Why No Photo or Video?

[illegalprelude]

So ive had the iPhone from launch and I am loving this unit. Its blown me away by how amazing it is and I was recently in Best Buy, looking at the Motorola Q and it makes those phones look like junk so I am one happy person but I cant understand some basic short falls of the iPhone.

For example, why can I not record video (seems like such a basic thing) and more so, why oh why can I not send or receive picture messages.

I know this has been talked about before but Im not interested in, was this a technical issue we think? Or more so a short sightedness from Apple? Thoughts and opinions?

Cause many people see the amazing things the phone can do yet simple things of this nature, it cannot? Mostly what made the iPod such a success was that it was aimed at young trend setters for example and for that crowd, isnt text messengering a big deal?

 

[kdarling]

You've brought up an interesting question: for whom was the iPhone designed?

Obviously one criterion was to make the UI simpler. Unfortunately, avoiding complication means that options are left out. And when you require phone owners to also be computer owners, you're already stepping into user territory where they like their options

I suspect a lot of the UI is about what Jobs wanted. For example, studies show that we older folk like email, not MMS. Thus the omission of the latter. Older folk also tend to use a phone's camera less... thus it has a simple picture taker and no video.

Clearly he intended to make something simple to use, and really wanted to avoid being a general purpose PDA. Carefully controlling the onboard apps fits that purpose. This might've been quite okay a decade ago. But he's in a market where there are literally hundreds of models of smart phones, many with technical and/or software features that owners would like to have.

Despite the easier and prettier UI, people will crave these other features. How to do that without turning it into a normal PDA is a tough cookie. They're going to have to really avoid anything that looks like a normal file system, for instance. So coverflow makes sense.

There's so much more to the equation. Two year contracts. AT&T. Etc. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

For example, why can I not record video (seems like such a basic thing) and more so, why oh why can I not send or receive picture messages.

The iPhone doesn't support MMS. It's unknown if this is a technical or strategic issue.

You can send all the pictures you want though...via email. When you click on a picture in the photo app it asks you if you want to email it. You can email it to a phone via the SMS. It's usually in the form <recieving phone number>@<receving carrier.com>; i.e 555-555-555@Sprint.com. You'll have to check with the carrier for the correct domain name.

No clue as to Apple's video plans, but even though video is somewhat a gimmick I think it is a must, and Apple will have to add it...probably in version 2.

 

[kdarling]

No clue as to Apple's video plans, but even though video is somewhat a gimmick I think it is a must, and Apple will have to add it...probably in version 2.

Heck, other companies are bringing out dedicated video / YouTube upload devices.

A great website to read each day (it's a weird combo of mobile hardware and automobile news) is the following. Scroll down to last Friday's news about the Helio video uploader. Too strange. Like we need more videos of everyone. NOT.

http://www.mobilemag.com/

 

[NevadaJack]

You've brought up an interesting question: for whom was the iPhone designed?



Clearly he intended to make something simple to use, and really wanted to avoid being a general purpose PDA. Carefully controlling the onboard apps fits that purpose. This might've been quite okay a decade ago. But he's in a market where there are literally hundreds of models of smart phones, many with technical and/or software features that owners would like to have.

Do you really think that Steve Jobs doesn't understand the cell phone "market." He has just pulled off one of the finest marketing plans in history and his product is going to change the cell phone market for years to come. I would say he knew exactly what he was doing and most of all he knows where he is going.

I would not worry about the future of Apple, the iPhone and whether it will have "features that owners would like to have." He already has a product that just works...

 

[kdarling]

Do you really think that Steve Jobs doesn't understand the cell phone "market."

Many think he doesn't understand the cell phone market. What savvy cell phone provider leaves out MMS in its first edition? What kind of "breakthrough" device lets you view YouTube but doesn't provide a way to submit your own video? It's a little immature yet.

Can apps be added later? Sure, but that only proves that their market was "understood" after introduction. Nothing wrong with that.

It's also already behind in technical respects. There are 3G phones coming out now with video calling and 800x480 screens for superior web browsing and document reading.

