Steve Ballmer laughs off the iPhone, deems it "most expensive" in the marketplace
By Darren Murph 
posted Jan 18th 2007 2:41PM
posted Jan 18th 2007 2:41PM
We'll be the first to give props to Steve Ballmer for accomplishing what he has at Microsoft, and we will agree that the iPhone is one expensive (and probably overpriced) little machine, but during a recent interview where he was questioned about the iPhone, he proceeded to not only compare Apple's forthcoming handset with the "$99 Motorola Q," but insisted that the iPhone was "by far the most expensive phone in the marketplace," which couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, most of the long, long list of mobile phones priced above (sometimes well above) the $500 price point aren't exactly mainstream handsets, but as the luxury phone market continues to bloom, Apple is looking to take advantage of those willing to shell out half a grand to have the hottest gizmo out. Additionally, Steve did mention that the iPhone was absolutely "not suitable for business purposes" due to its complete lack of a keyboard, but considering its half-hearted attempt at Push mail and lack of 3G, we doubt Mr. Jobs is out fighting for the corporate market just yet anyway. Nevertheless, it's always entertaining to see one head honcho completely mock another company's product, so click on through for the YouTube'd interview.[Via Digg]
You can actually get a Blackjack from Amazon for a whopping $9.99 after rebate.
He's an idiot. Isn't he always making stupid, off-color comments with nothing to back them up? I'm not saying the iPhone is not very expensive but COME ON Microsoft, don't diss something you can't do yourselves. Makes you look REAL stupid.
I should email him the receipt for my $799 HTC TyTN. Smug bastard. This is Apples first attempt at a phone, it took Microsoft 5 years to get it (partially) right, Push email hasn't been on WM that long, 3G is pretty new to them as well.
why did you pay 799 for the TyTN when i paid 499 for mines at around launch(without contract and for now on paper is way better than the iphone). so take your receipt and stick in the new hole, that the store that you paid 799 for you down below your ass, made for you.
He clearly said $500 subsidized, meaning $500/$600 WITH a 2-year cingular contract. I'm not sure about this but to my knowledge, no American cellphone carrier sells a phone at that high of a price with a contract.
If Job's has humbly announced their first stab at the phone market, I'm quite sure those outside the RDF would've appreciated it far more.
Humility, or better yet reality, goes a lot farther than an easily disproved set of lies.
Look out Gene Simmons!
What we're seeing is what psychologists call "cognitive dissonance". This, per Wikipedia is "the perception of incompatibility between two cognitions, where 'cognition' is defined as any element of knowledge, including attitude, emotion, belief, or behavior; in other words, it is the uncomfortable tension that comes from holding two conflicting thoughts at the same time."
So we have two "cognitions" - one, that Apple won't succeed because it's "beleaguered," it's "expensive," or "not Windows," thus doomed to failure. The other cognition is the reality staring them in the face, that Apple is an increasingly successful company, a cultural phenomenon, a trend-setter up-ending one industry after another by its contrary vision. Many industry observers, therefore, are in a deep funk, unable to make sense of these two contrary positions.
It's certainly not a phenomenon unique to technology. It applies in politics as well. Heck, one could do a whole dissertation about the role cognitive dissonance plays in the Middle-East. But that's for another topic.
Pure FUD.
Try innovating one time. Jerk.
Doesn't Microsoft sell the most expensive desktop operating systems?
Mac OS X from Apple.com: $129
Windows XP (WITH coupon for Vista) from Newegg: $89.99
Ability to count to numbers over 100: Priceless
Plus, it's very easy to get a cheap copy of Windows since it is in the mainstream, unlike Macintosh. I could run down to a university or something and get a copy for some low price like $20.
Please think before you talk.
Mac OS X from Apple.com: $129
Windows XP (WITH coupon for Vista) from Newegg: $89.99
Ability to count to numbers over 100: Priceless
Plus, it's very easy to get a cheap copy of Windows since it is in the mainstream, unlike Macintosh. I could run down to a university or something and get a copy for some low price like $20.
Please think before you talk.
no
no
...and besides, the iPhone just doesn't have the same threatening presence when thrown across a room, as say... a chair.
Honestly, with Bill Gates' statement that the future is mobile devices, Balmer is likely throwing chairs at himself for not coming up with somthing as sweet as the iPhone.
Does anyone remember that the price so far on the apple phone is with the 2 year contract. So if you want me to spell it out.
It cost alot more than the price you have seen so far.
