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The Buzz: iPhone Reaction Mostly Positive

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

January 9, 2007, 6:20 PM

While most of the media (including ourselves, admittedly) was agog over the announcement of the phone, reaction to it from the tech punditry was a little less positive. While some did see it as a "game changing" device, others lamented the high price, and others were unhappy with the lack of 3G or exclusivity through Cingular. We've included a sampling of their comments below.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts on the iPhone below this article.

"This product is revolutionary and is critical for Apple's future success in the mobile music market. It could become the de facto standard in this space and will set a very high bar that competitors will have to deal with in the future."

- Tim Bajarin, Creative Strategies

"The big news was clearly the iPhone and what a great looking device it is both in terms of form and function. It totally defines carressability. Let's face it, this is the most anticipated telephone since Alexander Graham Bell's original."

- Michael Gartenberg, Jupiter Research

"It is sweet irony that the company that sparked off the desktop computing revolution is the one announcing its passing. Dropping Computer from its name is a sure sign that Apple, from this point forward, is a consumer electronics company, a mobile handset maker - one that also makes computer hardware and software as well."

- Om Malik

"In a twisted way, this is one rumor mill we're almost sad to see grind to a halt."

- Engadget

"Ok, so how is this different then my Palm Treo 650? I can go online, play all the MP3's I want, and of course it's a phone. Not to mention it has 10,000 programs you can download . I guess it's different because there is a picture of an Apple and it the word iPod is there."

- BetaNews reader "ladylust"

"Cingular only. HAHAHA! DOA."

- BetaNews reader "drumcat"

"If the iPhone works as advertised, they're going to sell a ton and really bring 'smart phones' to the masses (despite the $500-$600 price tag) - along with music and video."

- Dave Zatz, Zatz Not Funny

"Apple had to impress at this year's MacWorld to distract from their recent options issues, and with the iPhone and Apple TV, they surely have."

- Tim Howell

Add a Comment (64 Comments)

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By Simply Sam

edited Jan 14, 2007 - 8:36 AM

Apple's technological arrogance is here again: the best phone in the history but only for a selected minority that join the exclusive Apple 'club'. Only Cingular, no Windows integration (and so on...).
Apple is more interested in maintaining the exclusiveness of its image than in bringing technology to the crowds. What a big blind ego! They made the great inventions in computing arena and have only a slim market slice.
Gates and Ballmer laughing again, of course.
Others will copy Apple soon and bring a cheap copy of iPhone for the masses (not exclusive, integrated with Windows and so on...). And Apple will continue missing the train but looking itself each morning (little mirror, 'aren't we the brightest tech industry in the planet?')

Score: 0

By ladylust

posted Jan 12, 2007 - 4:20 PM

It plays MP3's, its a phone, and you can go on the web... ok can you tell me why this so amazing? Oooooh I know why its amazing because Steve Jobs says so... My phone is 2 years old (Palm Treo 650) and I can do that plus a ton of other things.

Score: 0

By Benjamin Linus

posted Jan 12, 2007 - 5:31 AM

Compromise.. iPhone is a bad choice, it's a comproised MP3 player, it's a compromised phone, there are important features missing from both aspects,

Score: 0

By indoguys

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 9:59 PM

What a joke. 'x'phone will be available in Asia somewhere in 2008. By the time it's an oldy ripe to put it behind glass in a museum with some comments like 'biggest joke of the 21st century'There is nothing special on this 'phone' and the big players on the market like Nokia, Sony Ericsson etc. only laugh they get a kind of free promotion for touch screen based phones and let do Apple the dirty work to get it finally sold to a wide public. Big names will come up with their own devices and I'm sure brands like Nokia will build their hardware (like the N95) into a sleek looking piece of Apple look-a-like machine. Let me tell you I would go the Nokia way. Apple wouldn't get a huge ground anyway in Asia, people here are very much into what kind of features a mobile has like 3G/3.5G, WiFi, Wimax, 3 Mega or more camera, Flash Light. Who want's to make a big step back in time with an Apple? So I don't understand why Apple is going this way knowing their 'x'phone will be an oldtimer in millions of ways if it hits the Asian marketin in 2008? Besides the telecom companies (most of them) don't work the same way as in the USA or Europe with yearly plans. Here in Indonesia, one of the biggest markets for mobile phone companies and providers, we don't have such a facilities, better as I'm free to choose what ever provider suits best to me. No blocked phones, yearly contracts or things like that. I wonder how much Apple will ask for their 'x'phone without a yearly contract?

