Price is killer. 3G and GPS for 199(8GB) or 299(16GB). Though subsidized, it’s a very strong offer and should appeal to the masses in a big way.
MobileMe… I’m looking forward to getting this working and love the idea. Sync is very important and something that’s not very easy to do and usually not that simple for the end user. Apple seems to have nailed this for the key pieces of your mobile life – PIM and Photos. I like it. I also like that my .Mac account will just become MobileMe.
The applications marketplace is nice, but I did not see anything that really turned me on in the demos. I’m not much for mobile games, though the graphics were impressive. I already have a DS and a PSP and rarely use either …
Nokia’s probably feeling good about the hardware side of things today, though the MobileMe details really crush the still yet to be delivered Ovi service. The simplicity of it all is where Nokia seems to still struggle. There’s nothing like that on Windows Mobile or Blackberry either, but only Nokia has been pushing their new service model…
As for my own usage, I’m standing clear of the new iPhone for now. I’ll try the 2.0 software when it’s released and look forward to Exchange sync and potentially the VPN access … Otherwise the device is still basically the same. Camera has not been improved at all though the battery life being reported is very strong and something I look forward to hearing about.
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, WWDC, Nokia, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, MobileMe, Sync, 3G
Johnathan,
This and the “iPhone NO” post are wonderful. I myself will be stepping into my 1st smartphone in the next month or so (waiting to see what comes out in the wash). RIM, Nokia or APPLE…Hmmmm
But really appreciate your hands on “keeping it real” apporach in your blog. Would love to hear your feedback or recommendations Johnathan, if you get a moment. As a business owner needing the portability who is a techno-junky at heart and loves to take pictures and videos of the kids (and has recently stumbled into blogging) Would love to hear your thoughts.
Thx ahead of time.
Yes good posts as ever Jonathan.
One other reason why you don’t need a 3G iPhone is that you just have far too many gadgets already!!
You should try One Man, One Phone sometime!
I wonder they didn’t improve the camera? That’s a real deal breaker when comparing it to Nokia devices for many. Since having a 3.2 megapixel phone I hardly ever take a digital camera out with me these days as the Nokia produces some excellent results.
However…
..after suffering four months of no Apple / Nokia Bluetooth connectivity with my Nokia N73 after Nokia issued firmware upgrade (despite many thinking the N73 being a great device and hundreds of people posting complaints to discussion boards / contacting the Nokia service departments directly etc, no help / assistance from either vendor has been forthcoming), it’s time to make the leap to something that:
1) is going to work
2) is small & is neat
3) will sync (.Mac is really good at syncing data between multiple devices and the MobileMe improvements look v interesting)
4) will bring a fresh experience to mobile browsing (the S60 browser whilst clever is clunky)
I am looking forward to it.
Hey Jonathan, according to Tom Dunmore of Stuff Mag (UK), the iPhone photo capture software has been improved somewhat. For me, the most disappointing accept of the camera was it’s colour accuracy, here’s to hoping that it’s been improved.
@James Burland – I did read a story surrounding the hiring of an expert in the camera field by Apple prior to release of the iPhone. I guess software enhancement is the only option left with the hardware still remaining the same.
Thanks for the comments guys …
iPhone will definitely continue to “just work” which will make it very compelling for quite a few people. The augmented contract pricing is also a serious draw. That said, I think I’ve made it clear it’s not for me or people like me…
For photos and video it’s hard to beat a Nokia N-Series. If you don’t need / want 3G, the N82 is the best camera I’ve used on a mobile device. The N95 variants bring 3G for the US into the picture and add a few more features like media keys, though are basically the same thanks to the latest firmware. The N78 is killer in a smaller size and runs the latest OS. I think this a great unit and will have a US version soon too …
None of the Nokia’s are currently subsidized (in the US) which is tricky to overcome if price is the key driver for you… Exchange sync is easy with the free mail4exchange app, though there are other ways to sync over bluetooth or usb with a pc or mac as well. It won’t be MobileMe – yet, though that’s clearly of Ovi whenever it arrives.
@james I don’t think phone software is going to make up for the poor hardware. Software can only go so far. the E61i has a nice camera in ideal situations – like outside, but lacks flash (even basic) and takes pretty poor indoor photos just like the iPhone.
Nice summary and I cannot say that I disagree much either. Granted, as much as I like MobileMe for some users, I just cannot see that as ending up a good bet for users in the long term. I think the same of MS Exchange to be honest. Data should always reside with the user, yet be accessible anywhere IMO.
What attracted me about the applications, besides the graphics, was the fact that they could be developed so easily. Nokia can, and nicely, boasts the ability to do anything for developers by accepting all types of coding langagues. This is good, Apple has one coding language, and is able to pull out the same kind of stuff with it. Though, Apple’s developer base seems limiting. Its more closed than it appears there, and I don’t think many can see past the shiny to understand that – or that they can see past the shiny and accept that concession so that they can utilize the consumer interest for IT admin control.
Ovi has a little ways to go to be as simple as MobileMe, but it is close. Nokia knows the playing field, and is probably more set to address it than we have given them credit for.