This guy from the AJC is not a believer yet - iPhone 3G

ColsTiger · 06-10-2007, 11:07 PM

But that first guy he quotes sounds familiar.

All-in-one iPhone may be too trendy

By BOB KEEFE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/10/07 Andy Whatley is crazy for cellphones.
He bought a Motorola Razr as soon as it hit the market. He soon replaced it with the music-playing Rockr, then an even trendier Slivr.
RELATED LINK:
iPhone: Do you believe the hype? [ Submit your comments below. ]
So it's no surprise what the Columbus schoolteacher is eagerly awaiting now: the Apple iPhone.
When the elegant cellphone/music player/entertainment/Internet device arrives at his local AT&T store June 29, Whatley plans to be one of the first in line. He's got his eye on the 8-gigabyte model, priced at $600.
"On a teacher's salary, shoot, $600 is almost a week's pay," said Whatley, 46. "But how often does [a phone] come around like this one?"
Whatley is exactly the sort of consumer Apple is aiming for in new ads for what could be the most hyped electronic device in recent history.
But will the average consumer pay $500 to $600 to own it?
Probably not.
"Like any new hot fashion item ... it's almost inconceivable that you're not going to see a huge surge in orders over the next eight to 12 weeks," said David Yoffie, a Harvard Business School professor who studies technology and strategy.
"But after that," he added, "it depends on a lot of unknowns."
According to a survey last month by J.D. Power and Associates, more than 36 percent of cellphone users get their phones for free, and free is hard to beat.
When consumers did pay for a cellphone last year, the average price was about $93, slightly less than a year earlier.
At the same time, many consumers already have music players and other multimedia features on their cellphones, but don't use them.
In a recent study by technology research firm In-Stat, about 80 percent of consumers who had phones that can play songs said they rarely — if ever — used the feature.
Ken Dulaney, an analyst with technology research firm Gartner Inc., said the jury is still out on whether most consumers want all-in-one-devices like iPhone or separate devices that might work better independently.
"The real question is, do you want a hammer that also acts like a saw?" he said. "There's a certain customer group who would prefer" separate devices.
Especially, he added, if they already own an iPod or are happy with their current cellphone.
Special concerns
As a phone, iPhone is mediocre compared to other products on the market, Dulaney said. As a media player, it's good, but a separate iPod might be better. As an e-mail device, other devices are better.
As a result, Dulaney said he's expecting the iPhone to have limited appeal.
"I believe this is a much tougher project than [Apple] ever imagined," he said.
IPhone also comes with its own set of special concerns.
With so many features, some technology analysts worry about its battery life. Will its striking touch screen hold up over time as well as regular old buttons?
And while Apple knows computers, it has never made a cellphone before.
Of course, naysayers have doubted Apple in the past and have been dead wrong.
Take the iPod. Critics initially scoffed at the idea of a computer company selling portable music players, and in six years, Apple has sold 100 million of them.
Jen O'Connell, a former cellphone industry executive in Atlanta who recently published "The Cell Phone Decoder Ring," a consumer guidebook, said whether the iPhone is right for you depends on what you want in a phone.
If you're just getting comfortable with that new iPod or don't need a portable music player, or if you don't want to do a lot of Web surfing or e-mail checking with your cellphone, don't get one, she said.
Likewise, if AT&T wireless service is spotty where you live or where you frequently travel, definitely don't get one, since iPhone works only on AT&T.
High price tag
And then, of course, there's the cost factor.
"It's going to be extremely appealing, but the biggest limitation is going to be the price," said O'Connell. "That's a lot of money."
And that high price tag is just for the device. AT&T has not yet disclosed the charges for the monthly service or special functions.
In announcing iPhone in January, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said he expects to get just 1 percent of the cellphone market.
But with an estimated $8.8 billion in U.S. cellphone sales last year, there's plenty of room to make money.
Apple officials declined to comment for this story, but Jobs is expected to reveal more details Monday about the phone and its launch at a software developers conference in San Francisco.

Youngbinks · 06-10-2007, 11:40 PM

^^ I have to say I am loving some of these doubters because it will wash away some of the potential buyers from trying to get their hands on it first. I went to another AT&T store today and overheard a customer asking a million questions about the iPhone. Hmmm, I wonder if he could have been someone from here? Thanks for the good read Cols.

