iPhone Opinions

[CosmicSpork]

My mobile contract is up for renewal on O2 and I've been eyeing up the iPhone for a little while, several people I know have one but they don't seem willing to let me have a play with their iPhones to see if I like it or not. Although they do tell me they love it, especially since the 3.0 update. It's likely that, if I were to get one, I would get the iPhone 3G S 16GB version...

I would be using it mostly as a phone (duh), but also to listen to music, use the web when I'm out and about, I may also consider trying to learn how to develop apps for it, I'd also like to use it for more advanced organisational stuff as my current phone isn't up to the job, I'm sure there are lots of other things that I would use it for and any suggestions on that would be cool too...

I have had 'smartphones' before, like the Sony Ericsson P900 which was quite cool, but a bit boring and bulky and wasn't much use for listening to music and the like...

I've seen that Palm are releasing an 'iPhone Killer' called Pre, but there have been several mobile manufacturers who have claimed to have made an iPhone killer but have yet to manage to actually kill the iPhone, so there must be something good about it

If you have an iPhone or have experience of one, or just have some view on the matter, please vote and post

Edit: My wife has informed me that TomTom are releasing their GPS software and a dock for the iPhone and it looks pretty damn good, which is another boost for getting one for me, my GPS is a bit old now...

 

[Canto]

I vote no, simply because of my own distaste for Iphones and their ilk. A phone is a phone. I don't need a cell phone that will make breakfast for me, I need a cell phone that gets good service, has a clock on it, and thats it. A coworker has an iPhone, and honestly, its a BAD thing to have if you cant control yourself at work. She spends all day texting, tweeting, updating facebook and generally wasting time. She's not getting paid to do these things, she's getting paid to work. Not to mention using it as a radio at work, charging it off of the computers at work, and playing various games instead of doing her job. I think this world has become a bit too connected to the internet and so called "Social Networking" stuff. I personally dont need to know, or want others to know, what I am doing every second of the day.

I don't think it is preposterous to think that within a few years employers will start looking at how often you update facebook and twitter during "work" hours when you are applying for your job. Many employers already google your name and find out more about you than you necessarily want them to know. iPhones and such contribute to this and I think that it could head towards being a real problem.

Sorry, a little rant on social networking thrown in there to show what contributes to my lack of love for iPhones.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

I don't believe in the concept of the "iPhone killer" for one really big reason: It makes it out that the iPhone is the best phone, the top of the heap, and that's not a fair description of it or the competition.

Right now I've got the LG Voyager from Verizon, plus an iPod Touch which is basically an iPhone without the microphone or camera. Honestly, I prefer the Voyager for phone use. It opens up to a full keyboard, which makes texting and emailing MUCH easier than trying to do it on a touch screen. Plus, I'm sticking with Verizon because I get a $100 credit for a new phone every two years, and I'm cheap like that.

Personal preference is what it comes down to though. There's nothing wrong with an iPhone, and lots of people seem to like them. It hasn't exactly put anyone else out of business though, and there's a reason for that. So, if you get to play with an iPhone, and you like it... get it, and enjoy the hell out of it!

 

[CosmicSpork]

Thank you for the feedback so far... but, 3 votes?! Come on peeps, we're all hip and modern people here lol, someone with an iPhone must be ready to sell the idea to me

 

[Ozymandyus]

I extensively research what phone to get, and my wife and I are both getting iPhones. We do get a 24% discount with AT&T which helps.

I am currently on Sprint and I really strongly considered getting a Palm Pre, but I have a Palm Treo right now and it was one of the worst phones I ever had. I realized that the chances are incredibly good that as a first generation phone it will have many problems in terms of durability, which was my problem with my treo - along with the shitfest that is windows mobile. Beyond that, it will never garner the amount of 3rd party developers that the iPhone has, at least not for a few years.

So yeah, 3Gs for me, even though I don't particularly love Apple, unlike most people in the world.

 

[CupOfWater]

It's costy.
You can better phones for less money.

 

[CosmicSpork]

It's costy.
You can better phones for less money.

Any examples?

 

[Ozymandyus]

99 bucks with contract for the 3g isn't really all that much. I paid 150 for my treo a couple years ago with 2 year contract, and it didn't do half the stuff. Also, tons of people lay down 200bucks+ on an 8gig ipod touch, that doesn't make calls...

Not sure how it's all that price-y really. Unless you mean the At&t service, in which case, yes. That is the major drawback, I'm not a huge fan of AT&T really.

 

[digitalbuddha48]

The iphone is very hyped but I can't deny it is a fun phone. There are so many apps that are useful and almost seem like a necessity. My dad has one of the 3G ones and he loves it...he lives his life by it.

 

[CosmicSpork]

The deal I'd get is about ,£87 for the phone, though I am considering getting the 32GB one if I have the money which is ,£175 but double the drive space, and ,£35 a month contract, unlimited data (within reason), 600 mins any network, and 500 text messages... I currently pay ,£25 a month so an extra ,£10 a month for the data isn't bad...


One thing that's putting me off at the moment is all the talk of overheating, if I decide to get one I'll probably wait to see how that pans out first.

I managed to get to have a good play with an iPhone at an O2 store yesterday, and I really did like it!

 

[Canto]

Big downside for me is no insurance on the phone for loss or theft. Whats keeping someone from jacking your phone and using it as a glorified iPod touch?

 

[CosmicSpork]

O2 offer an insurance scheme that covers:

* Theft
* Loss
* Accidental Damage (including water damage)
* Worldwide cover - including free international delivery
* Guaranteed new replacement
* Accessory cover up to ,£200

doesn't cover:

* The first ,£25 of each successful claim (excess fee)
* Theft where your iPhone has been left unattended in a public place
* The cost of repairs that fall within your iPhone warranty

It is another ,£10 a month though...