Steve Jobs to make a rare company-wide speech tomorrow
By Ryan Block 
posted June 27th 2007 8:51PM
posted June 27th 2007 8:51PM
From: Steve Jobs
Date: June 27, 2007 1:47:55 PM PDT
To: [redacted]
Subject: Town Hall Meeting Tomorrow
Team,
We're launching the most revolutionary and exciting product in Apple's history this Friday. And given Apple's legacy of breakthrough products, that's saying a lot.
I'd like to get together and share my thoughts about this amazing moment for our company. So please join me for a company-wide communications meeting tomorrow, Thursday, at 11:00AM in Town Hall.
This meeting will also be broadcast to other Apple campus locations. Please check [redacted] for details.
See you there,
Steve
Haters:
What phone is perfect. Name it. I have laundry lists of negatives for phones ready to go. N95, Wing, Blackberry anything, Treo anything, ... let's just have a shit on every single cell phone party.
If the iPhone is a pretender to the throne, who's the true king?
Still waiting...
I've seen a whole lot of phone interfaces and anyone who can honestly claim that they don't think the iPhone is a huge leap forward in this regard is either blind or clueless about UI design. I can understand the complaints about its technical shortcomings or lack of specific features, but this nonsense about it not being revolutionary from a UI standpoint is flat-out incorrect.
"Colloquialism Police! Open up or we'll bust it down."
Ryan: It's either "nothing to snub" or "nothing to thumb your nose at". The only time "snub" and "nose" go together is when you're talkiing about a short, upturned one, as in "He has a snub of a nose."
Otherwise, nicely done (and aptly defended here in the Comments zoo).
I'm just jealous, for I dwell in the nether regions of the nation where AT&T holds no sway, and dares not tread...cowards. Will I buy a $600 6GB full screen video iPod? Unlikely. But if I had an Apple Store, and if AT&T had service, and if a frog had wings...ah, well. Guess I'll just save up for Leopard and Leopard Server.
I bet all this iphone nonsense is just a decoy meant to distract us from Friday's true bombshell... the mightier mouse.
To a degree, I can understand people who get frustrated with all the hype gooing on. But generally speaking, I think it's the all the nay-sayers who are out of touch with reality. (Down boy! I said *generally speaking*)
What the discussion is really about is whether or not this device will be a huge success, and the reasons for it. I mean: At this point that is mostly all we really can discuss. This of course implies a great deal of speculation. But let me commence by commenting on some of what has been said.
"This idea that Apple is the only company on Earth that does any decent interface design is asinine, and childish. All Apple is doing here is putting their own style on an interface that really isn't that difference from what has been out for years."
It's you who are being asinine. I don't think I or anyone else will be able to convince you of this, but to everyone else Apple are the undisputed masters of usability and for good reason. That doesn't necessarily mean that other companies are incapable of doing great interfaces, or for that matter that Apple gets it right every single time. But your claim that Apples "style" really isn't that different from what has been out there for years is nothing short of moronic.
Then there is your argument for explaining how the iPod really isn't such a big deal, which you execute partly by pulling numbers out of your ass (your words). Apart from undermining your own credibility, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish with that argument. By your logic, not only are Nokia and and Motorola the worlds leading portable jukebox sellers, but also the worlds leading computer sellers, since every phone is in fact a small computer. By such logic your succeed in demonstrating absolutely nothing. Your point seems to be that the iPod was no cause of revolution at all, when it's clear that we wouldn't even have this talk of revolutions if it hadn't been for the iPod. The iPod is precisely the reason why people are speculating on whether the iPhone will be cause of a revolution. If you refuse to acknowledge that, then why should we take anything else you say seriously?
Now, as to my own speculation. I predict that... The iPhone will be a success! Why? Well, first on, let's define success. Does success necessarily imply a mobile phone revolution? No, of course not. The iPhone can be a huge success *without* being the cause of an industry revolution. In fact, Apple own standard for success in this endeavour is a measly 1% of the market, which can hardly constitute a revolution by any measure. Considering the marketing value of the hype alone, I think this goal is realistic. As long as nothing goes terribly wrong, marketing and "teh shiny" alone will go along way towards reaching that goal. And incidently, I believe that this "as long as nothing goes terribly wrong" is the reason why Apple is in no great hurry to release a SDK or why they haven't attempted to carbon copy every single feature of their competitors. One need only look at OS X to be reminded that Apple prioritises stability over security over responsiveness over features. But you'd have to be really trying to kid yourself, if you really think that Apple intends nothing more featurewise for the iPhone than what it's capable of right now. Of course they'll realease a SDK. Why else would they go through all the trouble of shoehorning OS X into the device? Why haven't they already released it already? I would speculate that they're simply not done with it yet. It makes sense that it should be a low priority because it's availability will have absolutely no impact on how many iPhones are sold to consumers for a long while.
