Switched On: iPhone 3GS is fine, young, but not a cannibal
By Ross Rubin 
posted Jun 26th 2009 1:03PM
posted Jun 26th 2009 1:03PM
Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
At least since the advent of the first camera phones, people have been wondering whether the cell phone would limit the opportunity for all kinds of other products, particularly portable electronics. Even the more pedestrian features of basic cell phones have been blamed for the declines in (or at least limiting the market for) pagers, Family Radio Service (FRS) radios, and even watches. And beyond portable electronics, cordless phones have also been in a state of decline for years as more consumers cut the cord.
But the iPhone 3GS has renewed the old debate for a number of reasons, including data that shows that iPhone users are disproportionately inclined to use their phone's advanced features and changes in the hardware and software that improve the digital camera, add video capture, and open the door to in-vehicle turn-by-turn navigation. TomTom, which has returned to its roots by demonstrating navigation software for the third-party hardware of the original iPhone 3G, can now offer that software through Apple's App Store. So, will the iPhone shutter Canon, run Garmin off the road, or make Flip flop? Thankfully, for the sake of all wishing to avoid reading headlines containing these atrocious puns, not for the foreseeable future, at least in the U.S.
First, there are demographic factors, including income, that are affected by the iPhone's data plan. The core function of most products that have succumbed to cell phone cannibalization can be served by even basic prepaid cell phones. In contrast, the iPhone as an in-vehicle navigation device requires the purchase of a significant data plan (plus a turn-by-turn navigation app). Dedicated PNDs, though, have traditionally featured their lack of required subscription as a selling point (one reason why high-end two-way systems have struggled). Feature trade-offs can also come into play. The easy access to YouTube uploading that the iPhone 3GS offers is not compelling to a lot of the simplicity-seeking parents and grandparents that have been an important part of the Flip customer base.
These folks aren't using Qik to livestream the next press conference at which Facebook revises its Terms of Service.
Second, there are distribution factors. While they have lost some of their holiday luster with increasing household penetration especially during the economic downturn, digital cameras, MP3 players, PNDs, and Flip digital video cameras have all enjoyed strong sales during the holiday season as popular gift categories in retail stores. The iPhone also sees a bump during the the holiday, but a much smaller one by comparison since contracts make cell phone sales less seasonal. The conflict between the iPhone's product and service was seen recently as users protested AT&T's upgrade pricing, which is designed around a two-year contract commitment and is at odds with the annual upgrade cycle that Apple has so far been on with the iPhone.
Both of these factors could well be in for disruption if Apple incorporates features such as GPS and video capture found in the iPhone in its next iPod touch, a product that reminds us that there is a good business to be had selling to customers of carriers other than AT&T. With all the doomsday talk for cheap camcorders and PNDs, the iPod touch has paradoxically avoided speculation as an endangered product even though it is the product that now has the most direct, and now widened, price-value gap with the iPhone 3G. And yet, the iPod touch has still sold very strongly. Those who think that the iPhone will simply lay waste to competitive electronics should look to Apple itself for a vote to the contrary.
Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.
But the iPhone 3GS has renewed the old debate for a number of reasons, including data that shows that iPhone users are disproportionately inclined to use their phone's advanced features and changes in the hardware and software that improve the digital camera, add video capture, and open the door to in-vehicle turn-by-turn navigation. TomTom, which has returned to its roots by demonstrating navigation software for the third-party hardware of the original iPhone 3G, can now offer that software through Apple's App Store. So, will the iPhone shutter Canon, run Garmin off the road, or make Flip flop? Thankfully, for the sake of all wishing to avoid reading headlines containing these atrocious puns, not for the foreseeable future, at least in the U.S.
First, there are demographic factors, including income, that are affected by the iPhone's data plan. The core function of most products that have succumbed to cell phone cannibalization can be served by even basic prepaid cell phones. In contrast, the iPhone as an in-vehicle navigation device requires the purchase of a significant data plan (plus a turn-by-turn navigation app). Dedicated PNDs, though, have traditionally featured their lack of required subscription as a selling point (one reason why high-end two-way systems have struggled). Feature trade-offs can also come into play. The easy access to YouTube uploading that the iPhone 3GS offers is not compelling to a lot of the simplicity-seeking parents and grandparents that have been an important part of the Flip customer base.