Score: 0

By mgarvey

edited Jan 11, 2007 - 6:06 PM

Apple gets it. As the chips in the phones get better, one issue is having an solid, expandable OS behind it a second is having hardware that is elegant and easy to use.

I love the widgets, which are java and javascript based and the real web browser, which beats anything I have ever seen on any phone.

At the end of the day, every phone maker needs to stop and pay attention to what is coming down the pike from Apple and get their act together on this or they are going to find their bottom line shrinking in serious way withing the next five years....just look at the iPod track record.

I'm sure we haven't seen all the expansion/installation options for the phone yet....be a little bit more patient folks, and if it's not for you...then it's not for you

I know it does the five things I absolutely need my phone to do. Make calls, send text messages, use email, have a decent web browser and keep quick notes. Everything else on top of that is gravy.

not bad for iPhone 1.0

Score: 0

By thuber

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 1:11 PM

Very cool device... but as you dig down it becomes less attractive:

* No removable battery. I can't remember the last cell phone that didn't have a spare battery option. Particularly a $500/$600 phone.
* Not really a "smartphone" - it's a phone with iPod and web/email

Of course, we'll all see once it hits the market.

Score: 0

By ladylust

posted Jan 12, 2007 - 4:16 PM

Its like every other high end phone with a better looking screen.

Score: 0

By The Man

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 9:12 AM

"* No removable battery. I can't remember the last cell phone that didn't have a spare battery option. Particularly a $500/$600 phone."

try the first couple treo's.
:-(

Score: 0

By Paradise-FH-

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 9:04 AM

"Cingular only. HAHAHA! DOA."

- BetaNews reader "drumcat"

you thought that was quote worthy???

Score: 0

By Desides

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 9:28 AM

Probably because the Betanews staff shares the sentiment.

It's ridiculous, of course. Cingular is the largest carrier in the US. What did they expect Apple to do, go with the smallest and work their way up?

Score: 0

By TomA102210

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 9:41 PM

"Cingular is the largest carrier in the US."
-----------------------------------------------
I don't think so at least in terms of cell phone service. Certainly one of the worst from what I have heard from friends who have Cingular. Dropped calls galore, customer service that leaves very much to be desired, deceptive sales personell who claim service is in an area when it is not; the pan handle of Oklahoma being just one of many examples. I could go on.

Score: 0

By Desides

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 1:23 PM

You're measuring quality; I'm measuring size. Two different things.

I believe Cingular has 59 million users.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:52 PM

I would've expected Apple to go with the most reliable, and probably most expensive, carrier and all but outright claim the reliability was their doing and unique to their phone.

Score: 0

By drumcat

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 1:10 PM

When I found out it was Cingular, I thought it was funny. Despite their "status" as a large carrier, they are most definitely the most deceiving mobile carrier I've ever dealt with. When they stole my service from AT&T, they claimed even back then that there would be better service. It couldn't have been more the opposite. They shut down towers in the Seattle area because they were "redundant". (They didn't admit to this for months, and they had me "service" my handset as a remedy - damn well knowing it wasn't the problem.) My service went from perfect to dropping 100% of my calls in 6 minutes or less. Given that it was my only phone, I had no choice but to wait out the contract and start with a new carrier. That cost me $200 - it was 4 months away, and that was roughly the same as the buyout.

What did I do to have this happen? Nothing! Someone bought the service from under me, and then made it much, much worse. Apparently there was even a few class action suits involved, though I was not a party to them that I'm aware.

To the point, for Apple to strike a deal with a carrier that has the reputation that it does seems contrary to what they're about. I'm not blind; I'm sure it was financially motivated primarily, but I'm not sure how excited many people are going to be when they say, "oh, but it's Cingular".

