By Jo Best, 10 November 2006 07:00
COMMENT
Apple may think all iPod users are dying to buy an iPhone - but not Jo Best. Here she explains what she really, really wants from a mobile - and why she doesn't think the Mac maker can deliver it.
Like anyone with a thing for gadgets and gossip, I've been following the various twists and turns in the rumoured Apple iPhone saga with excitement. A mobile phone from the makers of the sexy iPod? How could I not? Patents this, domain registrations that - I've read it all.
But there's no way on earth I'll be raiding my piggybank for one when it eventually comes out - and it will come out, despite the lack of confirmation from Cupertino.
Before any of the Apple loyal start hitting their 'flame reporter' key, I'll tell you why. Just think about what Apple does really well and what it does really, really badly.
Like a lot of people, I own an iPod - and it's a pretty foxy beast - but like a lot of people, my iPod has been back to the shop more times than I care to think about. Hardware durability isn't the strong point of Apple's music devices and I worry the same could be true of the iPhone. I can live without my iPod for a few days while it gets fixed - I can't do the same with my phone.
And what of battery life? My iPod needs charging every day to play music for an hour or two. Heaven forbid the same would happen to my mobile. My iPod - admittedly a couple years old - needs more care and attention to get it through the day than should be necessary. Phones need to just work. Will the iPhone be able to deliver that?
Then there's the DRM, or digital rights management for those that aren't up on that acronym. Apple's DRM is, well, awful. I've spent hours of my life convincing iTunes I should be allowed to play songs I either ripped from lawfully bought CDs or purchased from Apple itself on my laptop or my iPod.
All about the iPhone
♦ Minority Report: The death of the iPod (part 1)
The beginning of the end or the end of the beginning?
♦ Minority Report: Can the iPhone save the iPod? (part 2)
The best thing for the MP3 player might be to morph into a mobile phone
Now imagine this attitude toward content protection (Is Apple protecting me from myself? I wish it wouldn't) applied to all the other content on my phone. I'd rather not.
Rumour has it there will be two variants of the iPhone - a straightforward mobile and a smart phone. That smart phone could store music and videos as well as contact info and Excel, Word and PDF files. I know Apple isn't stupid and probably won't put copy protection on my PIM-type content but I do not trust them in this area and would inspect closely their DRM policy on the iPhone before considering a purchase.
Ready to flame me yet? Well, let's take a look at what Apple does really well. Software for one. iTunes is a great advert for Apple's ability to make software and hardware intuitive and easy to use. I'm a big fan of its Spotlight search technology - it's delightfully painless, as tech should be. If a phone could bring me up a text message or contact I was looking for in the same way iTunes helps me find a song, I'd be a happy bunny indeed.
The company's great with media management too - I have a sneaking suspicion Motorola, Nokia et al would be wise to learn from OS X's approach to managing video, photos and suchlike. And let's not forget the design - an iPhone is going to be a beautiful thing. Nokia, Samsung, RIM and many other handset makers may do functionality, but looks? Nah. Some of their phones should have bags on their metaphorical heads.
I suspect Apple's big idea is to sell the iPhone as a single device for phone and music functionality. But I've got an iPod and a mobile and it hasn't bothered me yet, despite the plethora of phones with built-in music players flooding the market. So still, no iPhone for me.
I'd also like to state for the record that if Microsoft created a Phune (a phone and a Zune in one, geddit?), I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole either but that's a different story.
So let me tell you what I would like. Nokia, come over here. Apple, you stand next to Nokia. Now shake hands. (Can you see where I'm going with this?)
I want a Nokia which runs a mobile version of OS X. I'd really like Nokia to make the iPhone - an N Series for the kids, if you will, an E series for the suits. Nokia's durability and battery life, Apple's intuitive software. It's a marriage made in heaven. And maybe, after the post coital cigarette, RIM could get involved too. Hey, it's just an idea.