"The easy access to YouTube uploading that the iPhone 3GS offers is not compelling to a lot of the simplicity-seeking parents and grandparents that have been an important part of the Flip customer base." |
Second, there are distribution factors. While they have lost some of their holiday luster with increasing household penetration especially during the economic downturn, digital cameras, MP3 players, PNDs, and Flip digital video cameras have all enjoyed strong sales during the holiday season as popular gift categories in retail stores. The iPhone also sees a bump during the the holiday, but a much smaller one by comparison since contracts make cell phone sales less seasonal. The conflict between the iPhone's product and service was seen recently as users protested AT&T's upgrade pricing, which is designed around a two-year contract commitment and is at odds with the annual upgrade cycle that Apple has so far been on with the iPhone.
Both of these factors could well be in for disruption if Apple incorporates features such as GPS and video capture found in the iPhone in its next iPod touch, a product that reminds us that there is a good business to be had selling to customers of carriers other than AT&T. With all the doomsday talk for cheap camcorders and PNDs, the iPod touch has paradoxically avoided speculation as an endangered product even though it is the product that now has the most direct, and now widened, price-value gap with the iPhone 3G. And yet, the iPod touch has still sold very strongly. Those who think that the iPhone will simply lay waste to competitive electronics should look to Apple itself for a vote to the contrary.
Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.
Engadget is hardly even truly a blog. It's more of a link aggregate with snarky opinions attached to the link. Sometimes they get their own content, but it's a small percentage.
This article however is the most similar to the common modern meaning of the word blog. Although even that doesn't follow the original meaning of term, being they're not really logging anything (maybe they are in some meta way).
A news site however is the least applicable title for Engadget (not that I think that's a bad thing).
BORING, STOP advertising the phone.
becoz theres no better one to advertise
STOP your rambling..
if you don't want to read, move along..
I agree, this article seems to be a blatant advertisement for the iPhone. Other smartphones have had these same features for years and just now, after the release of the iPhone 3GS you decide to run an article dedicated how the iPhone is just so awesome it might cause major camera and GPS manufacturers to go out of business.
At the very least you could have made it a generic smartphone article.
Oh well, I don't run the blog, I just read it and while Engadget does seem to have a serious preference for Apple products their other articles remain at the high quality we have all come to expect and I can just skim over the numerous, repetitive articles praising the Cult of Jobs.
this isn't a news site its a blog... why do we have to keep telling you people that? its called the 1st amendment, you can wine and cry all day long but in the end Engadget can post all the stuff it wants, and I will read EVERY iPhone related article they post(good and bad)!
ya know, as far as a "gadget" the iPhone is pretty much king. that's why enGADGET fawns over it.
I KNOW! I mean I only pay 10.00 a month to read engadget and in the contract it clearly stated that there would be a limit to iPhone related stories...
...oh wait.
The question "Why is everybody making such a fuss about the iPhone when they didn't for other phones with similar features" seems almost like an oxymoron. It's almost like asking "Why is a headline making phone dominating the headlines when all of the boring regular phones that didn't make headlines, not make headlines?" I say go make a headline worthy phone and it will make headlines.
The Pre certainly caused quite a commotion, although not quite as the iPhone. If the Pre had come out before the iPhone, I'm pretty sure we would be looking at the iPhone as the Pre breaker. Unfortunately, it's the Pre trying to steal iPhone thunder, not the other way around. Blackberry has done wonderful things in the business world, but never really targeted mainstream until after the iPhone.
Although there might have been some innovators that lead the way, it was the iPhone which brought the innovation squarely into mainstream, and did a very good job of it. In mainstream’s eyes, it’s the iPhone that is the trend setter, and any other product is just following in its footsteps. All of the major players knew the importance of the cell phone and next-gen personal computing. It was Apple who took that leap AND helped mainstream consumers take the leap with them.
So here is the thing about you idiots that say don't read it, if you don't like it
1. It is front and center when I come back to the site.
2. I start to read it...I am interested.
3. I have an opinion about the article, the number of iPhone articles etc and entitled to state (same way you state yours)
4. It is their site, I know, but they need us to continue to exist.
5. If they want to write about one friggin' phone all the time, then change the name to "Egadget, but with an emphasis on all thing s Apple and iPhone"
6. Tell TUAW that they are out of business
7. Expectations are set for everyone
8. No more bitching from anyone because you know what you are getting into when you come to the site
I feel better now...thank you
"Hey! Jerkface! Give me back my phone!"
