“Apple’s new iPhone promises to be 4.7 ounces of awesome,” Brian Caulfield writes for Forbes.
“It will do everything the iPhone does well–surfing the Web, serving up music and movies, and letting you flick through your voicemail messages with a fingertip–only faster and cheaper,” Caulfield writes.
“Yet imperfections still lurk, in spite of Chairman Steve Jobs’ maniacal attention to detail,” Caulfield writes. “Even before its release, there are some niggling issues–some minor, others major–that make the iPhone a mere gadget, just like any other.”
Caulfield’s “Seven iPhone Disappointments” are:
1. Cost. The iPhone (starting at $199) “will cost $160 more over two years than the original iPhone because AT&T put together a pricier data plan for the phone to help it subsidize the up-front cost of the handset.”
MacDailyNews Take: A very minor “disappointment.” Where’s the Forbes article that explains why cheapo Windows PCs actually cost more than Macs in the long run once you figure in antivirus subscriptions, lost time attempting to fix problems, etc.? The lack of such a valuable Forbes article is more disappointing that the fact that Apple has priced the iPhone to appeal to the short-attention-span/instant-gratification mentality that’s so prevalent today. Newsflash for Joe and Jane Six-Pack: “No Payments ‘Till 2012!” still means you have to pay – and more than you would have vs. simply paying full price upfront. It’s only disappointing that Apple has to cater to short-term thinkers. That’s why the iPhone is so “cheap” upfront, but really costs about the same as it always has (really a little bit more because it is 3G capable, after all).
[UPDATE: 7:30pm EDT: In response to Julio Ojeda-Zapata below: People to whom $6.67/mo. matters at all certainly shouldn’t be buying an iPhone.]
2. No Flash.
MacDailyNews Take: As iPhone users from day one, we first thought Caulfield meant flash, as in: brief bright light — for the iPhones’ camera. That ought to tell you exactly how disappointed we are that Apple has spared iPhone the battery draining, bloated Adobe Flash “experience.” We’d rather have a flash for the iPhone’s camera, than Flash for the iPhone.
3. No Replaceable Batteries.
MacDailyNews Take: This one’s been around since the debut of the iPod. It’s almost as bad as the “nobody wants all-in-one computers because the monitor can’t be easily replaced” blather. The market has already proven that replaceable batteries are not a disappointment; at least not enough of one to curtail sales. If replaceable batteries really mattered, Apple would have changed to them in iPod long ago, not started making notebooks with them (MacBook Air). Caulfield writes, “Hardcore road warriors don’t have time to stop and recharge their phones. Instead they carry their batteries with them…” Just Google “external battery for iPhone” and you’ll find Caulfield’s “disappointment” is without merit at least 50 times over. The minority who need external batteries are free to purchase them. Apple’s right not to build them into devices, raising the cost and increasing the thickness for everyone else.
4. Video Recording.
MacDailyNews Take: This one would’ve been Caulfield’s best one yet — If third-party developers hadn’t already enabled video recording for Apple iPhone last year:
Direct link via YouTube here.
5. No Cut-And-Paste.
MacDailyNews Take: This one actually is a disappointment, although we don’t think that’s going to last much longer. It’s already been and being tackled by third-party developers (here’s an example) and we hear that Apple’s working on the official cut/copy/paste, too, for release in an upcoming iPhone software update. At the very least, Apple, can we have Keychain for iPhone?
6. No Multimedia Messaging Service.
MacDailyNews Take: Caulfield’s really getting warmed up now. With this one, we completely agree. Turn on MMS, Apple. We’re tired of crap phone owners sending us images that require us to memorize obscure usernames and passwords (no official cut and paste, yet), navigate to some website and type them in to see their crap phone photo(s). Just enable MMS already, Apple! In the meantime, crap phone owners, just email us the photos instead, okay? Thanks.
7. No Voice Dialing.
MacDailyNews Take: Coming soon! See: Stop tapping and start talking: Nuance unveils speech recognition prototype for Apple iPhone – June 10, 2008.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Eric” for the heads up.]
“feeling”
See what I mean?
Hold on, there, troll (I mean reality check), I’m e-mailing you some Pamprin. Help is on the way!
Very minor wrinkles folks. Nothing is gonna be completely perfect.
Compared to, say, Windows Vista, I think the tech world can live with this.
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If Apple hangs everyone’s moon with it’s first major upgrade, then what are you going to get to complain about in the future?
I am sure Apple thought about a landscape keyboard before any of us did, along with a battery draining flash for both camera and annoying web ads. The cut and paste issue is as perplexing as why Apple won’t show their OS on TV. Let’s give Apple room for some future feature upgrades. I believe that 3g has to really be in concrete before they release iChat.