Count me and many people I know in that crowd. Nice device, but I'm not signing up for Cingular anything.

Score: 0

By Paradise-FH-

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 12:29 PM

i'm glad that i'm not any crazier than i was yesterday.

Score: 0

By imafurby

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 6:51 AM

Honestly who has the time to play with these things? Forgive me, but I'm trying not to be on a computer 24/7. Having said that I welcome the concept of a multifuctional communication device that is portable. I'll wait for the prices to go way down before I'll consider it. That includes the pricey cellphone service that I need to use the thing.
Early adopters, away you go!

Score: 0

By cybernym

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 5:34 AM

Looks cool BUT

I sincerely question whether a touch-screen input for TextMessaging and Dialing will be adopted. Why dont we have touch-screen PC keyboards? .... because fingers want the button-press feedback. I can't imaging typing a Txtmessage as quickly on a touchscreen as on my keypad.

My thoughts anyway

Score: 0

By tappa113

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 12:22 PM

Yeah pressing each small button 1-3 times for every letter is just sooooo much faster...

NOT.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:49 PM

Do you think typing on letter "keys" smaller than a pencil eraser with no tactile feedback is going to be quick?

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 5:50 PM

No, but quicker. ;)

Score: 0

By Desides

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 9:29 AM

"I sincerely question whether a touch-screen input for TextMessaging and Dialing will be adopted."

Why? It already has been adopted. It's a feature of the iPhone. That's the definition of "adopted."

Score: 0

By Aires

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 5:32 AM

This is not a revolutionary phone. It's very creative and somewhat unique because it's an iPod/phone - but that does not make it revolutionary. It clearly does set a high standard and is really quite a good looking phone. I love the iPod and I'm very interested in this iPhone as a concept - it's very interesting indeed. However I would only buy one at the right price and there is no way on God's earth I will pay the prices currently being quoted. Apple may be 5yrs ahead of the phone market in the US, but I have a feeling that the US phone market is a lot different to the UK & Europe phone market. I'm afraid if Apple think this iPhone will fly off the shelves over here then they're in for a huge massive shock. Yes it's an innovative concept combining the actual iPod with a phone that looks good and does what it says. But in phone terms Apple is no way ahead of Europe or Asia and I wouldn't buy this yet at these prices - sorry Apple. Having Mac OS X on the phone isn't enough to justify the price.

Score: 0

By domino360

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 2:46 AM

The 1st touch screen with keyboard phone? That's really cool...
The concept is just brilliant. But, no 3G, quite pricey given that the max storage is 8GB, and available only through one carrier (Cingular).
Hmm...

Score: 0

By ladylust

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 1:56 AM

Its a great looking phone but thats IT. I can do EVERYTHING with my Palm 650 right now that you can do with that phone. In fact, I can download 10000 programs to better my phone. All that phone has is the word "apple" and the letter "I" in front of the word phone.

My phone can...

Take pictures
Listen to any MP3
Camcorder
Play videos streamed or downloaded
1,000's of applications and games
use any of my Mp3's as a ringtone without charge.
surf the web
email

And yes you can use Itunes MP3's too.. Cool Edit Pro works wonders ;)

So how is this phone revolutionary?

Ooooh I forgot... Steve Jobs said so...

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 5:52 PM

Shame about the resolution and storage capacity then, isn't it? :P

Score: 0

By ladylust

edited Jan 12, 2007 - 4:14 PM

Capacity? It can be whatever I want... I just buy a cheap 2-4gb card... The resolution is amazing.. I see the movies I want, look the same as they would on anything else.

Score: 0

By tappa113

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 12:26 PM

Sounds more like "Hater" comments than valid points. Maybe you just don't get it.

Score: 0

By ladylust

posted Jan 12, 2007 - 4:15 PM

Oh I guess I'm a hater because I make a valid point? Your also probably a democrat - never debate the issues just try to discredit the person. Give me a break.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:22 PM

Oh, you think the fact that other phones that are already out can do exactly the same things, sometimes better; and the only thing that makes the iPhone special is its touch screen are irrelevant?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 12:59 PM

For $500, I won't get it either. :p

Score: 0

By templar™

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 3:21 AM

I hate to disappoint you. But nope, you can't install any 3rd-party apps. It's an Apple-apps-only phone. Not really a PDA-phone as we know it.