Having some intro bugs I can understand. Something always leaks through no matter how hard you try. Been there and paid the price.

I would not worry about the future of Apple, the iPhone and whether it will have "features that owners would like to have." He already has a product that just works...

Oh, I don't worry about the future of Apple. But how old are you? Were you around for Lisa. Or NeXt. All hot for a little while, then boom, Waterworld.

I've got decades of experience with embedded devices, touchscreens, UIs. I've personally been part of designing devices that were meant to change the world before. Been through FCC certification, been through building UIs, been through putting out stuff before it's ready. I can certainly tell when something's being done on the fly. Heck, anyone can in this case. Web 2.0 for third party apps? Sheesh.

As for changing the world, well it has certainly made a ripple. All the pieces have existed before, and even been used, but no previous phone has been crippled enough to make it as "easy" to use. I'm afraid you can't have full PDA capability without getting more complicated, and I'm not sure Jobs wants that. It might even be necessary to split the iPhone into "easy" and "professional" versions. Perhaps it could even be the same device, just different modes.

Just playing devil's advocate. It's good practice to think aloud sometimes. Also, it helps to keep in perspective that fawning over physical objects can be a little creepy

Cheers - Kev

 

[Sobe]

Many think he doesn't understand the cell phone market. What savvy cell phone provider leaves out MMS in its first edition? What kind of "breakthrough" device lets you view YouTube but doesn't provide a way to submit your own video? It's a little immature yet.

Can apps be added later? Sure, but that only proves that their market was "understood" after introduction. Nothing wrong with that.

It's also already behind in technical respects. There are 3G phones coming out now with video calling and 800x480 screens for superior web browsing and document reading.

Having some intro bugs I can understand. Something always leaks through no matter how hard you try. Been there and paid the price.



Oh, I don't worry about the future of Apple. But how old are you? Were you around for Lisa. Or NeXt. All hot for a little while, then boom, Waterworld.

I've got decades of experience with embedded devices, touchscreens, UIs. I've personally been part of designing devices that were meant to change the world before. Been through FCC certification, been through building UIs, been through putting out stuff before it's ready. I can certainly tell when something's being done on the fly. Heck, anyone can in this case. Web 2.0 for third party apps? Sheesh.

As for changing the world, well it has certainly made a ripple. All the pieces have existed before, and even been used, but no previous phone has been crippled enough to make it as "easy" to use. I'm afraid you can't have full PDA capability without getting more complicated, and I'm not sure Jobs wants that. It might even be necessary to split the iPhone into "easy" and "professional" versions. Perhaps it could even be the same device, just different modes.

Just playing devil's advocate. It's good practice to think aloud sometimes. Also, it helps to keep in perspective that fawning over physical objects can be a little creepy

Cheers - Kev

Everyone who has and is loving his or her iPhone is laughing at you calling it crippled.

You're very wise to see through the marketing while we all worship at the altar of technology.

None of us researched the features of the iPhone and then decided if it met our needs and what we were willing to pay. No, sir.

We all took off our tin-foil hats, received the beamed-in instructions from Mr. Jobs and proceeded to the nearest Apple store to buy whatever he put in front of us with an Apple logo on it.

Well done for shedding light on this little bit of anthropologic mystery.

 

[kdarling]

Everyone who has and is loving his or her iPhone is laughing at you calling it crippled.

Not those who need something it doesn't do.

I'm talking from a UI standpoint. For example, in order to allow finger screen scrolling, they had to remove simple copy/paste motions. In order to not clog up the screen, they could only show limited Google search returns. And so forth.

We all took off our tin-foil hats, received the beamed-in instructions from Mr. Jobs and proceeded to the nearest Apple store to buy whatever he put in front of us with an Apple logo on it.

Now you're just being silly. It's a phone.

 

[marksman]

Steven Spielberg records all his movies on a motorola Q

 

[cactusjackatu]

My thoughts are that they had to meet the June deadline for initial release, and had to leave out a lot of functionality due to the time crunch. Why else would they wait until the last buisness day of the month to release?

