabilities in the future.
I was pretty excited when Steve announed it but I’m not sure if I actually need it. It’ll be cool if there’s another version which does not include the communicator part. iPhone Nano?
The interface is definitely the best point about the iPhone..
Great insight:
A quick side note: if you’re Microsoft, you’re looking at the Zune and saying, “GODDAMN did we miss the boat” and throwing chairs with wild abandon. MS comes to the digital music player party just as everyone is leaving and moving to the next house, where cell phone + music player’s parents are out of town. MS failed to think one step ahead, and all the while Apple knew the standalone music player’s days were numbered, even with iPods selling like hotcakes. THAT sort of insight is what you get when you own and define a given market and you keep corporate focus.
Apple moves the market to the future.
Jeff, I wish that my Windows Mobile 5.0 device (PPC-6700) sync’d with MS Exchange Server easily. As soon as you drop a security certificate on it, things get really nasty, and getting your mail admin to put energy into this (if you’re the only one in the company with such a device) is an interesting challenge. – Tim
Friend, all of what you say seems fine except for #5. For business users? Wrong. There’s a lot of demographic turf between starving musician and business use. These days kids in high school have $3000 in shoes alone. You are a smart guy. It’s time to let go of the 90’s. $500-$600 isn’t a problem.
Someone may want to check on this. I thought Steve said that developers would be able to move applications to the iPhone without a large effort. It may be that this was a comment by who covered the keynote but I thought Steve said it?
Agrees with bbum999.
Don’t count us college crowd out either. I’m 23, I’ve only been a mac-boy for about a year now, but I would consider buying an iPhone, the high end model. I could less about the internet features and stuff. It’s worth it for the touchable ipod and phone alone. I would even get the phone, even though it wouldn’t work, if I visited my mother(Cingular doesn’t work there at all). It’ll be time to replace that 5G model anways, and it the Nike Sports pack work, my 1GB nano(most likelywon’t run with a phone strapped my waist, but still).
My Question is this! Will all calls have to be on speaker? I mean there isn’t an ear peice on the screen side. I only watched 30mins or so fo the keynote, did I miss something?
Because the general public is so easily fooled by creative marketing, I agree that this product will fair very well. As a tech company, such that Apple, Inc. is you wonder how they miss some of the obvious things that will make a particular product viable to ordinary consumers and techies alike. If it is true that the battery is not replaceable, that is a great big, definitive no for me. I would have to assume that 3rd party apps will be avail., if Apple is smart. After all they have relinquished some of the power of the success of their new phone to a 3rd party, Cingular. I would have to wonder why go with just one Carrier. You are limited your market before you even launch. All in all, I love the look and functionality that is promised. Will Apple, Inc. deliver in all aspects of would is expected and what is not!
Great Post!
Tim — I guess I want the iPhone to have some way (it doesn’t have to be real-time push) to handle my corporate email/calendar/tasks with aplomb. I’d be willing to give up push for polling, but unless I somehow find a way to shed the corporate chains, my business lifeblood flows through Exchange/Outlook. I NEED that integration, and that’s why I carry a BlackBerry 8703e right now, and as unsophisticated as it seems next to the iPhone, it stands up in battle.
appleraffle — the battery thing would stop me, too. A device that costs $600 bones should NOT have its useful life determined by a battery. Yes, yes, I know I can send it back to Apple and for a fee have it replaced, but dammit, these phones become the center of one’s communications universe, and to send it away for an indeterminate number of days so it can have a simple battery replaced?
Um, no.
And if Apple wants to be serious about being a smartphone provider, boy, it had better allow externally-developed apps. All the other players do.
The one item of info I cannot find out trawling through the tinernet is just what is the battery life on standbye and talk or other modes. I was pleased with my 3G ipod but not with its actual play time of less than 9 hours.
Well written, great calm yet tentative approach.
I just love how, no matter what rumors flew, everyone was still in awe.
I still haven’t seen the ‘unveiling’ but waiting for it.
Disruptive technology indeed – multi-point touch screen zooming.
Killer phone
Killer iPod
Killer smartphone
Killer app platform
Killer PDA
= Phone, iPod, smartphone, PDA killer.
It even has a camera. This at least gives the scoble crowd an excuse to say ‘it only has 2MP!, you can by 32MP cameras today!!!!11′.
