Since the June 29 listing date, to be sought after in every possible way the U.S. media and users of the Apple phone is considered a full moon.According to its operator service provider AT & T in the July 24 release of the statistics listed on the first 30 hours in total of 146,000 Apple handsets were actually enabled.In fact, sales should exceed the number of AT & T release, according to data released the next day Apple, iPhone's actual sales reached 27 million units.Although this figure is still lower than Wall Street analysts expected sales of 500,000, but it is already a record level of mobile phone sales had.And Apple is expected to be more optimistic to the end of September iPhone sales will reach 1 million; to 2008, will reach 10 million.
Users are generally satisfied with the mixed reviews
iPhone within two weeks after selling a large number of poll results and professional reviews appear in the print media and on the Internet.
America's largest circulation newspaper "USA Today" in the July 13 the first batch of 200 buyers of Apple's phone to do online survey, the vast majority of iPhone users are very satisfied.90% of users indicated "extremely satisfied" or "very satisfied"; 85% of users said that "very" or "very" likely to recommend Apple's phone to others.
Comment on the iPhone, Apple enthusiasts are mixed.Most users touch-screen technology for mobile phones, especially as only two fingers to zoom pictures directly to the "characteristics" of praise.In addition, the video selection can use voice mail and Google Maps are two advantages are greatly appreciated.
For pricing is too high, the software platform limitations, AT & T's transmission technology behind and so on, there are a lot of criticism.Do not include additional services, each with Apple phone needs a two-year AT & T service plan, which means that users have to spend at least the next two years $ 2,000.The expected consumption for the average person is not a negligible small numbers.On the iPhone, Apple has taken its usual policy of closed software platforms, coupled with third-party software for telecommunications companies limited, and it has led to use the iPhone's software limitations.
It is worth mentioning that the starting point seems to be what some critics of the selling points of Apple's mobile phone.For example, some users of all software in the blog shows quite critical of the keyboard.In fact, the same as the iPod's clickwheel, which is an innovation of Apple.Most users will soon be used to estimate and love this design.
Reflect on the more serious battery users.A user to buy the iPhone soon to the Court of Cook County, Illinois, sued Apple offers a free replacement battery service.Reason: Apple has not informed in advance to remind users iPhone's battery is fully enclosed inside the movement, and the need to pay back to Apple's replacement.
Dancing with the AT & T
Wave of the iPhone in the most puzzling scene is probably the Apple and AT & T deal.
Although many people in the industry's choice of Apple AT & T as the only mobile phone network provider, and select the AT & T's EDGE technology is relatively backward (a cross between GSM and 3G network speed between, commonly known as 2.5G) toexpressed regret with the iPhone and puzzled, but Apple has reason to believe that this choice has its own difficulties of.
According to the U.S. market practice, the telecommunications company is usually on the phone design and technical standards have discretion.But Apple's Steve Jobs can not determine the corporate culture so that telecommunications companies to determine the phone's design standards and marketing.This makes it difficult, such as Verizon and telecom companies like, although the latter in California and the Northeast states have better coverage.The AT & T to Cingular to withdraw soon compete with other telecommunications companies, apparently to give up some of their rights to Apple.Which include not only the design of mobile phones, as well as the entire marketing process.
Of course, AT & T is also looking forward to this opportunity to reunite their business brand.To the east by the iPhone, AT & T in May to more than 1,800 stores nationwide Cingular Wireless brand identity gradually replaced into AT & T.
In addition to the above reasons, iPhone on AT & T has technical needs.Two other U.S. carriers Sprint and Verizon have adopted CDMA transmission technology, which is European and most Asian countries are not compatible with GSM technology, will give the iPhone a sense of international promotion of the difficulties caused.The AT & T is using GSM transmission technology.The choice of EDGE rather than 3G, it is because AT & T's 3G speed transmission technology-intensive user of Maryland, Kangnie Di Ke state and local coverage of the New York Long Island and other problems.