I would like to rant a little about the nonsense claims that the iPhone does nothing new or innovative. First of all, it should be clear to anyone with half a brain that *yes* the interface is innovative as hell! Does it mean that it's the end all be all mobile interface? No, of course not, and nobody is making such a claim. Nor does it mean that it's what's best for everyone right now. Nobody is making any such claim either. But it *is* hugely advanced and represents a major leap forward. Next comes the browser. Yes, it may be true, that Opera makes something that is comparable, but the trick here of course is that Safari on the iPhone will enjoy a market penetration that will actually matter. To reiterate: Safari on the iPhone will finally make the Web usable on a mobile phone. That is a huge deal because it may change the way we use our mobile phone completely, especially among consumers.
I'd also like to talk a little about Safari as a SDK and the lack of business level applications. First of all, as I already said, I believe the Safari as SDK situation is a temporary one. That said, I don't believe it will matter much in the short run. Sure, Apple may piss off developpers, but why should Apple care as long as they sell shitloads of iPhones? If the iPhone is a success, the developpers will be all over the SDK when Apple finnaly do release it. The success of the iPhone does not hinge on whether developpers are happy or not. Secondly, their is something to be said for Safari as a SDK, specifically when it comes to business level applications. The sandboxed environment that is the browser does not only benefit Apple, but also businesses that have security concerns. Think about it: No need to keep sensitive data on the phone. Instead, companies can keep the data as well as the applications on their servers, which is not only a security benefit, but also makes administration of applications so much easier. I've heard arguments for how the iPhone is going to be much more of a hassle to administrate compared to traditional business smartphones. But really, it's the other way around.
Do I believe the iPhone is going to be/cause a revolution? Maybe. The fact that Apple will be entering one of the most competetive markets seems to speak against anything revolutionary in terms of market shares. On the other hand, it seems that Apple really is bringing something new, something missed to the table. Apples competitors had better take the iPhone very seriously, and maybe -if we're lucky- we will be witnesses to a revolution that encompasses not only Apple but the entire industry in the same way that the Mac revolutionised the personal computer.
Maybe he's going to make an announcement for the iRack.
"Everyone look under your seat!.... everyone gets a car!"
This is very exciting - I hope it gets leaked! Nothing is better than a stevenote!
http://www.joyofapple.com/general-apple/is-zfs-really-coming-to-os-x-leopard
This is really starting to get silly. Let's just wait until they start selling the damn thing, then start arguing.
Is so funny to read the comments about people who doesn't understand Apple's business plan, and why they are going to very successful with the iPhone.
Is it really that hard to see?
Why is it that millions of people are turning to Apple?
Come on, it is not that difficult.
I hope you're more certain of this than the last big memo you got from Apple...
I would like to propose the argument that the iPhone is revolutionary because of all the fighting it has caused. Blogs and forums have become battlefields, where comments are the blows and news reports are the propaganda machines.
I would also suggest that haters and fanboys are very similar, just fighting for their respective team. Individuals who dislike the iphone or even the hype surrounding it, still seem to find these forums compelling because they can argue their negative points with a willing audience to feed back into them. The irony is they need fans to supply them interaction. fanboys are similar because they see the same opportunity to argue a point they believe is valid and worth caring about.
Another point about these pseudo battlegrounds is that the loser is often characterized by reverting to insults over argument. The winner is the fighter that continues to use facts until the loser relinquishes technical argument for insults. A good example of a "loser" would be L. M. Lloyd who states [anyone with your]idea [about]....[is]asinine, and childish." whereas, an alternate example of a winner could be Sean, who responds to Lloyd with long responses filled with facts he thinks are relevant and support his opinion or claim. Another key sign is the rating we give them. Comments that are negative due to tone, rather than their like or dislikes of a product often get a bad rating. whereas, polite but informative comments about the negative features of a product generally get better ratings. One might say that this is because fanboys vote down anything anti-apple. I would suggest that this is more indicative of emotional tenure than who's side you are on. If you are fueled by negative emotions, then people will generally act negative towards you and vote you down. If your emotional state is positive you will get more positive votes. The suggestion here is that if you want to be critical, it is more compelling to be polite and use well thought out reasoning.
I would also like to add my opinion of the iPhone. I like the attractive design with its thin body and very nice large screen that is touch controlled. I think the user interface is very compelling because it looks very friendly and simple while managing to include multiple devices. The visual voice mail is my favorite feature as it is a needed innovation that has been sorely missed up til now. My second favorite is the ipod with its wide screen and seamless integration. I never liked other phone attempts at music, but this seems really good. The wifi mixed with a very nice browser could prove nice enough to get me into browsing the internet over a phone. Before now, I would never consider it because of a smallish screen size, poor browser or a generally clunky form factor that looked ugly. The price is not that outrageous considering new technology comes with a premium, especially when its just released. Yes, I think multitouch, orientation sensors, built in 8g of memory in a super slim design is worthy of being called cutting edge or new tech. I am not a corporate user, and I do not like pda's because they are too menu driven and often times confusing or complicated. however, I am a computer tech who would not have any trouble figuring out how to use all available phone devices. Yet, I still never liked or wanted pda/smartphones because they are complicated. I believe a phone should be simple, and iphone looks just simple enough to get me to use its advanced features.
