[Ben]

It's here! A full, widescreen iPod style device - a mobile phone and Internet communicator.

More details will follow.

[Ben]

It's running a mobile version of OS X, fully touch-screen - looks damn amazing!

[Ben]

No 3G. Quad band GSM + EDGE + WiFi + BT 2.0.

[Hands0n]

Shame no 3G. But not unexpected for the American market. Content, anyone, at 2G speeds in the UK that already has HSDPA? No thanks Steve. Come back when you have something that is a better fit!

Interesting. But also disappointing.

nb: Sent via PDA/3G modem at 460kbps.

[Ben]

It is indeed a shame, because it's thin and absolutely gorgeous. I'm afraid i have to buy one regardless :p

[Hands0n]

Right - I'm back on terra firma :D and had a chance to look around the Macrumours and Apple website vis a vis the Apple iPhone.

To say that I'm a bit disapointed would be an understatement. Simply because of the lack of 3G, seriously! But then the device has been designed at least from the outset with an American mindset. Although, reading through the loud protestations from Cingular devotees (CDMA) there is much howling into the breeze that Apple have chosen GSM. Cries of "..... I don't care about international markets, I live in the US ....." are not unexpected, and delivered on the forum.

I do think that Apple's strategy of choosing GSM is sound - but the omission of 3G is not a good decision, in my view, considering the global deployment of 3G that is under way. How long is the Apple iPhone supposed to last a user? One year? Two years? Less? For Europe, Asia and Australia, then, the Apple iPhone would appear to have limited appeal in terms of networking for content. I really would rather not try and download MBs of video, audio or streaming content of 2G or 2.5G - certainly not in the face of emerging HSDPA networks and their multi-megabit transmission rates.

Perhaps the 2Gen or 3Gen Apple iPhone will recognise 3G. But I suspect that the American market and their generally xenophobic attitude to anything outside of its shores will limit the global development of the iPhone, unless Apple take a firm grip of the design criteria.

Is anyone taking bets on who will be the premier UK network supplier of the Apple iPhone? I'm going for Vodafone at the moment :)

[miffed]

All may not be lost if this is true


http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2169424/apple-iphone-two-models


Bah ! ....STILL clinging to rumours

[whatleydude]

All may not be lost if this is true
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2169424/apple-iphone-two-models
Bah ! ....STILL clinging to rumours

That ^ would make sense to me.

At LEAST two variants.

If they're launching into the phone market why only release one model and have done with it?
The UI is the thing they were showing off...

[miffed]

iPhones aplenty on ebay already !


http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&satitle=iphone&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=Postcode&ga10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1

:rolleyes:

[Ben]

Lol @ ebay: "This is a pre-order and is GUARANTEED for shipment in JUNE"

Scams galore.

[3GScottishUser]

Lots of coverage on the news about this development today all talking about phone prices of £350-400.

I dont think the researchers have taken account of the subsidies that the networks provide to gian contract customers and I predict the i-phone will become another option at much less than the news programmes report when it's launched.

My prediction is that it might command a £49.99 premium on a mainstream contract and free on a higher value deal (£40+ per month).

Only problem is that the networks will have a compeditor for revenue if the i-phone is set up to deliver music from i-tunes etc....???

[Hands0n]

I wonder if the iPhone may not break the pricepoint for such instruments. The anticipated several hundreds of pounds for the likes of a N80, SE W900i and suchlike are obscene and do not reflect anything other than a notional price fixing. Phones simply do not cost that much to produce, especially in the quantities that they are manufactured.

I think the Apple iPhone will be a huge success sans the networks if necessary. And yes, there is a definite conflict of interests vis a vis content provision. The iPhone will, however, be utterly reliant upon a reasonable data tariff if the mobile network is to be used to attach to Apple's iTunes music store. Otherwise, I suspect that the punters will eschew the overpriced mobile networks content and satisfy themselves with iTunes via the WiFi link.

Re eBay - there are going to be many ripped off hopefuls by the look of things. I predict that the time will come that eBay will end up being regulated by satute.

[3GScottishUser]

Latest news re iphone from The Times (11/01/2007):

The big mobile phone operators, including O2, are battling for the exclusive rights to Apple’s new iPhone in the UK.

Telefónica, O2’s Spanish owner, is understood to have held preliminary talks with Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, about a potential tie-up in Britain and Europe.

