We're this close to making out with a photo of the iPhone.
(Credit: Declan McCullagh/CNET News.com)With the iPhone, Apple just may have an everything-killer on its hands. Is it the ultimate gadget? If so, is it worth $600 for eight gigs of its magicks? Or $500 for four gigs? Them's PS3 prices!
Granted, we haven't even laid a finger on the thing yet, let alone reviewed it. That said, Apple seems to have killed several birds with one stone by addressing some of the iPod's shortcomings while creating a buzz-inducing all-in-one supergadget that everyone will want. And here is why.
- It's the first widescreen/touchscreen video iPod, which is good for a few million sales right there.
- The iPhone features integrated Wi-Fi capabilities, which means we may finally have a Wi-FiPod on our hands. iTunes can become fully mobile, allowing downloaders to purchase and listen to new songs on the go. A computer may no longer be needed as a middle man to manage your tunes. (Note: According to Kent German's iPhone First Take, it's still unclear whether the iPhone will allow users to download music directly from iTunes. And if not, that would be a shame.)
- The iPhone runs Mac OS X, and Steve Jobs made references to the phone being able to run full versions of Mac software, not just mobile apps.
- It borrows a fun idea from the Nintendo Wii: built-in motion sensors, which automatically adjust the iPhone's screen orientation and energy output.
- It borrows fun ideas from Microsoft and Sony: Origami and the ultramobile PC. It also makes both concepts infinitely cooler and less clunky...so far, at least.
- This thing is downright purdy.
- It boasts a built-in 2-megapixel camera, which equals some of the best camera phones on the market today. Sony Ericsson's 3.2-megapixel K790a phone still rules the roost on the camera-phone front.
- And we haven't even gotten to the part where it's a phone. The "Visual Voicemail" and call-management features look innovatively simple thanks to the nifty touchscreen UI. Add the iPhone's quad-band world phone capabilities and Apple's undying cool factor, and the iPhone becomes a mighty appealing buy for anyone needing a new phone, a new music player, a mobile productivity tool, a cool new toy, or all of the above.
Again, we haven't even held the iPhone yet, let alone played with OS X on the iPhone. That alone almost makes it unfair to compare it to other smart phones on the market. But on paper, the iPhone out-specs some of today's trendiest, slimmest, and top-rated smart phones.
Price
Carrier
OS
Wireless
Cellular enhancement protocol
Depth
Weight
Screen size
Resolution
Camera
Apple iPhone
$599 for 8GB with two-year contract; $499 for 4GB Cingular
Mac OS X
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0
GSM, EDGE 0.46 inches
4.8 oz.
3.5 inch diagonal
320 x 480
2-megapixel
Samsung BlackJack
$200 with two-year contract
Cingular
Windows Mobile 5.0
Bluetooth 2.0 GSM, EDGE, GPRS, UMTS 0.5 inches
3.5 oz.
2.25 inch diagonal
240 x 320
1.3 megapixel
Motorola Q
$200 with two-year contract
Verizon
Windows Mobile 5.0
EV-DO, Bluetooth 1.2, IrDA
CDMA
0.47 inches
4.1 oz.
2.5 inch diagonal
320 x 240
1.3 megapixel
T-Mobile Dash
$200 with two-year contract
T-Mobile
Windows Mobile 5.0
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0, IrDA 1.2
GSM, EDGE, GPRS
0.5 in.
4.2 oz
2.5 inch diagonal
320 x 240
1.3 megapixel
Cingular 8525
$400 with two-year contract
Cingular
Windows Mobile 5.0
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0, IrDA
GSM, EDGE, GPRS, UMTS
0.9 in.
6.2 oz
2.8 inch diagonal
240 x 320
1.9 megapixel
Sony Ericsson P990i
$849 to $1,099
Unlocked
Symbian OS 9.1
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth, IrDA
GSM, GPRS, UMTS
1 in.
5.3 oz.
2.5 inch diagonal
240 x 320
2 megapixel
Additional resources:
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View the latest prices for Apple iPhone - 4GB (AT&T)
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