I spit on Forbes! Fie!
Give Steve Jobs credit: He’s managed to get the entire tech community–and much of the rest of the world–talking about a pricey gadget that only a handful have seen or touched.
there are several good reasons to think twice about dropping $500 for the first-generation iPhone.
The iPhone’s battery is one example of a feature that could flop.
Apple decided not to allow the iPhone to work on AT&T’s fastest, “third-generation” (or 3G) wireless network, opting instead for its slower “EDGE” network.
It’s not clear if the iPhone’s e-mail software will initially–or imminently–support “push” e-mail from Microsoft Exchange e-mail servers
Rabid e-mailers or texters may also be skeptical about the iPhone’s keyboard-free design.
Lastly, one of the most anticipated, unknown iPhone features is its real price tag. We already know that it will cost $500 to $600, depending on storage capacity. But AT&T’s contract requirements could easily quadruple that price.
100,000,000 talkin’ on the phone – – nothing to say.
Big Apple fan, but NOT a iPhone fan! I can just picture how many of these phones will fail because of the abuse they will get.
I like the ideal of it all. It would be nice to have a complete OS in a phone that can act as a small computer. But the way it is done with the iphone will not stand up to the day to day abuse that the real world offer’s. I will stick to my MacBook for access on the road and get my FREE phone every two years!
I still don’t comprehend crystal ball comments, #2. I agree – I don’t need any sort of Smart Phone; so, I wouldn’t be interested in an iPhone – except as part of another expanding niche in the Tech World.
But, why should the iPhone be any more prone to failure than any other Smart Phone or a late-gen Palm? My old Palm is on it’s 2nd go-round with a friend – still cranking along. My friends with Smart Phones aren’t more or less likely to spill coffee on them or leave them on the roof of the car – than friends with the freebee. Which is what I use, btw.
Steve Forbes has it in for the enemy of his fellow greedhead and chum Gates, so he gets his licks in when convenient…
Most of the people I know will take the, “free”, phone with a contract, or at most pay a few bucks. This is a niche product for the gadget happy or Apple die hards. Apple’s in a cut throat market here, and they rarely reduce product prices. They need to get this thing under $300 with contract.
#5,
I was wondering about the fabulous fashion accessory component in all this. However seeing people delight at a suffering Paris Hilton, makes me think the IT girl phenomon is dying off (for the moment at least). In that case it might actually be a disaster for Apple if the public at large sees her using an Apple phone.
Also the hysterics over this phone are mindblowing, defying all reason. For example, look at Apples stock price run up, while ATT is looking at 20 million new users, and they are gonna get the lionshare of the revenue this thing is gonna generate, and their stock price has not moved at all.
Also, if you look at the charts on google finance (which wont be available on the iPhone btw) I might start day trading Apple stocks speculating on a type of Apple hype futures. Sell when the hype is hitting feaverpitch, then buy the couple of days that the hype dies down. If you had been doing that, you could have 10x your money since last september. While if you bought apple stock and sat on it that period you would have only doubled it.
#5 – You’re saying Apple, as a whole, isn’t still a niche player? The fact the iPod is popular doesn’t negate this: Look at all of the MP3 player features they’ve ignored to stay in their niche!
#6 – The “it” girl shit will never go away, it just needs a new captain. As for the stock, a good way to tell when APPL is going down is when it has heavy volume on the previous day. While the stock is on an upward trend, it does trade in somewhat of a channel.
#7 — are you the guy with the Zune tatoo? iPod a niche product? Get serious.
The chuckle has to be – yet another magazine twerp criticizing cellphone costs – while he natters around the landscape with a crackberry his employer pays for.
It’s so nice to hear that so many people will give business to a corporation (AT&T) that was more than willing to hand over their customer’s phone records to our loving government. Fuck the iPhone and fuck AT&T!
The only thing I care about is the trickle down effect. I want that freaking voicemail feature on my phone like yesterday!!!
The non 3G support might be a plus now since the Qualcomm 3G chips are going to be banned from being imported soon
#8,
When you consider the iPod sells considerably less than digital cameras, and its US sales numbers are comparable to satelite radios… yeah… iPods are a niche product….
Once I looked at the raw financials of the iPod, the Zune became a double mystery to me… Why would MS even bother with the portable music player market? Oh, because Apple figured out how to sell them for an extra premium price. OIC.
10.Yessssss! Thank you Major sir!
#13 – What?
Obviously digital cameras outsell iPods… But everyone I know (except me) has an iPod and only a handful have satellite radio.
The battery life question should be answered quickly. I am sure the people who have been given iPhones could post usage details and battery life experience.
Data solves a lot.
16. Once they find a better battery, then you get to send it to Apple so they can replace it, so your out your electronic leash for how long??? Sorry, no sale.
#8 – Are you an idiot?
Niche market does not always mean small market, it means a selective market. Apple only caters to selective markets. The fact one of those markets… the iPod market… isn’t small doesn’t mean the others will be as large.
That being said, Apple has found another niche market with a large number of people: Those who want an easy to use smart phone that has a ‘cool factor’ to it.
Now, say you’re sorry for being born.
I do not see the iPOD as a niche product. The category is huge and International and everyone is involved. Apple dominates the category with 80-90 percent market share. How in gods name is this in any way “niche.?” It’s mass market , man. Mass market by definition is not niche. What’s the niche? By your way of thinking TV’s are a niche market too. Automobiles — a niche market!
Oh I get it..to you the niche iPOD market means every college kid, every high school kid, every techie, old ladies, retirees and most people in-between. Interesting niche. Yeah #8 is an idiot. What is he thinking?
I love the phrase “a niche market with a large number of people.” As in millions. Har, you are too funny when you want to be.
20,
I do love those numbers…
When they say WORLD WIDE sales…
I REALLY dont think they include Asia, and about 1/2 of the middle east.
Even at 1% sales World wide(7 billion persons) you would have to have EVERY man, women, and child in the Americas(north, south) and Europe to have 1….
And if you REALLy look around, there are some NICE/NEET devices out there. But many havent and DONT do DRM.