Is New iPhone A Dud?

[budwzr]

There was a piece on 20/20 about the new iPhone 4s, and it seems that the biggest "wow factor" is voice commands.

Personally, I got fed up on that technology 10 years ago and have never ever thought about wanting to try it again.

[dragonkeeper]

The new iPhone? IMO they all have been duds . As all of Apple's over hyped over priced lackluster performing products.
When you compare apples to apples the cost vs performance of apple products leave them a bit wanting. I don't buy products for the cool factor or even the wow factor, i buy because i product performs the task i need and when i can find a solid performing product for a substantially less price all the better. For me that kinda leaves Apple products hanging in the wind.

[budwzr]

I suspect the iPhone 4s is an "interim" release, perhaps some major issues with the iPhone 5?

Perhaps the 4s is a beta of the 5, and they want to collect user feedback while bringing in new revenue.

If that turns out to be the case, future buyers are going to be more cautious about early adoption, and wait for somebody else to take the hit.

Apple has a history of rolling out final products that have been well vetted, so this could change that.

[budz]

LOL! There was no Iphone 5 to begin with!

[dragonkeeper]

LOL! There was no Iphone 5 to begin with!

Apple is waiting on 5g networks to become available then they will release the iPhone 5g.(5th generation)

[budwzr]

LOL! There was no Iphone 5 to begin with!

Apple is waiting on 5g networks to become available then they will release the iPhone 5g.(5th generation)

Hey, you guys are killing my conspiracy theory.

[bruce73]

Apple also wants to exploit the Asian markets fully before releasing 5. Makes economic sense to them.

[budwzr]

Apple also wants to exploit the Asian markets fully before releasing 5. Makes economic sense to them.

True, it takes a while longer. They're not quick to throw out perfectly usable stuff to chase the latest model.

Which brings up a great point. Are more frugal cultures going to slow dev in general? I mean, the goal is to get everybody "in", and that drives the market right?

Could that mean a slower rollout of new tech?

Apple is in a key position because their stuff is simplified for the average joe. But aren't we better served, as a world, to be on an open system? Like the cloud?

Proprietary technologies like Apple don't want to share their lucrative user base, or let other schemas like Adobe Flash and their scripting take over their product. Like the way Apple intrudes massively into Windows.

[orsetto]

The iPhone 4s is a "disappointment" only to tech journalists and the handful of high-income geeks who always need to have a hot new toy to show off in the Hamptons. Rank and file average cell users could care less: what else can Apple possibly pile on to the damn thing? What the hell else is the geek chorus expecting? Its not as if each new version has been radically different: they just fix bugs, refine some elements and add non-critical features. This will continue unchanged, except perhaps for processor power. You either like the iPhone or you don't, nothing the 5g adds will alter the fundamental nature of the design. If you don't like it, look at the several excellent alternatives before entering a new contract.

[rumplestiltskin]

There was a piece on 20/20 about the new iPhone 4s, and it seems that the biggest "wow factor" is voice commands.

Personally, I got fed up on that technology 10 years ago and have never ever thought about wanting to try it again.

Ten years ago, it wasn't technology; it was (as Doc Brown said) a science experiment.

One of my clients (with an iPhone 4) is buying a 4S. I asked him why. He said "better camera", more storage (than what he has now), Siri (but not a critical need), and ready for iOS5 (knowing that the iPhone 4 has much less horsepower). All good reasons.

Personally, I don't do web on my phone so I'm not paying twice as much as I should (per month) for a voice/text device. I'll stick with my Motorola Q9 for now.

[yoda313]

Was it the ipad or the iphone that had to have a price cut after only being out for a few months? I know there was something where Apple had to do rebates or something when a new piece tech outdated the newest interim version?

This could very well be the same thing. What if the iphone 5 comes out in January? Won't that alienate the ones who buy the 4s now?

[budwzr]

Won't that alienate the ones who buy the 4s now?

Somebody mentioned that iPhone5 is waiting for 5g.