Comments
There are 29 comments. Join the discussion
1. Simon Cox
I have been a hardcore Apple user for the last 17 years and I actually fully agree with Jo on this. (So she's not toast today.) I really want a mobile phone that is as easy and fun to use as an Apple product (none are yet) - but it does not have to be from Apple and I have not seen a convergence product that was really usable - yet. But if anyone can pull it off at this stage, Apple could.
2. Matt Moran
Couple of flaws there: Most normal mobile phones are about as durable as your iPod. You may just be taking better care of your iPod. Most mobiles also have a removable battery, which the iPod doesn't - any iPhone would hopefully have a removable battery. This is the main part that wears out in the iPod. Then there's the DRM - yes, all iTunes tunes are DRMed - BUT unlike (say) Microsoft's Zune service, the music isn't limited so that if you stop paying a subscription it stops working. Also, if you burn your iTunes tunes to CD & then scan them back in, they're free from DRM so you can do as you like with it. Also, in the latest version of the iPod software, you can now use your iPod to transfer music between computers that are authorised to play your music even if it's still DRMed.
The big issue for me would be - will this phone have an 80Gb hard drive that I can put all my music on, and will it have a screen big enough to view video podcasts & TV programmes? If it doesn't seriously outperform the top iPod, I wouldn't want it.
3. anonymous
Jo,
You are right about your iPod complaints on battery life of iPods. The problem is your column should have been published two years ago.
New iPods not need to be recharged every few hours. Large Ipods play over 20 hours and even the tiny little Suffle plays for 12 hours. Spend $79 on a new Shuffle and your problems will be solved.
As far as playing or not playing music, I have thousand of tunes on my system from all sources and never had a problem loading them on to an iPod, so I'm not sure what your problem may be.
Spend $79 on a new Shuffle and your problems will be solved, and you will fall in love with Apple all over again.
4. anonymous
Jo,
You are right about your iPod complaints on battery life of iPods. The problem is your column should have been published two years ago.
New iPods not need to be recharged every few hours. Large Ipods play over 20 hours and even the tiny little Suffle plays for 12 hours. Spend $79 on a new Shuffle and your problems will be solved.
As far as playing or not playing music, I have thousand of tunes on my system from all sources and never had a problem loading them on to an iPod, so I'm not sure what your problem may be.
Spend $79 on a new Shuffle and your problems will be solved, and you will fall in love with Apple all over again.
5. Gus
Its not the iPod phone, its the Apple phone. 60 g, mobile home volume, that has an intuitive interface and syncs with Apple apps, mmmm...... Oh yes it also plays music.
6. anonymous
Saying you won't buy a possibly non existent product isn't just an excuse to bitch about your iPod, is it?
You need a new battery. Better yet, sell you G2 iPod on Ebay and get a new flashed based iPod. You'll be a happy camper again.
Besides people don't buy phones, they get them free for subscribing for 1 to 3 years to a crappy cell phone network.
7. anonymous
"Apple's DRM is, well, awful. I've spent hours of my life convincing iTunes I should be allowed to play songs I either ripped from lawfully bought CDs or purchased from Apple itself on my laptop or my iPod."
Jo, do you realize that songs "ripped from lawfully bought CDs" are NOT protected by Apple's DRM to begin with (and why should they)? Only songs purchased from the iTunes store are protected with Apple's FairPlay DRM. You can transfer purchased songs to an unlimited number of iPods and up to 5 computers can to be authorized, it's easy to manage (authorize/deauthorize computers).
Your problem lies elsewhere, maybe a corrupted iTunes Library, it has nothing to do whatsoever with DRM. If your iTunes Library is really corrupted, this would be fairly ironic, because you're lauding Apple's software! :-D
"I know Apple isn't stupid and probably won't put copy protection on my PIM-type content but I do not trust them in this area and would inspect closely their DRM policy on the iPhone before considering a purchase."
You know that Apple is not stupid, but finally… you're not so sure. You don't know what you know, or do you? It doesn't make any sense. Why oh why would they put copy protection on YOUR PIM-type content?????
8. Tom Mitchell
Jo,
I'll flame you for saying you wouldn't buy a product that doesn't even exist yet. How do you know until you've seen it? How do you know, if it even happens, that Apple won't have addressed all of your concerns?
