Anyone who has not used an iPhone, or knows the complete feature set is a fool to make any prognostication about it.

The only comments I have seen about the iPhone from the industry have been negitive reactions from rival companies. This falls in the same category, they do not havev a contract with Apple and are bitter.

If all these rivals are tearing it down, must mean it is going to hurt their business.

This guy will be proven so wrong come 2010.

Maybe Apple has been talking to Telstra's competitors (e.g. Optus) and now he's just miffed. It sounds like he is downplaying the phone because he doesn't want his customers asking for it.

People may like to replace their cell phones every 16 months, but that seems to go against the design of the iPhone. The whole point of the lack of buttons and running Leopard was that it would only need software updates to change the whole interface if need be. The only reasons I could see for getting a new unit would be so that you could have more storage space or if some other wireless standard comes out that becomes essential for you.

The iPod is probably not the best example. Understandably, some people upgrade for more space or video functionality, but peoplel like myself (and I know quite a few) are fine witih a model some may consider ancient. I've had people look at my 3rd Gen and not even recognize it as an iPod (much less the 2nd Gen).

As much as this thing costs, I doubt there would anywhere near as many replacers as compared to the normal mobiles and PDA's. With as many 3rd party cosmetic add-ons as there are for iPods, I could see the same developing for the Apple Phone... er... the iPhone (take your pick). Why would you give up something you've customized as your own just for a thinner version or a wireless standard that isn't necessary. Add in insurance policies, and people could get "free" damage fixes. No, I don't see many upgrades happenning, myself. At least not for quitre some time.

His Cingular comment has some merit. From what i have gathered is that Apple requested infrastructure changes to Cingular's network to have features on the phone work. If companies outside the US are unable/uncapable of makeing those same changes, then the phone is a no-go in those countries.

I think this exclusivity is an issue that could cause problems for world roll out.

Well, most non-US infrastructure is already significantly more advanced than the US status quo. I don't think Apple will have any difficulty finding European carriers to work with.

But yes, it's clear Telstra isn't up to the job!

His comment about Cingular shows he is not thinking this through but shooting from the hip as Cingular only got a *US* Exclusive on it.

Right. And his point is Apple just says "Hey, we're going global! And we're using Cingular for US!" Where's the global in that announcement? Where's the deals for the other continents/countries? How long before its released? Who's going to be the partner in various parts of the world? And will people be just utterly confused because they have to track down the correct partner in the correct part of the world in order to buy the thing?

And doesn't going with a non-global company kind of cause problems if you want to travel with the phone? Will it just work in Tokyo like it does in LA?

Anyone who has not used an iPhone, or knows the complete feature set is a fool to make any prognostication about it.

Interesting, since I would speculate that 99.999% of the world's population hasn't used the phone, yet there seems to be a swarm of people on these boards who keep thinking that its going to change the world and is the best thing in mobile phones ever produced. Do we get to call all those people fools too? Or just the ones who dare have a negative comment about the phone.

Unlike the MP3 player market, which was relatively non-existant when compared next to the cell phone market, the iPhone is entering a huge market, not just in hardware manufacturers, but in service providers. So, Apple might have a couple of growing pains, but at the same time, Apple has looked at the market, and saw what was wrong with what was being offered. There is so much technology out there right now, and a lot of companies that try an incorporation these technologies into a product, and that's great, but all these tech companies seem to build these things to other tech or uber gadget geeks, but for the average user the UI of these gadgets is super complicated. That is why the iPhone is revolutionary. If your a current smartphone owner and the first thing out of your mouth is hey, my phone already does all that, well, the point has been totally wasted on you. "It's the UI stupid!"

Now testudo, we all know you picked Tokyo because GSM isn't big in Japan. However, as much as we all hate Cingular, if you are going to start with just one standard, GSM is the place to start. And unfortunately, that leaves Cingular as the only legitimate choice in the US if you want the biggest potential market. And you state "...going with a non-global company...", so I have to ask IS there a global cell phone company?? If not, you can't hardly blame Apple for not choosing one!

And as for those that imply the iPhone won't work with carriers who don't make changes to their infrastructure to make the visual voice mail work, correct me if I'm wrong, but the iPhone is a phone, right? Just dial your voice mail like you do today. Steve bragged about how they worked with Cingular to make that work. What he was really doing was pointing out that the carriers CAN be made to respond to handset makers (something Moto, Nokia, etc have utterly failed to accomplish). Visual voice mail is but one feature, and a pretty minor one at that.

While this guy is off sticking to his knitting, he's forgetting another saying, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." That's where Apple's real genius is. The iPod would have been just another MP3 player if Apple didn't also seamlessly integrate it with iTunes to make the overall user experience hassle-free.

"but don't forget, this device's touchscreen will be patented, and will be the only one where you run your finger down the device and scroll like that, as well as avoid unintentional touches."

Multi-touch isn't something new nor something Apple will have a complete monopoly on. Following shows a history leading up to todays technology in the area:

http://www.billbuxton.com/multitouchOverview.html

What Apple has done is patented their own methods but so have other companies (most notably Synaptics which also has sensors based on touch size). Thus, other devices will have similar gesture based interfaces plus various sensors in the future.

"Where's the deals for the other continents/countries? How long before its released?"

Steve Jobs had clearly stated in the presentation that the iPhone is gona release in Europe later this year and 2008 in Asia. Do some research before you open your mouth or go back to Mars.

Steve Jobs had clearly stated in the presentation that the iPhone is gona release in Europe later this year and 2008 in Asia. Do some research before you open your mouth or go back to Mars.

Yeah, that's real specific. later this year, which means if they sign a deal in lichtenstein on Dec. 31st, they've beat the deadline. Apple says lots of things. But they aren't known for meeting their own schedules when it comes to hardware. And there are lots of agreements to get through along the way.

The one and only reason telstra are negative about the Iphone is simple:

Apple are a direct competitor to tesltra with music & Movie downloads and Itunes. Telstra have flopped with their pathetic attempt and are obviously scared shxxxtless that Apple will affect their market here.

Pitty about it is that Telstra have the best network Next G for the iphone to use.

Lived in Aus most of my life and never heard this rediculous saying before.

Telstra are a PSTN telecommunications company. And they've never done that particularly well. Perhaps they should stick to their knitting and leave mobile comms and internet access to others.

Greg, don't you hate it when people take your gun and shoot you with it!

that you can't repace the iPhone's battery? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Who would by a phone that costs $500 with the restriction that you can't replace the battery? That is the person I would call a fool! Why is it so hard to make a good rechargeable battery nowadays? One of my friends has a toy robot from the 1980's that has a rechargeable battery that still works! iPod batteries are failing all the time. And now Apple want's me to give them $500 for the chance at that happening? Forget it!

ok telstra happens to have their head up their arse, their coverage is the best, but their pricing is ridiculous, they only care because as russellb said, its all about the dollars, another competitor another slice gone. telstra is dying a slow death, they probably should adopt the iPhone and be the carriers, but nah,.

"There's an old saying - stick to your knitting - and Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that's not their knitting,"

Nokia didn't exactly start as a mobile phone manufacturer either. Among many other things they made bicycle tires.