Whiny, spoilt people, always complaining that free shit should be better.
I should add that the HTC Touch Diamond had these features A LONG time before the iPhone. It's been doing it just those things the article says (replacing my shooter and making me more Facebook-centric and YouTube-centric). The photos taken with it take the 3GS for a spin or two, as far as tests go. Auto-focus? Check, W/Balance? Check, Zooming? Check.
And a plethora of other features other phones already have.
Let's face it, the only device apt to take such a place, should be an Nseries Nokia... with their large pixels, great frame rates, high quality and easy to share videos and photos. Samsung is getting there too, with Pixon. Those are cameras with phones attached. You couldn't get an almost-DSLR quality with the iPhone, not even with all your willpower. Gosh, you can't even take a photo indoors without having noise and stuff... let's stop here, right?
I mean: the feature phone it's been around here a lot already. The iPhone is a nice implementation of an already-knew paradigm. It's a trend setter, but only because of its mainstream focus. If you were a power user... that is a 1337 one, you would already noticed that, and would be aware that the catch-up game is played both sides at once. The iPhone is getting upgraded to be able to compete with already better products that are around. The rest of the market is reacting accordingly and setting new standards in imaging, and sharing experiences.
As always, when it comes to tastes, you can't argue. So I won't. But I wish there were less worshipping to some product that is flawed on purpose to keep you buying the upgrade, even when you don't actually need it. It sounds like another software company I know.
Some of you people are truly hopeless. The iPhone isn't about features. It's about features that are actually being used day to day.
There is one thing that I am 100% sure about: No-one, not a SINGLE PERSON owning and using an iPhone would say that other phones had these features for years. You'd only say that if you never had an iPhone and you compared the features list with some other phone.
I'm gonna PUKE
Why? you are the one that read the article, by you reading it you added to the total amount of people that read the article giving them more cause to put more iPhone related articles on the site.
I for one like reading about the iPhone, in most cases they solidify the fact that trolls like yourself are wrong, I am happy with that.
@murmermer:
you're replying to just about every comment on this article, looking for an argument and you're calling this dude (and others) the troll? why don't you stop YOUR whining? try to say something productive. it's just so irritating to look at your comments.
p.s.
wine is a beverage
wHine is what you and other five year olds do.
When a "cell-phone" is the center of attention in ones "life" .......then you have none
Moss: It turns out he didn't want to teach me how to cook. He wanted to cook me.
Jen: What?
Moss: He wanted to eat me. I know, egg and my face were in alignment.
keep your stupid british comedy where it belongs, an ocean away!!!!
Since this was just a minor update, and the competition is quickly catching up - I'm hoping it won't be another year until we see a new iPhone.
The 3Gs combined with the 3.0 update is a very fine update to me.....I wont be getting it because I have a 3G but its still a humungous update for anyone with a 1st gen or lookin to purchase their first iphone
I agree with article, but its not limited to the iPhone. Cell phones have become the all in ones we've always dreamed of and they only will get better.
ya, but i know alot of people with the N95, k850 and other devices like that, that still own iPods and use laptops for their emails, i have no need for an iPod since i have the iPhone and have all my emails forwarded to the iphone since its so much easier!
No matter how nice a phone (and that is ANY phone) gets...it will never replace the dedicated counterparts. Point being...it's "dedicated"
Only thing that phones have truly replaced is anything dealing with telephony.
Why keep a house phone when you can constantly have a phone with you and get unlimited minutes and such?
I haven't used a house phone since 2004.
But as far as camera, laptop, desktop, etc. It's not going to happen...
Not here, not anywhere.
There will always be a need for dedicated items.
so what you are saying is the iPhone wont cut into PMP sales? I'll take that bet
Your lack of vision is disturbing
I agree with your comments.
I feel its true at the end of the day the Iphones is a phone, its main purpose is to communicate you with others. All of the added features that come along are used to make the phone more attractive. I always say if you want a phone go to a phone company same goes with a camera, if you want the both in one something will have to give.
- verblist
@Verblist
"if you want the both in one something will have to give."
I agree, BUT, we all know that dedicated electronics will always out perform none dedicated... but its to the point that a lot of the features are unnecessary. By cutting some of the fat, you'll get a device that can do more than just that one attribute, which in my opinion, makes it a much more valuable device.