I think this is the first time I've seen a vapor commentary review on vapor hardware. (grin)
Silly article idea. You should have waited until Steve Jobs actually pulls one out of his jeans before you dismiss it, let alone do a commentary on why you wouldnt buy something that doesn't even exist in the Apple Store yet.
This kind of journalism sets you up for either being haralded as a visionary if the thing fails because of the reasons you stated, or a big credibility fall if it's a smash hit. Wait until the product exists first!
9. Chris
Your analysis is spot-on except for one thing - the mobile phone networks. The handset makers are hand in glove with the networks, and Apple isn't. And the networks don't want Apple - they want to supply the music themselves and are already setting up their own music sites. The networks don't want Apple, and without their support any iPhone is toast. So...Apple is toast. Sorry.
10. Joe Improbable
You are entitled to your opinion Jo, but your uninformed ramblings make you sound like an idiot.
11. anonymous
Why you write an article when you have nothing to write about ! Just to get attention(in your word, get flamed)?
No one in Apple has said about iPhone or its intention, hasn't they?
Why do we need to keep having writers like you on the net? I can't think they are fun at all.
12. J Ashley
You spent hours getting iTunes to accept your ripped music and iTunes songs ??? What do you mean, this makes no sense. iTunes purchases are verified once when you transfer the song to a computer you didn't buy it from, and I've never seen iTunes EVER have a problem with ripped music. To say Apple has lousy DRM is really unfair, considering the awful alternative schemes out there (ie, PlaysForSure). And please remember, while Apple does very well because of DRM, it is ultimately the record companies that impose these use limits on us.
13. anonymous
I don't quite understand why Jo Best is having so many issues with iTunes and her iPod. I have a 60GB model and I can go 2 days without charging it and I listen to it pretty constantly for about 8 hours at work. My cell phone, on the other hand, sometimes doesn't make it through the workday.
I've also never had any problems getting iTunes to accept my music, whether it be mp3 or iTunes purchased protected AAC. It's even happy to convert any unprotected WMA files you might have burned through Windows Media Player (why it can't just play the files is a mystery since it clearly contains the proper codec to read them). iTunes doesn't even have an option to "protect" imported music like WMP so all the files are playable by any computer.
I just hope if/when the iPhone comes out, it's a media player first that also happens to make phone calls. I tried using my Verizon phone as a music player and it was much less than satisfying since it could only play WMA files (since the mp3 is disabled with the "upgrade" to the VCast music player). And there was the lengthy process to even navigate to play a song. A few weeks after my attempt, I purchased an iPod.
14. marc cardwell
i guess i lead a charmed life: my 4g ipod has NEVER been to the shop, keeps a charge for DAYS, i've NEVER had to haggle with apple over music i bought or ripped. the drm suits my needs, and i realize that drm comes from the money-grubbing record companies, not apple.
no product is perfect, but overall, apple makes damn good hardware. i guess that's why they sell millions of the things.
15. anonymous
I think you are wrong (in some sense). The reason Apple hasn't come up with a mobile phone, yet, are the reasons that you are mentioning (apart from, of course, ground breaking user interface)... And if/when they come up with a mobile phone - you bet it will not have the problems you are mentioning...
16. Frank Burke
Flame: DRM is not an acronym, it is an abbreviation. When will peole get this right? An acronym is something you can say, like radar or tardis or maybe even DRiM, but not DRM.
17. Richard A
So "Apple may think all iPod users are dying to buy an iPhone"? As if! I do not believe it for one moment and nor should you; shame on the sub who wrote such a doltish standfirst.
If anything, Apple's strategy would be to annexe a new market and tempt *some* iPod users to buy an iPhone. The vast majority of iPodders would have no interest in an iPhone for a variety of reasons and Apple surely knows this. Just because the fans and early adopters are vocal does not mean they are numerous.
But unless the margins are higher on the iPhone, why bother getting iPodders to Crossgrade? Why not just confound the so-called experts and maintain iPod sales with new and better iterations?