So there. Don't ditch your Palm 650 just yet.

Score: 0

By flake

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 11:51 PM

Such an awesomely designed piece of hardware and software, crippled by a steamy mismanaged abys called cingular :/

Why they didn't go CDMA/EV-DO with a Verizon/Sprint/T-Mobile Trifecta make one's head spin, exorcist style.

Score: 0

By Dr Jay

edited Jan 9, 2007 - 10:39 PM

Doesn't the name iPhone already belong to someone else? I heard Cisco perhaps or there was this firm called Vocaltec a while back...

Score: 0

By canv15

edited Jan 9, 2007 - 10:26 PM

I am not really impressed with the iphone. I thought it was going to be something else and no g3, come on!!. I am pretty happy with my Cingular 2125. it does all I need and is really small. we need to take in concideration lots of things. specially battery life. take for example the mini tablet from microsoft. good idea but poor battery life. and also 500 bucks for a phone. come on. what microsoft needs to do now is come up with a phone with the same features but with g3 and build in gps. it will really kill the iphone.

Score: 0

By DigitalSin

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 10:17 PM

Revolutionary.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:22 PM

Could you please define "Revolutionary".

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 6:22 PM

Of or pertaining to a revolution in government; tending to, or promoting, revolution; as, revolutionary war; revolutionary measures; revolutionary agitators.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Score!

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 12:11 PM

Ok smartass, define revolution ;)

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 2:19 PM

A single, complete turn.

As a proponent of single, complete turns, I am thus, a revolutionary.

Perhaps the iPhone support and promote complete rotations as well.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 5:53 PM

"radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedure, principles, etc.: a revolutionary discovery."

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 12:10 PM

So, that rules out the iPhone then.

Score: 0

By Slav99

edited Jan 9, 2007 - 9:24 PM

I think that couple of years from now we will all remember this moment as the day that all devices with buttons started disappearing. The first successful GUI was Mac, the first PC with a built-in CD ROM was a Mac, the first PC without a floppy drive was a iMac, the first laptop with palm rest in front of keyboard as they all have now was from Apple etc etc. By entering consumer space, the impact of Apple user oriented innovations will be 1000x greater.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:40 PM

I think that couple of years from now we will all remember this moment as the day that all devices with buttons started disappearing.
Companies have been trying to market buttonless devices for years, there was a projection keyboard a few years back (actually might be more like 10). A little projector drew the image of the keyboard on your desk surface and would detect where your fingers touched the desk surface. Can you guess that it failed? It failed because anyone doing a significant amount of typing didn't want to have to stare at their desk's surface when regular keyboards allowed them to look at the screen. Buttons won't be disappearing anytime soon.

The first successful GUI was Mac, the first PC with a built-in CD ROM was a Mac, the first PC without a floppy drive was a iMac, the first laptop with palm rest in front of keyboard as they all have now was from Apple etc etc.
You know, Macs/Apple and its customer base wouldn't annoy me nearly as much if they didn't act like every time the took a dump it would change or has changed the world. Dropping floppy drives, including CD-ROMS, and ooh a wristrest, are not revolutionary.

By entering consumer space, the impact of Apple user oriented innovations will be 1000x greater.
You mean they haven't been in the consumer space all this time?

Score: 0

By bugmenot

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 11:07 PM

You make it sound it's revolutionary. Touch screen is nothing new. Look at how many device with touch screen. Not everyone can work on such a small screen, especially this one doesn't come with a stylus.

Score: 0

By flake

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 11:41 PM

But all other touch screen *require* the use of a sylus. That they work with a finger is pure luck. The iPhone is designed to work and be easy to use with only a finger

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:47 PM

But all other touch screen *require* the use of a sylus.

Nope, not really. My companies time clock is a time clock application running on an old windows box with a touch screen where people tap on buttons with their fingers. Bank of America has converted most ATMS in my area to touch screen, no stylus provided, required, or needed. In fact, I bet using a stylus would prove difficult for such screens. A lot of point-of-sale software runs on touchscreens now. It works because a minimally trained user can just look at the screen and "press" "hamburger" without knowing its price, and does not require a whole new keyboard when the items for sale change.

