Issues you should consider before buying an iPhone

Alex · 01-13-2007, 02:45 PM

Announced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 9th, 2006, the iPhone is Apple’s first foray into the cell phone market. The iPhone is a combination of a cell phone, iPod, PDA and a 2 mega pixel camera.

The iPhone utilizes OS X as its operating system which uses a 3.5 inch touch screen for input. Two versions of the iPhone will be made available upon its launch, a 4 gigabyte version and an 8 gigabyte version, costing $499 and $599 respectively. Initially the phone will only be available for use through Cingular’s networks.

A feature that the iPhone surprisingly lacks, but many other portable gadgets feature is a memory card expansion slot [Yahoo Answers]. Apple has had a tradition of not allowing users to upgrade existing devices with ease, this can be viewed as a practice of forcing people to continually purchase more Apple products as their need for memory and other features expand. This greed due to the constant upgrade cycle could have contributed quite a bit to Apple and its success.

Another interesting issue with the iPhone is Apple barring the installation of 3rd party software on the iPhone. Why is this? It could be for many reasons. Apple implies that the unauthorized software installed on the iPhone could interfere with the operation of the device, Apple might also want to collect licensing fees for its software much like many Video Game console developers have been for years. Apple has also has had a bad reputation for the quality of products upon their release, often they are considered buggy and erroneous by users. Often many of the bugs are fixed in the future generation of the product. Apple may be waiting for future generations of the iPhone to come out before allowing 3rd party software onto the device till it is considered stable enough to run different types of software.

The user interface of the iPhone is a new concept never been tried out in mobile devices before. The iPhones main input and control method is a 3.5 inch touch screen where you use your fingers instead of a stylus. This new control method might take some time to get used to for people who are used to dealing with stylus’s and thumb boards, this new control scheme might also be just a marketing trick, not really adding much to the experience of the iPhone. The touch screen might backfire on Apple if it does not prove easy enough to use.

Much like its close relative, the iPod, the iPhone is expected to work like a mobile hard drive. The iPhone comes with either a 4 GB or 8 GB memory on board depending on the version you buy allowing users to store plenty of files including movies and music.

Apple currently only controls a small portion of the Personal Computer market. The market is currently dominated by Microsoft’s Windows line of operating systems. Apple has converted many users with its new Intel processors used in its PC’s and the iPod and it may attempt to do the same with the iPhone. The iPhone may not work as well with Windows as it might with OS X. It may also have poor Syncing with Windows. Whether this helps Apple or hurts it is yet to be known, only time can tell on such matters.

iUser · 01-15-2007, 06:09 PM

The only thing mentioned here that I dislike about the iPhone is the fact it doesn't have any memory expansion slots. I was really disappointed, however not really suprised, when I heard the news.

Dr.Ead · 01-19-2007, 06:39 AM

Quote:

The only thing mentioned here that I dislike about the iPhone is the fact it doesn't have any memory expansion slots. I was really disappointed, however not really suprised, when I heard the news.

they wouldnt want to affect the sales of the 8GB model when it comes out, would they? :P

iUser · 01-19-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Ead

they wouldnt want to affect the sales of the 8GB model when it comes out, would they? :P

True, I never even thought of it that way before... Everyone would just end up buying the 4GB and then buying a few dozen 4GB cards, haha.

Dr.Ead · 01-26-2007, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Everyone would just end up buying the 4GB and then buying a few dozen 4GB cards, haha.

and the 4GB cards will be many times cheaper.

iUser · 01-29-2007, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Ead

and the 4GB cards will be many times cheaper.

$30.00 or so on eBay!

Dr.Ead · 02-01-2007, 11:55 PM

Quote:

$30.00 or so on eBay!

by the time the iPhone is out, it will be much cheaper.
just like the pricing of 128mb usb drives back then

apple · 02-03-2007, 02:37 AM

Yeah, I wasn't surprised at the lack of expansion ports. They intend to create a sleek sexy product, almost impossible if you have a flappy thing on the side.

The one thing I am annoyed at is the battery issue again, still sealed into the unit.

iUser · 02-03-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apple

Yeah, I wasn't surprised at the lack of expansion ports. They intend to create a sleek sexy product, almost impossible if you have a flappy thing on the side.

