“Just how slippery is Apple’s iPhone? Scattered reports from people who have put their hands on pre-release models say that its main problem is not the rumored battery life shortfall, but the sleek, slippery surface,” hilip Elmer-DeWitt blogs for Business 2.0.
“I handled one for about 15 minutes in January and didn’t find it any more prone to flying out of my hands — or my shirt pocket — than an iPod. But others who have spent more time with it say different,” Elmer-DeWitt writes.
Elmer-DeWitt writes, “Alexandros Roussos recently interviewed a ‘tipster who had the chance to play with the device for a longer time than just a few minutes.’ He reported on MacScoop that its real-world battery performance would ‘surprise us,’ and, in fact, exceed Apple’s posted specs: up to 5 hours talk/video/browsing, and up to 16 hours audio playback.”
“Overall,” he added, “our source found the iPhone awesome but he mentioned, as a sole negative point, that the material used on the device’s case makes it feel even more slippery than the iPod and will probably require the purchase of a protective skin or case so as to avoid unintentionally dropping it.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “DLMeyer” for the heads up.]
Judging “slipperiness” by pre-production units is probably not the best idea. We’ll reserve judgement for the shipping product.
Also, if you don’t get a case/consider getting one, well that’s just unwise.
IMHO
Isn’t that was cases are for?
While your point is valid, MDN, so are the others who have gotten their hands on it. Better to change it now than after a class-action lawsuit, don’t you think?
That was a subjective observation. “Feel” does not equate to slippery. Slippery means you can’t hold onto it. Did the anonymous reviewer drop the iPhone? I think not.
This is a bogus “anaonymous” tipster that is more likely made up by the author to create controversy and drive hits.
The internet has sunk to the lowest form of journalism, if that’s possible.
“slipperiness” depends primarily on the hands of the user. If you’ve got very dry or very sweaty hands, you may have problems holding smooth objects. For most people, it won’t be a problem.
Personally, I find the new Nano to be very slippery, and the Shuffle just flies out of my fingers when I try to open the clasp. Never had any problems with the larger iPods, which seem closer in materials to what the iPhone looks like, so, maybe just a matter of these testers being a little more careful than they should be because they were handling the jewels of the kingdom.
If someone describes the device as “awesome” and limits the sole drawback as “slippery” then boy-oh-boy this device is gonna live up to the hype.
And, at $600+, a case should frakkin’ be included.
it might “squirt” out of your hand, hehe.
yea, see? Apple copying MS (zune) AGAIN!!
The big news in the article isn’t the slipperyness, but that the battery life is great.
A rubber case would work well with the iPhone. There have already been images around of a company in China producing cases for the iPhone.
I hope that the iPhone is not slippery… this is the exact reason why I hate my Razr phone; I cannot tell you how many times it has “slipped” out of my hands…. If I were to invest in an iPhone, then getting a protective case for it would be a top priority.
by the way…
Has there ever been more press about a product that isn’t yet available for sale? Maybe the Wii?
Even if the iPhone is slippery, people will bitch, but it will not affect sales what-so-ever. People will just bitch.
It’s very easy to change up the feel of the exterior – it’s not so easy to re-engineer the whole device to fit a larger capacity battery. if this is the worst problem they have, this thing will be a HUGE hit.
You have GOT to be kidding me. This is news? Has the Fud Threshold really fallen this low?
“It can’t be used as a paddle! How will I row my boat if I loose my other 2 paddles?!”
Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
This made me laugh out loud. Anything to minimize sales, it seems. Avoid the iPhone!!! It’ll fly out of your hand and take out an eye!
File this one with the scratch prone Nano FUD. It’s B.S., my bride has a Nano, the screen looks great. Trust me, if anyone could trash one it would be her.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m buying a case with my iPhone. And hopefully they’ll let me get “My Precious” engraved on the back.
Slippery is good, but the shape needs to be more bullet-like.
BTW if it is too slippery you could put a lanyard on it and wear it like one of those big Mercedes medallions that the rappers wear.
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“And, at $600+, a case should frakkin’ be included.”
It looks like it already ships with a case–a metal one.
I’m going to take mine into the bath with me then. I love playing with slippery things in the bathtub.
Thppft. This will just be an excuse to sell third party slipcases.
I can’t believe the BS FUD flying around before launch.
Give up you idiots, iPhone will be BIG and there is nothing you can say to stop it.