This is the most useless writeup of a 'story' I've ever seen on engadget. It's all over the place. Doesn't anyone proofread this stuff?
Ross, you are one hundred and fifty per cent correct. The standard of writing on Engadget is truly appalling. Keep the faith.
I support over 1000 clients and many of them use the 6700 without ever sliding out the keyboard - so keyboards are not important. They selected the 6700 because of the larger screen - can't display as much on the Treo or the Q. Most of my clients DO bitch about the low resolution and the HUGE BRICK that the 6700 is. The Q shows us that you could make a full OS unit none of that "smartphone" crap like the Q. It has a touch screen with a much higher res than 95% of the pda phones on the market. It is much slimmer than about 75% of the PDA phones on the market but isn't gimped without touchscreen like the "smartphones". While the smartphones are slimmer than the full WM5 PPC phones, they don't have touchscreen and can't run all the apps that the full WM5 phones.
The Iphone has the full OS with full touchscreen capabilities.
I do agree that the iPhone will need to support full e-mail push for it to be what my clients want though.
While I don't know if the iPhone will be right for the business market without push e-mail I hail it's release as good for the industry as it will start manufacturers such as HTC to start thinking outside the box and making THINNER units (11mm - the new benchmark) that have the full MS featureset including touchscreen. Hopefully HTC will think about higher resolutions screens like the iphone as browsing the web at 320x240 sucks. I realize they do have a toaster oven sized pdaphone that does have 640x480 however unless you like to roll your phone behind you, it isn't practical. Hopefully they'll improve the BT functionality - distance etc. Lastly I would think they'll consider improving the battery life on their phones. And if the IPOD nano is any indication besides working on the GIRTH of their units, they may actually start working on style and durability.
I also think the iPhone is great for the industry as it will hopefully get MS to consider improving their voice recognition, media interface, bluetooth stack, memory support and customizing the today screen.
That man is so disgusting, in every way possible, that it makes me want to cry.
I could have gone all day without seeing that photo.
Zune with: "20-25% of the high end of the market"
Where's he getting those numbers from?!?!
In mid december according to appleinsider:
"In the ensuing two-week period ending December 16, Current has Zune inching up to a 12 percent share of the HDD market and 3 percent share overall."
I find it hard to believe that in 4 weeks the Zune suddenly took off...and it's definitely not the most expensive phone in the market, the BlackJack is available right now for $499...and in my opinoin is not a very good offering at that price.
I'm not saying Ballmer's numbers are right, but you quoted an apple fan site for numbers on a competing, Microsoft product. Would you belive Ford talking about Ford sales numbers, or what Chevy says about Ford's sales numbers?
haha, i know, i know, that was just a quick google search for "zune market data" here is some input from somebody else.
Zune captured 2.1 percent of the market in the week ended Nov. 25, said Stephen Baker, an analyst at Port Washington, New York-based NPD, in an interview today. – Bloomberg.com
I've been buying 02 phones for years and they have alwyas been more expensive then the iphone. Mine, was over 800 bucks and no discount from Orange. I also, don't have near the features of the iphone. Of course my phone is TWICE as thick, take that you skinny litch iPhone.
"Doesn't Microsoft sell the most expensive desktop operating systems?"
Actually, no - not by a long shot. There are flavours of Unix that are far more expensive. Also, as far as we know, XP Home is more cheaper then OSX as Apple doesn't disclose the price.
The iPhone is far too exensive, I don't think it will fall flat on its face but it's too expensive for anyone but the fashion conscious. I'll wait for the reviews, the only thing we've had so far is visuals. There is so much more to a phone then good looks...
"XP Home is more cheaper then OSX as Apple doesn't disclose the price."
Um...yes they do.
OS X single license: $129
OS X Family Pack (5 licenses): $199
Well, here where I live XP Home is € 84, while OS X is € 101.
Sorry steve but I have a $700 treo running windows mobile that crashes half the time and is heavier, uglier and increasingly more annoying than most $99 phones out there. So, please do not throw stones when you clearly have a glass jaw. And whats with the tongue!
Jamie - I think you got your metaphors mixed up there...
Anyways, this phone isnt the most expensive on the market. Hasn't he seen the HTC Universal (which runs WM) or even Nokia 8800 sirocco ?
Isn't Vista Ultimate around the same price?
Someone needs to introduce that fat fonk to a tongue scraper.
GROSS!
Well if you are going to use newegg, you might as well use apple's education discounts.
OS X= $69.00
Uh, neither.