I wrote a 4 point ‘why the iPhone is awesome’. you can check it out at
http://print.wordpress.com
I too sample the “Apple PDA” point of view. First time bugs are to be expected like new Windows programs, Xbox360, etc. Just take things in stride and it’ll come to you. Perhaps after a year or so, other carriers besides Cingular will have access to this device. by that time another version will be out and … (read my comment from the beginning, rinse and repeat…)
Ciao mi gente…
~China Moon SmokeSignalHomes.WordPress.com
I agree – it is a truly disruptive product and leave it to Apple who never seems afraid to be bold. There are some interesting questions in the aftermath of its introduction, including battery life, the Cingular EDGE network, adoption of the traditional keypad. Having said this, a product like this will inspire a whole cottage industry of “me-too” products, which will only make it better for the consumer.
bbum999 — I don’t agree. I think $600 is a lot for a phone, and let’s not forget that once someone buys the iPhone, they’re also paying for a good (if not unlimited) data plan through Cingular. The phone’s initial cost isn’t the only financial obstacle that will present itself.
I don’t think this is geared towards teenagers and college kids. Will some have it? Yes. But overall, Apple is gunning for the tech influencers, and those are traditional smartphone buyers. If Apple is aiming to make an expensive smartphone for the non-business crowd, they may have missed the mark.
We’ll see.
Well, me again, just to say that Apple has modified the specs page of the iPhone, the first version did not just list an Intel processor, it had a different appearance too. Did anyone got to see the first version?
Jeff..
I completely agree, the phone isn’t targeted for the college kids or the average cell phone user. It’s sorta pricey, and people have even calulated the month rates that will be attached.
You’re talking about us college kids, who thrive on coolest. We’re the new generation, in which we pretend to have money, just ot fit in. Fading away are the Ramen-Noodle eating, shack living students. We’re the Lacoste wearing, coach carrying, trend obessed crowd now. We just spent 600(really $720 with game and extra controller) on Playstation 3’s. $499 for a phone and ipod together, could be a really sweet deal. Besides, checking the weather, movie times, and sometimes directions, us college kids rarely use the internet on our cell phones honestly(Hugh generalization here). So the whole, GSM, 3G deabte, really won’t affect us. Heck most of my crew, won’t know what you’re talking about. Having the new phone features, being touch sreen and having ipod capablities, is well more than worth the price, IMO. We’ll buy it, just to say we have it, or to show we had the 599 to spend on it, sorta like the earlier version of the iPod.
Now I know what happened: seems like I saw the AppleTV specs page and thought I saw the iPhone one. Maybe I was temporarily stupid.
The Zune is built on Wi ndows Mobile. Microsoft can very easily make a Zune phone.
foobar — MS already has smartphones on the market from a myriad of different hardware providers. These phones sell well.
MS would be fools to try to make some “entertainment” phone based on the Zune. If anything, they would try to add some hokey MP3 software + other applications to Windows Mobile and allow exclusive phones — presumably ones that are designed well — to run this modified Windows Mobile OS.
MS will not, in any way, try to copy Apple’s move here by making a Zune a full-blown phone.
awfully ambitious??? Now I think you missed out a couple (maybe more) of years on the mobile phone market, this IPhone or maybe better to say Xphone has nothing else as a nice jacket around some standard outdated hardware with a Apple OS and that’s all. You must be a freak to pay 600 dollars for an app which not even has 3G or better 3.5G which is even available here in Indonesia. By the time this ‘old’ thing is launched in Asia (2008) it will be light years away of what Nokia, Sony Ericsson and the others are doing. Please this is the biggest joke I ever seen on the market!
Mario — well, of all the comments thus far, let’s just say I have no idea where to begin with yours.
We’ll settle on this: your opinion of the iPhone is in the most fringe, uneducated minority possible, and it also will prove to have the dubious distinction of being unmitigatedly wrong.
I agree with mario, iPhone is a joke, but hey, many people are buying, so my friend was right, he said “Do not underestimate the power of fools in large number!” … also … “the trend is your friend, ride it while you can”
People who understand technology can see pass the hypes and see that iPhone is a 10 years old technology wrapped in a nice pretty case/design and amazing marketing campaign.
The big touch screen is nice, but that’s just about it!
Oh, I heard/read that the new iPhone will be around a third of the price of the 1st version of iPhone … finally Apple came to term that their iPhone was overpriced huh? (We told ya so?)
Yes Sid, those morons at Apple should have priced the original so much differently last year. Then they’d have really made an impact on the cell phone industry.
