Forgive me if there has already been a topic on the iPhone already, but is it just me or is this cell phone really going to be something special? A friend has shown me a few video clips of the phone and since then I've done some of my own research and as far as I'm aware Samsung, Nokia, Sony Ericsson (let's forget B&O) and the other cell high end cell phone brands do not have a product which is going to be able to compete with the iPhone.

Over the past few years, these popular cell phone brands have simply been fighting against one another over a petty camera with 0.2 more Megapixel its competitor. Finally it seems someone, in this case Apple is about to give them all a kick in the backside with what seems like the most incredible cell phone I've ever seen. From what I understand it will be a cell phone, Blackberry, iPod, camera, video recorder, memory storage device, and Internet capable device all in one! This is not to mention all the other bits and pieces that just make me smile - turn the phone from a portrait angle to a landscape and its sensor will automatically spin the window so that the screen is the correct way around.

All of this at $US 499 seems like a deal to me. If that price sticks more or less within Europe as well, then I'm getting one. Anyone else want to join me?

Interesting to see which company they go with in the UK. Remember the price means you are locked into a contract for 2 years in the US and not that cheap a one.

Looks wonderful to me and, yes, I will probably get one. Downsides are the small memory and I will want to see what the keys are like in operation. Touch screens can be tricky to operate.  

Peter:

Interesting to see which company they go with in the UK. Remember the price means you are locked into a contract for 2 years in the US and not that cheap a one.

Looks wonderful to me and, yes, I will probably get one. Downsides are the small memory and I will want to see what the keys are like in operation. Touch screens can be tricky to operate.  

I understand your concern over the touch screen Peter, but I know the supplier and they are usually of good quality, but will still have to have a go first as sometimes touch screens can be different to handle for different people.

A 2 year contract - is this in addition to the price of the phone? What happens if the phone goes wrong before that time or I lose it? Can I just put the SIM into a different phone as I would with a normal cell phone of today? The memory isn't a problem for me, I am a happy BS2 owner (and should I add user too), so 8GB is quite a lot My concern is more around the battery life? Such a big and bright display with all these numerous inputs and outputs, must be heavy on the battery.

I think feature-wise the competitor products from the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson already have more or less all that the iPhone can offer, and at a much more competitive price.

The question around iPhone as I see it is if this big touch screen really can deliver an "Apple-class" user interface. I have my doubts regarding touch screens, especially with no "pen" (think of how messy that screen will be), but if they suceed it may be a nice device.

-Magnus
 

I cant wait to get mine in a couple of weeks!! 

Alex:

I cant wait to get mine in a couple of weeks!! 

Please give us a detailed review if you can Alex, I would much appretiate it. Lucky you though! Mine is still months away if I'm getting one.

I think Apple are going to sell many millions of these

jonnyb:

I think Apple are going to sell many millions of these

Me too. It just looks all so good. What have Nokia, Samsung etc have in stall?

It is a wonderfully well thought out design, and i take my hat off to them. Bang & Olufsen should make just as good a product as the iPhone with it's Serenata - when it's released. A premium version, here's hoping! 

B&O could never match the iPhone, as they don't have the Apple platform to work from. Remember, it's OSX inside that little unit, not a slimmed down mobile phone operating system.

Apple are planning to sell four million this year, and eight million next year. I suspect demand will be far beyond that.

BTW - to your list in the first post I would add remote control. It's going to be the coolest remote ever for an Apple media center. The phone is WLAN equipped, and you get full Salling clicker functionality with it, for all your media software. Imagine flicking album covers on your screen as you make your musical selection ... I'm expecting that to be possible.

And if Apple doesn't do it, it will take about a week after launch for someone to post an app that will let you mirror your computer screen on your phone ... 

 

Thanks for the addition soundproof! Do you know of any more information regarding the contract agreement upon purchase of the iPhone?

The very reliable person who is responsible for keeping my Mac-addiction going (they have made a fortune off me over the years) tells me that things are quite up in the air in Europe as far as the iPhone is concerned, with no markets having a confirmed carrier.

29th of June is the release date in the US. Fourth quarter 2007 in Europe, though my supplier says that probably means the 31st of December ...

So - we'll have to be patient. The advantage being that by the time the phone reaches Europe, it will have reached second generation already, and will probably have both greater storage capacity and a better camera. (Think of the people who bought the first AppleTVs, with a 40BG harddrive, who now read of the new one with 160GB ...