Any iPhone will mostly serve a different market from the iPod. The big question is "how big is the overlap on the Venn diagram of mobile phone use and iPod use"?
Personally, I like my iPod small and light (Mini, Nano, Shuffle) and my mobile handset big enough to use with adult-sized hands. My mobile does two things really well: it makes calls and it lasts a week between charges.
I won't buy an iPhone because I know my needs, but I'm damn curious to see one...
18. anonymous
I have to point out that your experience with your ipod and itunes are either not the norm or you have employed artistic license.
I have had to return my ipod but only after bouncing it off the floor and cooking it in my car on a hot summer day.
Fairplay as well has been robust, no authorization issues, no cross-over with ripped music. HOURS? trying to convince itunes?
19. anonymous
iPods ARE dodgy! I'm onto my fourth now. And don't get me wrong, this isn't brand loyalty this is a result of 1) two of them breaking while within Apple's warranty and 2) the ridiculous DRM in place with iTunes which means customers are bound to Apple whether they like it or not. The only thing I can say to Apple's credit (other than the iPods look great) is they do turn around replacement iPods pretty quickly - but then I guess they've had a lot of practice. As for the suggestion iPods are no worse than mobile phones in terms of battery longevity - that is a joke. My mobile is on 24 hours per day, and I'm using it a lot as my primary work phone and I expect a couple of years out of my handset. I'm an occasional iPod user - an hour in the gym and an hour commuting each day and I've had a battery completely die on me within one year.
20. Richard A II
Haha. Frank Burke is quite right, for what it's worth (if a little excitable)...
DRM is an abbreviation - and a very special kind: it is a TLA no less, a Three Letter Abbreviation, which is itself a TLA, making it an SRC or Self Referencing Concept ®
21. anonymous
Imagine : a good Apple phone , with a min. 3 mpixel camera , iPod and iTunes integrated , wifi . Can't think of anything better . Really not .
And the article is badly constructed . You won't buy the iPhone because you assume that it is not going to work whilst it does not even exist . Well ,well , is that what they teach journalists at school ...
22. NJ Cesar
Wow, I guess Jo got flamed. Apple entusiasts are quick to anger....
I think some people are missing the point. Jo says she wont buy an iPhone if they have the problems she has with her iPod, which she suspects they will. So if apple release an iPhone without the battery life, reliability, DRM problems then I'm sure she'll have one.
Apple are a form over function company (as stated by their execs on a number of occasions) and if the iPod is anything to go by the first iPhone will have problems but with several quick iterations these will be mostly sorted out (as pointed out by the happy new iPod owners).
Lessons from the iPod: Dont be an early adopter, wait for the third generation thats when they will be both cool and usable.
Oh and for people that think you cant speak about a product until its been released and cant expect a company to make the same mistakes it made before, how many of you are going to install vista voluntarily?
23. anonymous
U r right,
I love Apple, and I love nokia,... its going to be bad when my 2 best brands clash.
I definitely need a combination of a Nokia/iPod/newton in one gadget.
24. Mike W
"DRM" is not an acronym - it's an abbreviation. "Laser", "radar" and "NATO" are acronyms, since they are each pronounced as a word.
25. Marty
When writing about moblie electronic devices, in 2006, you must remember that anything over nine months or so old should be considered irrelavant. With the current rate of change an iPod could replace a desktop tower in two years (ok, that's a little extreme, but I wouldn't be suprised).
I mean, seriously, you are writing an article about a hypothetical device from one of the leaders in the electronics industry with a two year old device as a comparison.
If you were qualified to write such an article, which you are obviously not, you would at least compare it to the new Nano (24 hour battery life), and expect Apple, given it's track record, to expand on that...
26. David Cantrill
Geez, talk about getting in to semantics. DRM is not an acronym??? Then what the hell is it? All of the things you cite are abbreviations and acronyms. The definition of an acronym is an abreviation of something longer. Maybe if you actually focused on the content of the article, this would make sense. Does the fact the DRM may or may not be an acronym actually matter in the context of the article? For what it's worth (and to justify my response), I will buy an iPhone or whatever they call it, if it is a compelling replacement to my existing Nokia (rock-solid) mobile and Sony Walkman.