Apple, which launched the iPhone on Tuesday, is expected to offer the revolutionary touchscreen mobile phone exclusively to one network operator when it launches in the UK at the end of the year.

O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile are all contenders for the contract.

The iPhone is not 3G- compatible, which rules out 3, the next-generation mobile operator owned by Hutchison Whampoa, from the UK bidding. The exclusion is a blow for 3, which has sought to position itself as the UK’s major mobile phone music operator.

Mr Jobs has awarded the US rights to the iPhone to Cingular, the country’s biggest mobile network operator.

Apple is understood to be seeking exclusive contracts with mobile operators in order to secure greater control over the product and customer service offering.

Mobile phone companies might also be prepared to pay a higher price for the rights to have their brand exclusively aligned with the iPhone, which is expected to become a bestseller for Apple.

The share prices of rival mobile phone manufacturers slipped yesterday, amid concern that the iPhone launch could damage their sales seriously. Nokia, the world’s largest handset maker, saw its shares in Helsinki fall by 2.2 per cent to €14.63, while shares in Sweden’s Ericsson eased 0.57 per cent on Nasdaq by early afternoon, although they rose later. Asian manufacturers such as Samsung and LG also saw their shares fall.

Apple’s shares, meanwhile, touched $97.80 on Nasdaq during the day, a record, as analysts raised their price targets on the company in the wake of the iPhone launch.

Britain’s mobile operators are expected to compete aggressively for the exclusive rights to the iPhone, as they seek an edge over their rivals in an ever fiercer market. Music has proved to be one of the most successful mobile phone applications.

Apple’s iPod dominates the portable music player market, with more than 70 million of the digital music devices sold since its launch in October 2001.

Some analysts cautioned yesterday that sales of the iPhone could be restricted by its price. In the United States an iPhone with four gigabytes will cost $499 (almost £260).

The device is expected to cost even more in Britain, although it could be subsidised by mobile phone operators, which regularly offer mobile phones at cut price.

The iPhone is expected to re-ignite the debate over consumer desire for so-called “convergent” devices which merge a phone, camera, and music player into one device.

The iPhone offers three devices in one — a widescreen iPod, a mobile phone and an internet browser in a package only a little bigger than its famed iPod music player.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13129-2541353,00.html

[miffed]

This is one phone that (unless subsidies are ridiculous & unloc king / debranding is solved early on ) ... I'll be looking to get sim free anyway

Actually I'd like to see this phone on T-mobile , but having said that the idea of branding it pink is disturbing

[3g-g]

The big mobile phone operators, including O2, are battling for the exclusive rights to Apple’s new iPhone in the UK.

Telefónica, O2’s Spanish owner, is understood to have held preliminary talks with Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, about a potential tie-up in Britain and Europe.



I very much doubt O2 will manage to secure it, it's going to be someone that has as equally a strong brand as Apples and is able to distribute it to a large customer base, and in the UK and Europe that's Vodafone and Orange.

WRT it's branding, I'd like to see Apple put their foot down and say no to specific network branding, why spend the time developing the device, and the OS to go with it's fancy touchscreen everything, only to have the Orange home screen on it? It'd be ruined! I think, and hope, that it'll be minimally branded.

[Hands0n]

Just a point (there's always one in the audience) but ..... as this is not a 3G phone shouldn't the thread be elsewhere on Talk3G :D

Okay, barrack room lawyer bit over ......

I put my money on Vodafone with their "global" brand .... I think it is better known than Orange.

WRT branding - it will be criminal to brand the Apple out of this phone, and I really don't think that Steve Jobs would allow that to happen. I reckon he'd rather sell it in the Apple Store SIM-free than allow that ......... and conversely, that no mobile network operator would want him to do that as it would set up a major precedence in the sale and supply of handsets! Digressing, SIM-free is the province of the elite at the moment - and it may never go mainstream at the prices asked for handsets. But maybe, just maybe, if Apple started the other hardware manufacturers would follow - and a new mainstream paradigm for handset provision would appear.

I do like the look and spec of the Apple iPhone but would not be moved to buy into it for two primary reasons - (a) I already have an iPod and (b) it isn't 3G and I really do not relish the thought of downloading music/video etc. at 2G speeds, even allowing for EDGE, which isn't a given in the UK anyway.

[whatleydude]

I really still can't believe it isn't 3G.

