So the big concern for many folks that read this news blog: Will there be a stampede to get the iPhone?
We feel the answer is "maybe".
There's a huge difference between talking about a product and buying a product. Many, many folks are talking about the iPhone, but we're wondering how many would actually buy one on the first day that it's out?
Aside from the Apple / Mac / tech geek, who's going to buy one of the most anticipated pieces of technology yet? How is the iPhone any different from, say the Sony PS3 or the Nintendo Wii?
Well allow us to play "Devil's Advocate" for a moment and list a few "barriers" that the iPhone may have going against it.
High price point
At $399 - $499, the iPhone is priced out of most people's range for a cellular phone. Most folks walking the street have a Motorola RAZR phone which they either got for free or perhaps $5 with a 1 or 2 year contract. We're very skeptical that the average person is willing to plunk down $399 - $499 for an iPhone AND sign a 2 year agreement. We could be wrong. We were with the original 5gig iPod. Those things sold lots.
Contract Term
Many people carrying around those new RAZR phones are locked into an existing contract. Most of them at 2 years. If they aren't with AT&T/Cingular, they'll have to either find a way to give their existing contract to someone else to pay, continue to pay for that contract or pay the contract off somehow. Will they be willing to jump ship to AT&T if they're on say, T-mobile? We THINK the average person probably won't at first.
Not built for Enterprise
From the start, we were convinced that the iPhone wasn't built for business but rather for the consumer. It really is the best iPod you can buy that also has a phone built into it... and a calendar, and an address book and a real web browser! But the iPhone won't really replace the Blackberry just yet as it isn't targeting that market. There doesn't seem to be any way to sync with corp email (exchange server) or other embedded MS products that big companies use. So we're hessitant to think that the enterprise market is going to jump on the iPhone at first.
This isn't a gaming platform (yet)
So why would some stand in line to get a Sony PS3 and not an iPhone? Well for one thing, the iPhone is unproven. Has anyone tried one yet? The Sony Playstation had 2 previous iterations and they were both successful. The public knew what to expect and there was of course intense demand for the product. Price point aside, the PS3 doesn't have a 2 year contract that goes with it when you buy it, nor do you have switch to a different network if you aren't already on theirs.
Bottom line: the gaming console and phone are very different consumer items. Once you buy a gaming console, sure you're locked into paying for games just for that console, but you can do so when you want, if you want to. With the iPhone, you'll be paying a monthly charge on top of the $399 - $499 price you paid upfront for 2 years.
So who's going to buy an iPhone?
That's easy to answer: Mac diehards will. People who are out of a cell phone contract and want a better phone and are willing to shell out bucks will. Techies will. Folks who have wanted a Blackberry or Windows Mobile type phone but didn't like the limitations will.
See you in line.
