Musings on iPhone from Oman

[Magnus]

The Muscatis in Oman write about the iPhone:

So I'm a little late behind the bandwagon in writing about the iPhone that everyone and their grandmother in blogworld is excited about. I can't understand why anyone outside America can be excited over this phone. It won't come out in the states till June and it will be available exclusively with Cingular where you won't be able to get it without a 2 year contract. In fact, even if you are a Cingular customer with a contract you will have to extend it for another 2 years to get your hands on one of these babies. It's not like people this side of the world are going to be able to get theirs' ordered from the US and have it shipped over. It will come out in Europe at the end of the year and the rest of the world won't get to get their hands on an iPhone till next year. Unless Apple is planning to come out with a series of iPhones between now and then, I just can't get myself excited over a phone that's announced in Jan 2007 that I won't have a chance to buy till a year later.

4 years ago I bought a Qtek smartphone when they first came out. I sold it less than a month later because I couldn't deal with the touch screen. I need to have real buttons on my phone. 8 gigs of memory and all the cool functions that iPhone are all cool, but I text way more than I call, and I need to be able to text blindly without looking at the phone - like when I'm driving, for example. Without the touch of real keys, I can't see how a touch screen keypad can work for me.

Unlike other bloggers, I'm not gonna ***** about the lack of 3G for the simple pathetic fact that Oman still doesn't have 3G and even if it did, it would probably be so expensive that I'd never use it. We're still prehistoric here and regular data costs 1 baisa per kilobyte (that's 1 rial per mb). However, the 2 megapixel camera is pathetic, especially considering the 1 year into the future time-line. The Nokia 95 should be hitting stores anytime now with a 5 megapixel camera and by the end of the year I'm sure 5 megapixel phones will be available from Sony Ericsson and Samsung.

The 8GB iPhone is going to cost $599 with a 2 year contract. How much would it be for us who buy it off the shelf? I'm guessing it would probably not less than $800 or even $900. That's a tidy lump of change to put on a phone. Time magazine says "Apple's new iPhone could do to the cell phone market what the iPod did to the portable music player market: crush it pitilessly beneath the weight of its own superiority." I'm not so sure about that.

[Zaid Al Hilali]

I do agree with the blogger regarding the excitement over the iPhone now is like out of context. As we should leave some excitement for later when iPhone is sold here.

I don't agree however about the way he/she writes about the super technology built-in the iPhone, buttons you want button to text a message while driving!! That's why you need an iPhone to change this bad habit specially with the new visual voice messaging you don't need to look for a button in the dark while street lights glitter around as you speed - silly.

[fatima]

Guys dont forget - its a lot more than a phone ... its also a newer version of iPod.

[senthil03]

I guess all of us are focussing on the fact that the new product is a phone. It is not only a phone but a video ipod player and a mini tablet.

Some of the points raised by the blogger in Oman are valid like the excitement for a product which would come sometime next year. One year is a long time in the IT world for the dynamics to change and this product could be obsolete.

[iDubai]

if iPhone is and iPod upgrade, then I would like to have it atleast 30/80GB feature.

[Magnus]

if iPhone is and iPod upgrade, then I would like to have it atleast 30/80GB feature.

Viewing it as an "iPod upgrade" is wrong I think. It happens to have iPod functionality but it's also a phone and internet device. Getting a 30/80Gb hard drive in there would considerably increase the size and weight and probably reduce battery life.

[inurv2]

I wish though the camera would have been better than 2MP. THough, I don't really care about 3G, does the lack of the feature indicate that different models too could be launched after some time? Like the iPod (Shuffle, Nano, Video....) ?

[Abbas]

I wish though the camera would have been better than 2MP. THough, I don't really care about 3G, does the lack of the feature indicate that different models too could be launched after some time? Like the iPod (Shuffle, Nano, Video....) ?

2 mega Pixel is PLENTY for a camera phone. Remember folks, its NOT the quantity of MP that makes a camera better. A 2MP translates to a 1600x1200 resolution and for casual shots, that resolution is more than sufficient. If you want something better, carry an SLR. I only hope that Apple uses a GOOD sensor. Shots taken from my Cybershot at 1.3MP are MUCH better than a Nokia N73 with a 3.2 MP camera.

-a

[Magnus]

I only hope that Apple uses a GOOD sensor.

I agree with Abbas, the need for a lot of megapixels is a myth. The sensor plays a big role as does the lens. I'll take a 2Mp shot with a very good lens over a 4Mp shot with an average lens, any day. The number of pixels is just one number in a complex equation of variables that go into making a good photograph.

[Appleholic]

yes u guys, the MegaPixel thing that alot of people talk about is a Myth, just like the Mhz Myth that steve jobs once made clear in one of his Keynotes long ago if u chec out the iSight on our Macs, its not bad when it comes to resolution dont u think??? and guess how much MP is used there? only a shocking approximation of around 0.3 MP!!! do u believe that, so emagine taking an iSight and upgrading that to 2MP and placing it in the iPhone, woooow that should be impreasive as for the Keynote, Sources have been talking and mentioned that the reason why Calender/Notes/The Camera was not Demoed in the Keynote was because they were incomplete there are alot of things they still need to work on ooo Relyable sources from other Sites have mentioned that what has been shown in the Keynote on the iPhone could change.. extra features that have not been mentioned might be added before the release in June, and additional functionalities could make the iPhone even better so keep ur fingers crossed... and Pray for all the Mac Hackers out there to figure out a way to Unlock the iPhone for all to Enjoy