I bet we will see some of the cool 'I wish the iPhone could do...' features when the first software update is released, and a bunch more stuff when 10.5 comes out.

 

[darngooddesign]

Not those who need something it doesn't do.

I need a phone that lets me design websites, therefore every phone is crippled.

See you can make every perspective seem silly if you try hard enough.

 

[kdarling]

I need a phone that lets me design websites, therefore every phone is crippled.

See you can make every perspective seem silly if you try hard enough.

Yep, that's pretty silly.

But to use your example, then yes, if almost every other phone allowed you to design websites, then any phone that didn't, is crippled in that way. No rocket science there.

 

[Sobe]

Not those who need something it doesn't do.

I'm talking from a UI standpoint. For example, in order to allow finger screen scrolling, they had to remove simple copy/paste motions. In order to not clog up the screen, they could only show limited Google search returns. And so forth.



Now you're just being silly. It's a phone.

I was being intentionally silly. Glad it came through.

If a lack of copy/paste is the price to pay (at this time) for finger scrolling then it's a trade off I am happy with. I would much rather have the finger scrolling than copy/paste.

I'm not sure where the world view comes from, but there are people who seem to get very offended that a product doesn't reflect their world view in terms of what they want to do with a product.

If someone wants to do X with their phone and a certain product cannot do it, I don't see why people have to inform the world that their particular id drive is not being satisfied at that particular moment.

I suppose it's the world of the microblog. Maybe we can get updates on disgruntled iPhone users on whether or not the toilet paper in their bathrooms is to their liking as well.

 

[kdarling]

If a lack of copy/paste is the price to pay (at this time) for finger scrolling then it's a trade off I am happy with. I would much rather have the finger scrolling than copy/paste..

And that's okay, for you.

I'm not sure where the world view comes from, but there are people who seem to get very offended that a product doesn't reflect their world view in terms of what they want to do with a product.

Just as there are people who get very offended that not everyone else has the same needs and wants as they do. They tend to bash anyone who doesn't agree with them.

(about people posting their thoughts) I suppose it's the world of the microblog. Maybe we can get updates on disgruntled iPhone users on whether or not the toilet paper in their bathrooms is to their liking as well.

*laughing* Isn't that what all that twitter business is about? Woof!

 

[pr5owner]

strange, i have both finger scrolling AND copy and paste (i have cut and paste too!)

also i can cut and paste in 3 diffrent ways, KB shortcut CTRL + C, virtual right click (tap and hold like the OSX dock) and then click on copy/cut, virtual KB copy and paste

i dont sacrifice the finger scrolling bit though, i can finger "surf" entirely with my phone also i can save webpages, documents, files, links, etc

so in reality you DONT lose the copy and paste functionality simply because you only have a touch screen

the people that look the other way or post rediculous coments as to change the topic of basic features is because they dont want to know they got ripped buying a $600 phone. comments like "oh but only 1% of the people use that" or "its not NEEDED as i have a work around" or "its a phone not a laptop" just make me laugh, when people say its missing feature X, they are not trying to be funny saying "oh it doesnt have a kitchen sink" they are saying it because it SHOULD be onthe phone, its already soemthing they took for granted on every other phone but missing on your half a grand apple product.

 

[chakote]

My thoughts are that they had to meet the June deadline for initial release, and had to leave out a lot of functionality due to the time crunch. Why else would they wait until the last buisness day of the month to release?.

Because 6/30 was the last day of the fiscal year, making 6/29 the last "business" day of the fiscal year. The 6pm time slot was likely chosen because the US stock markets (even after-hours trading) are closed and they wanted investors to see the numbers and have a weekend to think about placing their "sell" orders.

Remember, this is the device they held Leopard back for. You think they could've done just a little more.

 

[lavrishevo]

so in other words Steve is gong to bleed billions of $$$ out of customers and then release iPhone duo/2 or whatever with some new features but of course not all of them, because we need to get ready for iPhone treo... I mean trio to bleed billions more. Yes, I like his thinking. I need to buy some stock....

