[pixelcruncher]

Wow, the arrogance. Last time I checked the competition isn't laying down to die and Apple is still down at the 1%+ market share in cell phones? Sounds like the same buzz I heard about the Mac Mini and then AppleTV. Lots of "ifs". There's no way Apple can leap ahead on all fronts like this article suggests and dominate several different markets with a few iPhone apps. People who claim the iPhone is the perfect handheld gaming machine don't play video games (and certainly don't have children - what am I suppossed to do, hand my kids their own iPhones to game on? IPhones don't like to be dropped like the DS). People who claim the iPhone is the perfect e-reader don't read a lot of books (you really can't read quickly on an iPhone). People who claim the iPhone has a great camera don't have a passion for taking great photographs. Does anyone honestly think their iPhone is going to be able to best an HD camcorder with a real mic for capturing HD video? The reason this article makes no sense is that the iPhone doesn't do anything particularly well, the package simply far exceeds what other smart phone makers can put together.

[lukethegooner]

Quote

This stuff is going the way of the dodo because we pack a chameleon in our pocket in the form of our iPhones. We’ve talked for years about the cell phone as the ultimate convergence device<

This is simply not true. Mobile phones have been offering great quality camera's on them for many a moon now but we haven't seen the collapse of the pocket snapshot market. If anything it's gone from strength to strength.

I'm actually a little disappointed in the video aspect. VGA? Are you kidding me? All that says to me is that if you were interested in the iPhone for a video reason, then don't bother cause that's bound to get better in the next few years, stay clear for now as the quality isn't worth it.

What's the point in the video? I work with software all the time and as part of my professional life; if there's one thing that really annoys me it's when software, per se, tries to do everything.

A jack of all trades and a master of none.

Internet without Flash, for example; almost there but still not quite!! I'm sure you don't miss it that much but if you're going to do the internet properly on the iPhone why not go the whole hog!!

I imagine the people working with pocket camcorders breathed in for a second then breathed out in relief saying "oh it's OK, it's only VGA"

There's no doubt the iPhone is an amazing device, I'm still considering one, but I don't want a mobile device of this sort to be a camera or a camcorder. Personally I'd prefer it if it did the iPod, a phone and a web browser WELL (like no other mobile device does) instead of trying to be a poor quality camera and camcorder on top of that; it just confuses the situation for me.

If I were working for anyone that specialised in these products, I wouldn't worried at all. The smart device of choice for corporate use is still the Blackberry and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Luke

[MacKayaker]

People_Eater said:

Wait, what? Most Mac users can't afford the iPhone's monthly fees? Do you really believe that?

Macs are largely owned by middle-class and above people in first world countries. Sure, there are a few starving
artist/student types who struggle with money, but even they could probably afford it by giving up coffee or buying
cheaper art supplies.

In any case, I believe you are wrong. Probably half the Mac user base has an iPhone or iPod Touch, and an even
higher percentage among readers of Macworld.

I'd suggest you don't work in touch with a wide range of Mac users, as I do and have for many years. And you'd like to believe the demographics you want to believe - likely with no evidentiary proof of your claim. And I see a fair share of people in the demographic you describe, but I see plenty that are outside of it, as well.

I know for fact that no where near half of the Mac users I'm in contact with have an iPhone, nor a Touch. I'd estimate, at most, it might be around 10% of the Mac population. I do know that while some that don't have one, could afford one. Most, like myself, don't see the value. And for many Mac users that I work with, they are doing well enough to have a Mac, or to have switched to a Mac - many don't have iPods, nor a need for one - most have no need for a smartphone, nor the high monthly fees that mobile internet access demands.

At the end of the day, it's about values and priorities and for most, their values and priorities don't allow/require paying $100-$300 (or more in earlier days) up front (most pay little to nothing for their phone) and being tied into a two-year monthly contract at a rate approaching double what they have been paying for cell phone service. They don't need mobile internet access, etc.

[Chris Breen]

pixelcruncher said:

>There's no way Apple can leap ahead on all fronts like this article suggests and dominate several different markets with a few iPhone apps

Hmm, where have I heard this kind of thing before? Oh yeah:

• If man were meant to fly, he would have been born with wings!
  
  
• Talking pictures!? It?ll never fly.
  
  
• 640K ought to be enough for anybody.
  
  
• Digital photography? Yeah, like that?s ever going to replace film.
  
