.mobi The Iphone a bust...maybe... check out this phone

[domainacrobat]

Im starting to think the Iphone is going to be a bust! I have read countless articles dating back to 2005 about the speculation of the iphone. Originallly when I first started buying names I would watch the news and register even TM names without regaurd. So I have alot of knowledge and names that have to do with cellphones. After all is said and done, the cellphone market is significantly more competitive than any other electronics market. Newer more advanced and cheaper phones come out every day. In all reality companies like nokia, sony-erricson, and motorola release new phones every day. I cannot name any other field that has advanced so quickly and cheaply. Now that cisco is sueing it could potentially delay the iphone allowing competitors to match the quality and caliber of the iphone before apple can get jump on the competition. I know its not even out yet, but cisco could delay its arrival just enough... Check out this phone - It is very Iphone-ish. It runs on linux - which is awsome because there will be an endless amount of prorgams and widgets.

http://news.com.com/2300-1037_3-6134795-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg

All I can say is WOW. If every phone like this is the iphone will have a very very tough time, especially if they are priced at $350 vs $599 and they are available BEFORE the iphone. Not to mention cellphone companies are used to taking large loses in hardware to sell cell phone plans etc. Apple is not used to selling an item for next to nothing when a user signs a new contract. All i can say is it is all good for .Mobi - I know everyone is worried about the way the iphone browses - not .mobi, who cares? Do you really think everyone wants to view minute screens that you have to zoom in on- We have yet to even sample how long it takes, for all we know it could take 30 seconds to pull up a full size website and let it emulate it into a small environment- I think all the iphone has going for it is - the APPLE name and money to advertise. I still think the .Mobi format is going to be king.

 

[scandiman]

The iPhone name controversy is just that. Apple can change the name and be thankful for all the free publicity. The iPhone also runs a unix os...OSX. Compatibility with desktop apps remains to be seen. Sure like the lower price point of the product you linked to. Regardless, I agree it is all good for .mobi. More people walking around with a better device in their pocket to access the internet.

 

[seanboy]

Cool phone, I wonder when and if we will see it in the USA

 

[fautebol]

I think all the iphone has going for it is - the APPLE name and money to advertise.

You can dislike Apple...I don't have a Mac...But for me one product seems just beautiful, and the other is not. I would not buy this phone, simply because of the design.

 

[domainacrobat]

Yes you can change the name, but it will still cause delays. Yes APPLE has beautiful products, So do many companies. I am neutral to Apple, I dont dislike, nor like them. But in our world today, the cellphone industry is the fasted paced electronics market. You have to take into account the phone I posted was shown last year, it is the first major phone for that teensy tiny company, Apple has been making pretty products fro years. If a small inexperienced company like FIC can make aphone of this caliber on their first try, imagine what samsung ( worlds largest electornics manufacturer! ) Sony- Erricson, Nokia can do within 6 months. All I am saying is Apple is used to having a very long shelf life for its products with little competition. In the mp3 player industry there was little to keep the ipod from being the best! Nothing had its capacity and nothing looked remotely like it. They rarely had to redesign any product because of their uniqueness. Fast forward to 2007 - There must be 50 companies with a jumpstart on the cellphone industry. There are already many many amazing phones in Japan that do everything. 640x480 Video, 3.2 Megapixel camera, Flash Games, full internet browsing, universal barcode and price checker. All of this is on my friends phone, Nokia N93. $700, he lives in Florida not Japan. All of this has been out for a few years before the Iphone even appeared. Samsung and Sony have some of the best designers in the entire world. Not only do these companies have technologically equivelant phones, but they have the economic structuring to redesign these phones every few months. Apple is used to riding on one design for years. Once a phone company makes a new model in a few months, it lowers prices on the previously new phone. In some cases you can get the phone for free by extending your contract. How will Apple combat this? I would like to see. I dont think Apple will be willing to sell the iphone at $25 when you sign or extend a contract with Cingular. By the time Cisco and Apple are done, it could be too late. Many mp3 cellphones with video cameras and 5gb storage will be $49 with a contract extension. Again - Good for .Mobi!

 

[scandiman]

Have you heard that Apple is putting a hold on their product release? I doubt the lawyers can act that fast to get a judge to stop the sales of the product.

Usually people complain about the short shelf life of Apple products. Buy an iPod today and there is a new, smaller, better one 3 months from now. The underlying concept is still there but they constantly and rapidly release updated versions of their products. iPod's have been through many, many changes since their introduction. Apples releases 2-3 revisions of their OS to Microsoft's 1.