It is important for future upgrades and I believe they have some of these on the backburner on purpose.
its $10 more for the internet plan AND At&t;cut the 200 texts that was previously on the iphone plan. so thats $10 (internet plan) x 24 (months in the contract) + $5 (200 text plan, also the cheapest texting plan) x 24 (again months) = $360 – $200 (the lower cost of the new phone) = $160 more over the contract that someone would have to pay in comparing the 2 iphones.
The Flash issue IS an issue. I cannot tell you how many times I have been somewhere and someone will use my iphone to pull up a web site they want to show me. At least 80% of the time, it uses flash, and it cannot be viewed. This is a major disappointment for such a great product. Yes yes yes, flash is bloated, battery draining, etc etc etc. BUT, the majority of a lot of websites USE it. At least give us the option to enable the plug in or not. I’m sorry, but this argument is about a no brainer as Apple enabling MMS messaging. The majority of the people use it, so MAKE IT HAPPEN. That doesn’t mean it’s right, or the best, but it is what it is. Sometimes Apple is a little too thickheaded for it’s own good.
Reality Check forgot to stop pushing the Q-Tip in when he felt resistance.
In regards to:
7. No Voice Dialing.
You can do this with the iPhone. It costs $5 a month. You sign up for the TellMe service (ironically owned by Microsoft), and then you call into that to use voice services.
I even created an app (not really much of an app) called VADr (voice activated dialer) which you can put on your iPhone home screen. You click that, and then it dials into TellMe which then provides voice services. You can call people or ask for all kinds of stuff like stock, news, sports, etc…
However, what would be nice is if the iPhone had a voice-command-listening mode so that you could just say “iPhone” and it would wake and be ready for any voice commands (including other apps).
Imagine driving and having this happen:
User: “iPhone”
iPhone: “Yes user”
User: “Check email”
iPhone: “You have one new message in your work account and 2 new messages in your Yahoo account”.
User: “Summarize Yahoo”
iPhone: “You have 1 new message from Mom. You have 1 new message from New York Times”
User: “Read new”
iPhone: “New message from Mom sent today at 2pm. Son, when are you ever going to settle down and…”
User: “Stop”
User: “Show music”
User: “Show playlists”
User: “Play Beatles”
@MacSlut: Did you ever use a PowerMac 840av back in the mid 90s? I remember voice-controlling it to launch apps, etc. It was very cool and would be even nicer on the iPhone, I’m sure.
When I come across the name ‘Reality Check’ I move right along to the next post.
What wretched pathetic individual wastes his time trolling Apple fan sites?
Oh yes, a Micros**t victim.
“You have come to a sad realization. Cancel or Allow?”
I had a friend try to convince me his instinct was better than my iPhone, after assuring him he was wrong, he completely unknowingly asked me to send a pic from my phone. It was simply embarrassing. Turn on MMS! My biggest complaint!
My big disappointment is no Bluetooth sync.
I am still waiting for them to go with someone other than the evil AT&T;. AT&T;has horrible service where I live and when you need to contact their customer service they are horrible. We were with them when they were Cingular but had to switch due to their horrible service! Also, my LG 1400 always made the speakers it was anywhere near hum and the monitor display mess up on a CRT. I guess its the GSM Network. I wish Steve Jobs would open the iPhone for everyone now that AT&T;has broken the contract!
Apple needs to get smarter with these iphones, screw at&t;, give people the option with them
I would rather pay more for the iPhone (double) and choose my own carrier.
AT&T;Sucks big-time.
The list is going to be much larger on the Canadian version of the iPhone, With Rogers fill our pockets now or Fill our pockets later Data Plans, it will be impossible for the average (IE Not Loaded like Ted Rogers) users to be able to use the features built in at $50.00 a Gb you can send e-mail (if that is allowed), watch a couple of you tube videos (if that is allowed), send a couple of text messages (if that is allowed), I keep saying if that is allowed because the restriction Rogers places on the so called unlimited data Plans doesn’t allow for much, in fact as of now you can only brows the WEB using there Internet Browser, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN on the iPhone.
Rogers Plan Notes.
“Important: Plan includes unlimited on-device mobile browsing using the Rogers Mobile Internet Browser only and is only available on select Rogers certified devices (PDAs such as Blackberry or Windows Mobile devices, PC cards and non-Rogers certified devices are not eligible). Data usage incurred on ineligible devices or while tethering (use of device as wireless modem) or while using applications is subject to pay-per-use charges of $15/MB for the first 5MB, $10/MB for next 5MB, $5/MB for next 10MB and $0.50/MB thereafter. Data usage incurred while using certain Rogers approved applications may be included in the plan. 36-month term commitment required for Rogers Vision bonus eligibility.”