[3g-g]

Oh man it makes me want it even more... Go watch the demos.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

[3g-g]

I put my money on Vodafone with their "global" brand .... I think it is better known than Orange.

Just looking at the Apple page as far as connectivity is concerned, they're making the point that Cingular's network is EDGE enabled for faster data speeds... and there's only one network in the UK that's offering that just now...

[Hands0n]

Yea, and it will take EDGE to make any sense of being able to downlod music and video content from the Apple iTunes Store! Imagine using vanilla GSM for that!!

I'm going to stick wtih Vodafone for the moment though, despite their lack of EDGE.

[Frasman77]

A video of the thing in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgW7or1TuFk&eurl=

One could overlook the price tag and other issues...

[Hands0n]

Oh good grief! Now I want one :D

I am very impressed with the UI - having a Mac (now) I can almost feel how easy it is to use in the hand. The tilt feature for video and image is very sexy. This will definitely appeal to the Mac die-hards. But I also suspect that it will do no end of good for Apple once the non-Mac general public get their hands on it and see how simple it is to use.

I wonder if the set-up will be as straightforward as the video clip suggests. It mopped up all the POP and IMAP settings according to the chap from Apple. But I'd lay money that was from a Mac computer. Will it do likewise from a Windows machine? If it does that will be an exciting achievement. My short experience of things Mac is that user intervention in setting up is absolutely minimal (depressingly so for a tech-head). The devices and OS do most of the work for you through simple questions or auto-discovery. A philosophy that, if carried over into a mobile handset, will be revolutionary.

Apple iPhone's OS vs Windows Mobile - that will be a battle royal and my money is on Apple to win out. That is, unless M$ has got something to put up against OS X - perhaps Vista Mobile?

[Ben]

The OS is certainly where all the excitement is at. As Steve quoted (roughly) in his keynote, people who want to make great software should make their own hardware - and the iPhone (Gen 1) is very much a 'simple' phone designed to showcase Apple's mobile OS X progress.

As a complete package it isn't the holy grail of all things mobile, but it's an extremely positive first step in the right direction and, despite falling short of the features of Windows Mobile, Symbian etc, the UI should easily grow to cater for 3G, IM and custom applications in future generations of the device.

I think we could be looking at around 3 years for Apple to make a big impression on the mobile phone markets of the world, and given the size of the market a 'big impression' could be as little as 10% (that's like 100m handsets!) share, but just like the initial iPod it's an exciting start with the prospect of so much more.

[miffed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_f-KK140vM


lots of vids popping up now :) I WANT ONE NOW !!!! :confused:

[Ben]

I'd advise watching the whole lot: http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/j47d52oo/event/

[Hands0n]

The OS is certainly where all the excitement is at. As Steve quoted (roughly) in his keynote, people who want to make great software should make their own hardware - and the iPhone (Gen 1) is very much a 'simple' phone designed to showcase Apple's mobile OS X progress.

As a complete package it isn't the holy grail of all things mobile, but it's an extremely positive first step in the right direction and, despite falling short of the features of Windows Mobile, Symbian etc, the UI should easily grow to cater for 3G, IM and custom applications in future generations of the device.

I think we could be looking at around 3 years for Apple to make a big impression on the mobile phone markets of the world, and given the size of the market a 'big impression' could be as little as 10% (that's like 100m handsets!) share, but just like the initial iPod it's an exciting start with the prospect of so much more.


Actually Ben, you are completely right. This is a first generation product from a company that has never made a phone in its entire existence. As such it is very much more than a worthy effort, if what is being seen in the videos is exactly right. The mobile OS X is superb visually and functionally and, while it may not quite stack up to Windows Mobile and Symbian, it will not be long before it either does catch up or make the very notion of a catch up completely irrelevant.

I rather fancy the latter will occur as the OS X paradigm is so very functional and, much more importantly, highly intuitive. Watching the demonstration of how the finger is used to drag, flick and touch things was very impressive. As was the ability to sense rotation and match with the display! Marvelous stuff.

Apple appear to know how to get the MMI (Man Machine Interface) very right. I suspect that this will be the big do'er for the Apple iPhone (or whatever it is called after Cisco finish spoiling the apple barrel, pun intended).

[3g-g]

When I watch those videos it makes me think of the movies, like, watching Minority Report, with all the whizzy stuff touch controlled over the screen, I absolutely love it. I think Apple are set to be the benchmark of mobile technology here, if this is their first effort there'll be queues of operators banging down the door wanting them to come up with more to make use of the billions spend on the newer generation networks.