Todays iPhone will be completely updated and replaced by xmas '08.

 

[domainacrobat]

Todays iPhone will be completely updated and replaced by xmas '08.

There went a quick $599 LOL

 

[scandiman]

There went a quick $599 LOL

Welcome to the wonderful world of Apple

 

[labrocca]

If every phone like this is the iphone will have a very very tough time, especially if they are priced at $350 vs $599 and they are available BEFORE the iphone

I fail to see the relevance of your post. The ipod was a late comer to the MP3 arena that was overpriced as well. That didn't seem to stop it. As a matter of fact to this day other MP3 players are cheaper yet people buy the ipod. Macs are more expensive then the PC yet people seem to love Macs as well. Sure they don't command the market but they seemingly are learning from their mistakes. The ipod is their crowning achievment under Steve Jobs and as long as he is at the helm I have faith that the iphone or whatever it's name will be a success.

No one is gonna buy a FIC phone from a company no one has ever heard of before. Not even at half the price.

There won't be delays simply because of the name and the suit. If a judge orders an injunction it will be from using the brand name iphone not from selling or rebranding the item. I am sure a deal will be reached. Heck for all we know this is all part of the publicity orchestrated by these companies.

 

[scandiman]

...Heck for all we know this is all part of the publicity orchestrated by these companies.

This is my hunch as well. Staff attorneys put to work generating millions of dollars in free advertising. So smart.

 

[domainacrobat]

I fail to see the relevance of your post. The ipod was a late comer to the MP3 arena that was overpriced as well. That didn't seem to stop it. As a matter of fact to this day other MP3 players are cheaper yet people buy the ipod. Macs are more expensive then the PC yet people seem to love Macs as well. Sure they don't command the market but they seemingly are learning from their mistakes. The ipod is their crowning achievment under Steve Jobs and as long as he is at the helm I have faith that the iphone or whatever it's name will be a success.

No one is gonna buy a FIC phone from a company no one has ever heard of before. Not even at half the price.

There won't be delays simply because of the name and the suit. If a judge orders an injunction it will be from using the brand name iphone not from selling or rebranding the item. I am sure a deal will be reached. Heck for all we know this is all part of the publicity orchestrated by these companies.

It is easy to fail to see the relevance of my post if you take one line of text and post it out of context.


I did not say the FIC phone will blow the iphone out of the water. What I said is the ipod had certain things that made it unique at the time. The iphone does not have one thing that is unique to it, not even the name. The Ipod had a significant storage advantage when it came out, not to mention it was uniquely operated by the touch wheel. What I said is the Iphone does not have the same advantages the Ipod did. I could care less about the phone I posted, there will be several nearly identical by the time the iphone is out. The FIC phone is just an example of the type of competion the Iphone is up against, even from small, tiny companies. You even give an example of how much people love their macs. The PC market and the cellphone market are entirely different. The Ipod had no real competitors as all the mp3 storage at the time was tiny. You state the ipod was overpriced - it had more storage than any other device at the time. They can set the market price if no one sells a similar product. Unfortunatly the Iphone has lots of competition and many other phones offer similar things.

I am also sure they will reach an agreement about the iphone TM, but will it delay the product. They have no time to waste. Ok lets say They reach a deal, if you think cisco is going to let the TM go cheaply you are mistaken. If Apple has to pay through the nose for rights to use the name, how on earth are they ever gonna reduce the price when newer phones with the same features come out.

No one here has yet to explain or even reply to all of the things I posted about. It is easy to reply to one line in my post while its out of context. How is Apple going to cope with the constant release of newer phones with the same features at lesser prices? Cellphone companies offer brand new phones at massively discounted prices when you sign a contract or extend one. Is apple going to allow you to buy an Iphone for $100 when you sign up with Cigular? I think they miscalculated the cellphone market. Its going to take all the money they have to produce, pay for rights, and advertise this product, then just when its a big hit, similar cellphones will be offered at massive discounts if you sign a contract or extend one.

One more point: If they are only available to cingular, do you think the iphone is unique enough to make you cancel your current service then sign up with cingular? I doubt it. Chances are by the time the iphone comes out, it will have a decent t-mobile counterpart, which, I will then buy. Partnering themselves with only cingular is the part where they shoot themselves in the foot. The only chance they have is to offer it to all carriers.