I could be incorrect, but you're comparing OSX full price with Windows XP upgrade price (I believe). If you don't have a prior version of Windows installed, it's not $89.
Further, you really need to compare OSX to Windows XP Pro, not home edition which is $186 at Newegg.
If you want to compare Mac OS X and Windows XP, you have to take XP Pro, because OS X is the full version. Also, there is a difference between OEM software and retail software. Here, OEM versions cannot be compared because we don't know Mac OS X OEM's price. Therefore, let's compare the retail versions:
Mac OS X from Apple.com: $129
Windows XP Pro(w/coupon for Vista) from Newegg: $279.99
Inability to distinguish apples and oranges: Priceless
an I'm sorry but the "coupon for Vista" thing does not make Windows more financially attractive, it's just a way for MS to say sorry to consumers who were expecting to buy Vista in late 2006, when the corporate clients can already buy it. That's why I stayed on Windows 2000, still works as I want.
actually if the cost of an ipod is 250-300 or so, and a decent smartphone is similar, 499-599 isnt too bad.
umm its really not a phone, apple shouldnt have called it that.
and do u guys rememebr back in 2001 when apple came out with the ipod?!...it was 399 for only 5gb!!! but it was the coolest shit ever, nothing at the time was cooler and i bought one...so hence 499 is really not much considering all thats in this gadget, you will see, in one yr everybody will jump on the band wagon. its how it was when the ipod came out. everybody was hell now thats waaay to much money and now look how many people have one and how cheap it is, jsut give it time, microsoft is jsut jealous that they cant even compete with apple, thats why they own half of apple.
Hooked on Phonics worked for me!
Hooked on Phonics worked for me!
That is for an upgrade only. You can't buy a full version of OS X retail, because it only comes on new Apple computers.
I am amazed that the iphone has not got MIDP support for all those Java Midlets already out there. What a shame.
Jonathan
A Wireless Golfer
http://www.wireless18.com
hello microsoft, the zune was like like 5 years to late
Hate to say it but its true though..... the iPhone is way expensive and it aint that great.. no 3G is, dare I say; pathetic.. Cingular is shit shit shit and a 2 year contract stinks. The phone market is something completely different to the MP3 player market. People wanna sync their work, they wanna cruise the net, they want tactile keyboards for touch typing.. I know it cannot be proven at this stage, but the iPhone will only be a partial success, selling to Apple fans - it will never take the phone market the way Jobs described. I love Apple but he's bitten of more than he can chew this time. It's the later incarnations of iPhone that have potential cos as it stands; this phone just doesnt cut it; even among this current gen phone set, let alone months down the line.. remember that phones get released and renewed at an extremely fast rate so the iPhone will always seem behind the standard / iPods dictate the speed; as they own the MP3 player market; they can be as slow as they like and it wont matter. Apple have admitted its not for office users, well thats a bloody big chunk of potential customers - they need their MS support and sync for the work place. I have an HTC that is completely touch screen, flip keyboard (that I could not do without! / I love this thing), its got WIFI, 3G, Bluetooth, megapixel camera, flash, 0.3 megapixel video call cam, stereo speakers built in, SD card slot (currently rocking 4gb), Word, Excel, IE, PDF viewer, etc etc, and I got this thing one whole year ago.. iPhone isnt as highly specced as this ~ and its not even out yet! I love my iPod but Im glad its seperate from my phone, so so simple to use that I wouldnt want it tainted by phone options and menus. Seperate devices for seperate things. BAH, what have you done Apple; lame!
QQ
I wasn't aware pigs could talk.
"I have also captured princess Zelda"
--Ballmer aka Gannon
microsoft, just watch how vista will fail and they will be no more, they were smart to own some of apple
Pretty neat phone
http://www.openmoko.com/press/index.html
where can i buy one?!?!
oh wait. i can't.
Proves that money dosnt buy you a bit tongue. Hahaha.
Anyway, most peopel are willing to pay a premium for somethign that works correctly. Probably why Windows has been pirated 4Billion times.
One thing is right: Apple is not out to sell to the buisness crowd. They are out to sell to their loyal base and pavlovian upgrade zombies
Steve jobs, he so dreamy! He ruv you rong time! Onry 700 dolla.