This was the point of bringing up garmin and tom tom. We all know that the features in these devices are awesome, but for what its worth, im much happier with google maps on my winmo phone w/gps than buying the hardware to run either. These companies better find a way to 'navigate' this new market or their days will be limited.
I want to know where i can get that pic you guys are always using as a background. I love it!
Me too. I love this background and was wondering the same thing. Please engadget, make it available to me!
search for "pixel art". You'll find many similar and maybe that exact one.
http://www.armyoftrolls.co.uk
Enjoy!
Wait so all the previous camera phones with net access have no influence over this change. It's for some reason a phone that is doing what every other phone has done for a long time that is the game changer just cause the group that use it are loud ego strokers that need everyone to know that they have "IPHONE!!!!!!!!!!". Considering that most phones are years ahead of this phone why would you think they could even challenge a real camera or video camera? There are phones with 8 megapixel sensors out right now and HD Video. Unless the Iphone somehow jumps the game I doubt they will be the one's to blame for killing Canon.
"Mark @ Jun 26th 2009 1:17PM
Wait so all the previous camera phones with net access have no influence over this change. It's for some reason a phone that is doing what every other phone has done for a long time that is the game changer just cause the group that use it are loud ego strokers that need everyone to know that they have "IPHONE!!!!!!!!!!". Considering that most phones are years ahead of this phone why would you think they could even challenge a real camera or video camera? There are phones with 8 megapixel sensors out right now and HD Video. Unless the Iphone somehow jumps the game I doubt they will be the one's to blame for killing Canon."
Oh please, we've also been able to make phone calls for years but you don't still use a brick cell phone right? It's not THAT you could do it but HOW. Show me ANY capacitive multitouch phone from YEARS ago. Show me phones that don't have tiny screens besides blackberrys and new HTCs..OMG 8 WHOLE MEGAPIXELS? Too bad megapixels count doesn't equal quality and can you then edit the vids on those phones. Killing Canon? WTF are you talking about...please show me a Canon phone....nice way to argue cameras vs phones there. It's a game changer because enough people liked it's feature set so it took off. Sorry that the other phones you speak of don't exist(Canon) or just aren't up to par enough to snag the majority of the market. Go whine to your mommy. Call a Wambulance you friggin baby.
You know, Apple didn't invent the MP3 player, either. Nor were they the first to offer legalized digital music purchases. They have a way of taking a technology, making it user friendly (and culturally desirable) and bringing it mainstream. Respect that. It makes the competition stronger, so haters like you have better non-Apple choices as well.
So the Iphone was the first skinny phone when we only had bricks?
"Show me phones that don't have tiny screens besides blackberrys and new HTCs"
Samsung and LG have had touch screens for awhile now.
"can you then edit the vids on those phones"
Uh yes duh. Don't you think the community that typically support these phones would write a program to do so?
"It's a game changer because enough people liked it's feature set so it took off"
So by your standards Symbian OS is the best operating system on phones and Windows is the best operating system period? Just cause many people have bought it doesn't mean it's a superior phone. People sadly don't know much about phones so they are easily lead by TV ad's and news reports and peer influence. This is not the best choice if you really looked at the features.
"Sorry that the other phones you speak of don't exist(Canon) or just aren't up to par enough to snag the majority of the market"
Uh the article posted says it has the potential to kill Canon. And if you ever used a phone with 5 megapixels you would know there is a difference.
"Go whine to your mommy. Call a Wambulance you friggin baby."
Wow, the sign of true intelligence. You really got me there sir your skills at breaking people down is at a stature well above any normal prick. I applaud you for I know it probably took you years of practice and schooling to get to the level your at.
How did they make it "User Friendly"? I have used many programs before Itunes the Ipod that were a lot more user friendly then what Apple brought to the table. Ipod is the only "MP3 Player" I have had problems with playing back my own L.A.M.E encoded MP3's with. I also know that I am not the only one who ran into this cause I have talked to a few people who commented on this problem (The countdown timer will skip seconds thus at the end the song will cut out about 10 seconds early.) Itunes is a pain to deal with in comparison to any other media manager. So tell me how is it user friendly?
