Apple iPhone

Taking a look at the horizon sees a number of things to be added to the iPhone and why this release should lead to talk on the internet again. Like all products that get people worked up, it will always have its fans and detractors, no matter what points are put forward.

Objectively, the iPhone has shaken up certain aspects of the mobile phone market with the major players; bring the user experience to the front of the minds of developers working on mobile phone conceptions.

It is this which has been recognised by competitors, with some of them being inspired directly by elements introduced by Apple for their next generation mobile products. Managers at Motorola and Nokia have certainly sat up and taken notice.

But besides the technical details, Apple has also changed the relationship between the makers and carriers, by being the first to take a leading role in negotiations. For the carriers to access the conditions imposed on them by Apple, something new for the market, they first of all needed to be able to attract users to the brand through buzz so that they could swing the negotiations to their favour. It therefore can not be said that the economic model employed by Apple can be easily used elsewhere.

Finally, everyone should come out ahead: the maker selling their hand sets and receiving part of the revenue generated by the subscriptions, and the carriers who attract clients ready to pay for a non negotiable subscription of 12 or 24 months, with the possibility of receiving data charges from the clients who want to show off their phones as an ego trip or just to show to their friends what a pretty object they have.

But we will have to wait for the second generation iPhone for it to be 3G compatible, and to have all of the teething problems corrected from the first, so that European users will have their needs met. And while they are at it, why not look at integrating GPS functionality, which would certainly shake thinks up.

But until then, the competition is still dealing with the “iPhone effect” which should see them offering hand sets which fill in the hole usually taken by Apple. The effect that a delay will have on the market will be obvious, even if Apple is well placed as an atypical, but influential player in the mobile phone sector.