Apple To Face Challenge At WWDC 264
Amanda Callahan writes to tell us that Apple's upcoming WWDC could be quite a test for the Cupertino powerhouse. They will most likely be missing Steve Jobs for star-power and have extremely high expectations to meet in order to maintain their edge. Thankfully it looks like Jobs will be rejoining Apple later this month with a good prognosis after facing severe health issues. "The competition is now catching up. Palm, Google, Microsoft, Nokia and Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry, are all at varying stages of developing and introducing their own iPhone-like devices and software, along with easily accessible stores for the small programs known as applications, or apps, that run on those devices. In some cases, those companies are releasing a greater variety of phones, on more wireless carriers around the world, than Apple. To maintain its advantage, Apple must preserve the impression that it is far ahead of rivals when it comes to the capabilities and the 'cool' factor of its devices."
30" OLED displays (Score:4, Interesting)
Despite being a "developers" conference, I'm calling it. 30" OLED displays. You heard it here first.
Re:"Catching up" is the key phrase (Score:3, Interesting)
The Blackberry Storm's haptic feedback was the major feature that sold me on it. I was a staunch non-supporter of touch screens simply because I got no feedback about what I was doing. For this reason I think apple has now lost pace (hardware-wise, at least).
Re:"Catching up" is the key phrase (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Uh-oh, they're catching up! Someone tell Apple! (Score:1, Interesting)
read mossberg's report on palm's app store.
Re:30" OLED displays (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Uh-oh, they're catching up! Someone tell Apple! (Score:2, Interesting)
Without trolling, or flaming, here is my answer:
On February 3rd, 1637, everyone just woke up. And the price of tulips went down the toilet, and everyone looked around and said "why did I pay more than a tulip's weight in gold for this? It's just a flower".
Someday, everyone will just wake up. They will put down the ipods, and pick up pennywhistles, guitars, and harmonicas again. That's just how fads work. Tulips and iPhones will still exist, but they won't be fetish objects to otherwise normal people any more, and so their prices will no longer reflect emotional baggage unrelated to function or utility.
Your perfectly valid reasoning may not do you any good at all if people suddenly go crazy for Zunes, or whatever. I suspect that trying to analyze fads with reason and logic is an exercise in futility... no sane person thinks $100 a month is a reasonable price for phone service, but they buy iPhones anyway. It's probably best just to roll with it and try not to lose your shirt when the bubble bursts.
Re:"Catching up" is the key phrase (Score:4, Interesting)
And yet the Storm 2 doesn't have that clicky screen. It actually seems that most people didn't like what RIM called SurePress on the Storm.
I have never used it but like everything some people love it and some people hate it.
Re:PIM tools (Score:2, Interesting)
Palm:
1) open (clamshell) phone
2) press "Calendar" button
3) use fingernail to click on the timeslot
4) use Graffiti to enter text
5) close phone
Apple:
1) turn phone on
2) slide to unlock, passcode if beyond time limit
3) slide to first page of apps
4) tap calendar
5) tap "+" button
6) tap Title/Location
7) use on-screen keyboard to enter text
8) tap "Save"
9) tap Starts/Ends
10) slide/scroll to correct hour
11) tap "Save"
12) tap "Alert"
13) tap "5 minutes before"
14) tap "Save"
15) tap "Done"
Honestly, it's such a hassle that I'll often grab a pen and Post-It pad, and attach the sticky yellow note to the screen. Too bad there's no 5-minute alarm.
Re:iPod market take over repeat (Score:2, Interesting)
Right. Just as soon as the iphone gets push email, a keyboard, real management features, and real security. Here are the blackberry certifications [blackberry.com]. Who has audited the iphone? Nobody, because it has no security.
Come Monday I'll think you'll find most of this will be addressed.
Look for a complete end-to-end solution involving iPhone and Mac OS X Server 10.6 (Snow Leopard) at a price point no one else will be able to come close to; eg. no more per seat licenses, bu-bye Microsoft Exchange. Everything else will fall into place shortly thereafter. Push email, management, security and certification, all of it and maybe even other things that the others haven't thought of yet.
As for a keyboard. Apple will never make a version with a physical keyboard but don't be surprised if the aftermarket doesn't fill that need with micro-keyboards that connect using bluetooth, probably integrated into a carry-case. Apple doesn't need to do it, others will fill that in.
I'm not saying that the iPhone will instantly appeal to everyone, it never will, but the checklist of its shortcomings will get even shorter and people will find fewer reasons why it doesn't work for them.
Re:Amazing insight from Mr Genius (Score:2, Interesting)
No Adobe Flash is actually a feature.
I don't care for the rest, I bought my iPhone knowing what I'll be "missing".
Usability is what the iPhone is about, I've personally had it with phones that are too complex to use.