The problem is consumers aren't moving up the ladder fast enough. Even myself, I'm happy enough with just 3g on a MiFi. It streams Pandora just fine and I mainly use it for e-mail in the car or on vacation. I can get 4g for the same monthly fee, but I don't want to fork out $50 for a new mobile router.

So why would anyone roll out 5g, when 3g and 4g are fine for most people?

[rumplestiltskin]

The iPad's price has remained constant since day one.

[budwzr]

The iPad is a much more versatile device, but it's a hassle to optimize the use of it.

It has a nice big screen for media presentation, but in order to really make it useful you need a second IT dept. devoted to Apple programming, and then trying to bridge everything would be a nightmare.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Was it the ipad or the iphone that had to have a price cut after only being out for a few months? I know there was something where Apple had to do rebates or something when a new piece tech outdated the newest interim version?

That was the iPhone 1, the iPhone 2 came out shortly later for less money.

That's the problem with being an early adopter, you always get screwed.

[yoda313]

That was the iPhone 1, the iPhone 2 came out shortly later for less money.

That's the problem with being an early adopter, you always get screwed.

Thanks moviegeek. I knew it was one of them. Yep I did a little bit with hddvd. Though I didn't buy too many movies in hddvd. And I bought the xbox 360 hddvd used in the first place while hddvd was still viable. So I wasn't out too much in its demise.

[dphirschler]

I think the 5g comment was supposed to be a joke. Wasn't it?

I like my iPhone, but I'd probably be just as happy (or maybe more) with an Android. Who knows? But Apple has a real nice product with the iPhone (and iPod Touch). I would like to see a micro-SD card slot added someday, but I know I am dreaming.


Darryl

[dragonkeeper]

Yah the 5g was a joke, where I live we have some Apple fanatics. I'm be constantly told how much better Mac is than PC and how much iPhone is better than Android. And they people can never give me a good reason other than Apple products are better. These are the same people who were pre-ordering the 4g for better internet and faster downloads. I laughed my ass off once they found out the 4g wasn't what they were thinking and to top it all off we don't have 4g networks in our area. I assuming Apple made a mint with that one, I know of at least 10 people who bought the 4g under the misconception it was compatible with the 4g network.

I agree Apple makes very nice products for those of us who are technologically handicap or just prefer ease of use over functionality. But in my opinion the 4s is an attempt by Apple to gouge more money from its gotta have the latest product fan base. So they add more storage and a better camera this could have been done with the initial release of the 4g as their were phones on the market already with more storage and better cameras. I believe there were some dual core phones available at the time the 4g was released, if all these facts are true Apple is merely catching up to its competition, and the competition is steadily foraging ahead as they play catch up. We are seeing some really great stuff come out in the HTC line of phones.

Given these facts if I were a iPhone user i would seriously be considering switching camps when my contract was up. You can get a most of the features the iPhone Gs offers in a $59 HTC which includes access to 4g networks.

[budz]

Android FTW!

[AlanHK]

Apple also wants to exploit the Asian markets fully before releasing 5. Makes economic sense to them.

True, it takes a while longer. They're not quick to throw out perfectly usable stuff to chase the latest model.

Ha.
Not in any Asian capital city I've lived in.
My daughter feels oppressed that she has to use a phone from last year.

If you go for cheap phones, the newer, more powerful, phones are cheaper than buying a battery for your old one.

Here the domestic servants, on less than minimum wage, have newer and better phones than I do...

[MOVIEGEEK]

Here the domestic servants, on less than minimum wage, have newer and better phones than I do...

I need to get me a domestic servant, preferably a female between 21-29.

[pixel zombie]

Yah the 5g was a joke, where I live we have some Apple fanatics. I'm be constantly told how much better Mac is than PC and how much iPhone is better than Android. And they people can never give me a good reason other than Apple products are better.

Can't comment on the phones as i don't use a smart phone. I can say from using a mac and pc at work that the mac has a much more intuitive OS and has a far more refined user interface.

[budwzr]

Apple also wants to exploit the Asian markets fully before releasing 5. Makes economic sense to them.

