Ever get that sinking feeling?

[emotion]

Your average joe schmoe is going to take a look at the free Nokia N95 (gps, video calls, HSDPA etc ) and then at the 300 quid (estimate in the UK) iPhone on the same tarriff and make the obvious decision.

Now most of us realise the user experience for the two devices is not going to be that similar (we know Apple will likely get this mostly right and Nokias aren't that great in thsi respect) but we live in a world where windows outsells osx so draw your own conclusions from that.

As for the phone+ipod=iphone price comparisons most phones these days are very capable music players so the equation doesn't hold much water.

 

[Mantronix]

I would normally agree with you, but perhaps, we could learn a lesson from thread 500.

Point taken.

 

[rayward]

As for the phone+ipod=iphone price comparisons most phones these days are very capable music players so the equation doesn't hold much water.

It does when you take into account that none of the phone/music players out there will synch with iTunes.

Also, the interface on most mobile phones is horrible. The iPhone not only cures almost all of those ills with its fabulous touch screen, it also has a better iPod interface than has been available previously. It's a better cell phone and a better iPod.

 

[alywa]

Now most of us realise the user experience for the two devices is not going to be that similar (we know Apple will likely get this mostly right and Nokias aren't that great in thsi respect) but we live in a world where windows outsells osx so draw your own conclusions from that.

See, that's where the argument that the iPhone will fail breaks down. The cellphone market is not like the PC market. There isn't a Choice A -vs- Choice B situation. It is far more similar to the DAP market. iPod is winning that market because it is an excellent product, which works exactly as advertised. iPhone has the chance to follow this trend... it isn't competing against years of momentum like OS X -vs- Windows is.

A phone is an independent device... very few people run extra programs on it than what come with it. (Kind of like the iPod). Apple will make widgets, games, and apps as the product matures. 3rd parties will likely be able to make apps too, but in a controlled manner. This is a good thing.

I agree the cost seems a bit steep, but apple has had no problem whatsoever selling the iPod at a premium compared to other DAPs... I don't think they will have trouble meeting goals set for the iPhone.

 

[zap2]

No...the iPhone is going to rock my world, I'm counting the days until it launches!!

 

[Stella]

A phone is an independent device... very few people run extra programs on it than what come with it. (Kind of like the iPod). Apple will make widgets, games, and apps as the product matures. 3rd parties will likely be able to make apps too, but in a controlled manner. This is a good thing.

How is restricting the 3rd party software environment a good thing?

 

[roland.g]

The iPhone is targeted to the consumer much more than the business user b/c of the multimedia apps and things like the mapping feature. Tons of 18-40 yr olds will go gaga over all that tech. In Asia and Europe phones are high end commodities and status symbols but in the US phones are throwaways and always subsidized junk. Look at the Razr. $500 when they came out, now everyone has one, and they are total garbage. They fall apart, are made cheap, and have a ridiculously pathetic UI. Apple is banking on the fact that people want more and knowing the company rep will pay more for a quality product that does more. Sure it may not have 3G and all the leading tech, but it is a great amalgamation of a well rounded feature set in a very attractive package. And Apple knows if people will keep buying every generation of iPod, sometimes when they have ones that don't need replacing yet, they will spend a bit more for this phone.

 

[Nuc]

I would buy one. However, I'm not switching from Verizon to get one. Wish they would have it for all carriers...

Nuc

 

[Fearless Leader]

i probably dont need the iphone, well actually not at all, but i might get one depending how much i have after the mac pro purchase.

It basically boils down to 750gb of disk space or an iphone.

 

[Grakkle]

Locked to a crappy carrier, unreplaceable battery, no 3rd party apps, no 3g, expensive...i'd be surprised if this thing isn't a flop

I actually just switched my carrier from T-Mobile to Cingular/AT&T, and I've actually found them to be quite good.

I do agree that an unlocked phone would be preferable. That being said, however, if it must be locked to a carrier better AT&T than Verizon or Sprint, for instance.

 

[buymeaniphone]

I'm sure apple will come up with something usable for business users. Dont forget theres always google docs and spreadsheets if you need to edit word and excel docs.

I know $500 does sound like a lot, but not when you think about how your getting an iPod and a phone. Sure theres other smart phones out there that cost $200 less, but I think I'll take my chances on OS X instead of Palm and Windows Mobile .