Oh wait… – Tim
P.S. People who understand technology, and don’t understand people, are the ones who see only a touch-screen and “10 year old technology.” That’s the same group of people who’ve been foisting the current crap… err… crop of cell phones on us since day 1.
It’s funny how apple fanboy keep defending ‘their’ product (well, it’s really Apple who makes all the money, but whatever) even when they’ve been suckered into buying old technology for three times the market price.
From people who understand technology: iPhone – 3G + hype = $599 … iPhone + 3G – hyp = $199 …
> Yes Sid, those morons at Apple should have priced the original so much differently last year.
No, Apple is brilliant, I think they have pulled this off perfectly. They had no other option than to hyped this up, how else could they advertise and sell 10 years old technology for the price of the latest Nokia smartphone?
The morons are the people suckered into buying the crap and then still defending their decisions.
I hope some people who read this will get some common sense and finally see it … it was just about the big touch screen (which isn’t new either, but nice) … nothing else is new nor revolutionary … ok may be the advertising campaign was revolutionary
Sid, get over it. It’s not about marketing, though their marketing is dramatically better than the rest of the tech industry. It’s about a dramatically better integration of every aspect of the phone, start to finish. It’s why people become fanboi’s in the first place.
Windows is perfectly acceptable. I use it every day at work, and a significant amount of time at home. However, the integration, not just between applications in the MS-Office-sense-of-integration, but of everything, makes using a Mac fundamentally different.
Similarly, the silver turd on my hip (generally referred to as a Windows Mobile phone) has most of the features of the iPhone. However, if you use it, you have to know all sorts of arcane details to understand where each feature is and how they work. It’s obvious that dozens of people were involved in the design of everything from the Start menu to the Home screen to the moronic wifi/bluetooth settings pages.
Then, I pick up an iPhone. (I don’t own one, and probably won’t, due to carrier issues.) I found every feature, exactly where I would expect it to be. It’s as if the phone was designed by one person, or a very small team with one vision. It was designed by people who understand people.
Can Nokia and Samsung do this? Absolutely. Have they? Not with smartphones, and the results were worse with WM phones. The only times other manufacturers have come up with nice integration is when they’ve done something really simple, like the Samsung M610 or the Sanyo 8500. Add more features and the design teams appear to have no sense of coherence.
Your mindless rant against Apple is just as simple-minded as the people you’re ranting against. This is like the anythingbutipod.com crowd, and it’s a psychological phenomena similar to what Mac people do to rail against Windows, even when there’s no good reason to do so. It allows you to be contrarian, and therefore an “independent thinker,” or “not like the lemmings.”
The iPod and the iPhone are ahead of other phones because the people designing them thought of the user first instead of thinking about technology first. Feature-wise, the phones aren’t ground-breaking, and may never be unless the 3rd-party development community does something with the new messaging architecture that Apple announced on Monday. So what?
Yes, the pricing of the iPhone is ridiculous. So is the pricing of virtually every other phone. Is Apple 5% more ridiculous? Does it matter, once you get past a certain point? How come nobody railed against MS and Audiovox about the $599 list pricing of my silver turd? No, the response from the market was to just ignore the PPC-6700 (and the 6800), which is in contrast to what people did with the iPhone.
If you don’t like the iPhone (or anything from Apple), don’t buy it. Why stand around pissing on Apple if others want to buy their stuff, be fanboi’s, or whatever? – Tim
Hi Tim,
not sure how you ended up talking about Winblows or Winblows mobile or Microsoft in general.
> Can Nokia and Samsung do this?
I don’t know about Samsung, but I pick up my Nokia N73 that I bought 1-2 years ago and start taking great high-res pictures, smooth videos, send MMS and SMS to multiple friends at once, do video-calling and send-receive files through bluetooth, play video games, play just about any music format, play mpeg videos, read PDF and Word document, surf the net with opera browser, and more geeky indulgence.
> I found every feature, exactly where I would expect it to be
Yes, most of them in the future … LOL
> If you don’t like the iPhone (or anything from Apple), don’t buy it. Why stand around pissing on Apple if others want to buy their stuff, be fanboi’s, or whatever?
Hey not need to take it personally like that. I like iPhone’s touch screen, but I’m calling BS on the rest of the hypes.
Sorry, but when something is claimed to be revolutionary, it needs to stand some beatings.
> How come nobody railed against MS and Audiovox about the $599 list pricing of my silver turd?
Bill Gates didn’t go to a conference saying it was revolutionary?
And hey, that’s why we talk about gadgets, so we won’t end up with a silver/black turd.
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