Lets not get carried away here, I do not have any bad feelings towards apple, I just think its a completely different market then the mp3-ipod era.

So to all those who think I am blasting apple, forget about it. I Get 20% discount at the Apple store, I love it. I am purchasing a 23 inch $1000 HD monitor. I have to admit, there are other similar items out there, the only reason I am buying it is because of my discount. I am a photographer and have worked out several corporate deals with local Apple stores, I have gotten APPLE to lend me 10k (even the amazing 30 inch HD monitor) worth of equipment for photoshoots. If anything, I like apple for all of their great support, but it is difficult to see the iphone coming out on top.

I guess ultimately the best thing about all this is: Massive increase in mobile browsing!

 

[runsome]

That is one sexy phone.

 

[scandiman]

It is easy to fail to see the relevance of my post if you take one line of text and post it out of context.


I did not say the FIC phone will blow the iphone out of the water. What I said is the ipod had certain things that made it unique at the time. The iphone does not have one thing that is unique to it, not even the name. The Ipod had a significant storage advantage when it came out, not to mention it was uniquely operated by the touch wheel. What I said is the Iphone does not have the same advantages the Ipod did. I could care less about the phone I posted, there will be several nearly identical by the time the iphone is out. The FIC phone is just an example of the type of competion the Iphone is up against, even from small, tiny companies. You even give an example of how much people love their macs. The PC market and the cellphone market are entirely different. The Ipod had no real competitors as all the mp3 storage at the time was tiny. You state the ipod was overpriced - it had more storage than any other device at the time. They can set the market price if no one sells a similar product. Unfortunatly the Iphone has lots of competition and many other phones offer similar things.

I am also sure they will reach an agreement about the iphone TM, but will it delay the product. They have no time to waste. Ok lets say They reach a deal, if you think cisco is going to let the TM go cheaply you are mistaken. If Apple has to pay through the nose for rights to use the name, how on earth are they ever gonna reduce the price when newer phones with the same features come out.

No one here has yet to explain or even reply to all of the things I posted about. It is easy to reply to one line in my post while its out of context. How is Apple going to cope with the constant release of newer phones with the same features at lesser prices? Cellphone companies offer brand new phones at massively discounted prices when you sign a contract or extend one. Is apple going to allow you to buy an Iphone for $100 when you sign up with Cigular? I think they miscalculated the cellphone market. Its going to take all the money they have to produce, pay for rights, and advertise this product, then just when its a big hit, similar cellphones will be offered at massive discounts if you sign a contract or extend one.

One more point: If they are only available to cingular, do you think the iphone is unique enough to make you cancel your current service then sign up with cingular? I doubt it. Chances are by the time the iphone comes out, it will have a decent t-mobile counterpart, which, I will then buy. Partnering themselves with only cingular is the part where they shoot themselves in the foot. The only chance they have is to offer it to all carriers.

Lets not get carried away here, I do not have any bad feelings towards apple, I just think its a completely different market then the mp3-ipod era.

So to all those who think I am blasting apple, forget about it. I Get 20% discount at the Apple store, I love it. I am purchasing a 23 inch $1000 HD monitor. I have to admit, there are other similar items out there, the only reason I am buying it is because of my discount. I am a photographer and have worked out several corporate deals with local Apple stores, I have gotten APPLE to lend me 10k (even the amazing 30 inch HD monitor) worth of equipment for photoshoots. If anything, I like apple for all of their great support, but it is difficult to see the iphone coming out on top.

I guess ultimately the best thing about all this is: Massive increase in mobile browsing!

I'll summarize some earlier points:

-I don't think the Cisco suit will have any impact on the release date of the iPhone or whatever it is called. Our legal system doesn't work that fast. 5 million of these could be sold before they get a court date.

-Apple has demonstrated with its family of iPod products that it can progressively and rapidly evolve their products to keep their core concept fresh and innovative. Plus they have succeeded in charging a premium for the privilege of using their products.

They are keenly aware of the rapidly changing market and are probably doing R&D right now on 4-5 generations of iPhones out.

None of this is a guarantee of success, but if anyone knows what they are doing in handheld consumer electronics, it is Apple.

All that being said, I agree with you that all the increased development of mobile browsing will be good for .mobi, just as long as we develop those domains in the next 6-12 months

 

[agent006]

The cell phone has come a long way, what's next for us consumers, maybe a back to the future flying car?...hehe