Comments on: iPhone 3G: What we didn't get

The iPhone 3G brought many new promises, but it didn't give us a lot of things we expected.

[grantcv1]

I am so disappointed that there is no MMS support. Mostly because a lot of my friends send me pictures that I have to receive at the lousy viewmymessage.com website that is inconvenient, slow, and buggy. I can't believe that such a basic feature of any mobile phone these days is missing.

I think that Steve Jobs presentation today was an example of Jeopardy style marketing. Given these features we have added, what might the customer requests be that justify what we have done. That is what Microsoft tends to do too much and that is now, sadly, what Apple is doing. Doing what they want, and then trying to market it as what we asked for.

I am saddened by the new iPhone.

[dfwmusicman]

Believe it or not, MMS really isn't a huge priority for some of us. I'm not bummed that it's not in this generation yet. Same with the camera...it's a cell phone, not a camera! I have a full sized camera for taking pictures.

[Newsdork]

I do believe MMS isn't a huge priority for you. That's not hard to believe at all. What I'M saying is that it's a big priority for me, and since it's been on most free phones for years, why wouldn't you put that on your souped up uber phone? I don't play games on my Treo, but at least I have a couple on there if I wanted to use it. As for the camera: you can't be serious. Do you carry your 'full sized' camera everywhere you go? What if you have a car wreck and need some insurance pictures? Or run into a celebrity? Or witness something great or unusual and want a picture of it. Again: these features are on free phones at your local shop. They should be on the iPhone... then again the other phones had 3G much earlier, too. Sheesh. I'm Steve Jobs' target audience and I still won't bite.

[kiwintok]

I live in JPN and MMS is a must have here not really optional, it is what everyone uses... Every phone has its own email address and photos / short video gets sent directly between phones. Most people use their phone for email more than their computers, some commentators are already saying the phone is replacing the computer with a lot of people.
So one has to assume it will be added (and reasonably quickly I would hope) otherwise I think it would be a big negative here against an otherwise great looking product...

[eyesac]

Jesus, quit complaining already!
it's only been a couple hours after hearing of the iphone and you guys already make an entry talking about why the iphone still isnt good enough...for 200 bucks?!
after all this complaining, why dont u guys just get a different phone?

[khimari05]

so to all of you who keep saying" i have a camera" or i don't use mms".....stop it. We all can agree on one thing..we want one device that does it all. a dependable camera/video recorder. A dependable music player. And a dependable pocket computer. A smartphone. a all in one device. A universal smartphone that can blend into anyone's life. don't use mms? fine. but it's there if you need it. dont use a camera? fine. but its there. In this day in age we are becoming more and more mobile, so we can't carry all this crap everywhere we go. We need a companion right there on our hip. Life is too fast for a separate camera, i need that shot now, and if its an emergency, i need to be able to "MMS" to a friend or loved one. I don't hate apple, i hate their arrogance. they are hiding behind a brand to sell their product instead of a track record of greatness. Let me ask you this. does the iphone stand up to the legacy of the ipod? What about the mac? but the same company that made these great things made this phone? Apple can easily put away every phone company known to man....they just won't.

[Newsdork]

Why should I quit complaining? I'm being a critic. I'm telling the company what I want from their phone. I love apple products. I WANT to love an iPhone. Here's why I can't. And I DO have another phone. Stop stifling free speech.

[DrtyDogg]

You should quit complaining or else Lord Jobs will smite you with all his holy power.

[infinitexodus]

Until it's on VZW, this whole discussion is really worthless to me--except what implications it has for the iPod touch. Where is the price cut and added apps for it? Anyone?

[helixtimestwo]

What it all boils down to is the lack of a proper file management system in the iPhone. You can't capture video, tx/rx MMS, create/edit word/excel documents or C&P without a proper system that accounts for ALL types of files. A huge letdown to be sure. And save the whole 'but but those things can be upgraded via firmware' arguement; if Apple wanted those features they would have added them by now.

Lack of bluetooth stereo support is a huge gaff as well. For a device that is supposed to have as rich of multimedia functions as it's marketed as, omitting A2DP is shameful.