Currently, Apple's software design to make up for transmission by the speed of the defect seems to be more successful, not users complain about transfer speed.
Apple's next step
month after the iPhone, everyone's attention seems to have turned to Apple's next move.
Interestingly, whether in the MacWorld show, or other occasions, the Apple iPhone from the start will be positioned as a multimedia player, mobile phones and computers of the "triple-play electronic products", not just an ordinary phone.Needless to say, IT industry has long been concerned about the competitors of this trend.If the addition of multimedia player function is to give iPhone users spend a higher price as a compensation for the iPod, then browse the Internet function is to Apple and Steve Jobs long coveted PC market signals of a rainy day.
As we all know, the 70s of last century, Apple has dominated the personal computer market parties.But later, low-cost IBM compatible computer with Microsoft's Windows operating system replaced the Apple computer.Although it has been a new generation of Apple's first choice for computer enthusiasts, but its cheap price but its market share has been hovering around 3% to 5%, far behind Microsoft's Windows systems, and Dell and other lower price strategyhardware manufacturers.
As the saying goes, ten east, west ten years, the PC consumer market in the last 10 years significant changes have taken place.In the U.S., after nearly 20 years with HP, Compaq and Dell computers, represented by the commercialization of market cultivation, the number of households have personal computers already close to saturation, consumers began to pursue the innovative design of computers and computer phone.Recently, Hewlett-Packard by changing the competitive strategy, the introduction of innovative design-oriented, personalized computer, the results replace the Dell became the largest seller of personal computers.And consistent emphasis on innovative design of Apple computers in nearly two years of record sales is verified that the objective existence of the huge market demand.
On the other hand, since 2001, Apple launched the iPod portable media player, after market success, Steve Jobs seems to find the PC market to regain the new "indirect tactics."This is in advance through the iPhone to create a mobile computer market, Apple overlord to recast the brilliant year.
From a technical point of view, the existing hardware technology has been able to match with the desktop computing speed, hard disk space and memory size of compressed computer to the phone, but the traditional cell phone is relatively small in less screen space and display technology to screenand personal computers it is still not comparable.The man-machine interface have the ability to solve this problem, it is precisely the strengths of Apple.
IPhone software-generated keyboard to replace the traditional physical keyboard, which means that the mobile phone users increased by almost 50% to 100% of the display space.The increased display space to let users with desktop or laptop computer comparable to the Web search, browse, send and receive mail, and even Internet chat experience.When a user using a mobile phone able to achieve with desktop "the same" web browser, other browser-based technology transfer to be within sight.
In addition, for software platforms, Apple and Microsoft adopted the same strategy on a Windows system.iPod to the iPhone is based on Mac OS X operating system, but for different hardware to do the appropriate changes.iPhone style user interface similar to Apple basic.Compared with Windows Mobile, iPhone interface design in a more thoughtful consideration, for example, it did not Apple's file browser is also stuffed into iPhone, but the main function displayed directly in the interface.All of these are familiar with Apple to allow users to directly use the Apple phone, so not used by Apple users can use the familiar Apple iPhone to Apple for the future pave the way for mobile computers.
Imagine if Apple preconceived occupy a cell phone the future of mobile computer market, many will focus on third-party software to Mac OS X operating system and the Safari browser-based platform for rapidly - just like the current Microsoft Windows account for more than95% of the personal computer operating system market the same.Once the network extension by virtue of its effect of penetration up more than half of the market, other platforms will be very difficult to National Cheng Kung University.
When in 1994 the introduction of Netscape for the first time can be displayed to the public image browser (Mosaic), the entire World Wide Web's enormous potential is activated, the future development of well-known chapter in our history.Similarly, Apple's touch screen mobile phone technology and multimedia in the web browser as a breakthrough is likely to Mosaic as personal computers to trigger the final step in mobile phone technology explosion of the lead.So Apple's mobile phone business opportunities and challenges will not only be confined to the traditional mobile phones, which will involve the personal computer and all associated software industry, particularly Microsoft's operating system.