How Big Will the iPhone Become? 388
palewook writes "Combine the best elements of an iPod with a BlackBerry's addictive usefulness, and you may just get Apple's Next Big Thing. Around 2009, when the lower cost version of iPhone appears, Business Week believes the yearly market for iPhones could be over 10 billion dollars a year. Its an interesting prediction; if those numbers come to pass, iPhone could become a bigger source of revenue than the traditional iPod. 'The answer may not come until 2009. By then, Apple should have begun creating lower-cost iPhone variants to reach consumers scared off by the introductory $499 price. It also will probably have moved into overseas markets and cut deals with more carriers to utilize higher-speed wireless networks. So while most analysts look for Apple to sell around 3 million units this year and 10 to 12 million in 2008, many figure that 20 million will move in 2009.'"
Re:Big enough for Mum to use? (Score:5, Informative)
Their bullet points are:
Managing the phone number list is via the operator by talking to them or sending them an email or fax (or manage it yourself online soon).
They even have a "simple" phone where you just have the list of numbers, no dial buttons.
Its only available in the U.S. right now, but its a great idea for a service, and I believe Samsung makes the phones.
If so it will buck the market trends. (Score:4, Informative)
And this percentage is increasing.
I personally can see why. I want a phone to be a phone nothing more nothing less.
I've has a treo [great palm pilot - lousy phone) and was bought a p800 (lousy PDA, lousy phone).
I now have a Nokia 5nnn thingy with the bouncy rubber case which comes with a camera I
have never used, an FM radio I have never used, a compass! which I have used and some other
bells and whistles but it works very well as a phone.
I will spend even less money the next time I buy one and get more of what I really
want from the thing -- simple user interface and long battery life.
haptic feedback, tactile response from touchscreen (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Predictions (Score:3, Informative)
A Motorola Q with a data connection can get your e-mail over wireless broadband directly from the Exchange server, and I imagine that any other PDA phone with data capability can too.
The big difference is that the Blackberry and the GoodLink products are "push" systems where new e-mail is delivered as it is received. Other methods are "pull" systems where the PDA phone has to request the data. PHBs think there is some value to getting an e-mail "instantly" rather than waiting 10 minutes for the device to poll.
Re:Predictions (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Don't see the allure.. (Score:4, Informative)
Doesn't really make a difference. The source of danger from using a phone while driving is far more from tunnel vision that accompanies the conversation than anything else; while it is rather dangerous to talk on the phone while driving, its not substantially more dangerous to do so without a hands-free phone. Though, in many jurisdictions, it is illegal.
Re:Big enough for Mum to use? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:business users (Score:5, Informative)
Lastly, and the biggest reason why the iPhone is not for business. As systems administrator I can't remotely manage and secure the phones for my organization. If a Treo is lost and there are important sensitive documents on the phone I can simply erase everything on it so that any person they may find it on a park bench somewhere will not see that sensitive information. I can do this all wireless and in real-time.
Considering OS X for the desktop still lacks these advanced management, monitoring, and security tools I don't think the phone is going to get it anytime soon. I will admit, the day that Apple does close this whole I imagine their market share will rise much faster. Combine that with binary compatibility with Windows and Apple would have all it needs to become dominant. I don't see it happening though, Apple has always seemed content to be a smaller player in the field of business.
And "Apple" and Windows are not binary compatible, you can just dual boot Windows and OS X on a mac now.
p.s. I'm not a fanboi, just trying to understand the "iPhone bad for business" meme, 'cuz everyone I work with wants to get one for business... but we're kinda unique in not using MS Office much and using mostly Linux stuff instead.
OBEX disabled on Verizon RAZR V3M (Score:3, Informative)
There. I fixed it for you.