Hang on a minute; are you saying I won’t be able to send a photo to another mobile phone via SMS? That’s not going to go down well here in Australia…
“We’re tired of crap phone owners sending us images that require us to memorize obscure usernames and passwords … navigate to some website and type them in to see their crap phone photo(s)”
OK, so how do I do that? I’ve been sent MMS photos and of course I get nothing on my iPhone. My account at http://www.wireless.att.com doesn’t show any options for viewing received MMS messages.
re: video recording. I tried the DreamCatcher Video Recorder trial version. Audio won’t stay in sync with video, making the app almost worthless.
@Macaday
“…Whhooohhooo ‘Reality Check’ seems to have his knickers in a twist…”
Interesting variation on an old expression. I have always heard “knickers in a knot” or “panties in a pinch”. Googling the term lists your variation as well as “panties in a wad”. And says it originates in Australia. I had always heard it used by Southerners–that being Southern USA, not the Southern Hemisphere.
Please pardon my off topic post.
My biggest requests:
1. Universal landscape keyboard (can’t believe this isn’t done)
2. Louder ringtones (I often don’t hear my iPhone in my pocket and sometimes don’t notice the vibrate because it’s weak as well)
3. Universal copy, cut & paste
4. Voice dialing
5. Sync iCal tasks and Notes with Mail
Things I don’t care about:
1. Video recording – the camera isn’t good enough for decent recording anyway
2. MMS (don’t use it, so don’t care)
3. Flash for Safari
4. Replaceable battery. iPhone 3G has a longer battery life. I had replaceable batteries in my RAZR phones, etc., and never had a spare. Keep a charger cable in your car/laptop bag and plug your phone in between destinations. Who the hell keeps spare batteries all charged up anyway?
Things that would be nice additions but not necessary:
1. Flash for camera (better keep that charging cable handy)
2. MMS. I don’t use it, but there’s no reason for it not to be there.
3. Ability to transfer photos from digital camera to iPhone for storage (frees up memory card on camera). Better than hauling your laptop around, and you can even post them online if you have a Me.com account.
Other stuff:
1. Quit bitching about AT&T;. None of the other carriers are any better or any worse. I had a Verizon Wireless RAZR phone which Verizon specifically disabled the ability to download photos to your computer unless you bought Verizon’s proprietary software to do this. The same phone on other carriers allowed you to browse and download via Bluetooth, but not VZW.
2. Quit bitching about the extra $10/mo. for faster data access. You pay extra for high speed cable/DSL service, right? Why? Because it’s newer and FASTER. In the computer world, anything faster costs more. Shut up and deal with it. It’s still an unlimited data plan for $30/mo., which is much better than some carriers give you on their crappy phones, and Apple and AT&T;helped pioneer the inexpensive, unlimited data plans.
3. Quit bitching about iPhone shortcomings. It’s a convergence device, which means compromises have to be made. No replaceable battery but thinner case. 3G data speeds but higher monthly fee. No video recording or camera flash, but camera parts are smaller so thinner case and less weight. Price is $199, but you get a handheld computer.
If the iPhone doesn’t fit your needs, then don’t buy it. Constructive criticism is encouraged, but whiners and moaners need to STFU.
We say “knickers in a twist” in Oz.
We don’t usually use “wad” and “knickers” in the same sentence…
@Bazza
That’s right. NO mms messaging. Apple seems to think it’s mail program is better. An for EMAIL, it is! But COME ON ALREADY! The entire world uses mms messaging. This is the equivalent of buying a brand new Porsche and having 1st gear not function. FIX IT NOW APPLE!
The reason that AT&T;have increased the rate is because the 3G is more expensive – more data, more bandwidth.
What, you thought that GPS and 3G and the SDK was all going to be FREE?
I guess you must be used to free pirate copies of windows…..
@Bazza
“…We say “knickers in a twist” in Oz.
We don’t usually use “wad” and “knickers” in the same sentence…”
Where is/what is Oz?
Nobody that I know of uses those two words (“wad” and “knickers”) in the same sentence either nor did I. Or maybe I’m missing the joke.
@bizlaw
“Quit bitching about AT&T;. None of the other carriers are any better or any worse.”
How true. The quality of your carrier’s signal depends on where you use your phone in relation to that carrier’s cell phone towers. The signal quality varies widely among locations and carriers. In other words, comparing carriers is a meaningless exercise except for a particular location. Luckily, I happen to live in an area where AT&T;’s signal is probably better than any other carrier in the area–in fact it is excellent.