Raymond from DC, you must be very proud of the fancy new phrase you just learned in your high school psychology class. Your statement is utterly useless. I find it ironic and humorous that your own dissonance compels you to post this drivel. I'm sorry to be the first to reveal this, but you my friend, are simply another trained monkey of academia. "Cognitive Dissonance"... yes, such a beautifully contrived and important sounding phrase that one could use to describe a simple phenomenon...I should use it to impress my web friends. Oh wait, do you mean "internally conflicted"? But that doesn't sound fancy, I need to use a complicated sounding phrase to wow my idiot listeners. In the end you are simply using a new linguistic tool to solve a problem already solved by other means. But your way just "sounds" better.
I leave you with one link that will change your life: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/efficiency
I trust that you will latch on to this concept as you have others.
That photo is truly nauseating, yet I cant stop glancing back it. It's like looking at a roadkill.
Actually he isn't that far off. It is close to the most expensive phone out there. Notice he says the words "subsidized" price. Someone made mention of a Black Jack phone for $499 (but thats the retail price, not the subsidized price. If you sign up with Cingular for two years, then you can get it for $199. That's $300 off. So under that assessment that signing a 2-year contract is worth about $300 off of your phone's price (which i would say is about right since I just saved $330 on my T-mobile Dash) you would say that the iPhone would RETAIL for about $800 without service agreement. I don't think they've mentioned the price or if it will even be available without the service contract. But if it is, I guarantee you it won't be $500.
I think it is funny how the interviewer asks "How will you compete?" Um, they are offering multiple smartphones for $99 (with contracts) with their latest OS on it. That's how :) I mean realistically, are they really competing yet? Apple is about to release their first phone. They will be marketing only at a premium pricepoint, and only on one cell phone service. Windows Mobile has been around for a while, and has phones with almost every carrier, and at every pricepoint. I'm not saying Windows Mobile is better, or vice-versa, but it will take Apple time to develop a more broad range of cell products until they can fully compete with Windows Mobile, obviously. This iPhone looks like it is going to sell very well, so the possibility of different phones in the future to brand the Apple logo looks very good.
Someone want to make the picture of Ballmer pea green, i think he would look like Jabba the Hutt
http://www.thesimexchange.com/
I'm not sure where you are finding the Blackjack pricing, but i can get it for $199 with a contract. It supports 3G, MP3 and Video playback. It is also a great business device with email and a qwerty keyboard and is just slightly wider (but skinnier) than a candybar phone. Why would I need an Apple product that locks me into their DRM scheme and music store? The iphone is for the myriads of sheep out there jumping someone else's train. They wouldn't know a good device if it stared them in the face. "look at me I'm cool I have an ipod...derr!"
You have to remember this is a brand new product that has some new technologies from a huge company so of course it's going to be very expensive. Look at the price of HDTVs 2 years ago and now look at their prices. You also have to remember that Apple is a very overpriced company for people that are rich and just want to look fashionable. The iPod is not any better than some of the good mp3 players out there but since it has the "i" in front of the name everybody wants to buy it. The iPhone will of course not fall flat on its face because it is made by Apple and is probably a good first phone for them. Most things that come from Microsoft and Apple don't fall flat on their face because they know how to market their products very well. We all know that we would take an iPhone if it was given to us for free even if you are totally against Apple.
Oh, I see. So it's ok when Apple mocks Microsoft, but it's not OK the other way around? The iPhone is iCrap, and this Apple circle-jerk has to end. Not everything Jobs does is God's gift to mankind, guys.
actually this is nothing like the ipod. when the ipod came to market there were no good alternatives. the ipod was alone and paved the way for everybody else. The ipod was not first but the best implemented. The iphone is coming into a market where the iphone only matches most of the competitors options and where other phones are already huge hits. Hence the name "Crackberry". the iphone does have sexiness and pizazz. but that alone wont drive enduring sales. Its gonna be a huge uphill battle for apple here. They cant take the same approach as they did on the ipod. So, please people, stop comparing the ipod and iphone. different market, different circumstances, different models, different everything.
When iPod appeared, Creative Nomad was a huge hit. Because people still had to chose, even if all the offers were bad.
It's the very same thing right now with the phones. All crap, for one reason or another:
- darn ugly
- impossible to use
- very crashy
- very big
- crippled (aka for Verizon)
- etc.
That photo scares the crap otta me...
Developers, developers, developers... no 3rd party developers allowed. ;-)
According to this news article: Cisco Sues Apple Over Use of iPhone Name (http://blog.americasnewstoday.com/2007/01/12/cisco-sues-apple-over-use-of-iphone-name-two.aspx), Engadget, CNet, ZDNet are trying to protect apple's criminal way of doing business; Microsoft is RIGHT, the iPhone is CRAP: no keyboard for text messaging, email (unless you buy the i-Keyboard for an extra $100) - unless you are an Engadget-moron you would think otherwise.
