Apple iPhone...

Jon · Post by **Jon** » 2007-01-09 05:15pm

Did a search, this not been posted yet?

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/the-apple-iphone/

http://www.apple.com/iphone

It's quite simply... amazing, definitely exceeded expectations!

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 05:20pm

Had to happen eventually, and they've gone balls-out on it.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-01-09 05:28pm

My bro was going on about it before. It does sound quite nice and looks snazzy too. I just can't bring myself to adore Apple still after the big chic fashion accessory that was iPod.

Still, when it eventually comes out here (hooray arbitrary year long delay) I'd like to try it.

Too bad they picked such a shitty name. Didn't we have a thread with a similar title, but unrelated product, prior to Xmas?

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 2007-01-09 05:30pm

if i remember correctly some one actually beat them to the punch for the name iPhone, saw it on el Reg but don't remember who.

atg · Post by **atg** » 2007-01-09 05:31pm

Lisa wrote:if i remember correctly some one actually beat them to the punch for the name iPhone, saw it on el Reg but don't remember who.

Cisco I think.

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2007-01-09 05:45pm

From what I've seen so far, I have only one knock on it: it's exclusive to Cingular, and it's a mutli-year deal, too. Everything around here is Verizon, and Cingular has a habit of dropping callings in this area.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 05:47pm

Well the killer for me is that it'll doubtless cost AU$1200+, so it's hardly a practical option.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2007-01-09 05:53pm

Looks nice. But I never liked touch screens in mobiles that much, especially when texting...
And why only GSM and not UMTS?
At least it'll be interesting how it'll fare in the much stiffer competition environment of mobile phones (compared to mp3 players).

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-01-09 06:03pm

atg wrote:
Lisa wrote:if i remember correctly some one actually beat them to the punch for the name iPhone, saw it on el Reg but don't remember who.
Cisco I think.

You mean the Cisco linked to in the first article posted? Yep.

That said, for $500 for a frakking phone I'd expect a complimentary blowjob with each purchase at minimum.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-01-09 06:12pm

Meh, I'd imagine it'll lock you into iTunes. No sale to me.

I don't really see any reason to move from my K800 (which I got for free) which has a better camera, and enough memory (1Gb) to be a good enough mp3 player for commuting.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 06:16pm

Yeah, 'lock' you into iTunes. No way around that AT ALL. Doesn't matter how awesome it is, if it nudges you at iTunes IT IS THE DEVIL.

Sam Or I · Post by **Sam Or I** » 2007-01-09 06:19pm

Not to mention apple TV. I guess apple is also competing in the entertainment hub wars.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-01-09 06:19pm

Stark wrote:Yeah, 'lock' you into iTunes. No way around that AT ALL. Doesn't matter how awesome it is, if it nudges you at iTunes IT IS THE DEVIL.

I'd imagine there will be ways around it, though how workable they'll be we'll have to wait and see. That doesn't change the fact that I despise the software.

We'll see though. Its still the Apple product I've liked the most.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2007-01-09 06:19pm

After looking in more detail at the screenshots from the keynote, I had to shake my head at the "Buttons and controls can't change" slide. Showing a couple of (mid-level) business mobiles like the Nokia E62 costing considerably less, and ignoring mobiles using touch screens at the same time. As if that Apple mobile is even competing in the same sub-market as the mobiles shown.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2007-01-09 06:20pm

Dahak wrote:Looks nice. But I never liked touch screens in mobiles that much, especially when texting...
And why only GSM and not UMTS?
At least it'll be interesting how it'll fare in the much stiffer competition environment of mobile phones (compared to mp3 players).

UMTS is not widely deployed in the United States, though Cingular plans to do so.

Sam Or I · Post by **Sam Or I** » 2007-01-09 06:20pm

People pay that much for an iPod, why not an iPhone. It was only a matter of time. If Apple makes it trendy, it will be a success riding on the iPods wave.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 06:22pm

Get this: there are iTunes replacements, and whole pieces of software that convert DRM'd iTunes store music into regular files. The whole Fairplay encryption thing is bad practice, but it's hardly a game-killer.

Unless you're one of those anti-iTunes zealots?

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2007-01-09 06:24pm

phongn wrote:
Dahak wrote:Looks nice. But I never liked touch screens in mobiles that much, especially when texting...
And why only GSM and not UMTS?
At least it'll be interesting how it'll fare in the much stiffer competition environment of mobile phones (compared to mp3 players).
UMTS is not widely deployed in the United States, though Cingular plans to do so.

Yes, I know. But for me, to be a "revolutionary mobile" and to force about 500 Euros (guestimated by the time it reaches Europe) it better have it.

Oberleutnant · Post by **Oberleutnant** » 2007-01-09 06:29pm

phongn wrote:UMTS is not widely deployed in the United States, though Cingular plans to do so.

True, but if Apple wants their iPhone to sell anything in Europe, they better make it an UMTS phone. So much for being cutting edge if the customer has to use a GSM connection for internet browsing. I really like the look of the design, but I'm not very convinced about feasibility of using a touch screen on a mobile.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 06:30pm

I'm in AU and hadn't even HEARD of UMTS. But looking at it Dahak has a point - especially for smartphones like this.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2007-01-09 06:34pm

Stark wrote:I'm in AU and hadn't even HEARD of UMTS. But looking at it Dahak has a point - especially for smartphones like this.

Apparently Telstra markets UMTS under the name "NextG"

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 06:35pm

Yeah, I'd heard of Telstra's new 3G stuff, but didn't connect it with UMTS until I did some research.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2007-01-09 06:36pm

Dahak wrote:Yes, I know. But for me, to be a "revolutionary mobile" and to force about 500 Euros (guestimated by the time it reaches Europe) it better have it.

Maybe the European phone will have it? There's also the issue that UMTS frequency allocation for the United States is different than the rest of the world.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-01-09 06:51pm

phongn wrote: Maybe the European phone will have it? There's also the issue that UMTS frequency allocation for the United States is different than the rest of the world.

Does the US have to always be different?

I expect they'll implement it come that launch, I mean, it's not like the EU states will have to wait an extra year for the phone or anything.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-01-09 06:52pm

I think it's just the way the bands are allocated in the US: they don't have the same ability to run GSM and UTMS at the same time in some places.

Turns out I used UTMS phones here years ago, and had all the problems of early UTMS phones/infrastructure.