Yes, you're right for phone use, Wolfgang - it's that simple. I'm sure the questions will be coming as to how to access the internet capabilities, play the music, and display the video (including movies, etc.), all over COMAND.
This, hands down, is the ultimate phone. It makes the Blackberry and other similar devices look like toys. Apple has worked on this particular model for over 2 1/2 years and the concept for over 5. Apple doesn't half-ass do anything. If they put it on the market, it WILL be a better product than anything the competition has to offer.
Now, the problems I have with it is it's exclusiveness to Cingular and it's price. No doubt the price will come down but how many people are going to be willing to sign a 2 year exclusive contract with Cingular just to get it? It remains to be seen.
__________________ Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.- Mark Twain
If Apple follows the path Motorola did with the RAZR, we'll see the iPhone become available through other service providers about a year after availability from Cingular/ATT. The phone isn't expected to be released through Cingular until June '07 (it is awaiting FCC approval).
The phone is for G3 networks (GSM); Verizon and at least one other are CDMA networks; I don't know if there will be a CDMA version released.
People just have to realize that Cingular has the fastest data network in America, and their GSM service is compatible with Europe allowing continuous communication while traveling. No other American cell cariers matter anymore, they've all failed to innovate.
I still think Treo is better because it allows 3rd party applications. iPhone is closed to user-created programs; only Apple-approved software will work. This prevents the phone from growing to fit the needs of the user, which the Treo (and others?) does nicely.
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FireFox31
28k miles of happy motoring in my Benz
Yes, the target of the device does seem to be more of the consumer and not business users. I think this is a very cool device and has a lot of potential. My biggest concerns are over the real life usability of a screen-based keyboard -- I tend to use my PDA phone for a lot of email, IM, and SMS... much more than voice -- and it's (in)ability to have user installed software on it. If you prevent third party apps, you'll kill it for a large population of PDA users... particularly when you're competing with the likes of WM and PalmOS.
But... as far as the Mercedes relevance is concerned, I was wondering whether the dock interface of the iPhone would actually work properly with the existing iPod integration. Seems to me that there could be problems if the device woke up wanting to be a phone if you have it attached to the car playing music. Oh, and let's not forget that either integration location (glove box or lower storage compartment) basically makes it impossible to actually use the device when it's attached. oops! Maybe they'll work on a bluetooth integration for music playback?
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