To iPhone or not to iPhone, that is the Question

[drscott]

Paul's getting his new phone today, so I need to decide what to do with mine. The iPhone's really attractive, but a few faults keep me undecided: no Bluetooth stereo headphone protocol, no cut-and-paste, slow data network. The first two will probably get fixed with software updates, but the network hardware won't, and it's rumored the new model with much faster network hardware will appear in April '09.

I don't mind paying Steve $100/year for being on the leading edge, but $400/year is too much.

So I'll look through the alternatives, and consider keeping my old phone until next year's iPhone 2.0.

Comments

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

Same concerns here. I'm contemplating the iPhone as well. For what it's worth, a buddy (and iPhone owner) mentioned last night that there's to be some sort of software update coming out this week. What issues will be addressed, who knows!

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

The most impact will be on those folks who have applied the SIM card unlock to allow them to use the iPhone with other networks. According to several articles, the update will permanently and irreversibly disable these phones. I can hear the lawyers hustling for clients right now. Other than that, the stated feature update is to support the Starbuck's/iTunes music download service.

[abqdan.livejournal.com]

I suspect this is actually the intention of the update. I still cannot understand the deal Apple (hi-tech, hi-style company) made with AT&T (low-tech, bad reputation company).

Given the open nature of the operating system, I don't think they'll really be able to break these phones permanently, and I expect to see new patches out from hackers in a couple of weeks repairing (and again unlocking) the affected iPhones. This is going to concentrate the ire of hackers on Apple for a while; I hope they don't decide to take it out on iMacs as well.

Shame on Apple for the AT&T deal, and for creating this 'update'. And shame on the FCC for not forcing all wireless companies to unlock the billions of dollars worth of equipment we buy so that we can have cell phone service.

[pklexton.livejournal.com]

I got mine (free from the Apple muckety-muck brother - he got 2 employee issue phones, one as a beta, and this one). I had to upgrade my service plan by $10/mo. to get unlimited data, but was already on AT&T. (Which was a good thing for the Europe trip, since my phone worked perfectly, both voice and data.)

It's very cool. I'm not used to having stylish accessories, so this is all new to me. My biggest complaint is the lack of anything tactile - you have to actually look at the phone to dial. And since there are so many features, you might have to click through lots of options to get to what you want. Before, if I wanted to call home, I'd just hit 2 on the phone and it would speed dial home. Now, I have to hit a button to enable the screen, slide the slider over, (enter a keycode- but that's only because I have to have a security function for work), push the start button if the last function used was not the phone, push the phone button, then push the favorite button, then push the home button.

The data thing isn't too bad. Who wants to surf the internet on one of those screens unless you really have to? Being able to access wifi when available (home, office) really speeds things up.

Btw mine does have some bluetooth thing but maybe it's not stereo - I don't know much about bluetooth anyway.

[pklexton.livejournal.com]

Update - as of 4pm this afternoon that's my VICE PRESIDENT Apple muckety muck brother. Yay Pete!

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

Yay! And it actually means something, unlike the 1000s of VPs at, say, Wells Fargo.

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

does it download street porn? that would be the kicker for me.

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

Slowly! But you might like it slow...

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

snarf!!

[pulsecub.livejournal.com]

I've had my iPhone since the release. I frequently give people the following response when asked whether or not I like the phone:

"It's the most useful phone I've ever owned."

It's not perfect (i.e. no cut-and-paste, no multiple recipients on text messages, that other stuff you mention), but I can live without those things for now, as many of them will get addressed with software updates.

As for 3G vs. EDGE, well, they're saying we'll get 3G next year; I'm not sure it will be that quick, and the EDGE network is not really that bad by comparison to what I've used mobile-Internet-wise in other products. Having a Web browser that can render full pages, and a POP/IMAP e-mail client goes a long way in making up for EDGE.

Finally, on the subject of this week's update: It is to provide (primarily) wireless access to the iTunes store (a la the new iPod Touch). They may fix a couple other things, but that's the major change.

Hope that helps you decide, Scott. If it were me, and I had to make the decision again, I would go with the iPhone in a heartbeat.

[excessor.livejournal.com]

You have to remember that Curtis was once a Mac developer. He sees through those eyes.

Plus, he gets really annoyed when something doesn't work the way it should. If he gets an iPhone, I will taunt him mercilessly about his "superior" UI.

In a loving way, of course.

[pulsecub.livejournal.com]

I had no idea he was a Mac developer...

[excessor.livejournal.com]

It was long ago, wayyyy before I knew him.

[pulsecub.livejournal.com]

Back when they used those Apple Card Stacks (I forget what they were called...)? :)

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

Not THAT long ago, more like '87-'91, and it doesn't mean much -- meant I used their toolset and did some programming. What Paul means is that I don't approve of the extreme "no buttons" approach that means some of the commonest things you'd want to do with a phone require looking at the screen and several gestures to accomplish, instead of a button push. Elegance is nice, but not when it sacrifices too much usability.

I'm still making up my mind, and part of me wants to not care about the near-term obsolescence of the network hardware to get the easy integration. But better to forget about it for six months...

[pulsecub.livejournal.com]

Well, here's one thing to factor into your equation (since you like those so much ): You have a month, I think, to try it out and return it if you don't like it. There's nothing like living with a device for a while to see if it fits into your life before making the commitment for the long haul.