Mark -
You and the other 14 people who use LAME are exactly the 2% of users Apple is willing to piss off with things like built-in batteries. Yet, you 2%'ers are the ones who make the most noise. Noise is not equal to general public opinion. 98% of the world has embraced the iPod, and we're watching the iPhone have the same effect on smartphones. You 2%'ers will never be happy with an Apple product, and that's fine.
You didn't answer my question. I asked how are they more user friendly then everyone else?
It doesn’t matter how many times we tell you clueless people this, but all that BS about what your 200 year old phone could do since jesus was born is just that BS. Just do a google search for smartphone data usage, do it ill wait here. You see that is why the iPhone matters, because people HAVE them and are USING them and not wanting to throw them on the ground and stomp them into tiny little POS blackberry bits.
This is what you MUST understand about everything apple, ITS NOT JUST ABOUT SPECS, specs are all BS. Its about usability, getting stuff done and getting out. Its not about installing hacked roms, its not about soldering on your own wireless cards. Its about the stuff working, and people really actually wanting to use it.
Ive used all of these phones you guys are championing and i used to be a huge MS guy and very very anti apple. I build my own gaming rigs, i write UNIX and OSX programs on my mac, im no simpleton hipster. In fact i wanted nothing to do with the iphone when it came out, until i put my hands on it and it did what i wanted. It was the kind of gadget i dreamed about as a kid. This hooked me on apple stuff and ill probably never turn back, which i imagine is the same response you are getting from most iphone purchasers.
So like a previous poster said, it’s the little itty bitty 2% that’s still stuck in the past. Its all about software man, hardware is cheap and plentiful to make all kinds of computers but if the software sucks then the greatest specs list in the world is worth nothing.
I think this article is pretty fair. It's a good phone, and I had one on T-Mobile for about a year and a half. Sadly they don't hold up well long term, and the contract terms on AT&T are unreasonable.
I played with a 3GS and while it's not the best phone out there, but it's still in the upper tier. The only thing that it's "best" at is as a music player. Even though it doesn't play as many formats, it's the most intuitive. For AT&T users, it may be the best option, but when I jumped to Android on T-Mobile I couldn't look back to mobile OS X.
what phone has a better internet experience?
Well, I have to say my G1 does. Don't get me wrong, my iPhone was great too and until I got multitouch on my G1's browser, I might've agreed that the iPhone was better, but the truth is when Google makes an OS it will obviously be tied into internet very well. What does it for me is the notification bar on Android, it is much more useful than the blue boxes on OSX.
This may have been a minor update for iPhone 3G users, but I'm coming from a 1st gen iPhone. I suspect a lot of 3GS owners are former 1st gen users are their contracts expire convientently about the time the 3GS came out. Big update for me.
JUST GIVE ME MMS!!!!!!!
I kind of suspect alot of 3GS buyers were upgrading from 1G iPhone
I guess the market share of this year will tell the tale.
I'm still waiting for AT&T numbers of upgrades (from both 2G and 3G) vs number of new customers.
After reading this post, i find myself wondering? What's the point? No new features, i mean not saying this is not worth reading, but what happened to Kirf's or anything that has to do with a new gadget or tech? Unless it's something new about the Iphone, psp, xbox360, etc...there has to be something no? Just asking?
i dont like it i want change it looks just like the 3g (i know is faster and has video :0)if the iphone had a keyboard that would be really cool
There's a new little phone out called the Pre. It's got a keyboard, among other things you may be interested in.
CASIO were right when they said that watch sales have declined because of mobile phones. Ever since I've had a phone in my pocket, i've never worn my wrist watches when I am out and about.
Then you've probably never had watches worth more than 50 bucks...
Ever since you've had a phone in your pocket, I've gotten a lot more compliments on my watch. Thank you!
>> "Then you've probably never had watches worth more than 50 bucks..."
Well... you could compare that to buying a car for $50,000... or getting a $5,000 used car... you need a car, and they both can get you from point A to point B.
But, since you don't need a watch AT ALL anymore because you have a cell phone... wearing an expensive watch is kinda silly. :)
/not a watch connoisseur... just someone who stopped wearing watches too when cell phone came out... and no I've never worn an expensive watch... and no I wouldn't even if I could afford one...