Steve Ballmer looks like a real life Fat Bastard.
"iPhone... get in my belly!"
Just about every full MS WM5 PPC phone was about $500 when it came out - PPC6600, I730 the Treo700w, PPC/VX6700. Now those units go for about $250-$350. And I'm sure when the new MS phones come out in May they will go for close to $500 even though they don't have much more memory or anything else, the new WM6 OS is basically WM5 with new icons.
The MS phones have about 128MB, they are selling the iphone with 4-8GIG on board for $500-$600!
this sounds like a man that is scared of the next
sblobs: How many times are you going to spam this forum with your treatise? We read it the first time you posted your novel. Reposting it multiple times isn't going to help your appearance at all as a Microsoft executive, posting your anti-Apple propaganda.
There may be no better comedic exercise in America than to see the Apple vs. M$ fans go toe to toe.
Great entertainment you all are!
WIndows UPGRADE $99 NewEgg . . . Maybe those who know how to count from 1 - 100 should also learn how to read . . . Unless you're talking about the OEM price, which is _supposed_ to be valid only when you buy a computer system. Hmmm . . . With a new Mac, OS X is included.
No 3G ? ? ? ? ? ?
HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHA
People, that is the ugly f#@$%ing picture I even saw of ballmer and how sumg his he on that video, the laugh in the beginning kills me.
Hey Engadget, with a photo like that, who needs text?
LMAO
Since when couldn't people love Apple products think for themselves? If that's your argument, then you Treo/Q/Blackjack/(put your own smartphone name here) bunch are stupid sheep too. Just buying into those products without using your brain, dumb.
....more cheaper?
I guess that sums it up.
As Microsoft continues its reign as the leading NIH (No Innovations Here) company trailing everyone else by 3 to 5 years (They’re single innovation still remains Grammar Checker in MS-Word. All else can be chalked up to acquisitions, not innovations.), it comes as no surprise that Steve B. would blow his mouth on the iPhone. MS did it with the Mac OS, and then came Windows; they did it with the Palm OS, and then came Windows CE; they did with the Playstation and then came the XBox; they did it with the Treo, and then came Windows Mobile devices; they did it with the iPod, and then came the Zune. Steve B., I think we all know where this is headed. Face it, you’re a doofus with a bad case of innovation envy! ;-)
How is the iPhone an innovation, ThinkIn ?
ENDZONE, I know a doctor who can treat your uncontrollable bowel movement.
Hey Xinyu, could you get me the doctors details? Thanks man! My email address is xinyuisnotfunny@yahoo.com
It's actually the full version, and as I said it even has a Vista coupon. Really, it's a great deal. The reason it's so cheap, which I actually just noticed, is it's OEM. Personally this doesn't bother me anyway since I've never been one to spend $40 for the fancy packaging, and if OS X could be bought OEM I'd compare that version as well.
On the other hand, you bring up a good point about home vs pro. Mac doesn't have a toned down version of their OS, so it's more evenly. Newegg's OEM pro is $139.99, about $10 more.
Still, the OP who said "Microsoft makes the most expensive operating system" was a bit misguided. It's easily arguable that Mac costs more. Even if you compare it to pro, as I said earlier you can find Windows at universities and such for cheap. Although erring on the safe side of things and going strictly retail, yes, Windows is more expensive.. by maybe $5-10. The comparison really is silly, and that's barely anything for a whole operating system.
Seems like some stone age human have crept up here and announced that they don't see the point of having iPod and Phone in one device. Well, I don't blame them considering their background.
Ummm - I think there's a few other devices that give the iPhone a run for its money price-wise...
http://www.qtekphonestore.com/product.asp?itemMDL=Qtek_9000
US list $1029 and in France it's 1099€
Ballmer's feeble attempts to laugh off the iPhone only prove (again) that he's really nothing but a clown.
ENDZONE, You should do your homework before posting. While patents don't necessarily equate to innovation, it's a good place for you to start. The iPhone has 200+, so it may take you a while. At least one technology, "Multi-Touch"is certainly worth of attention. Next, you can watch Steve J.'s keynote to become more familiar with the iPhone's offerings (though, that's just what has been disclosed to date). Have fun! :-)
ThinkInDifferent:
You're correct that "patents don't necessarily equate to innovation". However, perhaps you should take your own advice and "do your homework before posting", as the one "innovation" you single out from the iPhone can in fact be "chalked up to acquisitions, not innovations". Apple didn't invent multi-touch, Jeff Han did. There was also a company called Fingerworks which was bought out- nobody knows for certain by whom, but I know who I'd guess!
