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Wozniak disappointed by Apple iPhone |
max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
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Interesting article from ZDNet: Note how wozniak states "For voice, I still want another phone" So even the apple co-founder admits iphone ergonomics do not suit it's use as a phone. I suspect he is referring primarily to the lack of tactile feedback. In this respect iphone suffers the same fault that many users of WM phones complain about - the onscreen phone keypad.
Wozniak 'disappointed' by Apple iPhone
Jo Best, ZDNet.com.au
03 March 2008 12:39 PM
Tags: 3g, apple, gprs, hsdpa, iphone, wozniak, smartphone
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has today hit out at smartphones, accusing device manufacturers of putting technology before people -- and revealed that he's disappointed by Apple's decision to launch the iPhone without 3G.
Speaking today at the Broadband and Beyond conference in Sydney, Wozniak said: "To tell you the truth, I was disappointed ... half the phones in the AT&T [the exclusive mobile carrier for the iPhone in the US] store were 3G already."
Apple has yet to release a 3G iPhone.
The self-confessed mobile broadband speed-freak Wozniak said that he has used the device in spite of the bandwidth restrictions: "I sufficed with it in a lot of cases ... but when things are going too slowly, I'll get frustrated and I'll do it on my laptop later," he added.
Currently, the iPhone can only access EDGE networks -- often referred to as 2.75 G, as they offer speeds above GPRS networks but below the lowest speed 3G networks -- which are capable of providing a downlink in the low hundreds of Kbps.
Apple's decision to launch the iPhone without 3G connectivity was attributed by CEO Steve Jobs as an issue with battery life -- "Right now you make a really big trade off going to 3G -- and that's really bad battery life," he said at the UK launch of the device. However, Wozniak queried the existence of power issues with next-generation devices. "I get as much life on my 3G phones as I get on my non-3G phones," Wozniak noted. "I don't think it's just a battery issue."
Although the Apple handset remains incapable of connecting to what carriers have termed 'mobile broadband', also known as HSDPA, Wozniak complemented the Apple handset on its Web user interface saying he had experimented with a vast array of rival smart devices, none of which had come up to scratch. "Not one of them made me feel good about accessing the Internet, browser-style until the iPhone," he said.
He also criticised rival smartphones for not promoting ease of use. "I'm learning to use their menus, it's awkward. I feel like a slave and less important than the technology."
"With a lot of smartphones, I have lots of frustration. It wasn't easy to navigate around, get what I want. I have some successes and some frustrations with smartphones."
Wozniak also gave the thumbs-up to the iPhone's suite of applications, which are expected to be expanded with the unveiling of the iPhone's SDK roadmap later this week. However, despite his praise for the iPhone's data capabilities, Wozniak said there's one area where the iPhone falls down.
"For voice, I still want another phone," he said.
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Muhammad-Oli
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
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Interesting... I think the iPhone was a bit of an experiment though. I mean, how can you expect a company's very first mobile phone to not be an experiment? No company could manage a perfect phone in their first attempt!
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max_wedge
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true, but the issue of tactile feedback is not one that can be addressed with a touchscreen only.
I would be much more impressed with a phone that has an easy to use touch interface + buttons for dialing and text entry. This is why I think the G900 has a chance to compete for some of the would be iphone sales. The UI may not be as slick as iphone, but if the touch interface is easy to use it'll be a big hit.
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Muhammad-Oli
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...Provided SE actually market the G900. Thats something SE don't seem good at. I see Nokia and Samsung ads everywhere, but not many SE ones. SE sponsor the WTA tour, but I've never watched it or anything in my life (and what percentage of people do watch it, and what does it have to do with phones?). If SE throw loads of ads on TV, etc. Then the G900 will be a success.
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max_wedge
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good point, but I think they will. I think they will treat it much like the release of the K750/W800, as a major release.
Here's hoping anyway 
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Muhammad-Oli
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
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Yeah but I see it being overshadowed by the X1 and the "P5i" if we see those in the near future. hose will receive the attention the G900 deserves.
Oh well, like you say, here's hoping! 
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max_wedge
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Well, the X1 hopefully will also sport an innovative and easy to use touch interface. I think it will be the norm from SE for UIQ and WM handsets from now on.
iPhone can be thanked for forcing other OEM's to get their finger out (sic) and design a touch UI that can be used via finger touch for basic (and even more advanced) functions. The stylus is dead 
But iphone will have no monopoly on creative touch interfaces, now that the idea is out there.
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Posted: 2008-03-11 12:48