...A watch is silly? Listen, friend - if you have EVER worked in a sales environment, you'd know just how important an expensive (or expensive-looking) watch is. It's the hint that says; "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. I'm knowledgeable enough in my craft to make enough money to wear expensive things, and feel comfortable enough with my customers to flaunt it, albeit in a subtle manner." I'm one of the sales leaders for my company, and I wouldn't go to a single meeting or demonstration without my Omega. But that's just my 2 cents.
Reasons people still wear nice watches:
1. They look nice
2. It is far more convenient in a variety of situations
3. They are durable and able to cope with environments an iPhone couldn't
etc.
Since I've had a cellphone I've never even thought of ditching any of my watches.
I'll be honest, I never got watches in the first place. While typing this message, I have a clock on my computer screen, a clock on my phone in my pocket, and if either of those fail me, I've got a clock on my desk phone as well... and that's just in my office. When I leave here I'll get in my truck and there will be a clock on my radio display. I'll drive to the bar where there are two clock's on different walls (both set 10 minuets fast). I'll be surrounded by other people also carrying an assortment of watches, cell phones, etc. With in eyesight, I can see the University of Texas clock tower (we just call it the tower) which can tell me the time, and if the longhorns won whatever game was played that night. If I drive around town, I'll pass by various churches that remind me what time it is every 15 min or so using bells, so even if I'm blind, there's a fighting chance I'll know what time it is.
All of that is to say that watches are jewelry first, and then time pieces. Will a big expensive watch impress your clients? Maybe. If I were your client, I'd think you were a douche for dropping a large amount of money on something so frivolous. Now if you whipped out a big expensive smart phone, that might catch my interest...Of course I'm willing to accept that I'm probably not what you would call 'main-stream' when it comes to accessories. You go on wearing your fancy watch, and I'll stick with my fancy phone.
Qhat about ATT's Nav which is turn by turn?
Qhat about it?
The iPhone 3GS is awesome!
I received a fancy watch for college graduation years ago, I too stopped wearing it in the mid to late 90s when cell phones started improving quite a bit. Seemed redundant to wear a watch when my phone had an accurate clock visible on the screen.
All that being said, there is something to be said for watches as male fashion accessories I suppose, they can be a status symbol in some circles as well.
My experience with my 3GS has been pretty good, although I don't have 3G coverage in my area, the other features work well. Not having 3G coverage seems to hamper the 3GS more than my 3G when it comes to Safari though, it's painfully slower than my 3G was on AT&Ts regular network, using wifi it's about the same.
Since I had an extra 16GB 3G I decided to Jailbreak it, I've actually had more fun playing around with that than my 3GS :) But overall I'd say it's a great phone, but the up in size to 32GB was my main purchasing influence and really I'm not sure that's worth the $320 I spent.
There are many other phones out there that are much better suited at taking customers from other markets.
For one, the iphone camera is still a few years behind, compared to what Nokia, Samsung, and Sony offer.
Because the iPhone "only" has a 3.2 MP camera? This misses the point. Most pictures are taken for fun, not for blowing up. The MP race was fine for dedicated cameras because they have decent lenses that can capture the increased information. But the biggest drawback with cell phones is their form factor. You need a tripod or an incredibly steady hand and the depth of filed is limited. Cell phone cameras won't replace dedicated cameras but they are taking over casual photography. The point and shoot field is caught between the convenience/ubiquity of cell phones and the quality of SLR. The iPhone camera (and video capture) is "good enough" for most informal settings. If I want to capture 720p video I am not going to use a cell phone of any sort.
I do think the market for Flips and cheap point and shoot cameras is waning, just as (non-iPod) PMPs has dried up. The authors does make a good point about the iPod Touch though. That's the most obvious target for cannibalization and there's little evidence for that (yet). Steve Jobs called the iPod Touch an iPhone with training wheels (intentionally disabled). But that was before they sold 20+ million of them.....
I agree that the megapixel race is not a real judge of how good a camera is. My 1.2 sony took way better pictures then my current 3.2 samsung.
The sony k800 from back 2006 takes better pictures then the iPhone 3gs...
The n95 was released in 2006 as well. It is so much better then the iphone that it's not even fair to compaire the two.
Im one of the biggest Apple fanboys you will ever see...... engadget, enough is enough
no your not you troll
Apple fanboys fighting each other...This ought to be good.