 

[illegalprelude]

I was hoping this wouldnt turn into a flame thread. but it seems like anytime somebody critiques apple on these forum gets flamed. Were all here already and own the iPhone so I think its safe to say were a fan of Apple.

Now, as far as the no picture SMS, the whole "you can send an email with picture" is a lame excuse, if that is your answer to picture text messanging, then you clearly dont understand the concept of picture messanging.

I think though kdarling brings up a good point. Who was the iPhone aimed at? If it was the business market, then again, while an amazing phone, its missing alot of features they might want and or if it is aiming at urban trendsetters that made the iPod what it is, then again they seem to be missing alot of features that simpler phones have.

So if we look at it in that aspect, then the iPhone seems like a lost phone or we can look at it as it creating a new market segment too.

 

[MacbookSwitcher]

Many think he doesn't understand the cell phone market. What savvy cell phone provider leaves out MMS in its first edition? What kind of "breakthrough" device lets you view YouTube but doesn't provide a way to submit your own video? It's a little immature yet.

Can apps be added later? Sure, but that only proves that their market was "understood" after introduction. Nothing wrong with that.

That's an incorrect statement. It's very common in the world of computer software to cut out features due to schedule pressure, then add them in later with a software update (If you had been in the industry as long as you claim you had, you would know this basic fact). I would place my bets that Apple had several software features, maybe video recording or chat or MMS...who knows, that were cut because they couldn't be finished with high quality in time for launch.

 

[Daiden]

There are lots of things I wish the iPhone could do, and multimedia messaging and videos are included in that (fairly long) list. It's one of those devices that I like so much I want it to be absolutely perfect, but I realize that some things had to be left out. Some things are head scratchers and others may have been left out for battery life reasons. We probably will never know.

What we do know, though, is that the iPhone definitely does lack some basic functuality. It's been toted as a revolutionary device, and it is -- in some respects. In others it is sorely lacking. I can bet that even in revision 2 it won't be a "perfect" phone, but it will be on its way there. Regardless of how many features they throw in there, some people won't be satisfied. I'm pretty happy with the current iteration (EDGE is decent enough for me oddly enough, although I wish I could browse and get calls at the same time), but I just wish they would have given us some of the basic stuff. I have faith that some software updates will rectify a few of the initial shortcomings.

 

[Daiden]

That's an incorrect statement. It's very common in the world of computer software to cut out features due to schedule pressure, then add them in later with a software update (If you had been in the industry as long as you claim you had, you would know this basic fact). I would place my bets that Apple had several software features, maybe video recording or chat or MMS...who knows, that were cut because they couldn't be finished with high quality in time for launch.

This is true. At some point they had to say "enough" and make a final applications list so that they could finish up Leopard for its launch in October. I bet that after Leopard launches, Apple will focus a lot more development into iPhone apps.

 

[Sobe]

...but I just wish they would have given us some of the basic stuff. I have faith that some software updates will rectify a few of the initial shortcomings.

like email, SMS, an ipod, and the web?

I think focusing on the basics is precisely what they did.

Get that right out of the box, then worry about getting fancy later.

 

[illegalprelude]

like email, SMS, an ipod, and the web?

I think focusing on the basics is precisely what they did.

Get that right out of the box, then worry about getting fancy later.

some might argue that they got fancy first and forgot the basics

 

[Sobe]

some might argue that they got fancy first and forgot the basics

they'd be wrong, but sure you could argue it...

MMS is a perfect example.

you had to have email and SMS...but for whatever reason MMS was left out.

That functionality is still available by emailing photos.

Is it the same? no, but it works. And email and SMS work out of the box.

 

[Daiden]

like email, SMS, an ipod, and the web?

I think focusing on the basics is precisely what they did.

Get that right out of the box, then worry about getting fancy later.

I consider the "basics" to be what other phones are already good at, things like MMS and mp3s as ringtones (that one might not be so basic, but quite a few phones can do it). I just don't see why Apple needed to start from ground zero with some of these features when the road has already been paved by less impressive phones.