By Natasha Lomas, 14 July 2008 14:48
COMMENT
There's plenty that's great about the new iPhone, says Natasha Lomas. But that doesn't mean there aren't a few things for Apple to think about for the next time round.
The 3G iPhone has finally arrived - a year and a half after CEO Steve Jobs first confirmed rumours Apple would indeed be making one of those fancy mobile phone things.
Since then many iPhone clones have been born - many with fleeting lives - and the mobile industry has done a whole lot of waking up and smelling of coffee.
But we're not about to sit here going gaga over the gadget, sleek though it may be. There are plenty of functions and features where we feel Apple could up its game - so here are 10 things we'd like to change about the 3G iPhoneÂ…
1. No keyboardÂ…
The touchscreen is certainly the best on the market but it's never going to be everyone's bag, certainly not if you are a touch-typist. Plenty of mobile bloggers out there would jump at the chance to pair some kind of Bluetooth keyboard (foldable and/or otherwise) with their iPhone.
2. The camera needs more megapixelsÂ…
2.0 megapixels is cameraphone 1.0 when you consider there are mobiles out there that are pushing eight megapixels now. And while we don't expect Apple to stretch itself that much we'd like at least three megapixels - and a better lens please.
The camera also has no flash, so photography in low-light conditions is a no-no.
3. Still no cut and pasteÂ…
We're children of the internet and life without cut and paste is like living with one arm tied behind the back - especially when it comes to swapping the web's official currency: URLs. Apple is reportedly 'working on the issue' - but it hasn't delivered yet.
4. You can't use the 3G iPhone as a modemÂ…
In an age of miniature laptops and mobile working in the unlikeliest of places we think this is a crying shame - and an opportunity missed.
5. SMS/MMSÂ…
Clunky texting is a frequent gripe with the iPhone: one person who was planning on buying Apple but has gone for the Samsung Tocco instead, points out: "For those who text a lot, the iPhone does not really stand out as a suitable option."
So a better text client is on our wish list - "designed by a European instead of a backward US perspective", in the words of silicon.com columnist Peter Cochrane.
Being able to use a wider version of the virtual keyboard - by turning the phone on its side - would also improve the texting experience, yet this is not currently possible. You can use the wider keyboard when web browsing but not, bizarrely, when texting. The phone also does not do MMS - so double thumbs down on the messaging front.
6. Where's the video record?Â…
With such a nice screen it's a crying shame the iPhone can only be used to watch videos not to record them too. This is the age of user-generated content, you know.
7. Non-removable batteryÂ…
We're not happy the battery is welded into the iPhone and can only be removed by qualified Apple engineers at remote locations - and, when out of warranty, for a fee. Not least because it would be nice to be able to carry a spare in case we run out of juice in the middle of watching Lego Star Wars videos on YouTube.
8. No pay-as-you-go iPhone - yetÂ…
It is on the way but we can't get it yet - and may well have to wait until Christmas - Christmas! We also don't know how much it will cost. And considering the iPhone pay-monthly tariffs are still on the steep side - ÂŁ30 is the entry-level consumer plan - and the phone is only available from one UK operator, it would be nice to have another way to be an iPhone owner.
9. No built-in VoIP clientÂ…
Getting voice over IP calls to work on iPhone 1.0 has been a story of messy workarounds, complicated bypasses and remote use of third-party VoIP clients running on a PC. Not ideal. Face it Steve, people want to use VoIP and trying to stop them is a pain.
10. Give us more colours - and more storageÂ…
It's back to black for the 8GB iPhone - with the addition of white to the range for those shelling out for 16GBs. No green, blue or red to jazz up our mobile computing experience. No pink either - so [irony] presumably Apple is not interested in selling to women [/irony]. But we suppose Steve needs to have something up his sleeve to brighten his keynote at the next Macworld.
And while we're at it, there's a 32GB iPod Touch but only 8GB and 16GB iPhones... Where's the super-sized 32GB iPhone?