ColsTiger · 06-11-2007, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Youngbinks

^^ I have to say I am loving some of these doubters because it will wash away some of the potential buyers from trying to get their hands on it first. I went to another AT&T store today and overheard a customer asking a million questions about the iPhone. Hmmm, I wonder if he could have been someone from here? Thanks for the good read Cols.

There are some real bashers in the comments section too. You should check them out.

Comments

Marksman · 06-11-2007, 12:21 AM

Some of the reasons he cites for the iPhones potential failure are the exact reason why it will likely be succesful.

People don't use those gadgets on regular cell phones because regular cell phones have sucktastic interfaces. Playing music on a regular cell phone is not worth the time or effort to try and figure it out. How the cell phone business has gotten away with such non-intuitive interfaces for so long is beyond me.

People don't not play music on their cell phone because they don't want to, they don't do it, because it is simply too much of a pain int he arse to do it.

The iPhone will change that. It is all about the UI. There is literally no such thing as a cell phone or smartphone right now where the UI does not suck.

Given this is Apple's primary strength, it is clear they will make a difference. In fact I suspect this was the primary reason for them entering the cell phone market. They saw that all cell phones have HORRIBLE interfaces, and they are known for making great interfaces. It was a match made in heaven. If current cell phones could give you $100 a day, most people would be poor simply because it would be too hard to get the $100 out of the cell phone.

Cantwait4iPhone · 06-11-2007, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Youngbinks

^^ I have to say I am loving some of these doubters because it will wash away some of the potential buyers from trying to get their hands on it first. I went to another AT&T store today and overheard a customer asking a million questions about the iPhone. Hmmm, I wonder if he could have been someone from here? Thanks for the good read Cols.

I agree. As much as these haters are annoying, I am happy to see that there will be more left for us.

wjp09 · 06-11-2007, 01:34 AM

what an idiot. Of course it is not THEE best in everysingle aspect but it is very good in each overall. What he is saying is saying that the iphone sucks because there are Cameras out there that have 12mpx and iphone has 2 or that laptops have awesome internet and iphones is .... Nothing can do it all perfectly.

ColsTiger · 06-11-2007, 01:42 AM

Well, he makes some good points. The phone is very expensive when you consider that the average user thinks they should be free like the one they got when they signed their contract two or three years ago. Unless you're just a phone enthusiast (geek) like me, then it's probably nuts to think of spending that much for a phone. I remember when I got my RAZR in '05 (before the price dropped with activations) I paid $275. One co-worker was shocked when I told them that price. People don't know the real price of their phones because all they see is the subsidized price they pay while renewing their contract.

Bootlessjam · 06-11-2007, 03:07 AM

Quote:

As a phone, iPhone is mediocre compared to other products on the market, Dulaney said. As a media player, it's good, but a separate iPod might be better. As an e-mail device, other devices are better.

What is this guy on about? To turn on the speaker phone on my current phone I need to press "clear" for 1 second! DOES THAT MAKE SENSE! and no one has any idea how to make a 3 way call on any modern phone. All you can do nowdays is answer and hang up unless you read the 300+ page manuel. It is the best iPod ever made, and no other mobile device does real html Email. This guy obviously hasn't seen the iPhone in action. People like him think that a 7MP camera is better than a 6MP no matter what. It more than just the specs of a product!

ColsTiger · 06-11-2007, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bootlessjam

What is this guy on about? To turn on the speaker phone on my current phone I need to press "clear" for 1 second! DOES THAT MAKE SENSE! and no one has any idea how to make a 3 way call on any modern phone. All you can do nowdays is answer and hang up unless you read the 300+ page manuel. It is the best iPod ever made, and no other mobile device does real html Email. This guy obviously hasn't seen the iPhone in action. People like him think that a 7MP camera is better than a 6MP no matter what. It more than just the specs of a product!

I think it's more about the unbridled faithfulness of the Apple customers than anything else. It's an almost cult-like following except for the iPod portion of the business.

thepepes · 06-11-2007, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColsTiger

I think it's more about the unbridled faithfulness of the Apple customers than anything else. It's an almost cult-like following except for the iPod portion of the business.

Yeah, I'm really starting to see that. I was introduced to Apple only becuase of the iPod, which I bought when I was a freshman in college. Before then, I thought Apple was weird (eek, i know!) and it reminded me of the 80's. Then when I went to school in nyc, everyone from the west coast had an iPod and it was just getting big in the east. Now everyone seems to be switching to mac computers. I just wonder if the iPhone will be as mainstream as the iPod, or more of a cult thing.