Aehso’s Output

Pros:

• Nice screen, looks cool.

Cons

• Ergonomics: Two potential barriers here.  First, I’m really not sure about having to use both hands (one to hold, one to point) to use a cell phone.  Seems like a step backwards in HCI to me.  My mum uses two hands to type SMS messages (makes me smile) but ten years of thumb based typing is a tough habit for me to break.  Second, the absence of tactile feedback means unsighted use will be difficult.  No more reaching into your pocket to mute, texting ‘y’ or ‘n’ replies under the table in meetings or at dinner etc. And then there are those folks with poor sight who much rather depend on tactile feedback rather than go looking for there glasses every time they want to use their phone.
• The battery.  If it is sealed into the casing heavy users will not be able to swap a drained battery for a spare charged one.  Now, if I’m on a trans-atlantic flight I don’t want to arrive in the U.S. with a dead phone just because I was catching up on podcasts (and video content) on the way over.  The second concern with the battery relates to OS X.  How efficient is a recently ported OS X kernel at running on embedded hardware, compared to purpose built mobile operating systems like Symbian? 
• The iHandcuffs.  This is a problem I have with Apple’s whole approach to managing media creation and consumption on their hardware.  (Also see Apple TV vs Mac mini for a related discussion that brings further context to what Apple are trying to achieve)
• No Java support and only ‘maybe’ Flash support in an internet browser?  Someone think of the YouTubers!  And what about all those useful J2ME apps?
• OS X but no third party applications.  Sorry, I don’t buy the justifications given.  Sounds like Apple either couldn’t be bothered publishing a polished SDK or actually want to build higher walls around that garden.
• The true cost – €1000+.  Those example estimates are based on network plans that include flat rate data access (which does not exist in Ireland yet).
• No 3G.  Just when the European mobile operators are ramping up their 3G access.  Plans to deliver 3G at sometime in the future but why not now?
• The screen.  My phone goes into my pockets and backpacks along with keys, sand and other scratchy things.  How durable will the screen surface be?  Can it be replaced after a year of wear?
• The iPhone trademark issue.  Bad news, pissing off Cisco like that and it all smells of pots calling kettles black given Apple’s history of protecting.  No doubt this will hurt Apple in the long term.
• The native screen resolution of 480×320.  Transcoding video to natively fit odd resolutions like this (shared by the recent iPods) is a pain in the ass.
• 2 megapixel cameras with no flash really are useless, they shouldn’t have bothered.

I’ve no doubt that the iPhone is a major kick up the arse for the big mobile handset manufacturers (Nokia/SE/Motorola) but remember even if Apple sell 10million+ iPhones that is still only around 1% of the total mobile phone market.  There is still lots of time for the big three to react. 

It’ll also be interesting to see how Apple fare in their dealings with the large European and Asian mobile network operators.  Cingular, with their 58million subscribers are small fish in comparison.

I suspect I’ll be sticking with my K800i or one of it’s successors.

aehso apple, mac