Lately I've been seeing more and more cool apps for the iPhone. Apps for budgeting/expenses, for list management/productivity, and a multitude of other things I'm into. So many apps in fact, that I started to seriously consider *trying* an iPhone.
Then I saw this ad:
On second thought, never mind. This points out all the flaws in addition to the crappy phone functionality that Sanj pointed out in an earlier discussion on this subject, and the fact that it just doesn't come across as a serious business device.
All that said, I have to wonder what BlackBerry has up their sleeve. It is their game to lose, and those smart guys in Waterloo have had plenty of time to come up with a way of fueling app development for their devices (other than their "App Store" which provided the portal but not the content).
The future is all about the apps and if RIM doesn't make some radical moves, they will be left in the dust.
I, for one, am not ruling them out. They've got the money and the smarts to pull this off.
7 comments:
But you're forgetting the most important thing about the iPhone...It's made by Apple ;-)
I saw this ad too, and I think you're jumping to conclusions too quickly. All the stuff about pictures is a crock, the iPhone takes beautiful pictures. So what if there's not a flash for you to take pics of yourself sloshed at a club? The keyboard is a valid concern, and I've been warming up to it on my iPod; it's actually not as bad as I thought it would be. The battery is really the biggest hurdle, but I have seem some interesting accessories out there addressing this. I haven't tried them yet, but worth looking into.
First of all, Blackberry has NOTHING up their sleeves, nada.
So the question is between Apple and Android. Well, platform wise, I think Android can catch up on both hardware and apps, but it's not there yet. I don't see it there for at least half a year. For me, the question is whether the combination of the Google apps on android (the ones I use the most anyways) and the hardware (I'm digging the HTC devices) can overcome the iPhone's gorgeous screen and myriad of freakin' cool apps. I guess I will have to go to a store sometime early next year and find out, when my current contract expires :)
I was going to write a long response to your post, but I see Chino Loco has already summed up everything I wanted to say.
Everyone keeps talking about how the iPhone can not be taken seriously as a business device and I can only equate this to the commercials Apple runs which make the iPhone look hip and fun. So waht they are really saying is something that is hip and fun can not be used as a business device. However, take a look at the commercials Blackberry is now running. Are they trying to position their device as hip and fun...I think so.
Also, die hard Blackberry users always bring up the keyboard and email functionality as a major negative. At first the keyboard took some getting used to and even now I would say it is 95% as good as having physical buttons. However, I find that those people that are so quick to judge based on email alone do so because that is really all the Blackberry is good for. I found 95% of my Blackberry use was for email where probably only 70% of what I use my iPhone for is email related. There is just so much more to use it for.
I seriously considered an Android powered phone before I got my iPhone, but the models available through Rogers were just too slow and the battery life was pathetic. That being said, I think Android phones will pose a serious threat to iPhone once they get the hardware mastered.
I would wait until the summer to get the iPhone once the new model comes out. I think we will see some of the concerns such as simultaneously running programs addressed.
1. I find it interesting that nobody ever has a comeback for the fact that the phone barely works (30% drop rate in NY!) iPhreaks just stare down and slide photos across their screens whenever this is brought up.
2. Not having a flash is a big deal. Low light situations are more than just in clubs, and it is hugely inconvenient.
3. There's no way I'm betting against BlackBerry in the long run. They'll find to bring the apps. Even if they have to buy their way into the game.
4. The fact that it is not taken seriously as a business device is not my doing. It is just a brand perception that they are overcoming. Practically speaking, you are entirely correct, that an iPhone is just as much of a business device as a BlackBerry. But that doesn't change the brand positioning overnight. Which signature would you feel more comfortable seeing at the end of an email from your lawyer:
1. Sent from my iPhone.
2. Sent from my BlackBerry.
It is what it is.
I have a comeback for the purported 30% dropped calls, I haven't seen it. Granted I don't have an iPhone, but talking to iPhone users, literally talking with them on the iPhone that is, I have not experienced 30% drops. It may be skewed a bit since I talk to a lot more people in California nowadays...
The flash camera usage sounds like a personal thing in your case, which is fair. I had a flash on my last 2 phones and rarely use them outside of clubs. Even when I carry my real camera, I avoid using the flash as much as possible because the photos come out so bad using flash lighting. I still find that normal pictures taken on the iPhone look incredible.
As for apps, the most apt comparison here is to video game consoles: iPhone / Android being Nintendo and Sega, and Blackberry a Gameboy. (See Tweetdeck on iPhone versus Twitterberry) You can't buy your way into a successful console business that easily. That's why Nintendo gave up fighting against Sony and Microsoft and when for the children market in the Wii, which turned out hugely successful, but a different market no less.
And I don't understand why the brand perception of being business-like is an issue. I always turn off the footer saying which device the email is sent from. Email is email, it should be judged on its contents, not by the buttonless screen it was typed on. I realize that I'm not the usual customer, but I think whether a professional email comes from a Blackberry versus and iPhone (or even Gmail versus Outlook) says a lot about the person and the company. Both project very different images that are valid. To me it's a question of the whether they have the confidence and technical ability to present themselves in the personality they perceive themselves at.
Now getting technical, I think a huge hindrance for iPhone is the inability to run background applications. This is totally stupid, considering computers have been running multi-threaded apps for ages now. And this is severely hindering the functionality of the apps, most notably location based services.
Brad said it best, Blackberry is really just an email device. It hasn't fundamentally changed in 10 years. From both HW and SW, it's not hard to build a device with a keyboard and can do email. When I play with my iPod Touch, I ask myself why I would even consider a netbook when the device does web browsing and email beautifully. At the end of the day, you should list your priorities on what matters the most (talk capability, battery life, camera, email, apps) and make the appropriate trade offs. I can't wait for the next iteration of phones. Unfortunately I don't see RIM having anything in the pipeline to have a strong showing in that lineup.
1. Just got off the phone with a colleague who switched from BB to iPhone. The call dropped. He says it happens 2-3 times a day. He's in the Bay Area. 'Nuff said.
2. I always use the "Sent from..." footer which goes onto apologize for typos and/or brevity of my missive. As a consultant, I think it is important that my clients distinguish between the two sources. Now I could just say "handheld device" but again that's not my point. It's not a deal breaker, I'm just pointing out that if you did say "Sent from iPhone" it does not have the same impact. It sounds Mickey Mouse and that's just a function of the brand positioning. I realize iPhone's brand is strengthening as it gains momentum, but it's not there yet.
For me, it really comes down to what I need in a phone or handheld device. This includes:
1. Talk.
2. Email.
I think it is safe to say that this is the case for many people using their device primarily for business, which in my mind is why the BlackBerry is branded as a business device. It is really good at doing these two things.
Don't get me wrong, I love Apple. I have used a Macbook for a couple years now because allows me to do what I need to do easier and more efficiently. But I have enough distractions in the evening with just email on my phone - I could only imagine how much time I would waste if I had too much more.
IMO the iPhone feature-creeped its way out of the business world with too many distractions.
Plus, when you're sitting at a table somewhere and you look across and see someone texting/emailing on their blackberry vs "playing" with their iPhone, two totally different thoughts cross your mind. Mine at least.
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