You people can't be serious about cell phones killing watch sales.....biggest joke i ever heard lol
how many people do you know between the ages of 0-30 that use watches anymore? I've tried wearing a watch and it pulls the hair out of my arm; its easier to pull my iPhone out of my pocket than it is to shave my wrist
@murmermer
One of these days you will grow up and learn how to tell time on a proper watch... until then please realize that all your idiotic sycophantic comments will not have the effect you desire
@murmermer i'm 25 and wear a watch daily. it is like an accessory to me and it is quicker to look down at my wrist to see the time for me. it feels odd when i am not wearing one.
I see guys wearing those "look at me I'm so cool I have a square watch" watches all the time... Watches are a fashion accessory, not for telling time. The only thing you "need" a watch for is your fashion statement. Unless you are under water or in the middle of no where who needs it...
OK now I'll go over there and eat my words. ha
I stopped wearing watches a long time ago whan i bought my first phone that showed the time, since then i have never thought of wearing one.
Perhaps its an age thing but well done on one of the best headlines and linked in screen grabs i have seen in ages - it was the first '45' i bought (from Woolworths)...
why do you people bitch and moan every time there's an Apple article? Hello - they're one of the biggest names in tech, and quite possibly the most influential and recognizable company in consumer electronics right now. Would you prefer endless stories about the latest shitty netbook "hands on" report??
If it has to do with Apple, yes they would. The vocal set of Engadget readers detest all things Apple. They vote down anything praising Apple and vote up anything bashing Apple or praising Microsoft (HD radio in a Zune? REVOLUTIONARY!!!).
These people would rather read about Steve Ballmer's BVDs than the latest Apple gadget. Sad, but true.
Mine's waiting at the local AT&T store as of 12:18 this afternoon. Can't wait to finally give Verizon the bird.
There is not too much talking about the iPhone brand. The mere fact that it is an iPhone product will drag people that never ever would have thought about buying a smartphone besides its features and how convergent it really is (and it is indeed). As there is no way to buy a, let's say, HP iPhone only services will differenciate iPhone from other devices like the iPod touch or others to come (I'm talking MobileMe herre).
PS: I love the wallpaper in the picture for this post as loved the one you used for the Pre. Where could I get one of those? Thanks!
i just wanna point out that every feature on the iPhone 1G except for multi touch (... plus hw recognition, and windows sync, and push email, and 3rd party apps) were all available on the T-Mobile MDA aka HTC WIZARD ... which came out a lil while before the iPhone ... the only downfall it had was the windows mobile 5 ... but i would still take that phone over the new 3G S ... just me :D
I own both, and my Wizard is flashed to a WinMo 6.5 ROM, you can't honestly believe that the Wizard can compete with the iPhone especially since OS 3.0. I'll take the iPhone over the Wizard, even though the WinMo OS is far more capable than iPhone as far as functionality is concerned (it really is a Pocket PC) the iPhone is an absolute joy to use.
A fair enough article, maybe focuses on the iphone a little too much. Convergance is coming but we are not there yet. This is how the iphone stacks up for me:
MP3 player..check
Navigation system..check(finally)
Phone..check (MMS please)
Camera....fail, see SE for decent optics and xenon flash
Portable gaming...fail, buttons please.
Email device...fail, physical keyboard please
Maybe in a few generations time we will be there.
Yeah not a cannibal, a right proper christian phone.
Incidentally a recent poll on tech report shows 70% has no iphone and doesn't plan to get one and don't want one. So even in ideal circumstance apple could not get more than 30$ of the tech crowd, I hope engadget gets the message there.
1. REPLACES GPS. Yes, this should be capable of replacing the ownership of a GPS unit. The iPhone, with TomTom navigation, will be as good (if not better than) a GPS. This, of course, assumes that you wouldn't need an additional subscription or data plan to use turn-by-turn. You would just buy an app, and the maps have all the maps natively on your iPhone, and that software taps into the GPS chip on the iPhone. This does not require heavy data on ATT's network.
2. DOES NOT REPLACE DIGITAL CAMERAS. The camera is too weak to replace owning a digital camera altogether. Even a 5mp point-and-shoot is better than this. So you'd still need a "real" camera.
3. CAN REPLACE HANDHELD GAMING DEVICES. If Apple so chose, and it seems like it, we might see more sophisticated games on the iPhone. Over time, this may become more significant. I don't see an overall threat to the Nintendo DSi or the PSP, but there's something to be said about the gaming capabilities. Something about the touchscreen and lack of physical buttons is limiting though. D-pad style games just don't feel right with a touch-screen D-pad.
