iPhone fails to deliver
by Angela Norton
It’s a camera, it’s a multimedia player, it can browse the internet, it can email…
Oh yeah, and it’s also a phone.
The long awaited iPhone finally hit the US market on June 29, 2007. However, it may be a wee while before the long-awaited, must-have gadget makes an appearance here in New Zealand.
And despite the phone’s slick design and technological maturity, early signs indicate that iPhone is all style, and no substance.
Firstly, the phone is currently only compatible with SIM cards on one US network and anyone who signs up is roped into a two-year plan.
Secondly, the iPhone has been retailing for US$499 (NZ$654) for the 4GB model and US$599 (NZ$785) for the 8GB. However, speculation is mounting that the iPhone will end up retailing for well over a thousand dollars when it’s finally released over here.
So what do you get for all that money?
For a hand-held device, the iPhone’s multimedia functions aren’t too clunky. A touch screen with virtual buttons has enabled Apple to ditch the standard phone keypad, allowing for a larger screen.
The iPhone is Wi-Fi enabled, which is a bonus, but the actual ‘standard’ phone and internet functions of the iPhone seem to be somewhat disappointing.
Despite all its bells and whistles, one of the largest drawbacks is its lack of 3G network capability (which means it’s also missing video calling).
Hopefully this will change by the time the phone is released in New Zealand, as the only other option on New Zealand’s Vodafone and Telecom networks is GPRS.
This means Kiwis would only be able to access the internet on their iPhones using dial-up speeds.
Also, although it has a 2 megapixel camera and can play movies, it can’t record video clips, or even send PXT messages.
It appears as though Apple need to focus a bit more on developing the basics before the iPhone will be anything revolutionary…
The iPhone is set for Australian release in the first quarter of next year, with no confirmed release dates in New Zealand as yet.
www.iphone.com
(Image courtesy of Apple)