And let's not forget the other small headaches that (probably) won't be corrected with 'the only phone that can top the original iPhone' - inability to delete media on the phone that is synced through itunes and a battery that can't be removed.

[mberest]

OK, so no Bluetooth tethering, but what about wired tethering? Do we get that with the 3G iPhone?

[leMarkle]

I wanna start by saying that i must fall into one of Apple's core target demographics - a senior [computing] academic at a major UK university who has recently switched from PC to MAC at work (and who has grown to love his 24" iMAC even if the video on it did fail a meagre 5 months after purchase) - and who has been counting down the days to Steve's talk today for months; eagerly anticipating switching form my N95 to the new 3G iPhone. So, right now, why do i just feel so let down?

I know that {mobile phones + networks} in the states are a tad behind-the-times, but hey please can someone tell me how Apple can continue to have the front to try to sell a phone in the UK that:
a) is tied to one carrier;
b) has no video as standard;
c) has a poor quality still camera [with no flash];
d) has no cut and paste;
e) has no MMS;
f) has a crippled bluetooth;

.. cos frankly it's beyond me!

Yes the user interface if fab; the push email/cloud links are great and the App store are fantastic, but the above 6 features have been BASIC/STANDARD phone features in the majority of phones in Europe and the UK for years and it beggars belief that Apple recalcitrantly refuse to implement them on what otherwise would be a world beating phone. After all, it is not as if I am the first to highlight these criticisms..

And beyond Europe, can anyone imagine the comments from Japan (where mobiles are so much more advanced again)..

Hence right now i just feel so very disappointed; an autumn N96 (reluctantly) here i come...

[khimari05]

well said. I want to get the n96 as well. I currently have an ipod touch that i am extremely happy with. Nokia seems to still be the goto guy.

[RonningFamily]

Nicole Lee,

Your article was way off base, and the bottom line, is copy and paste would be ok, but I use my Iphone as an extension of my desktop. It blows away any Windows Mobile Device and it simply works, and works fast!!!!! Your article was horrible

[khimari05]

I wish this blog was on apple's website somewhere so they could see all of discontent!!

[Poochilau]

The iphone 2 has some notable features but just really disappointed in what apple does these days. No video recording! Copy and paste? Sure you have active sync but this will probably only appeal to business men and women rather than the youth/

[khimari05]

i wish this mock-up was real. :(
http://www.apple-style.com/laboratory/pict_08iphone_0805.html

[C433Z]

all of those except the bluetooth are big misses for me.

[make_or_break]

Since it's only with ATT, iPhone 2.0--at least the authorized one--is automatically a non-starter for me. And no matter how many times I try that touchscreen keyboard I always pine for my CrackBerry's mechanical thumbboard every time. Still, I do like the updates it did come with, though I agree with one of comments regarding having 32GB of storage, especially if the thing's going to get fatter anyways. But what about that user-replaceable battery?

[muranyum]

One good thing about it: it now has a volume rocker.

[pkiula]

Does the iphone have wifi?

[Neal99]

yes, the iPhone does have Wifi, which is helpful when you're stuck in a business building with little or no reception but routers on every floor. However the iPhone 2.0 cannot act as a modem as many were hoping for.

[dannyd666]

No stereo bluetooth capability so I can use my Motorola S9 stereo headphones(And soon to upgrade Motorola S9-HD headphones) is a deal breaker for me. I had a Blackjack for almost two years and I'm able to listen to music wirelessly using my cell phone. The quality of stereo bluetooh headphones have improved drastically and there are devices that you can even use your own headphones(the Itech r35 and some motorolla devices).

Again Apple is holding out on basic features to sell future devices. I didn't get the Iphone last time becuase it didn't have 3G while my Blackjack did. Now it won't even have A2DP? Geez what is up with that? I think I'll wait for a Blackjack 3. Blackjack 1 in November of 2006, had 3G and A2DP, bluetooth 3G tethering. Blackjack 2 of November of 2007 added GPS. I'm sure in their next verion they'll add the latest and greatest while Apple will be three years behind when they finally add A2DP.