“Whatever one’s view of Apple as a manufacturer of digital equipment, as an author of operating systems and designer of software, as a multinational corporation, as a lifestyle statement or as a quasi-religious cult, it remains a matter of ineluctable fact that the introduction of the iPhone just over a year ago changed the smartphone market for ever. An incredible three-quarters of all mobile web browsing is now done on the iPhone, despite its market share being far smaller than that of either Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/Java or Nokia/Symbian devices. iPhone users report an unprecedented level of customer satisfaction (between 82% and 90%, compared with the second placed BlackBerry at 50%),” Stephen Fry writes for The Guardian.
MacDailyNews Take: And, those so-called “satisfied” BlackBerry users have never touched an iPhone.
Fry continues, “This is not a surprise to anyone who has lived with an iPhone for even a short while, and even less of a surprise to anyone who has also had to work with a WinMob phone.”
Fry writes, “A year of living with iPhone One has proved to me that the camera lens and its operation is good enough to produce better photos than phones with twice the resolution, that EDGE speeds allow swift email and full browsing in most areas of the country, that the Google Maps implementation and music, video and photo playback are stunningly impressive, and that other deficiencies are made up for by the sob-worthy beauty, elegance and lovability of another Jonathan Ive-designed Apple masterpiece.”
“Nonetheless, we want it all… [And] finally, here it is, the iPhone 3G… This new phone’s greatness is not revealed in its outer lineaments, however, gorgeous as they are, software is crucial. Simultaneous with its release comes Version 2.0 of the operating system,” Fry writes.
“It means that the power of the iPhone as a beautiful, smooth and function-rich handheld computer can now be realised. Anyone may now write for the iPhone. Existing applications (games, utilities, ebooks, dictionaries and so forth) already written for other platforms can be ported into Apple’s elegant and intuitive developer’s kit with astonishing ease. All applications have to be downloaded through the iTunes store. Believe me, in a very few weeks you will see things being done on an iPhone that will make you gasp,” Fry writes.
MacDailyNews Note: On July 21, a mere 10 days after the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software launch, Apple announced that over 25 million apps had already been downloaded from the App Store.
“Now that the Applications store is up and running, you will soon find it a very common sight indeed to see people crowded around each other’s iPhones showing off the latest impossible, breathtaking and groundbreaking application… Once again, Apple has changed the rules, and nothing will ever be quite the same again,” Fry writes.
Much more in the full article – recommended – here.
Take that you suckas. Talk about a RIM job.
Jep!
“Once again, Apple has changed the rules, and nothing will ever be quite the same again”
The universal headline about Apple – just change the subject.
I love that man
Oh and check out his podcasts, feckin’ brill.
hellO: he “gets” it.
What makes this even more interesting is that Stephen Fry isn’t your basic techie… he’s a famous British actor. Not so well known in the States, maybe, but he was in “A Fish Called Wanda”, and narrated a number of the Harry Potter films. He was also half of a comedy team with Hugh Laurie of “House MD”. Among other things, Fry played Jeeves to Laurie’s Bertie Wooster in the PG Wodehouse comedies.
I need a job, I am going for my Apple Cert.
also a Girlfriend, anyone
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> please.
My kids have already drained my iPhone’s battery on one occasion playing Spinner, and my 11 year old son used it to watch his eBay Bionicle searches while we visited family.
They’re bugging me to download Monkey Ball, but then I know I’d never see my iPhone again.
Finally, an unbiased, level headed review of the iPhone!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> I could not agree more. Is no one paying him to say it does not cut and paste, or Mobile me, a very ambitious undertaking, has some glitches?
What! No blood bath comment yet?
this be great news is the OS wasnt so buggy.
Im not happy with software 2.0
its got more bugs than any OS i used. Far worse than Microsoft.
The author claims that the Diamond phone (iPhone competitor) has multi-touch. Is that true? I thought it was patented. Apple lawyers, start your engines.
“Apple: Changing the rules since 1984.”
MaWo: ‘serious’.
“Things will never be the same again”.
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A classic headline.
Perhaps MobileMe actually works in the UK? And if they didn’t suffer from the same activation roadblocks on Day 1, it further points to the real culprit being AT&T;.
THIS is why I use the AAPL dips to buy. It’s only a matter of time before AAPL>300.
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iPhone will do wonders for RIM. You guys have no idea how economics work. Elasticity of demand is a wonderful thing! Believe it.
MARCO = JAllard in disguise
@ marco.
Really? OS 2.0 have more bugs than an MS OS system…I mean other than DOS?
Impressive.
I bet it has more viruses too.
marco is a typical windows troll. Come back when you have some truth and you grow up.
Had iPhone with v1.0 jailbroken, now iPhone 3G with v2.0 legal downunder, love it. MobileMe is working perfecting after second day, push is great. But have noticed AUS app store and US app store have different apps. No Last.FM / Pandora for example in AUS store. We still restricted by region… again?!?
Stephen Fry’s a funny guy, good actor too. And he comes across as a straight-talking, unbiased writer. Although he has been a Mac user for quite a while (apparently he was introduced to the Mac years ago by Douglas Adams).
have Blackberries. They’re no longer thrilled with them, since they’ve seen my iPhone. The iPhone’s screen is larger, and the Blackberry’s screen seems fuzzy by comparison. Ease of use goes to the iPhone too.
Change the Rules ?
Change the World™
BC