Yeh, but is it a good phone?

[krye]

Every one talks about how awesome the iPhone is. Look at all the stuff it can do. Wi-Fi this, internet in your pocket that. New SDK, third party apps, jail breaking, blah blah blah.

In over a year, I have never heard anyone talk about it as an actual cell phone. So how does it sound as a cell phone? Is it good? Does it sound like crap? Is it loud enough? I don't want to spend $500 on a phone and it sounds like I'm talking in the toilet. Know what I mean?

 

[LastZion]

The phone is great, quit looking for an excuse and buy one already . It sounds just as good if not better than any phone I have ever owned (I have had 12).

 

[Drumjim85]

I don't think you've heard anything about it, cause it hasn't been an issue... maybe it's not the BEST quality phone out there, but it's good..

 

[SFStateStudent]

Sounds like you need to make a trip to your nearest...

Apple Store to experience the iPhone in person. As for the "sounds like you're speaking in a toilet," I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never used my iPhone in a toilet! And "NO" I don't know what you mean!

 

[krye]

The phone is great, quit looking for an excuse and buy one already . It sounds just as good if not better than any phone I have ever owned (I have had 12).

I don't think you've heard anything about it, cause it hasn't been an issue... maybe it's not the BEST quality phone out there, but it's good..

Hum. So $500 for a "good" phone sounds like a rip, where $500 for the "best phone I have ever owned" sounds good.

Looks like this is another one of those silly questions that's always different depending on who you ask. Oh well. Though I'd try.

 

[TEG]

It is almost land-line quality in most areas. Most people I talk to are amazed that I'm talking to them on a cell phone. Much better than any other phone I've used, and I'm using it out in the middle of nowhere.

TEG

 

[SFStateStudent]

The Apple iPhone...

Hum. So $500 for a "good" phone sounds like a rip, where $500 for the "best phone I have ever owned" sounds good.

Looks like this is another one of those silly questions that's always different depending on who you ask. Oh well. Though I'd try.

might be "too much phone" for you, maybe you should try the Motorola line of cell phones!

 

[Drumjim85]

Hum. So $500 for a "good" phone sounds like a rip, where $500 for the "best phone I have ever owned" sounds good.

Looks like this is another one of those silly questions that's always different depending on who you ask. Oh well. Though I'd try.

it will be the best phone (as a device) you've ever owned ... just maybe not the best phone (voice) quality in the world ....

 

[sWaltuo]

Best phone I have ever used. The sound volume is a little low for some situations, but I love the phone part. It's easy to use, beautiful, and functions just like a phone should! Pretty much like the rest of the apps on the iPhone that everyone raves about! Except for it lacking a few features (which WILL be fixed, along with many other things that I bet we will say "How did we live without this", come June when the release Rev B and all the new Enterprise/SDK software)

Just my opinion.

 

[ruckus]

Hum. So $500 for a "good" phone sounds like a rip, where $500 for the "best phone I have ever owned" sounds good.

Looks like this is another one of those silly questions that's always different depending on who you ask. Oh well. Though I'd try.

I think you are missing the point. Its not $500 for a phone. Its all of the other stuff you have mentioned also. Internet browsing is unmatched. Email/iPod is great too.

I resisted buying one for a long time, now that I have it I don't know what I would do without it.

And as a developer I know that come June, this little device is going to be even more things than it is now.

But yeah, if you want just a phone, don't buy an iPhone. In my opinion, its too big to be just a phone. Its a good size to be everything it is.

 

[myphone]

I used to have a Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola. iPhone is the best of all. Sound is crystal clear.

 

[Bootsie]

So far it has been great for me! I love this thing!

 

[adamjay79]

it will be the best phone (as a device) you've ever owned ... just maybe not the best phone (voice) quality in the world ....

That is exactly one of the things that is holding me back. I use 4000+ minutes a month, while I love the ideas of all the features (currently use a BB Curve) - I need the PHONE to work.

 

[Michael CM1]

Every one talks about how awesome the iPhone is. Look at all the stuff it can do. Wi-Fi this, internet in your pocket that. New SDK, third party apps, jail breaking, blah blah blah.

In over a year, I have never heard anyone talk about it as an actual cell phone. So how does it sound as a cell phone? Is it good? Does it sound like crap? Is it loud enough? I don't want to spend $500 on a phone and it sounds like I'm talking in the toilet. Know what I mean?

It sounds better (and louder) than my RAZR I got about 18 months ago. It's not VoIP quality, but nothing else out there is (that isn't a VoIP phone). My mom couldn't understand me when I used the earbuds that came with it, but that could've been me not speaking loud enough.

After you get one, you'll understand why people don't mention the phone part much. It's hard to be impressed with a phone application when you're browsing the Web in the middle of nowhere on a screen that big.

