OK, we're right in the middle of exams now, but I need to say something to stop the hype from causing bad decisions. Here are the important truths about the iPhone 3G:

1. Apple have implemented a load of software features which look like more great innovations. Actually Windows Mobile and probably other mobile operating systems have had these features for years.
2. Assisted GPS. I can't believe that got the crowd excited. That's already in loads of other devices (the HTC Touch Diamond is there twice at the moment ).
3. Battery life. Yes, it has improved...but it's still not particularly good.
4. The screen. Loads of people go on for ages about the screen. Yes, it's big, but the device is consequently big. Too big for a lot of people. Other devices have smaller screens with higher resolutions (such as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 and the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.
5. Third-party software. Again, years behind other devices.
6. That MobileMe. A bit of an unnecessary middle-man and you're sometimes forced to use the website so it would seem likely that there are already similar services out there, albeit with less integration. Also, Windows Mobile has had the 'cloud-based' contact synchronisation thing for ages through Windows Live Messenger.
7. Other devices now have slicker, shinier and more useful user interfaces (such as TouchFLO 3D on the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, and the XPERIA X1's panels). The iPhone was always beaten in terms ot the efficiency of its interface - even the old TouchFLO got users to what they wanted faster, on average.
8. The iPhone has been out-handy-featurised by more innovative devices, again, like the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.
9. The iPhone now has worse specifications than other devices (Touch Diamond, Touch Pro, XPERIA X1).
10. Price. Yes, the iPhone is now cheaper, but that does not make it cheap. Apple didn't let network operators subsidise the cost of the old device, as they usually do for people with contracts. Now, they are letting the networks do that, so you'll end up paying for it through your phone usage anyway.
11. Networks. The iPhone is limited to one network per country in most countries. HTC sell their devices unlocked (as well as through networks - some networks even hand special branded versions), so you can use it on any network.
12. The HTC Touch Diamond has beaten the iPhone 3G to the market, similar to the way its predecessor, the HTC Touch, beat the old iPhone to the market.

So, Apple are late again, with a product that is now comprehensively beaten by a range of other devices. And I only know about HTC's devices (yes, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 was designed and manufactured by HTC) - both Nokia and BlackBerry probably have better devices too. Therefore, I would like to conclude that you should not buy an iPhone 3G.

Anyway, the iPhone is going to be available on Pay & Go with O2 in the UK (but, interestingly, only on Pay Monthly in Ireland) so that may mean that, finally, O2 is introducing mobile internet for Pay & Go customers. I think I'll ask about that now...

I'll be back after the exams are over (last one on the 18th of June).
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:58 WEST | Category: Technology
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Comments:

ben
iPhone 3G...
I agree, but you do seem quite angry in this post compared to normal. (is there an normal level of angryness?) points 1-3 i entirely agree with.. infact, if you also include some of the things they included in the WWDC, eg drag+drop webmail... microsoft had that sussed a very long time ago. infact, mobileme is nothing new. Apple have tried to force the .mac service down the throats of anyone who has bought a mac on their first boot, and when you actually looked deeper into what it was... turns out that the same functionality could be done using home-brew WebDAV. While I'll conceed that apple has made some quite nice architectural additions with respect to mobileme+iphone.. you must admit, it really wouldnt be good if they hadn't done it. As for the cloud services themselves, Bill Gates has been touting that line for the past 3 years. Windows live already has (a somewhat, poorly implemented) push/pop mail (hotmail) social network (spaces), calendar, addressbook and even online presence (.net .. am i the only one who doesnt see the parallels to .mac and the Idisk??), but microsoft do it for free and the .net specification is much more superior (in my opinion) than objective-C for the simple fact that it can use any modern high-level programming language. c.f. at a recent Rails conference, microsoft announced native ruby within silverlight.

Anyway, its about time apple brought themselves into line, i dont think that anything actually "new" turned up at WWDC, just things that are long over due. However, again, i do conceed that apple have a very nice way of just making it look good. We expect some good/interesting 3rd party software now that a platform is finally there. Open up the flood gates to OSS.

ps. one thing i did learn is that iphone uses ARM processors... an interesting choice, who wants to put gentoo on it?
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:26 WEST

ben
iPhone 3G...
Oh also, i personally will not be getting this new version. I'm feeling some anti-apple tendencies atm. usually to do with their very poor UNIX compliance, technically they stay within the rules, but its too much of a hack unless you use native APIs :( .

Also, O2 aren't exactly being friendly to me atm, and i dont even have a contract with them.. sorta...
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:29 WEST

Mark Hogan
iPhone 3G...
I'm not particularly angry - just forceful. At least 90% of the people with iPhones seem to completely ignore (or not be aware of) other similar devices. They think their phone is the best phone ever by far and they they're awesomely cool for having it. Also, the number of bloggers and reviews that, to use Rory's terminology, bone the iPhone, is obscene! Even the BBC is showing bias - there's no mention of Windows Mobile or any companies that make Windows Mobile devices in any of their iPhone 3G articles, but Windows Mobile is the second most popular smartphone operating system and HTC is considered to be one of the IT giants (specifically in the cellular hardware category).

The general ignorance needs to end, so competition and therefore innovation become more fierce. I don't want HTC to end up like Sendo did...

Anyway, in conclusion, yeah, it's amazing how Apple can make catch-up seem like innovation. I hope the Touch Diamond, Touch Pro and XPERIA X1 outsell the iPhone 3G (which they probably will - it's possible that the Touch, Touch Dual and Touch Cruise outsold the old iPhone, but I can't find enough data to say that for sure).
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:10 WEST

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