Everything the iPhone Can't Do, Let's Talk!

[ScottW]

I, among others, have got caught up in the iPhone hype. I want one, I do, and I will be in line at some location in Kansas City tomorrow to get my paws on one of these things.

But, what I find most interesting about the hype, is not the focus on the amazing product it is, but the product it isn't. With it's "as-is" feature set, the iPhone is an amazing product. No one doubts it and two companies, have bet the farm on this product, namely Apple and ATT. They have bragging rights, and no one else does, and therefore, the mud starts flying.

I have decided to compile a list of everything the iPhone can't do, afterall, when we purchase any product, we don't look for features, we look for features it doesn't have. For example, when I was looking at purchasing a car, I asked the Salesman, "Will it accept water as fuel?" After all, only the latest vehicles should be conscious that at some date, after I die, my kids die and their grandkid's kids, grandkids, will indeed face an even more likely hood that oil will not exist at some point in their family's future.

So, rabbit trails aside, here we go... feel free to add to the list.

What the iPhone Doesn't Do:

• Run on every possible wireless carrier in the world
• Doesn't support technology that doesn't exist
• Doesn't have a 365 day battery with optional replacement battery for when that one runs out next year.
• Doesn't include a retractable antenna, even my 80's radio had one!
• Doesn't have keys to push, I am a touch typist
• Doesn't run Windows, Linux or BeOS
• Doesn't include a GPS
• Isn't expandable, One screen size does not fit all!!
• Does not support Firefox! (down with iPhone)
• 3rd party app development is questionable, limited to Web 2.0 feature set. Doesn't support Web 5.7.
• Lycos is not the default search engine
• Costs more than phones that may have same, but obviously more features than the iPhone.
• Doesn't support my companies "insert VPN name here"
• Doesn't allow you to run Quake
• Limited memory/storage, afterall, all phones have more than 8GB of storage for much less!!
• Must be 18 or older to buy one, must have employed parent
• No GigEthernet support
• No 802.11n support
• My Plasma 98" super-wide double-layered Home TV is bigger than the iPhone's screen
• Requires Standard 2-year contract (lame lame lame)
• No stylus or mouse included
• Goes on sale at 6pm, why not 5pm? Come on Apple! Think about those in line with curfews!
• Nikon makes a better 10megapixel camera than the stupid iPhone camera.
• Moving objects in still photos blur.
• Tripod NOT included
• 8-track support lacking
• Doesn't Run Eudora or Pine for Mail
• Who needs Bluetooth, I want RedLips support!
• Vibrate feature, doesn't work good enough
• If you drop it from a 10-story building, it breaks into small pieces
• Doesn't include Super Breakout, PacMac or Pitfall.
• No solar array or renewable energy built-in
• Costs more than I have in my bank account
• I spent more on a game station and games, but iPhone still BIG $$$
• In 2020, the iPhone will be much cheaper and support much more, I'm waiting until then.

If you have more, let me know! Geeezz.... who wants an iPhone now!

[Mikuro]

Doesn't include Super Breakout, PacMac or Pitfall.

I'd be willing to bet that it does.

[chevy]

- You cannot wear your iPhone on your wrist like a watch
- You cannot eat your iPhone, even if you are very hungry
- It doesn't have an efficient anti-gravitation engine
- It cannot transfer you to the Enterprise commandership
- It does not serve as ATM
- It has no printer
- No Sirius radio included
- No hard disk
- No perfume dispenser
- Not even hot enough to cook you coffee
- Does not fly (at least not for a long period)
- No wheels (what is the purpose of a GPS on a device that doesn't have a motor and a steering wheel ?)
- Does it explode when overloaded ?


Main weakness: it does not carry a nice silver "D" "E" "L" "L" logo

[ApeintheShell]

- it doesn't support Ogg Vorbis, Apple should make that their main audio format!
- the interface is too easy to use. We need more menus, multiple buttons to confirm, and Microsoft Windows CE.
- It is incompatible with my Palm applications
- Only professionals watch videos using Real Media Player
- Microsoft said it was going to fail and they made the revolutionary Zune so they must be right
- Mac makes computers, iPod makes music players, and AT&T makes the iPhone. Who is Apple?

Hey I wonder. Is Fryke looking at a small laptop that works like the Palm Foleo?

[symphonix]

Originally Posted by ScottW

[*]Doesn't run ... Linux ...

Hehe I'd give it about 2 weeks.

Vibrate feature, doesn't work good enough.

Horrible flashbacks to that time last year when those horrible, horrible internets first got hold of the Nintendo Wii remote.

Costs more than I have in my bank account.

You and me both, buddy.

[diablojota]

Originally Posted by symphonix

Hehe I'd give it about 2 weeks.

I'm not so sure. It looks like it may be difficult to do with the Trusted Computing processor that is in the iPhone. I'm sure it'll be done, but it'll probably take a little longer, like 3 weeks

[fryke]

Originally Posted by ApeintheShell

Hey I wonder. Is Fryke looking at a small laptop that works like the Palm Foleo?

I've commented on that in another thread, but yeah, I do. I'm also interested in the iPhone, of course. Might make my next small device indeed. But I'm waiting for clear information on what comes to Europe at the end of this year (UMTS or same old 2.5G as in the USA?), what the contract's going to be like etc.

About the foleo: It's not exactly what I'd want. They're talking about 5h of battery life, but I get _that_ from my MacBook with a good battery, so it's kinda _exactly_ what I've _not_ been talking about all these years. From the outset, though, it kinda looks like it does what I'd need. Small device, full keyboard. That's about all I need.

But back to the iPhone: I'm not really an iPhone hater, I'm just one who's been extensively trying out new smartphones in recent years, and yep the iPhone is *not* all that a good smartphone can do. That doesn't mean I think Apple can't do better. I'm pretty sure the things the iPhone _does_ it does well.
But the thread's got it right: It's about the things it _doesn't_ do. Not letting 3rd party devs go crazy on the device is a mistake in my opinion. It seems their main issue is stability. Kinda goes against hammering on about how stable OS X is. The iPhone done right could've had 250+ 3rd party apps selling well at the time of release. They could've added a Cocoa iPhone SDK and one of those "just check this checkbox and – boom! – your app's compiled for iPhone!"-checkbox thingies to Xcode a few months ago. They could have made such apps only installable through the iTunes Store. Could've made apps pass some kind of test by Apple even. Apple could've taken a dollar or two from the end user price for checking such software. People who buy phones that cost 500+ dollars would surely pay 15 or 20 bucks for a decent text editor or little bookkeeping app or a great little game etc.

I'm not saying the iPhone's a failure. I'm just saying Apple could've done quite a bit more. I'll probably still get one as soon as it arrives in Switzerland, even if it means switching from Orange, mobile phone network provider of my choice for years and years. If iPhone goes Orange in Europe, even better. If it'll come unlocked in some variant, even better.

[Rhisiart]

Does not having 3G connectivity let it down badly?