Some disclosure at the outset: I am an Apple fan. I’ve owned the company’s desktops and laptops for more than a decade, bought my first iPod in 2003 and named one of our dogs “MacKenzie” in homage to Apple.
When I dropped and broke my Samsung cell phone two months ago, I had a big decision to make. The contract with my carrier had expired months before – I was free, free, free. I could get a cheap replacement in the interim. I could wait for an iPhone, which seems gloriously beautiful and easy to use.
But here’s why I didn’t:
- Suzanne Choney";
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The carrier
Apple’s path on this product, sold exclusively through AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless) is unusual for the company, and not in a good way.
I can’t imagine buying a Mac that would only work, for example, with one Internet service provider and not another. I don’t like that lack of choice.
AT&T has scored a marketing coup to lure customers from other carriers to it with this exclusivity – which is for the next five years.
In the United States, 67 percent of those who were “most inclined to purchase an iPhone are subscribers on other carrier networks,” analyst firm M;Metrics said in a June 15 report.
No matter how cool the iPhone is, it is supposed to be a phone. And if the network doesn’t come through, the iPhone could be a $500 paperweight or a very glitzy iPod-video player. And hey, maybe that’s okay for some.
AT&T is working hard to improve its service. But its quality has not matched Apple’s.
T-Mobile was the top-ranking carrier for phone performance in the country, according to a J.D. Power survey released in April.
Service quality does vary depending on where you live. Verizon Wireless tied for the highest ranking in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and North Central United States.
Alltell ranked highest in a tie in the Southeast, and U.S. Cellular and AT&T tied for the highest ranking in the North Central region, according to J.D. Power.
I’m not feeling the love for AT&T. But perhaps that will change.";
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Touchscreen trauma
I switched to a touchscreen-kind of phone, the Treo.
I can’t tell you how many times I wind up dialing the wrong phone number using the touchscreen or having trouble seeing it, as lovely as it is.
I’m grateful the Treo, like the BlackBerry, has a keypad, albeit
small. The iPhone has none. That’s throwing total caution to the wind.
The iPhone’s touchscreen technology looks like it will be way ahead of any other company’s. The screen is beautiful, and relatively generous in size. But so are fingers.
If you’re just slightly off when you hit an icon or a number on the screen, you wind up misdialing or landing in some program you don’t want. That means lost time, frustration and repeated efforts to get where you want to go. ";
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Physical design
I went from a clamshell (foldable) phone to the iPhone’s candy-bar style (one piece).
More than two-thirds of U.S. phone users prefer the clamshell style (J.D. Power). There’s a reason for that: a clamshell phone is more ergonomic and practical.
The Treo isn’t very grippable without a case covering, and the same will be true for the iPhone. Even then, it’s hard to beat a folded phone at your ear. Also, putting a larger screen against an ear does not feel, um, really good.";
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Price
Maybe the cost of the iPhone will drop over time, or there will be discounts.
There’s lots of people on the waiting list for it, showing there’s no shortage of folks willing to fork over $500 (4-gigabyte model) and $600 (8-gigabytes).
But most of the nation’s 231 million cell phone users prefer to and do spend way less.
The average price a cell phone customer pays for a phone is $93, down from $103 in 2002, according to J.D. Power.
About a third of the 25,000-plus customers the company surveyed said they received a free phone when they subscribed to a carrier.
When I re-upped with Verizon Wireless –a decision I made based on the quality of service in my area – I was ready to move to a “smart phone” with Internet and e-mail capabilities.
The Palm-based Treo I chose was discounted, and with a rebate, I wound up paying $150 out of pocket. That’s still a lot, to me, for a phone.
And, two months later, I’m still adjusting to it. I like being able to send e-mail and browse the Web, but I’m paying for that, too (about $45 a month) and still not finding either task as satisfying as on a computer.
The iPhone seems like it will be much better in both areas, especially with a more genuine Internet feel and look to it.";
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The bottom line
When you’re relying on a cell phone to handle more than phone calls, problems do arise.
Programs freeze, restarts are needed and support calls are made -- using a land line, because the cell phone is out of whack.
Someday, I may have an iPhone – I hope I do. But I’ll be waiting for more carrier choices, Version 2.0 and a significant price drop – all of which means I’ll be a waiting a long time.
--Suzanne Choney"; // END editorial data