Is Apple sandbagging the iPhone?

anyone who’s run the “hacked your TiVo” community software crap understands mr. Jobs position. the first time your teevee crashes, you suddenly realize the value of Tcl weather widgets written by idiots.

apple’s gadget is years ahead. it does plenty. let Microsoft copy it and open it up to ISV’s — then you’ll see just how successful it won’t be. remember: years of evangelization did NOTHING for the stupid, backwards, oddly powerful yet missing super
simple basic features, dopey Windows CE platform.

the developer’s platform for iPhone is this funny thing called the Web, dude.

make website that looks nice on phone, be happy.

who the hell is interested in writing client software for wacky embedded devices any more?

Goebbels, why are you calling me out?

Let’s look at the premise of the post, and then tell me where I am wrong.

“Is Steve Jobs sandbagging all of us?”

From this, I mentioned that Jobs is in fact sandbagging us. In either case, I admitted that the word was not ideal, but was willing to offer a valid definition of the word to describe this. And what I really mean by sandbagging, or the way that I interpret it, is that Jobs relies on the Apple faithful (er, maybe Jobs faithful) to keep his business running. Creating an insane amount of buzz around ANY product launch, all in the hopes of getting that same core group of people to upgrade to the next version. Jobs knows that he can only do so much on the first iteration, and is willing to offer a hobbled device. He knows that he will be able to bring out a better device within a year, and offer it to the same masses for the same price with the extra features that they want, and expect, such as 3G data.

And hence, we have the Apple Upgrade Treadmill ™ created to feed the Jobs ATM ™.

Looking at the definition, we can interpret sandbagging in many different ways, all relevant.

2a. “to hit or stun with or as if with a sandbag” = MacWorld
2b. “to treat unfairly or harshly” = Cingular (oops, I mean AT&T) will be feeling this after a year of working with Apple.
2c. “to coerce by crude means” = what I said
2d. “to conceal or misrepresent one’s true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of” = Jobs, and any word that comes out of his mouth.

T Man, because you are just ranting about things you don’t like.

The premise of this post is that Jobs is soft pedaling the platform to surprise us with either the Java or .Net runtime.

Nothing you have said has anything to do with this premise.

Get a clue. Read the post. Realize what it is about.

What mobile program do you use for RSS?

One of the issues with HSPDA is what it does to battery life. There’s some work being done on more efficient radio stack, but right now, it does some bad things to battery life.

So there’s some logic in sticking with EDGE for now.

If you knew you had only a week to live (which you might) would you spend so much time speculating about a phone?

I like your thinking and hope you’re right. However, I can’t help but think the inability to “feel” it will make it a bad phone.

http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/188-iphone-not-touchy-feely

Of course they are. That’s the best strategy with such a unique item. http://www.thefamousguy.com

“And the most amazing part is that people that spend 24/7 preaching OPEN systems… still buy (pun intended) into the ipod/mac camp.”

You do realize that the iPod is as open as you want it to be? ie. put MP3s on it if you like – or AIFF files …

People buy into the Mac camp because of the user experience – end of story.

iCouldCareLess

Oh you could could you Andy? Glad to hear that you do care. Unless you meant:

iCouldn’tCareLess

See here: http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/care.html

Unless you couldn’t care less, spread the word!

Two more pieces of the vast iPhone puzzle:

http://mikecane.wordpress.com/2007/01/13/applenomics-or-why-steve-jobs-will-now-hate-me-for-ever-and-ever/

whttp://mikecane.wordpress.com/2007/01/16/as-i-said-iphone-vs-universal-music/

I’m just sick of hearing about the Iphone!!!

Though Apple’s iPhone’s high-fallutin’
Its really just – another Newton

I resent the idea that “Apple People” would buy Steve’s poop in an offwhite box if it came with two grey buttons. First of all, it would have to be trasparent blue or smoke grey, and have one aluminum button. Seriously though. I was converted to FreeBSD 4.2 from Wimblows when I heard that OS-X is built on FreeBSD 5.x That’s why I own a Powerbook G4. Not because it has an apple logo on it, but it’s because it works, all of the time, and I DON’T have to reinstall the OS every 6-9 months. I was sick of the iPhone by the end of the keynote too, but it does seem like a great idea. We all use GUI’s (Apple) We Use Mice (Apple) what else? I like the company because it’s innovative and not behind the industry by at least 5 years, unlike Micr…Um…some companies.

I’m no techie, but as a regular smartphone user, I am appalled at the iPhone’s low-tech features. Here in Asia we do video calls on 3G platforms already. Our phones are at least 3.2 megapixels (Sony Ericsson K800i), are Mp3 players and can transfer our playlists from iTunes from our Macs, surf the internet, send/receive emails, and yes call/text on it.

The way I see it, the only “revolutionary”thing about the iPhone is it touch-screen technology. It sure is gorgeous but until Apple’s designers beef up the iPhone’s features, it certainly won’t sell here in Asia.

@Neverness: I got the 3G mention and pricing via Gizmodo UK – a few days ago:
http://uk.gizmodo.com/2007/01/15/apple_iphone_to_cost_595660.html

Re the 3G thing, just realised that the points Gizmodo put in bold – were speculation. Amazon.de is still saying EDGE and Quad band support though. *shrug* Ohwell.

@will,

Had a read, imho it’s just speculation, the said price would be outrageous as far as I’m concerned. Also notice that the price has been removed from the Amazon.de website .

Currently Euro 600,- is approximately the highest price which you pay for some of the newer smartphones. Anything above this, will make it just to highly priced.

Furthermore I’ll expect that by the time the iPhone reaches Europe, all vendors will have caught up. A year to prepare is a very long time indeed.

All vendor’s will have caught up to OS X running dashboard widgets and a full browser by next year …. uh , yeah right.

?????? this was way to long, no offense and i could read like 2 woeds due to time!! can u make a short version?

I don’t think it will sell here in Asia as everything here seems to streets ahead of ‘the latest gadgets’in the US and Europe. The competition is too stiff not to do everything you can to satisfy as many potential users as possible. This device will be a flop. I wonder why apple didn’t build on their existing expertise and just go for a powerful pocket PC device running OSX Mobile, with a nice big touch screen,5 mega pixel camera,wireless, phone capability (if desired) and good battery life and knock the competition for six istead of this potential bookend..

Isn’t every app with a web front end something that will run on iPhone?

How many phones out of 1 billion sold have a third-party non-oem Java application downloaded on them?

Is “Mobile Java Application” a marketing checkbox to fill by phone producers or something truely useful?

I just have a quick announcement for this thread. Listen up, people. Could everybody posting on here *please* remember to refer to the product by its proper pre-release name ? Prior to the June launch the product is to be referred to as either 1) “the Holy Object”, 2) “iSaviour” or 3) “Jesus Phone” . I trust on your goodwill to cooperate with us here.

Thank you, Herb Zilker, Apple PR

p.s.: failure to comply may result in the referral of your IP address to our board certified iCamps, Apple’s user-friendly and effective re-education camps, located in Michigan and California. Thanks !

I don’t care I’m still getting one. Deal with that.

vkilla: I’m getting one too.