True, it takes a while longer. They're not quick to throw out perfectly usable stuff to chase the latest model.

Ha.
Not in any Asian capital city I've lived in.
My daughter feels oppressed that she has to use a phone from last year.

If you go for cheap phones, the newer, more powerful, phones are cheaper than buying a battery for your old one.

Here the domestic servants, on less than minimum wage, have newer and better phones than I do...

Talking about iPhone here bubb, not Samsung.

[budz]

Apple also wants to exploit the Asian markets fully before releasing 5. Makes economic sense to them.

True, it takes a while longer. They're not quick to throw out perfectly usable stuff to chase the latest model.

Ha.
Not in any Asian capital city I've lived in.
My daughter feels oppressed that she has to use a phone from last year.

If you go for cheap phones, the newer, more powerful, phones are cheaper than buying a battery for your old one.

Here the domestic servants, on less than minimum wage, have newer and better phones than I do...

Yup, my good friend was in HK back in March and he told me how cheap it was for him to buy a new cell ph to call the USA. He said it's unbelievable that HK has so many cell phones to choose from and how easy it was to just interchange SIM cards. Just my 2 cents!

[AlanHK]

Talking about iPhone here bubb, not Samsung.

Who mentioned Samsung?

You were pontificating about "Asian markets" when clearly you know nothing about them.

The newest iPhones are available here on the grey market the moment they are in the US, and officially from Apple shortly after.

[budwzr]

Talking about iPhone here bubb, not Samsung.

Who mentioned Samsung?

You were pontificating about "Asian markets" when clearly you know nothing about them.

The newest iPhones are available here on the grey market the moment they are in the US, and officially from Apple shortly after.

I live in an Asian market too, yah garbanzo bean. Cerritos

[dragonkeeper]

Can't comment on the phones as i don't use a smart phone. I can say from using a mac and pc at work that the mac has a much more intuitive OS and has a far more refined user interface.

Hence my statement of "I Apple makes very nice products for those of us who are technologically handicap or just prefer ease of use over functionality" On a PC the software packages at my disposal to perform task are varied I users can easily find something that fits their budget and skill set. Software packages on a Mac are limited.

I had access to both Mac and PC, and Linux at work for many years my work place eventually phased out Macs. Personally i find the PC to be much easier for me to use than Mac. The reason for this is probably due to the fact I pretty much grew up using and learned the ins and outs of computers on a PC. I'm a power user, the configurations i can do to a PC to make life easier in 90% of the cases can not be done on a Mac. Pair that with the software choices available to PC vs Mac and in my eye its an easy win for the PC. Others may feel differently, this is one of the same reasons i do not own an iPhone. Having to jailbreak your phone to install apps that did not come from the app store is ridiculous, not to mention the possibility of voiding the extended warranty users possibly spent hundreds. What's the real reason behind this is what i would be asking myself I think it's so Apple can nickle and dime the developers who write Apps for the phone as well as its customers. To me its a bad business model and i won't buy into it. For the time being it's working for Apple, but for how long? Market shares for the Android are steadily creeping up and many of the droids available out perform the iPhone at a lower cost.

[budwzr]

I remember when Apple's strategy was to give away "free" computers to schools, like a farmer plants seeds, to grow their own user base.

[AlanHK]

Talking about iPhone here bubb, not Samsung.

Who mentioned Samsung?

You were pontificating about "Asian markets" when clearly you know nothing about them.

The newest iPhones are available here on the grey market the moment they are in the US, and officially from Apple shortly after.

I live in an Asian market too, yah garbanzo bean. Cerritos

Wherever you happen to live, your statements about the "Asian market" are ill-informed and incorrect generalisations about a whole continent.

And I'm still wondering what your Samsung remark refers to.

[dragonkeeper]

I remember when Apple's strategy was to give away "free" computers to schools, like a farmer plants seeds, to grow their own user base.

Oh yeah, i remember that. Are they still doing that? Come to think of it, this could explain Macs price point, Apple passed their genorsity to schools on to the paying customers.