I just can't wait, I think i'll be ordering from the US of A as soon as possible!

[miffed]

I must admit - I have "argued" with a Skeptical mate over this

"What can it do that an n93 can"t - Plus it only has a 2mp camera" is one of the comments thrown at me - Which completely misses the point IMO

"What can a ferrari do that my Zafira can't ?" Is how I retorted , but I must admit - It did feel like I was losing the argument

..... Then I found the Keynotes clips of the iPhone , so I have mailed my mate the link ( he hasn't replied yet ) - But I think seeing the thing in action is Game ,Set & Match :)

Which reminds me what Apple is all about - it is simply about what is on the spec sheet & it's not about WHAT is does - its the WAY it does the things it does ! All down to the perfect user experience

[3GScottishUser]

Saw the i-phone on BBC click and it looks like there will be more than a few who will sacrfice 3G and head back to GSM to use one.

If the user interface and experience are half as nice as they looked on TV apple will be onto a winner and so will the network that gets it a an exclusive initially.

Pity its not 3G but no doubt that'll come in time....

i-phone...... hmmmmmm.... you know you want one..... suits you!!

[miffed]

To me . the UI looks so good ,that I imagine we will all benefit from the knock on effects from the iPhone

Steve mentioned that this phone was "5 years ahead of the cometition" - I bet the existing manufacturers will be desperate to close that gap and see that Apple's prospective Market share doesn't come out of their pocket

I think the other manufacturers will break their neck to provide an similar user experience , Look aound at Apples other products - there are iPod clones , Mac mini clones - Some people have accused Vista of copying OS X
So while they may not have innovated , and they may come a poor second -but the net result will be better UI's on phones from all manufacturers :D

[Hands0n]

I do believe that 3GSU is right in that 3G may well be a big casualty in the wake of the Apple iPhone. I would certainly consider taking the "backward" step. Although, to be entirely truthful, I'd maintain a 3G handset for all the other things I actually went 3G for in the first place (i.e. high(er) speed data, videocalling, better speed MMS etc.).

But for sure it is the UI and the sheer quality of the MMI that will in all liklihood take the breath away from anyone actually using one. I do rather fancy that the iPhone will be THE Must Have for 2007 if it makes it to our shores as scheduled.

I do believe that I would be inclined to pay the full unsubsidised price for a SIM-free one! A singular first for me.

[delinquentwoody]

The iPhone website says:

"Apple has chosen GSM technology for the iPhone. GSM provides the best global solution for our customers today and into the future with 3G and beyond."

so perhaps it *might* be 3G by the time it comes over here? You never know, the speed at which these things develop!

[miffed]

Isn't EDGE considered 3G in the USA though ?

[3GScottishUser]

Lots of coverage today in the broadsheet Sunday papers and the ommission of a UMTS version of the i-phone has been blamed on the heavy power consumption which would make the i-phone's battery life much poorer.

The phone appears to have just enough battery power to last on GSM/EDGE so one can appreciate how UMTS could render it pretty useless bearing in mind that this hybrid is very likely to be used as a music player far more than your average mobile.

It's getting quite scary now as hybrid devices like the i-phone encourage you to use entertainment services but are also your communication device, leaving you vulnerable to service outages when the power drains.

[Ben]

Isn't EDGE considered 3G in the USA though ?
No, I don't think so. They have EV-DO and WCDMA for 3G.

[Hands0n]

With the average American's perception of anything not USA I doubt that UMTS stood a chance initially.

For a European penetration it will have to do better - there really is no point in targetting EDGE when the European (at least) strategy is UMTS.

Given the huge amount spent on licences, I rather doubt that the mobile network operators will want to do too much to take services AWAY from their UMTS 3G networks. So in 2007 we may well see a 2G/2.5G Apple iPhone, but their longer-term strategy will have to be 3G UMTS if they are ever to have a hope of exploiting these devices for mobile access to Apple's iTunes Store.

Meanwhile, us Europeans will have to suffice with either Bluetooth or WiFi to get above 2G/2.5G speed access into the Internet with the Apple iPhone - hardly an ideal given the overall notion of convergence. Shame really.

[3GScottishUser]

Apple have a website up and running with all the features and specs.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

:) :) :)