Are you going to get the iPhone 3G? If so why? Are you a current iPhone user or have you held out waiting for a faster network?
I am very interested in the study of Consumer Behavior. Especially around brands that transcend their categories and become engrained in our culture. Apple’s products definitely have redefined how we interact with music with the iPod and for many of us and I am very interested in how the iPhone is/has redifined our expecations around what a mobile device/phone should be.
I have been very happy with my iPhone over the past year or however long it has been. All I know is that I am eligible for the upgrade with my carrier and I am ready for the 3G. I have lived with the quirks of not being able to push contacts, calendar and e-mail with Exchange. I have undergone the daily sync routine to try and keep my ever expanding calendar at bay. And I have suffered through the subpar camera experience.
I have enjoyed the various hacks and it has even survived a few dives into my infant sons bathtub. So now it is time to upgrade and I will be one of those people in line early on Friday the 11th just so I can upgrade to the 3G.
Is it a necessity? No. Will it make life easier? Maybe a little bit. Could I wait and just get the 2.0 software release to get Active Sync? Sure. Will I wait beyond this weekend to pick up the phone? No.
This is where I have to give Apple credit for their marketing and design of their products. There is not another brand that comes to mind that has positioned itself in such a way that with each new release of a product it warrants an almost immediate upgrade. Think about how many iPods total that you own or have bought in the past few years alone.
This is not necessarily because the functionality is superior, it is has to do with the simple and elegant products that demand your attention and ultimately get it because it is…. well cool. The hipster factor is high on their products and they cater to those that appreciate sleek, modern designs while keeping in mind that style over substance only works if you are a supermodel. For the rest of us you have to deliver the core functionality of todays integrated offerings and for the most part their products deliver both style and substance.
So was this post necessary? No. Will there be another iPhone post in the future? I am sure. Will I pick up the 3G? Absolutely.
I was one of the people waiting in line for my iPhone last year on Day 1. I haven’t regretted the purchase–combining great music playback, a slick interface, and enough email syncing and connectivity for me to be happy, I’m still very satisfied with the device. I’m not upgrading to the 3G model for a couple of reasons. First of all–I’m not eligible for an upgrade for another year. That brings the cost up pretty high for me. Secondly, the device I had before this (a Samsung Blackjack) was 3G. Although it was definitely a bit faster than the iPhone at certain tasks, the simple and sad truth is that 3G doesn’t solve the main problem with mobile connectivity–the “connecting” time. 3G’s bandwidth is higher, but in most cases I’m just syncing email or reading a webpage from my phone. 3G just doesn’t make that *enough* better for me to rush out and buy a new phone. I am *very* excited about the software upgrade. Exchange support will be welcomed, but finally allowing 3rd party applications is going to quickly fill in critical gaps of functionality on the iPhone. Yes, it’s cool…but I’ll wait until version 3.
I’ve been waiting for the 3G version since the original iPhone was released. I’ve left my days of early adoption and have settled into a “wait for version 2 or 3” of any product. So I may not pick one up on release day, but I will be getting one in the near future.
Hi Tom.
I have been asked to purchase a couple of iPhones for a couple of our executives. While I will happily do this, I have a couple of concerns:
1. We run Blackberry Enterprise Server in conjunction with Exchange. This allows us a very easy way to configure our corporate BB devices to our standards and policies and allows our end users to easily synch mail, contacts, calendars, etc. I am guessing we will have no way to do this with the iPhone.
2. Typing on the keyboard of the iPhone. The software keyboard seems very hard to type on. Is it simply because I have not gotten used to it? Will this be impossible for my executives? (Remember, we are not talking about a technical bunch… they are bankers…)
Your thoughts are very much welcomed as I am not the most widely versed person in the world in terms of the iPhone.