Comments
There are 19 comments. Join the discussion
1. Derek
I bought an iphone when they first came out and returned it because of its lowsy texting features and it's inability to do simple non-smart phone things like record video and send mms messages.
2. Marco Marchant
All the other points I agree, but you know Apple, they will add the minimum then add the extras as they update their products. Then again, they are trying to set trends, as they normally do; set new paradigms.
3. Paul Bouzan
I'm just flabbergasted that people have been so blinded by the marketing hype to go out and purchase an item that looks great has so much fundamentally wrong about it. Some of these failings mentioned here are inexcusable in this world of converged technology. I know some people do not need 'everything' but why then consider the iphone in the first place...? Crazy...
4. anonymous
You missed the lack of A2DP - I don't want to go back to being tethered to my bag now I have an A2DP headset.
5. Paul S
Good points,e specially camera/flash etc. I am a pretty low tech user of mobile phones, but one of my esential requirements is FM radio built in.
I suppsoe you could access via Internet on the iphone, but that's different from easily scanning and picking up the local stations.
6. Craig
The answer to all your 10 points is to buy another phone if that feature is a problem for you. Simple.
7. anonymous
As an iPhone1 user I have to agree with most of these points, but its still a great device with a fantastic UI and a joy to use for web access. I miss cut and paste the most.
However I think the SMS client is great and I can do picture messaging from a 3rd party program, same with video recording albeit at only 15fps. I can also use Skype and instant messaging this way and I have a PAYG tariff ;-) Many of these existing 3rd party apps will soon be available on Appstore.
8. Roy Corneloues
While I've never been a fan of the whole iPod/iTunes marketing machine, I was starting to warm to the iPhone.
My wife's contract with O2 is up in September and they have already called her asking if she'd be interested in an iPhone upgrade at that time.
I have to put the iPhone back with the iPod on my list of things I don't want.
Again, I'm back to my original view of this iPod "revolution" being a very clever marketing tool by Jobs & Co.
I'd rather pay less, get more and have the pleasure of not having to install iTunes on my PC locking my multimedia device in to a single "docking" point.
9. Julian Nicholls
I'm beginning to think that I had a lucky escape, not being able to get one. A week ago, I was certain that I wanted one, but now I'm not so sure.
I knew all the things that are highlighted, but to see them all together sheds new light on it for me.
10. Malcolm
I would certainly confess to being an Apple fan but at least 8 of your 10 points have so far prevented me from buying an iPhone and will continue to do so until they're addressed. That said, Apple are very good a assessing what the market wants and now that they've raised the bar on usability, interface and content, bit by bit the iPhone will probably get the missing elements.
And as for those whingeing about Marketing hype, stop being so naive. Do you think Microsoft is above a little razzamatazz when they launch something like XP or Vista? I remember the Windows 95 launch hype. 'Nuff said.
11. Iain Henderson
what about better task management/ to do lists?
12. Roy Judd
Task list? Try OmniFocus for the iphone. Brilliant... simply brilliant!
13. Charles Lancaster
Buy a Windows Mobile device then!
14. Paul B
Simple answer to this - of the 10 things that are missing from the iPhone, the BlackBerry Bold/8320/8120 has 8 already. The two points that it misses out on is the camera on all BB devices are still only 2.0 megapixel :-( and no VoIP client currently although this is on the roadmap
15. pip
Most of that list I am unconcerned with.
The one thing they have left out that seems criminal on a music phone is h2dp, a stereo bluetooth profile. Thats all I want and I'll be happy.
16. anonymous
FLASH!!!! for safari
17. anonymous
You're right about the camera. It sucks.
As for most of this list: Cydia! Cydia! Cydia!
Look it up.
18. anonymous
Still by far the best phone on the market as an all rounder and it showed everyother phone company that tuch screen can be good as for the samsung tocco the texting maybe better laid out but the touch screen is a nightmare and cant keep up with anyone under the age of 65!
19. anonymous
they added most of this stuff with the new hardware update