Great points.... Though I love my phone, there are a few things that deflate it's greatness for me.
Just make sure you do your part, okay?
http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
Unlike most companies, Apple seems to listen. Sure, they have their "broken" processes, where one hand might not talk to the other, like everyone, but they are really trying to make a solid product. From taking iPhone's back with user-damage to addressing security flaws, its clear they want this platform to be around for a while... and users to be happy. At various iPhone Tech Talks they've been holding around the country, they're almost INSANELY interested in any bug reports, and describe to anyone how to wrap up and send crash logs to them.
That, and they really really wanted to catalog suggestions. When they showed this slide, I wish I had taken a screenshot of all of the suggestions they displayed under the banner of "Keep 'em coming!" (Not that I'd be able to share it.) There were a number of suggestions I hadn't thought of, but they had all the one's people most often comment on. My first thought was,
"Um, wow."
Many of the items on the list are a little stupid, considering they need to be reworded to simply say things like, "I didn't know there wasn't GPS in the phone before I bought it." I'm left thinking,
"That's not exactly iPhone's fault is it?"
1.
Web Browser / File System Limitations -
Can't download or upload anything. From ringtones, wallpapers, PDFs, or Mp3s... downloading and uploading... no can do.
I can agree with that. With 1.1.1 we have iTunes now though. Even as a preview service, identifying songs with friends is awesome with this. With sites like SeeqPod though, we've got even more options... at least for now.
2.
Intuitiveness / Feature Limitations -
Can't attach a photo FROM the email screen, you need to start from the album, and you lose whatever you'd already typed. Where is cut & paste?
Apple's clearly heard from customers about the cut & paste.
I posted my own solution/suggestion too.
3.
Hard to Type Fast -
Typing fast requires a lot of practice. Landscape keyboard not available elsewhere except in web browser.
They've clear been hearing the landscape complaint too. Regarding typing fast though, I completely disagree. A guy I work with has an iPhone too. He just got his last month. We both we typing quickly within days. The problem is, most people that have "experience" using phone keyboards do what I did at first, and keep trying to "get it right". Once you realize that they iPhone is assisting you, you don't keep eyeballing every word while you're doing it, and you "trust the Force" (or in this case the predictive typing). This by NO means "sucks".
4.
Messaging -
Junk mail.
Welcome to the year 2007. Server-side filtering is the name of the game. I use Google. I honestly do not want junk mail arriving on my phone at all, if it can be auto-blocked. Can you imagine the drain on your battery as the iPhone consumes CPU cycles analyzing every message, and downloading it in full? It's brain dead in my opinion. Filter it on the server, and improve the easy of deleting multiple messages (which I think needs better options).
No AOL/MSN Instant Messenger clients, no picture messaging, no video-conferencing.
Wealth of IM options now, eh? But, we'll have to wait until February to get "notification" functionality like vibration and pop-ups. Picture messaging? I could see them doing an image-attach button and pulling in a photo from the album.
They should do that. Video-conferencing? I don't support people dreaming up things they didn't ask if a device performed before buying, and complaining about it. Especially the far-fetched things. E... D... G... E. And aside from that, the phone's been pulled apart now. There's no hidden 2nd camera. Video conferencing? My bet is iPhone 2. Allow us to record video? I'd appreciate that one. I'd even savvy a digital zoom on the camera.
5.
Menu Navigation issues -
Where is the unified inbox?
Mm. They should definitely put that in there. It should be "off" by default though. Phones are confusing enough. I've already fielded IT requests by people who could easily goof up things if an IMAP account like Yahoo, had mail in the same box as a pop-mail solution. Complaints about when an "edit" button should and shouldn't appear don't seem like they're well thought out as a complaint.
6.
Head Phone Adapter Blues -
What's with the recessed headphone jack?
Yeah, this is bad. Luckily, I like my original headphones, and when I'm listening at work, I use the line out on my dock (which I have the iPhone plugged into all day). The line in is pretty normal. I've modified my existing headphones to use the recessed jack, though. Some headphones just let you pull off an extra layer of plastic to reveal a thin iPhone compatible jack. Screw the adapters, I can't bother with it either.
7.
Can't use phone as modem OR Bluetooth file browsing -
No tethering!
Oh, boo-hoo. I knew the phone didn't support tethering. At least not yet. I think February should bring an avalanche of solutions, including the 3rd party lovechild "tinyproxy".
No Bluetooth file support?
I'm wondering about this. I imagine Bluetooth file support will come with real access to the file system, but its certainly a glaring omission. Considering the ringtone and media file situation, this isn't a surprise for most folks who couldn't care less... but more extensive Bluetooth support is needed. It seems criminal that Salling Clicker would support remote controlling your Mac on every phone BUT the iPhone. Of course, we have Telekinesis and WiFi, but still.
8.
Google Maps / No GPS! -
NO GPS, NO GPS, NO GPS!!!
Wait for Navizon in February, or sadly, iPhone 2. People should know the iPhone has no GPS. I can't tell you though, how many times I typed in random street names or addresses around me, and got my location tut-sweet. The turn-by-turn directions really work fine, if you have a co-pilot worth their salt. Best Google Maps on mobile period.
9.
AT&T 2 year agreement -
Early termination fee of $175 if I cancel before the end of my 2 year contract on AT&T.
You sound like a U.S. Senator. Is this the first time you've bought a phone with a 2 year agreement? Is it? Really? Cause this is a list of why the iPHONE sucks, no why phones in general can be irritating (sans special deals/promotions that waive the normal requirement). Anyway,
AT&T just redid their policies. Pro-rated ETF. So, you only have to pay for time-not-served. Seems T-Mobile is named in a case about this, that the Supreme Court of California has opened the gates for side-stepping binding arbitration clauses. Both Verizon, then AT&T recently jumped off the unblockable "fee" wagon. Problem is though... err... where are you going with that carrier-locked iPhone? Well, if you must, best be using iPhone Sim Free, imo.
10.
This List -
First time I had to make a list of gripes.
Hey, no one forced a gun to your head. Did you like anything at ALL? If the good doesn't make up for the bad, then go directly back to the store and return it. No harm no foul, and AT&T won't hold you to your contract either if you're only under 14 days into it (obviously the original poster is NOW, but just to say it). I have a pet peeve of folks that buy something, just to sound enslaved by it... an instant victim to some corporate pantheon of interests. Nah, get into something like DirectBuy. Google the terms
"directbuy" and "trapped" to know what real pain is. Nothing like this "10-14 day return policy" garbage Apple gives people, DirectBuy is hardcore! I saw a funny King of the Hill episode on that topic.
~ CB