But seriously, what other "innovations" are there in the iPhone? Multi-touch aside, I quite honestly can't think of anything which hasn't already been done before. There are a few things they've improved upon, like the browser, but improvement isn't the same as innovation. (If you think Microsoft's only innovation is a grammar checker than presumably you'll agree with this logic)
Then again...
How can apple compete with this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc4MzqBFxZE
also...atleast jobs doesnt sweat all over the stage...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug4c2mqlE_0
XP Home on Newegg.com = $189.99
XP Pro on Newegg.com = $279.99
Mac OS X on Apple.com = 129.00
Not to mention OS X is lightyears ahead of XP. Plus, whats with all these people lying about the numbers, or using the upgrade price for Windows? People on this site are a joke.
Apple only sells the full version, which can be used to upgrade older systems. For example, you can buy a retail OS X box and install the system from it onto a blank external disk (i.e. no previous system on it.)
treetrunk, Good points, all. However, I never stated that Multi-touch was an Apple innovation. I simply stated that it was worthy of attention. Until someone goes through the list of patents and see how it's being utilized for functions other than rescaling images, one can't fully appreciate the innovation in its use. The same can be said of the 199+ others patents. ;-)
Right, but it only functions as an upgrade because you've allready bought the computer which came with the licence for OS X.
When you buy a full version of Windows you can install it on any hardware, from scratch and you have a full licence, with OS X when you buy a retail version of it, you can install from scratch, but only upgrading the already existant licence for OS X.
To all you folks claiming Apple is the first at this price point:
All these prices are with a contract:
T-mobile: Nokia 8801 was $599 at release
T-mobile: HP 6315 was $599 at release
T-mobile: Blackberry 8700g was $399 at release
Cingular: RAZR was $499 at release
Verizon: Treo 700 was $499 at release
Verizon: Treo 650 was $399 at release
Verizon: Samsung i730 was $599 at release
Sprint: PPC-6700 was $449 at release
So there you have it. There have been plenty of phones sold at the $499/$599 price point. Apple is not the first, and won't be the last. And none of those phones doubled as a 4/8Gb mp3/video player. Some of them were downright nasty (hp 6315 for example)
I have to agree with Ballmer that the iPhone is not suitable for business purposes. I can imagine that it must feel frustrating and time consuming pressing a screen with your "fingers" when you need to work with your phone fast.
My name is Stevie B. I like lollipops.
That photo is frightening.
I see. I'm sorry about the retail vs OEM thing. I didn't realize people found it attractive to pay over $100 for a pretty box.
I'd compare Mac OS X OEM, except Mac won't sell OEM. That's because they realize they couldn't sell it for too much less than $130 since the box barely matters.
Windows' expensive retail package is just a fee for the idiots, sort of like the lottery is a tax on the idiots.
Why is this phone being compared to others? This phone is not a pda/smartphone. This phone does not have enough on board memory to be compared to an ipod. This phone does not have removable memory and can not be compared to sony/nokia music phones. This phone does not have advanced features with its camera and can not be compared to camera phones like sony/nokia. This phone will not have 3rd party software and can not be compared to almost every electronic(but most apple products) on the market. All this phone features so far is something that looks cool and a hefty price tag for being featureless. Sound familiar? Motorola is and has been ripping people of for many years now and the razr is on the top of the list of crappy handsets. And yet it is one of the best if not the best selling phone in the world. Unless the price changes this phone may end up in the warehouse floor with the ps3 and all those moto rockrs that never sold!
Will you marry me?
I agree with you on everything, but, I want to add that it will end up with at the very least, the 360, and possibly the Wii.
I will seriously laugh at whomever purchases an ipod.
Seriously.
Plus, Cingular is a horrible carrier.
Ballmer is absolutely right in this case - the price is *absurd*.
WTF with comparing the iPhone to 'luxury' phones like Gresso (Gresso is a long list)?
That doesnt even make sense.
Its a smartphone, not a luxury phone.
While I understand what you are trying to say, it isn't something written into the license - it's your way of saying "you can only install Mac OS X on a Mac."
I can take a box with a new drive, and install ANY copy of Mac OS X onto it. It is a full install - period.
All you're saying is that since all Macs COME with Mac OS X, it , by default is an upgrade. That's quite an interesting way of bashing Apple, but not quite reality in terms of the license.