4. REPLACES MP3 PLAYER. Apple designed this to be the case. Its the best type of iPod. Its the ideal to the minimalist not wanting to have a bat-belt of gadgets.
No reason to buy this if you have a 3g and there are better phones.
totally off topic but what is the background on the phone
News flash the rest of the world doesn'1 care THAT much about that phone.
Since eletronic equipment is usually developed with more people than US residents in mind, this article is just a waste of the reader's time.
What is this article even about?
Phone's will never replace cameras. Too many enthusiast, I for one would rather a camera than a phone.
Convergence devices have scared me from the very beginning. I miss the days of having to carry a knapsack full of gadgets....
even tho that was not that long ago....
Apple didn't invent half of these devices and software featured in this article. But they have done it better and raised the bar. Microsoft is scrambling to catch up with WinMo7, and that is a first. That company has had no real competition since its inception, and only now is feeling it because they have chosen to venture into new markets, or got lazy with the ones they have easily dominated in.
All of this advancement in personal electronics is leading right up to a new all-in-one product race. It is only a matter of time until consumer demand for affordable, cellular phones with functional GPS, and CHOICES data plans/carriers, and ________ (insert option/feature of choice) is a reality. In fact cell phone will simply be another feature and not the primary feature or focus on these devices (or has that already begun???) Holiday shopping will morph with this change to more non-tangible gifts such as iTunes, Zune, Pre, Android market place gift cards, or even "appCards" with specific apps on them which can be purchased in stores and thrown into stockings at Christmas. I think accessories for these AIO's will be the new rage when it comes to gadget gifts during the holidays... Or has that already begun too.
The independent devices such as cameras, GPS, and the like will be reserved for more professional or serious hobbyists. The bottom line is the consumer electronics manufacturers will eventually have no choice but to conform the AIO's dominating the market, and will either jump onboard and dev their own, or start making killer accessories to those devices.
One thing's for sure: these all-in-one devices are getting better - another sure thing, they're getting cheaper or will get cheaper in the long run. This is not limited to the iPhone, as the recent announcement of a 12 Megapixel Samsung camera-phone shows.
As their lenses, auto-focussing and zooming capabilities along with megapixel count continue to improve, this will eventually start to take its toll on the "dedicated" devices, which will not disappear altogether but will become the niche product of "dedicated followers" - then the disruption will be complete.
I haven't worn a watch since I started carrying a cell phone.
Loving the fanboys in this thread. You guys all have the same argument, and just like your devotion to your stupid company, it doesn't make any sense. Grow the fuck up.
Beautifully written dude! Rock on!
Can anyone tell me where to get a similar wallpaper or what the name of this kind of art is? I've seen it around but I don't know what to search for.
eboy
hello.eboy.com
I'll be honest, I never got watches in the first place. While typing this message, I have a clock on my computer screen, a clock on my phone in my pocket, and if either of those fail me, I've got a clock on my desk phone as well... and that's just in my office. When I leave here I'll get in my truck and there will be a clock on my radio display. I'll drive to the bar where there are two clock's on different walls (both set 10 minuets fast). I'll be surrounded by other people also carrying an assortment of watches, cell phones, etc. With in eyesight, I can see the University of Texas clock tower (we just call it the tower) which can tell me the time, and if the longhorns won whatever game was played that night. If I drive around town, I'll pass by various churches that remind me what time it is every 15 min or so using bells, so even if I'm blind, there's a fighting chance I'll know what time it is.
All of that is to say that watches are jewelry first, and then time pieces. Will a big expensive watch impress your clients? Maybe. If I were your client, I'd think you were a douche for dropping a large amount of money on something so frivolous. Now if you whipped out a big expensive smart phone, that might catch my interest...Of course I'm willing to accept that I'm probably not what you would call 'main-stream' when it comes to accessories. You go on wearing your fancy watch, and I'll stick with my fancy phone.
does anyone know the name of the artist / artwork for the image on the iphone?
@slamevil
I just call it as I see it, it shouldn't matter how much I say as long as tyranny is stopped against people attacking apple/unix fans
I love automatic watches, especially skeleton watches. There is just something about the precision it takes to keep these things functioning without batteries. I love my Seiko kinetic sport, and my Stuhrling automatic.