iPhone - The Apple Advantage played in full...

[surferfromuk]

Reading all these people who are still cranking on about blackberries and nasty little joypad orientated phones running what amounts to win95 shareware apps I got to thinking about the iPhone and just how actually stunningly great it is when I thought I'd put my conclusions together since they reveal a pretty interesting outcome ;


* iPhone runs on a version of OSX - which is itself a version of Unix.

Apple took 10 years to get OSX to the state is in now and they are one of the finest tech companies in the world.

Only Microsoft has a chance to catch Apple’s in the mobile operating system front but as history shows it will suffer from classic Microsoft bloat.

Nokia, Motorola, Samsung etc can only compete with Apple by licensing Microsoft S/W.

Yet again the two founding pioneers of the modern world do battle...

Yet again their offerings will represent the philosophies of their parent companies. You all know what these are but this time the game is slightly different because the hardware tech has to be so tightly integrated with the S/W.

* IPhone represents an evolution of the finest Digital music player in the world.

After 5 years as leader in this field the competition stand looking on, even as yet, unable to fully understand the Apple Ipod business model. Only Microsoft seem to have an understanding here and they are playing catchup very badly.

* iPhone is gen 1 software but running on beautiful solid Apple hardware.

All limitations, oversights and new directions can relatively easily be fixed, installed and updated automatically via iTunes.
No other company does this as flawlessly as Apple.

...and Finally the last and greatest point ;

* Only Apple is in total control of it’s hardware and the OSX software that runs on it.

On this point, even Microsoft can not compete since the likes of Nokia, Motorola, Samsung are NOT in control of the evolution of their own product market.

They can ONLY make new hardware for a Microsoft’s O/S and VICA VERSA!

Steve Jobs has finally found the area of tech where the company that controls both the hardware and the software WINS!

And that is what makes iPhone the greatest technology with the most potential on the planet today.

And the final coup de grace -

EVEN Microsoft can’t compete unless they become a hardware company - just like Apple. Zune illustrates they understand this but are playing catchup badly since they are having to learn in a few years, what Apple has been since it's inception!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

You have to give some credit to (gag) ATT for allowing Apple to design the phone as Apple wanted, not at ATT needed. It's unprecedented that a cell service provider has virtually no say in the phone that will be on their network. Verizon would not allow this, and told Jobs to go away, something they could be regretting in 2 or 3 years if the iPhone follows the path of the iPod. Apple was always free to design the phone they wanted, but they needed a network to put it on, and ATT gave them that with apparently few strings attached. So, like or hate ATT, they did step up to make the iPhone possible.

M$ has been making mobile software for at least 7 years. It's always been unsexy, bloated and buggy. I don't see the tiger changing it's stripes.

Nokia and Samsung make great phones, but the question is, would Verizon, Sprint, T-Mob have the balls to go to them and say, design a mind-blowing phone as you see fit, and we'll put it on our network. I doubt it. That is why the iPhone will continue to improve and every other networks phones will remain the same cookie w/ a few new chips.

 

[skubish]

Most companies are afraid of a paradigm shift. They are afraid of doing business a different way than they have in the past. ATT took a risk and it looks like it will pay off.

 

[JoJoCal19]

Chupa I totally agree with you. I am a huuuuuge Verizon fanboi and have always sung their praises when it comes to their network quality but I found myself leaving them because as good as their coverage is (I have been in the middle of the stix here in FL and still had great coverage) their phones are crippled and locked down beyond comprehension. I hate that more than anything. And to add insult to injury, they were Apples first choice and couldnt get a deal done (probably because they wanted to put their ugly @$$ interface on the iPhone somehow or wanted to restrict all the features to verizon features). I have always liked the fact that with GSM you can buy unlocked phones and use all the features as the phone manufacturer intended.

 

[thomasfxlt]

It's hard to imagine Apple yielding any aspect of the device's success to anyone for long. ATT needs to "perform" in this relationship or Apple will bolt. I'm sure the performance standards in the agreement are higher than what AT&T would have imposed internally.

I'd say it has been a marginal start. I had a good experience, but many did not. The biggest issue is at ATT retail. The reps have not been trained to manage partnership issues well. There is lots of finger pointing going on and that can't be tolerated. There are right and wrong things to say. This is a new operating model and Apple has really pushed the envelope. ATT needs to drive this partnership model to each and every retail outlet.

Honestly, Verizon seemed the logical choice here, but the Verizon phone/iPod failure must have soured the water for a good negotiation.

ATT will get better as a result of this phone or Apple will move on.

