A different take on the value of the iPhone

A few articles have been quick to point out that in the long run, the iPhone 3G will actually cost more than the previous iPhone. While that's true, and it's a point we've made here many times, I have a new perspective on the value of the iPhone.

I want to an AT&T store this past weekend with a friend, switching to AT&T, and not waiting for the new iPhone. The salesperson quickly showed us several options, from free phones, to about $200. What did they have in common? None were particularly memorable for starters, and all shared the same cheap plastic feel. Thanks to the RAZR, some models now have solid metal buttons though.

My friend ended up going with the Sony Ericsson Z750a: A flip phone with camera, video recording, 2MP and stereo bluetooth. A few of these features are better/missing on the iPhone (the full bluetooth support, and video for example.) Final cost for the Z750a: $99 after rebate. It struck me that this situation is very similar to the whole PC/Mac debate. while the "pc" phone was half the price, the build, operating system, and interface are far beyond anything else out there. In the Mac world, people are used to paying a premium for the OS, and maybe the cell phone market is catching on as well.

The bottomline is, an extra $99 for the iPhone with significantly greater storage, (Z750 is bundled with a 1GB card) the most hassle-free interface on any phone, and the ability to hold something that actually feels solidly built is well worth the extra money. While many people have compared the iPhone to other phones at the same/greaer price point (like the Voyager), the real market for the phone may very well be people who are considering getting a cheaper phone, realizing for nearly the same price (without rebate) they can have so much more.

iPhone 3G countdown widget from theilife.com

Our friends at theiLife.com have put together a slick countdown widget for those of you waiting to get in line. You can download it here. Available in black or white, and the best part, unlike the iPhone, there's no extra charge for the white version.

We couldn't sum it up any better

I just wanted to share a YouTube find with everyone. We're always fans of frustration best told through video. So here's an iPhone 3G ad parody pointing out some "shortcomings" compared to other phones. You know what's coming, but still worth a chuckle.

Genius Bar makes a cameo in the new iPhone ad

There it is! No, not the phone... Look at the background... Do those two monitors and logo look familiar?
Thanks for the tip, lanaka.

AT&T to blame for iPhone "delay"?

From the moment Steve left the stage at WWDC, we were shocked that neither the iPhone 3G, or more surprisingly, the Apps store, was ready for immediate use/purchase.

During our live coverage, we even wondered why Apple would've moved the WWDC up to June, then had the most important product launches in July anyhow. The answer, according to one source, could be AT&T. AT&T has been working around the clock to get 3G service to as much of the country as possible. However, that breakneck pace may not have been enough. Because of the integration between the 2.0 phone software, and the 3G iPhone, it would've been cumbersome to launch one without the other, not to mention lessening the PR value of the launch: after all, why would you want to give people a month to realize all the fun new stuff they can do with their current phone, before trying to sell them on a new one?

So the "delay" (if that's truly the case) should mean a better 3G experience, and added hype for Apple.