Category Archives: backlash

On all the iPhone 4s Inspired Whining

I’ve been reading a lot of blog posts and comments about today’s Apple iPhone 4s announcement. A lot of people are disappointed.  A lot of the complaints are about the fact that Apple is keeping the same form factor as the existing iPhone 4 (as if that wasn’t the likely course all along). Plenty more complaints zero on a handfull of specs, like the screen size, or resolution, or technology, or the camera megapixels.

Needless to say, I think they are myopic. Apple wins customers because of the overall experience. These days, with Apple, it’s not just how the parts come together into an exceptionally well made device. It’s not even about the combination of software and hardware. Its the retail and support experience, and now, with iOS 5, iCloud, and Siri, its going to be about how it all ties together across your devices, and even out into 3rd party websites.

iOS 5 and iCloud are going to be a major platform for future innovation. I think they are downplaying it after their miss-steps launching MobileMe, but with iOS 5 + iCloud + Lion, Apple has the foundations for pervasive computing. You’ll soon be able to close up your MacBook in the middle of editing a Keynote presentation. Review it on your iPhone while you are waiting for your flight and revise it on your iPad without really even thinking about syncing, or copying the file.

These complaints remind me of the whining about what was missing from the original iPhone. Yeah, it wasn’t 3g and lacked MMS, video recording, copy/paste, installable applications and who knows what else. On the other hand it was pretty awesome in a way that no other phone could touch, and Apple had a obvious list of improvements to make.

iPhone Backlash

I was looking at Techmeme today and noticed a breakout of iPhone backlash. VC Fred Wilson noted that he still hadn’t opened the iPhone he bought and that he, in fact, didn’t want it.

Then someone at the Silicon Alley Reporter picked up on the post, amped it up a bit, and then sucked up to his boss by quoting him as he “reported” assertions that there is growing dissatisfaction with the iPhone by it’s early adopters.

Whatever, I’m not surprised there is iPhone backlash. In fact, when I got the thing, I fully expected it would have broken my heart by now. After almost two months with it, I wish the data network was a little faster, and I wish it had a decent IM client (or any IM client at all), and that it would support RTSP video streaming, and dozens of other things, small and large.

What surprises me is the degree of attachment my iPhone owning friends and I still feel towards the thing. We find ourselves using it for tasks that would be more easily accomplished at our computers, often when our computers are powered up and less than three feet away.

Apple gave me a polished, sexy, easy to use device that gives me access to nearly the whole web from my pocket. Many of its shortcomings can be fixed by software updates (though I expect some may not be in order to stay on good terms with AT&T). Maybe Google or someone else will come along and release a device that’s even better for a lower price. If they do, that will be cool, I’ll probably get one, but I’m not holding my breath.