27. jonathan
maybe im just lucky, but my ipod 40gb had great battery life for 2 years, only dying off in the 6 months after that. i then replaced the battery myself for a grand total of 40 aussie dollars. ive never had a mobile phone that has given me good battery life for that long.
im not sure that i would rush out to buy an iphone. i like apple products as much as the next guy, but im happy with my old 3g 40gb ipod and my crappy old nokia mobile (it doesnt even have a camera omfg!!)
but then maybe im a bit of a luddite. my home stereo is a thirty year old amplifier teamed up with even older speakers and well-maintained turntable.
come
28. Bruce Snyder
1. All you have to do is have the battery replaced the charge should last about 8 hours on your 2-year old iPod. Some 3rd party batteries do better than that.
2. Apple is CONSTANTLY underestimated for the research and brilliance of their new products. I've seen time and time again over the past 21 years that I've owned Apple products how (even the brightest) people cannot even imagine how "worked out" the upcoming products are. The iPod is a perfect example of this. Before it, "MP3" players were horrible and almost useless.
3. Never say "never"
29. Dudley Bryan Jr
This is an inane article and here's why.
I bought a first generation iPod, what... 5 years ago? It stopped working last year, and a few months ago it started working again fine, and its chugging along. I'm sending it to my sister as a gift (she has no iPod).
Apple is bad with electronics? Sorry, its awesome with electronics... its a hardware manufacturer if you didn't know... but much like everyone else, they're not "FLAWLESS"... but they are popular. You're treating the "buzz" about problems as a statistical report, and that's pretty silly to confuse.
Think about it this way... Apple released something called the Newton in 1993 and stopped producing it in 1998. about 8 years ago. People are still buzzing over the Newton and selling them actively on eBay (check it out sometime). CNET recently compared the Newton to the new UltraMobile's out there... and it actually compares favorably. GASP.
I currently have about 4 iPods. A nano, a video, and a shuffle I got opening a new bank account. I'm giving my 1 G and shuffle away, and my nano and 5G travel with me actively and even in the face of much wear and tear have held up FAR better than my Motorola i850, and my i90c before it. These seem constantly in decay and disrepair, and I'm not alone.
As much as anyone else has had a problem with iPods, outside of my 1G dying and coming back, I've had NO problem whatsoever. NONE. Same with my Mac. It's a joy. Meanwhile, my Dell has had to have its DVD drive replaced, and I've had assorted motherboard problems that cause minor issues.
DRM problems? Please buy an "iPod for Dummies" book, please? You've spent HOURS fussing with iTunes?? Yikes. Don't pretend, please, don't pretend that Apple is anxious to put DRM all over your content. Most iPod owners don't have your problem, and as reported, do not even USE iTunes for buying music. Jobs only put DRM on music at the behest of the record industry. The NEWTON never had DRM... moreover, there is no DRM on the iPod. Any content can play on ANY iPod, if you can get it into the iPod's index. Realize this... you authorize "computers"... not iPods. All of your friends can copy songs onto your iPod from their iTunes account, and you'd have NO problem playing it through your headphones.
Trying to get third-party hardware manufacturers to create hardware Apple can manage through their software? Bad idea. Like the Rockr. Weren't you there?
Apple clicks with hardware software integration for a reason. Give us the virtual interface and touchscreen. Give us mobile frontrow. Give us those iPod PIM features. Give us games. Give us iTunes connectability. Give us the iPhone and don't settle for anything less.
I GET IT THOUGH... you don't want to dream just to be dissappointed waiting for a product that isn't coming. I understand. Set your expectations low from the outset, and everything that comes is a pleasant surprise. I guess I have tougher skin. I don't mind putting my finger to the wind and aligning my expectations with my experience. It's good to be a futurist, however painful. We need more of us.
January, 2007. Apple presents a bold new vision for the future of digital media & electronics. Fasten your seatables all ye naysayers and don your shades. It's going to be a bumpy ride and the future's looking real bright.