  
• Download music from the Internet? Why would I do that when I have CDs?

[jjackman]

I think the big "Uh Oh" or "giant sucking sound" was the the air rushing out of the keynote regarding AT&T. I think people are finally fedup with the disgusting and terrible service AT&T has. They are way behind the times and still haven't caught up with the first iPhone never mind providing service for the iPhone 3Gs with MSM and Tethering.

[GregoriusM]

Interesting that they had a whole demonstration of an app that lets you download newspapers, magazines and a HUGE number of BOOKS to the iPhone.
Stevie Boy..... I thought "No one reads books anymore?" Hmmmmmmmm...... I think some of us are just changing where we get those books and how we read them.
A million books! I think we're still reading books, Mr. Jobs!
Maybe he was talking about hard cover and paper backs. Yep. That's it.
Greg

[anythingbut]

God. The pure lack of knowing what is outside the Apple walls for this writer is sad. EVERYTHING the iPhone does is equally doable on an HTC Pro or Pro 2 phone. Wake and and realize you drank the kool-aid. Palm? Who cares. iPhones are only 8% of the smartphone market. and close to 0 in Asia.
Apps? Windows Mobile has had them for years. No fart apps, or apps to wipe your ass, but apps for mobile is not an invention of Apple. Juat like the gui we are all use to was not invented by Apple. I have an iPhone that I will be ditching for the HTC Pro 2 when it becomes available to North America. Why? Cause I'm sick of being part of the Mac cult.

[Chris Breen]

anythingbut said:

God. The pure lack of knowing what is outside the Apple walls for this writer is sad. EVERYTHING the iPhone does is equally doable on an HTC Pro or Pro 2 phone.

Yeah, that phone is getting an amazing amount of buzz...uh, well, somewhere probably. And I just love those slide-out keyboards -- really helps with my off-hours juggling.

>Why? Cause I'm sick of being part of the Mac cult.

Okay then, send your badge and decoder ring back.

[rab777hp]

Slide out keyboards are actually really nice, I have a G1 with v 1.5, so I have a choice of physical or virtual, they are both great, virtual keyboards are great, but slide out phyiscal ones enable you to go a lot faster, and enable more features since there is another component. I would/am be able to type a TON more on a physical than a virtual.

[doglesby]

In general, I agree. But I don't see how the iPhone replaces universal remotes. Most gear cannot be controlled over the network and the iPhone lacks an infrared port. Even if it could control my devices, I know my Harmony Remote by touch--I'd hate a button-less remote.

[Chris Breen]

doglesby said:

In general, I agree. But I don't see how the iPhone replaces universal remotes. Most gear cannot be controlled over the network and the iPhone lacks an infrared port.

There are a couple of methods being worked on at the moment. One uses a universal IR blaster that receives signals via Wi-Fi. So, think of your Harmony Remote having Wi-Fi built in so you could control it from somewhere else. Set it up so it can see your gear and control it via an app.

I like my Harmony Remote too, but the beauty of iPhone/iPod touch control is that you don't need line of sight. I can control my stuff from anywhere in the house.

[doglesby]

Chris Breen said:

I like my Harmony Remote too, but the beauty of iPhone/iPod touch control is that you don't need line of sight. I can control my stuff from anywhere in the house.

Yeah, I definitely want to control my TiVo, TV, DVD player, and stereo from across the house. That sounds useful only if you have a receiver driving a multi-room sound system. If my brother ever figures out how to connect the outside speakers to his system, he could use such a setup. However, in the living room, he's still going to want the Harmony remote with the--you know--buttons. So I don't see the "who's gonna buy a universal remote now" point. Everyone else? Consider yourselves on notice.

[Chris Breen]

doglesby said:

Yeah, I definitely want to control my TiVo, TV, DVD player, and stereo from across the house. That sounds useful only if you have a receiver driving a multi-room sound system.

Or controlling a radio, CD player, dock-connected iPod that's inside a cabinet. Or a garage door opener. Or ceiling fan. Or any number of gadgets that can be controlled remotely via IR.

[snapcridge]

I feel like some are missing the big picture here. There were no devices like the iPhone when it released. EVERYONE has gotten into the game now and they will continue to follow. The iPhone's latest feature set will not affect single device makers now, but EVERYONE will continue to try and outdo the iPhone. Because of that, eventually those mini cam makers and GPS makers mentioned are going to be forced to step up their game. It's called 'economics'.