Many people in the tech industry have been asking me a lot of questions about the iPhone. I am taking these questions from not just the press but many folks trying to understand really where the future of communication is going and the role the handset, the most personal device, will play in that future.
My goal in this post is to share some simple insights on the iPhone. The iPhone I believe is an already but not yet device. Already because it is here and not yet because it is not the device it can be yet.
The first thing one needs to understand about the iPhone is by all definitions it is fundamentally what Intel describes as a MID or mobile internet device. Yes it would be nice if the data speeds were better but that is still an infrastructure issue. My first experience with the device was why do I need my Mac? Interestingly many more affluent college students I know who also purchased the iPhone had the same response. Once Apple decides to allow a few more simple productivity functions the iPhone could fundamentally be a class of computer.
I think it is humorous all the complaining going on about the iPhone and Apple being so restrictive in the experiences they are "allowing" consumers to have. I suppose I view what Apple does differently primarily because of observing how they have always done things. Apple since the iPod has shown that they understand how to put the most relevant product on the market at the right time without over stepping technical boundaries that may hinder price points they desire or market adoption barriers.
Apple's focus with the iPhone right now is primarily entertainment fundamentally around the iPod experience. However in the future I would bet that will change. Once Apple flushes out the iPhone as a platform what will happen is the user will choose how best the iPhone will work for them. If I have no business use for the phone like most consumers then I will through applications install what is most useful to me. Primarily this would be apps that focus on entertainment and communication. If I do use it for business then adding productivity applications to the iPhone makes sense. That doesn't mean I have to sacrifice entertainment for productivity, it simply means I choose how to make the device best fit my needs. This is the power of a platform. Apple views things in terms of an ecosystem. They understand the roles their products play in people's lives and integrate experiences across all the products they create.
Apple I believe has it's eye on all forms of consumers both business and entertainment. The power of the platform is I choose how to use it to best fit my needs. The iPhone is a platform and will continue to evolve in that direction as a key player in the Apple ecosystem.
So what I keep saying to all those who ask questions of me is basically - Be Patient, they know what they are doing.