 

[cdd543]

I think the phone is pretty good and in my opinion has improved with some of the firmware revisions. My original iphone had rather poor sound quality, but the one I have now is good. It could be one notch louder and the speaker phone is lousy, but I often use my headset and never get any complaints. It isn't as good as my wifes vxx 3g razr or my n95-3, but they are both 3g devices.

 

[Michael CM1]

I think the phone is pretty good and in my opinion has improved with some of the firmware revisions. My original iphone had rather poor sound quality, but the one I have now is good. It could be one notch louder and the speaker phone is lousy, but I often use my headset and never get any complaints. It isn't as good as my wifes vxx 3g razr or my n95-3, but they are both 3g devices.

I don't think (think!) 3G/EDGE has anything to do with voice quality. I was quite impressed with the earpiece and speakerphone quality. Don't forget how itty itty bitty these devices are. I do applaud you for comparing it to other phones. Most everybody I know has one of the plain old RAZRs like I had, so it's hard to say if other smartphones are any better.

 

[Spiffyis5150]

I don't think (think!) 3G/EDGE has anything to do with voice quality. I was quite impressed with the earpiece and speakerphone quality. Don't forget how itty itty bitty these devices are. I do applaud you for comparing it to other phones. Most everybody I know has one of the plain old RAZRs like I had, so it's hard to say if other smartphones are any better.

Actually, 3G and EDGE do have a good bit to do with voice quality. AT&T uses AMR-HR(or FR if you're lucky or can force your phone to only use FR) as their codec on EDGE to conserve bandwidth and it makes the voice quality suffer. The 3G network does not do this(I think it uses AMR-FR though it's possible AT&T could use AMR-WB aka wideband) so the voice quality is a good bit better(or should be, there's other factors of course).

 

[goldenjelly]

Apple Store to experience the iPhone in person. As for the "sounds like you're speaking in a toilet," I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never used my iPhone in a toilet! And "NO" I don't know what you mean!

i agree go try it out! and when you speak into a toilet there is an echo...which some phones also have, but it really doesnt take a genius to figure that out...

 

[goldenjelly]

i think the iphone is great...im never bored with it, the only thing i personally think could be better is the ringtone volume....my hearing is not so sharp and i just dont feel its loud enough for me but as for talking to people on the phone i can always hear them perfect

 

[Templex]

For what it's worth, its voice quality is better than my old V3i (and I even modded that to always use the full rate codec for better voice quality).

 

[marksman]

Hum. So $500 for a "good" phone sounds like a rip, where $500 for the "best phone I have ever owned" sounds good.

No because a phone is a phone is a phone essentially, at least for most people. The level of quality of the iPhone is such that it serves the needs of most peopel and what they need from a cell phone. That is why it is not an issue. People did not pay $500 for the cell phone portion of it. They paid the $500 for it because of all the other stuff it does including being just as capable a cell phone as any other cell phone.

I am not a massive cell phone user, but I have never had any issues with the actual cell phone portion of the iPhone. Would I buy it if all I needed was a cell phone? No I would get one where they actually PAY me to use the cell phone, because like I said, a cell phone is pretty much a cell phone.

 

[aphexacid]

Personally, i think its an excellent sounding phone. The voice quality is top notch. I wish the earpiece was a little louder, but its average loudness compared to other phones these days.

I just recieved my Nokia N95-4 8GB with north american 3G. Same earpiece loudness. I dont think i'll ever find one thats loud as my samsung mma-700.

Go buy one already

 

[nparmelee]

The voice quality is just as good as the blackberry 8700 I replaced. The speaker phone is a little low in volume, that would be my only complaint, earbuds and earpiece are fine for me. You have to look at all the features and decide if its worth the cost for you. We were just on the road a lot for Easter weekend and it was really nice to be able to look a few things up on the internet while we were driving, the BB was a pain for that, I spent about the same for the BB and the iPhone and I much prefer the iPhone.

 

[iStefmac]

Its not talked about because there's nothing to talk about. Cell phones are not exciting. Calling people in general is terribly miserable and expensive and not fun. No one gives a s--- as long as it works as well as any other phone. The Phone.app itself is better than any experience I've ever had on any mobile phone, so there is nothing to complain about.

 

[gandalf18]

Phone works well

I find the phone quality to be pretty good. From my personal use I'd offer the following caveats:

• Speaker phone is a bit quiet (as was previously mentioned)
• It could use a higher upper-limit to the volume. Not an issue normally, but in noisy settings it can be difficult to hear at points.
• The microphone is a bit too good. When I'm on a phone call people on the other end can hear just about everything else in the background. I'm sure with 2.0 Apple will have improved the background noise filter.

Again, these are just my personal observations. I am very satisfied with the iPhone as a phone. And everything else is great too!