I doubt the sleek and sexy was the reason at all for not having expansion ports. There are a lot of ways to get a sleek and sexy look with them there without having rubber flaps on it. Read a couple of posts above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by apple

The one thing I am annoyed at is the battery issue again, still sealed into the unit.

Eh, it's probably a really, really durable battery. If not, then it will be most likely covered by a warranty of sorts.

apple · 02-03-2007, 11:34 AM

If you knew anything about the iPod, you would be concerned about the battery too. I'd say 30-40 of my friends replaced the iPod simply due to extremell poor battery life.

01-13-2007, 02:45 PM	#1
Alex Administrator Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 330	Issues you should consider before buying an iPhone Announced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 9th, 2006, the iPhone is Apple’s first foray into the cell phone market. The iPhone is a combination of a cell phone, iPod, PDA and a 2 mega pixel camera. The iPhone utilizes OS X as its operating system which uses a 3.5 inch touch screen for input. Two versions of the iPhone will be made available upon its launch, a 4 gigabyte version and an 8 gigabyte version, costing $499 and $599 respectively. Initially the phone will only be available for use through Cingular’s networks. A feature that the iPhone surprisingly lacks, but many other portable gadgets feature is a memory card expansion slot [Yahoo Answers]. Apple has had a tradition of not allowing users to upgrade existing devices with ease, this can be viewed as a practice of forcing people to continually purchase more Apple products as their need for memory and other features expand. This greed due to the constant upgrade cycle could have contributed quite a bit to Apple and its success. Another interesting issue with the iPhone is Apple barring the installation of 3rd party software on the iPhone. Why is this? It could be for many reasons. Apple implies that the unauthorized software installed on the iPhone could interfere with the operation of the device, Apple might also want to collect licensing fees for its software much like many Video Game console developers have been for years. Apple has also has had a bad reputation for the quality of products upon their release, often they are considered buggy and erroneous by users. Often many of the bugs are fixed in the future generation of the product. Apple may be waiting for future generations of the iPhone to come out before allowing 3rd party software onto the device till it is considered stable enough to run different types of software. The user interface of the iPhone is a new concept never been tried out in mobile devices before. The iPhones main input and control method is a 3.5 inch touch screen where you use your fingers instead of a stylus. This new control method might take some time to get used to for people who are used to dealing with stylus’s and thumb boards, this new control scheme might also be just a marketing trick, not really adding much to the experience of the iPhone. The touch screen might backfire on Apple if it does not prove easy enough to use. Much like its close relative, the iPod, the iPhone is expected to work like a mobile hard drive. The iPhone comes with either a 4 GB or 8 GB memory on board depending on the version you buy allowing users to store plenty of files including movies and music. Apple currently only controls a small portion of the Personal Computer market. The market is currently dominated by Microsoft’s Windows line of operating systems. Apple has converted many users with its new Intel processors used in its PC’s and the iPod and it may attempt to do the same with the iPhone. The iPhone may not work as well with Windows as it might with OS X. It may also have poor Syncing with Windows. Whether this helps Apple or hurts it is yet to be known, only time can tell on such matters. __________________ iPhone wiki: http://www.iphonewiki.com

01-15-2007, 06:09 PM	#2
iUser Senior iPhoner Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 229	The only thing mentioned here that I dislike about the iPhone is the fact it doesn't have any memory expansion slots. I was really disappointed, however not really suprised, when I heard the news. __________________ iUser - Moderator iPhone addict since '06. Send me a private message Register an account to iPhoneChat.com Vote for iPhoneChat.com

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02-03-2007, 02:37 AM	#8
apple Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, Europe, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe Posts: 212	Yeah, I wasn't surprised at the lack of expansion ports. They intend to create a sleek sexy product, almost impossible if you have a flappy thing on the side. The one thing I am annoyed at is the battery issue again, still sealed into the unit.

02-03-2007, 11:34 AM	#10
apple Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, Europe, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe Posts: 212	If you knew anything about the iPod, you would be concerned about the battery too. I'd say 30-40 of my friends replaced the iPod simply due to extremell poor battery life.

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