 

[Stella]

I'm sure apple will come up with something usable for business users. Dont forget theres always google docs and spreadsheets if you need to edit word and excel docs.

I know $500 does sound like a lot, but not when you think about how your getting an iPod and a phone. Sure theres other smart phones out there that cost $200 less, but I think I'll take my chances on OS X instead of Palm and Windows Mobile .

Then you'd just better hope the version of Safari in the iPhone fares better than that of 10.4.

Safari in 10.4 does not work with GoogleDocs!!!

 

[emotion]

Then you'd just better hope the version of Safari in the iPhone fares better than that of 10.4.

Safari in 10.4 does not work with GoogleDocs!!!

Very true. It does work though, just isn't supported.

It does when you take into account that none of the phone/music players out there will synch with iTunes.

Also, the interface on most mobile phones is horrible. The iPhone not only cures almost all of those ills with its fabulous touch screen, it also has a better iPod interface than has been available previously. It's a better cell phone and a better iPod.

That might be so (we'll have to see when it's released) but, as I say in my initial post, not everyone appreciates things that work better. They just look at the specs.

 

[rayward]

That might be so (we'll have to see when it's released) but, as I say in my initial post, not everyone appreciates things that work better. They just look at the specs.

I think the hype around the iPhone is such that it transcends simple specs. I think almost everyone thinking about a new phone will take a look at the iPhone "just because", and many of those will appreciate the wonderful interface and amazing capabilities.

FWIW, the thing that resonated with me the most from the keynote was the phone interface. Jobs made the point that the killer app on a phone was making phone calls! I've had Sony-Eriksson, Samsung, Motorola and Nokia phones, and as the phones added more functions, making a phone call got pushed further and further back in priority. Jobs said that most people use their recent activity list as their phonebook, because otherwise it just takes too long, and he was exactly correct.

Also texting with conversation threads and a full keyboard (without all those ugly buttons), and visual voicemail are real leaps forward in ease of use. Add to this the fact that the iPhone customises the keyboard for whatever you're doing, so you don't have to remember which softkey or multi-function key flashes to a second call or turns on the speaker, and you have the most intuitive phone interface ever.

All of this will mean that anyone who can afford to spend $500 on a phone would be crazy not to buy an iPhone. The specs be damned!

 

[emotion]

I think the hype around the iPhone is such that it transcends simple specs. I think almost everyone thinking about a new phone will take a look at the iPhone "just because", and many of those will appreciate the wonderful interface and amazing capabilities.
...
All of this will mean that anyone who can afford to spend $500 on a phone would be crazy not to buy an iPhone. The specs be damned!

You might be right. Only time will tell.

 

[Jimmy James]

Every get the feeling that apple is spending tons of time and money on a phone that isn't really targeted at anyone?

It's not the best phone for business users, or the best for personal users and it's too expensive for kids.

The iphone is going to be marketed at business users, I was discussing this with my father (Who owns an architectural firm) and he says the iphone would not be suitable for him at all because it can't open office documents, can't use 3rd party software and because of the short battery life (He can be out of the office all day talking on the phone with no chance to charge it).

I know from a personal user point of view this phone would be good for me! great! However, at the price I could never get one. How about as a top for rich kids? Well that is the only real market I see the iphone fitting into, I think allot of people will get it because it's 'apple' and 'trendy'. But really it's just going to be a fab that apple are spending millions on to develop (Let alone pissing off there existing customer base by sacrificing leopard for it).

I have the honorable feeling that the iphone is going to be a big fat flop. However I want to be proven wrong! I Desperately want to get proven wrong because I don't want to see apple lose money chasing a white elephant!

So there is my opinion, anyone else think apple has gone off on the wrong tangent with the iphone?

Anyone have any ideas what apple could have done differently to target the phone more to a particular demographic?

All thoughts and comments welcome!


(Please note this isn't a slam of the iphone, as I said I would love one but just can't afford it )

You can take comfort in the fact that you've been proven wrong, as requested.

 

[Hal~9000]

You can take comfort in the fact that you've been proven wrong, as requested.

You seriously bumped an 8-year old thread for that?

Glad to see OP was wrong in his prediction though about the iPhone being targeted towards business users. The fact that Apple lowered the price to $199 w/ 2-year contract probably helped a lot to accelerate their takeover of the consumer market.