iPhone's missing iChat, MMS, etc. coming via software updates?
By Thomas Ricker 
posted June 27th 2007 8:57AM
posted June 27th 2007 8:57AM
In parallel to his iPhone review, Uncle Walt also published an email conversation he had with Steve Jobs. While most of Jobsie's "we don't talk about future products" responses could have been foretold, one response is worth noting. When asked about the lack of instant messaging, video recording, and real-time GPS navigation, Steve responded with the following: "I will say that the iPhone is the most sophisticated software platform ever created for a mobile device, and that we think software features are where the action will be in the coming years. Stay tuned." Right, software. Remember Apple's promise of free software updates that will "surprise and delight" both Apple TV and iPhone customers? Well, they've already delivered a v1.1 YouTube update for Apple TV and certainly the most notable of missing features -- MMS, iChat, A2DP, text copy and paste, video recording, MP3 (or AAC in the case of Apple) ringtones -- are all software related. Sure, you can't download a 3G or GPS radio, but there's certainly hope of filling the gaps on the software side.Update: Page 31 of the AT&T iPhone Launch Training Participant Guide says that "MMS and IM messages are included in the iPhone Data Plan." So go ahead Apple, flip the switch, what are you waiting for?
One more comment. For those of you that have a problem with the apple hater, My Company runs on apple product and I do own stock. I can complain all I want.
Seriously, I have had 4 different Smart Phones (BlackJack, 2 Blackberrys and the Sprint one with the keyboard that slides out)...Anyone that wants to argue that they can even touch the iPhone hasnt used the iPhone. Yeah I could customize ringtones, and change the background...ooooh cool...but what you are leaving out is the weekly hard reset you had to do to keep your phone from freezing up or having problems. I have been using my iPhone alot for almost a month, and have not had a single problem that all 4 of my other phones had on a weekly basis.
Bottom line, Steve Jobs isnt going to put anything in the phone or on the market unless it is seamless and near perfect. I would rather have a great phone/ipod, with the FULL internet, and wait a few months for the bonus features like IM and GPS (already found a great hack for ringtones, so dont have to wait for that anymore).
They have a great base product, and soon enough, they will have all the bells and whistles all your windows mobile phones have, but they will actually work.
I IM on my Iphone via meebo.com
I have had my iPhone since launch.
Damn, I love this thing!
Everyday, I ask "How did I get so lucky?" :)
Nothing compares... I have had WM6 (New MotoQ), WM5 (Treo 700w and MotoQ), Palm (Treo 650)
Love it!
Personally i cant stand anything apple related, my very first encounter with a apple mac was on YTS working in the offices (not name the company) Private sector, anyway i hated the thing...
Looked too slim, all white and the screen was terrible. Credit when it is due of course that was nearly 15years ago and todays apple computer look a lot better, etc. But this said i still remain a devoted general PC user as microsoft may not make such big changes in innovation as apple do with they products. But this is down to one simple fact. Microsoft are not playing catch up - Apple are, they are the ones with the smaller slice of the pie and they also the ones that need to work harder.
ive read several comments of people saying that apple are either directly or in-directly changing our technology in one shape or form. This is not true.
1) Microsoft have led the computer market for the simple reason the majority of computer users prefer they software. If this was not the case then those users would happily switch to apple.
2) Microsoft have control over apple, and apple know this. Which is why theres no useage of instant messenger on the iphone as of yet. after all these two compaines are each others biggest threat.
That all i have to say for now about the so called anti-apples and anti-microsoft folk. So lets get back to the iphone. I havent owned a mobile phone in nearly 2years, ive over the years owned a mobile on every major uk network on contract. Ive used everything from conference calling, group texting, and i even had a freephone number attached to my orange contract.
Now being a total anti-apple person myself i was shocked to find myself drawn toward the iphone, even more so when you consider the fact i have zero interest in the music side of this thing. however after the first 6hours and watching the promotional videos for it, i found myself reading how the iphone fails to deliver just as much as what it promises to deliver.
i cant for one minute, think about spending £300 on a mobile phone, when it doesnt support a fairly decent amount of features that nearly all of todays modern phones still use. and those whom say this is simply apples way of changing the worlds technology again are wrong.
you cannot change our technology by taking one format away and replacing it with another format of sending data (pictures) when theres already devices out there that can already do both. i think to answer those who feel people come onto a apple endorsed\fan site, etc and badmouth the iphone\apple need to bear this in mind...
those same people are probably here for the same reason i am, for the 1st time i nearly switched to apple technology against all my own doubts until i heard rumours my dream iphone couldnt do half the things i whole hearted believe it should be able to do as standard from launch. so feeling let down, but still not convinced that what i hear is true, i find the answers myself which brings me here.
and sure it seems to be true the iphone cant send a MMS message - i dont know anyone by name that cannot send me a MMS message, apple should have included this, also i hear rumours i cant record video with it, and more... and its plain stupid to leave this and other functions out of a so called revolution...
i dont hate apple - i just prefer microsoft
im not here to badmouth apple fans - im not here to big up pc fans either
THE IPHONE THE SAME AMOUNT OF GOOD THINGS AS IT DOES BAD THINGS: Which makes it overpriced...
Thanks for reading my views :)
@John, and others, you are missing a very basic point of product development.
@John you wrote: "All I have to say is, if you want to make a truly revolutionary product and you want it to REALLY kick ass why not throw everything that everyone wants into it in the first place?!"
I don't know what business you're involved in, but NO successful technology business operates by trying to figure out "everything that everyone wants" and "throwing" it in there "in the first place". It takes time - with a product on the market - to figure out everything everyone wants.
Besides, are you suggesting that this is what other cell phone manufacturers have done? Oh that's funny, then why don't they include an ipod? Or a full page rendering web browser?
No product is any better than any other overall. Different products are better at different things - and you have to decide, based on your own needs, which product is best for you.
Why don't you stop trolling and find something better to do with your time?