 

[Flyinace2000]

I have been using a Nokia S60 phone now for about 4 or 5 weeks. Now that nokia has some real competition when it comes to interface, we could see some really cool stuff coming from them. (S60 walks all over iPhone in terms of apps and expandability) The ball is in their court now, lets see wha they bring to the table, cause in the end competition brings innovation.

 

[meagain]

I SO want to see the official Apple/AT&T contract. Might give some hope.

 

[rdowns]

I'd say it has been a marginal start. I had a good experience, but many did not. The biggest issue is at ATT retail. The reps have not been trained to manage partnership issues well. There is lots of finger pointing going on and that can't be tolerated. There are right and wrong things to say. This is a new operating model and Apple has really pushed the envelope. ATT needs to drive this partnership model to each and every retail outlet.

I blame this on Apple and their damn secrecy. There was no time to do proper training. There was plenty of finger pointing and blame being leveled against ATT from Apple Store employees too.

 

[whooleytoo]

Most companies are afraid of a paradigm shift. They are afraid of doing business a different way than they have in the past. ATT took a risk and it looks like it will pay off.

I think most companies in a dominant position are afraid of a paradigm shift. That's why you (more often than not) see more innovation from small companies, or companies in the 'underdog' role.

 

[badtzmaru]

Win95 shareware apps... Good one

 

[kcmac]

Most companies are afraid of a paradigm shift. They are afraid of doing business a different way than they have in the past. ATT took a risk and it looks like it will pay off.

ATT took what risk? If it doesn't work, they just simply keep doing business as usual with the other guys stuff. That is no different than the way they operate today with the churn of customers and bland me too products.

Apple on the other hand has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, man hours, years, etc on developing this phone. All the eyes of the tech world are upon them and a vast majority of them want to see Apple fail.

No. ATT risked nothing and has everything to gain. Looks like so far they are gaining.

If they do have any risk at all, it is how EDGE is perceived and how it performs. They share that pretty equally with Apple.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

It's hard to imagine Apple yielding any aspect of the device's success to anyone for long. ATT needs to "perform" in this relationship or Apple will bolt. I'm sure the performance standards in the agreement are higher than what AT&T would have imposed internally.

I agree, but for Apple to be able to leave they'd have to find a willing carrier. I'm sure every carrier wants the iPhone, but to they want Apple's demand for 98% independent engineering too. I think I Apple went to Verizon tomorrow they'd still kick Jobs out of the office. Same for Sprint. IF T-Mob gets the Euro contract then there is a possibility there, but honestly T-Mobs coverage is the same or worse than ATTs. I say it's a zero sum game and Apple and ATT and going to be together for some time to come as long as the iPhone continues to gain market share.

 

[Krevnik]

* Only Apple is in total control of it’s hardware and the OSX software that runs on it.

On this point, even Microsoft can not compete since the likes of Nokia, Motorola, Samsung are NOT in control of the evolution of their own product market.

They can ONLY make new hardware for a Microsoft’s O/S and VICA VERSA!

I would just like to make a simple point: Motorola et al, /are/ in control of their own product market. Ironically, in some ways, MSFT is the one with its hands tied through the fact that it doesn't own the hardware. MSFT could provide a beautiful experience, and hardware manufacturers can still ruin that. MSFT is bound to the rules of manufacturers for hardware, and the hardware manufacturers are bound to the rules of MSFT for the software (but only so much).

The HTC Touch is an example of what happens when you let OEMs customize the software, like the Windows Mobile model. Devices that crash and lock up are also examples of what happens when you let the OEMs customize the software. Windows Mobile has the advantage of having a few form factors at different cost levels, with a similar experience. The iPhone has one form factor. To assume a market like the cell phone industry can be dominated is a bit of a foolish one. If a particular phone model gets 1-2% of the total market, it is considered a success. The market is just too huge for a small grouping of models to win out right now.

 

[plumbingandtech]

ATT took what risk? If it doesn't work, they just simply keep doing business as usual with the other guys stuff. That is no different than the way they operate today with the churn of customers and bland me too products.

Apple on the other hand has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, man hours, years, etc on developing this phone. All the eyes of the tech world are upon them and a vast majority of them want to see Apple fail.

No. ATT risked nothing and has everything to gain. Looks like so far they are gaining.

If they do have any risk at all, it is how EDGE is perceived and how it performs. They share that pretty equally with Apple.

They signed the contract two years ago without seeing the iphone.

That is risk.

Spending 10s of millions of dollars on network upgrades is a risk.

Commiting to spending 10s of millions of dollars on marketing is a risk.

Buying something sight unseen is always a risk.

Was it risk they could recover from yes. But not without a blackeye of possibly "New Coke" proportions...




To say it was not a risk is just silly.