Finger based touch screens are not revolutionary, in fact, they are actually a step back.

Score: 0

By DudeBoyz

edited Jan 9, 2007 - 8:58 PM

iPhone looks freakin' incredible. I don't own a cell phone, but this prduct is so cool, I think I might have to change that.

iTV looks marginally cool - provided you are an iTunes store customer.

Score: 0

By school1012

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 8:12 PM

The iTV is poor compared to other devices like the 360 for the price and what it does. The iPhone(name not owned by apple), does not impress me, nor did it impress any of my customers and friends that have an iPod already. They are more impress with the new Clix. Most people I have spoken to so far find that CES walked all over Macworld.

Score: 0

By DigitalSin

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 10:09 PM

Theres always someone who has to appear unimpressed. Haven't figured out the mentality yet...perhaps ego.

Score: 0

By Grazer

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 1:25 PM

Perhaps some just aren't as impressed by shiny objects and marketing.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Jan 10, 2007 - 3:36 PM

It's *my* shiny thing!

/Cat

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 4:12 PM

Or your "precious"?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 6:20 PM

Yet another one totally misses the Red Dwarf reference.

*sigh*

Uncultured heathen.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 11, 2007 - 12:12 PM

Uncultured heathen.
Nah, its just been about 5 years since I saw an episode, and 15 years since I watched it regularly...besides that, that was a pretty obscure reference that could apply to many different things, not just RD.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Jan 11, 2007 - 2:16 PM

FISH

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 9:55 PM

Can't imagine why. Macworld = Apple products. CES = every other tech product worldwide.

Hmmm. :P

Score: 0

By school1012

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 11:29 PM

Exactly Macworld= Apple Products= no ecosystem= no choice, CES= every other tech product worldwide= choice= better for consumers I like choice, I like being able to bye a device that works well with others, and does what I want.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 5:45 PM

You contradict yourself - you like choice, but then you say you like devices that work well with others. Apple has it's own ecosystem and it's products work very well with other Apple products. It's similar the Microsoft software products that are complimentary to each other (but saying they work well is a stretch).

Everyone wants to buy something that does what they want, and everyone likes choice. I'm still failing to see your point? All you did was regurgitate the statement I'd already made. :P

Score: 0

By flake

posted Jan 9, 2007 - 11:43 PM

So I have a soft brown piece of doodoo and fetid black piece of doodoo.

How is this choice good?

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 1:27 PM

I am betting the source of the latter needs to go to the hospital.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 3:34 PM

Or someone who's had *way* too much Pepto Abysmal.

Score: 0

By ghostface147

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 10:55 AM

T-Mobile uses GSM, not CDMA. I am an Apple fan myself, own two iPods, Powerbook and such. However I don't really but into this iPhone. It looks great and has intuitive features but I have a couple of issues with it. The biggest problem I think is the fact that it doesn't work with a corporate version of Outlook. I can use exchange, but I don't see a company like Good writing software for it.

Score: 0

By tappa113

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 12:37 PM

So you assume that a OSx based app for the iPhone wont come along to allow you to use Outlook? Maybe I'm wrong but I thought you could use or install apps and widgets on this phone? If the iPhone sells half as good as the iPods then you can bet someone will cash in and sell corp style apps to place on the iPhone.

Score: 0

By ghostface147

posted Jan 10, 2007 - 11:01 AM

I hit post by mistake...sorry. As I was saying, no corporate outlook support, some third party vendors may not want to write programs for it, and I don't see the touch keyboard being very functional. I noticed in the keynote when Jobs was trying to use two hands to type, he had some problems and went back to one. It will NOT fly off the shelves,storage space is not there yet and it's expensive. The biggest factor I see is everyday use. Phones aren't treated as delicately as a shiny new iPod. I see it being too delicate and the non-user replaceable battery will suck when it is time to be replaced. Strip the phone features and release it as the new Video iPod with between 60 and 100 gig HDD's.

Score: 0

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