iPhone? So What?
06/19/2009 14:52
So. The iPhone 3G S launched today, amid reports of some stores selling out and long lines stretching down the block. But...yawn...it just didn’t seem that big of a deal. Maybe I’m suffering from “long-anticipated device launch” fatigue (I’m blaming you, Palm Pre), or maybe it’s because I’m just not that excited to run out and start cutting and pasting things. Whatever the reason, the official iPhone launch today seemed like the most boring story, like, ever. "We actually have hundreds of thousands of customers that have [pre-]ordered their iPhone and will be coming in to pick it up at the stores today," AT&T Mobility President and CEO Ralph de la Vega told CNBC. So in other words, the actual launch itself was a bit ho-hum. Hum drum. Colorless and gray. Not just predictable, but shockingly so. We already know about the new functionality (video, voice recognition, and yes, cut and paste), and the ability to take advantage of AT&T’s 7.2mbps HSPA upgrade when it goes live, and we know about the pricing and the relative lack of aesthetic tweaks. We know tethering might cost $55. These are stories we’ve been following for days, weeks, months. So what’s new? Some stores sold out? People waited in line? Lots of people want their iPhone upgrade? Well, quelle surprise—not. When it comes to smartphone launches, well, we’ve already seen that movie. Do we really need 3,003 Google news results on the subject? Oh, sure, the reports of activation issues are mildly interesting to me —Apple servers are apparently overloaded, an issue that reportedly could take two days to fix. Though even that is a retread of what happened at the last launch. What we need is color. I want the stories of two grandmas fighting over the last one in stock by whacking at each others’ canes. I want the tale of guy that paid a hobo to wait in line for him, sparking a newfound interest on the part of said hobo in cutting and pasting things. I want the kids in line playing hooky, leaving the Math Club meeting virtually empty. I want Apple to give out free pizza to those waiting in line. I want some oblivious dude to annoy everyone in line with his ventriloquism act (“they loved me!”). I want the human interest, the carnival, the good bad and ugly. I want Della to sell her hair to buy Jim an iPhone, and I want Jim to have switched to Sprint to save enough money to buy her a set of combs. Eh, well. Better get onto adding xchange’s official “iPhone 3G S has launched” story to the news heap. If I don’t doze off writing it.
User Comments !
Sounds like you're just tired of the Iphone conversation and the hype. I guess you're not impressed anymore. I'm not either.
Posted by: david | June 20 2009 10:36:26
No you are right the iphone is not a big deal. Heck, the Palm Pre has been getting more buzz this year and deservedly so. The biggest problem with the iphone is that the underlying phone service AT&T is poor, Sprint and Verizon have the better technology and always will.
Posted by: Eric & Lifelock Review | June 25 2009 20:50:00
I wish they would invent a phone that doesn't get replaced by a new machine every 3 years.
Or worse every 1.5 years...
Posted by: Marissa | June 27 2009 04:57:40
That's true. Maybe a phone that automatically updates - but why would phone companies do this. LOL - they need steady revenue.
Posted by: MrsA TreaTMent | July 01 2009 02:38:40
Yes, for me Iphone is not a big deal anymore!
Posted by: steve | July 06 2009 09:33:03
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