On a negative stance, I see some flaws. They are the single carrier, poor network, lack of a2dp, possibly the keyboard for some but not me and other missing technology like mms and ringtone freedom. I do not fault them for not using 3g because battery life and price is very important along with a slim design. I think wifi is good enough for me, but may not satisfy others. I also think that the single carrier was likely a sacrifice needed to get concessions that make the iphone unique. An example would be signing up online and keeping carrier branding or OS control away from the product. To counter this, Apple has introduced their own controls over the device that I find less than appealing. It is in the end a business venture. I am sorry my comment was so long, but I do not want to post alot. I prefer to read the battle.
Let me say first that I'm a OSX fan not Apple fan. Therefore I do regards myself not being biased on Apple's non-computer product. I had my skiptismo antenna all out buzzing during WWDC as there was nothing proven that iPhone is revolutionary either.
But as days go by, with all the intro video posted by Apple, it really does seem iPhone is amazingly easy to use. The same concept why I dumped Windows for Mac OSX IS because it is so easy to use. I'm a computer (aand WIndows) geek out and out. So i know how 2 work well in Windows. But why labour youself into something so difficult.
Same thing for iPhone. If it is really that easy to use. It will surely sell.
A few things are revolutionary about the iPhone.
1. It's the first multi-touch consumer product. Prior to this, multi-touch has been limited to very expensive custom applications.
2. It's the first phone engineered for a good interface. Look at the iPhone commercials--have you ever seen a tech device advertised with nothing but a pair of hands showing how it works? I certainly haven't. If it's successful, we could see a much greater focus on making phones easy to use. (And I mean "easy" in the sense of "designed thoughtfully", not in the sense of "cutesy and simplistic".)
3. Apple got a *lot* of leverage over AT&T. Notice that the only branding on the phone is in the upper-left corner of the screen, where it lists the network it's connected to, and notice that Wi-Fi and dock syncing haven't been disabled. If the iPhone is a hint, we could see that sort of thing become more common, with the handset makers becoming more powerful so they can compete on handset quality without the networks crippling the phones. This is great news for gadget fans--even the ones who hate the iPhone.
It's gonna be the ability to see movies on your iPhone before the cinema. In HD.
so? what did he say?
A townhall meeting is interesting, but this is like the article on Metue.com a couple days ago speculating about the iPhone and a Beatles iTunes announcement. At the end of the day its all ambiguous and pre-release speculation. So Steve is meeting the troops....that's kind of big, but maybe it'll just be a group hug. Until it happens, all the talk about what "might happen" is just part of Apples brilliant marketing. They're keeping us guessing and we can't resist playing along.
You know when I first read this post regarding a Beatles announcement I ignored it. Then I remembered that the surviving Beatles members (Paul & Ringo - for those who don't know) are together in Los Angeles today 6/28, Captial Records for a concert. Not too hard to fly up to Infiniti 1 for a suprise. I wouldn't put money on it, but it's also not outside the scope of possibility.
Just to add I'm in the market for a Nano and told the wife, she told me just to buy the iPhone instead. I married me a good one. :)
Ra Ra, Go Team. And, oh yeah, all US full-time employees get a free 8GB model next month. Hell yeah!
"Seeing a good quality touch-driven interface on a phone that actually works is awesome. That is, indeed, revolutionary. No one in the world has made a phone interface as good as what the iphone's interface looks to be"
Not true. Check the LG KE850 Prada Phone released in Europe back in February! Absolutely gorgeous!
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/18/lgs-ke850-prada-official-iphone-says-wha/
Big, iPod is far from the best MP3 player, but iTunes is amongst the best software for interacting with your player. Apple understands this, hence Jobs talking about how great the software is on the iPhone. He understands that your technology can be great, but unless the user experience is top notch it's all for naught.
You know, for as many of you people on here that just write to bash the iPhone, non of you have ever touched it yet (and yes neither have i). I'm pretty sure about half of you will go into a store just to play with one, and leave thinking its a pretty awesome phone with some shortcomings. That doesn't mean you will all buy one, but i bet you won't hate it like you do. Steve has already hinted at a possible software update to allow MMS messaging, obviously thats not for sure but could very well happen. When you buy an apple product you pay a premium. When the ipod came out it was expensive and there were alternatives that did the same thing, exactly like whats happening now with the iPhone. People didn't buy it for all of the advanced features that the ipod had, cause it really didn't do much more then play mp3's (at first). It was the ease of use and intuitive user interface that drove people to get an ipod. And thats what they are expecting to do with the iPhone. Simple syncing with iTunes and an easy touch screen interface. Those who want it will spend the money. For those of you that are pure geniuses and have figured out that you can get a cheaper phone with some better features, this phone is not for you. If you like the WM5/6 interface then by all means get that phone. For those of use that like a richer user interface, ease of use, and simple integration with our music and movies, we will all pay and get the iPhone. And remember that no matter how much time you spend complaining about what the iPhone isn't, won't change a darn thing about what it currently is.