Yeah, OK, 3G iPhone. What else?
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| Attendees wait for the beginning of the Steve Jobs keynote. Photo: Jon Fortt |
Since everyone was expecting the 3G iPhone that Steve Jobs announced Monday in San Francisco, I was officially less interested in that than in everything else. I’m more curious about other stuff – like, what’s next for OS X? Will Apple (AAPL) unveil a new suite of software for the iPod Touch and iPhone? And have third-party developers come up with anything thrilling?
Below, a look at the major announcements, and which other companies are affected.
1. iPhone 2.0 software. Steve Jobs is going straight for the BlackBerry’s jugular. He kicked off his keynote by saying 35 percent of the Fortune 500 have been working with early versions of the iPhone 2.0 software, which potentially cuts into the BlackBerry’s customer base. To drive the point home, Jobs showed a video of IT managers testifying to the iPhone’s greatness. One recurring theme: The iPhone does a good job with Microsoft (MSFT) Exchange and Sharepoint. In fact, it was so heavy on the compatibility message that could have been a Microsoft promotional video. Loving it: Microsoft. Hating it: Research in Motion (RIMM), Palm (PALM), Nokia (NOK), Motorola (MOT).
2. Developers. Apple introduced a “push notification” service for developers that allows them to remotely notify users when a piece of software is ready with an update. There were also a lot of demos. Ready? SEGA showed off a slick version of the goofy Super Monkey Ball game, eBay (EBAY) showed a nimble new auction app, Loopt showed a friend-finder service, TypePad showed a fast blogging app, Associated Press showed a new site thick with photos and video, Pangea Software showed two graphics-rich games, Cow Music showed a funky music-making app, MLB.com showed live video highlights, Modality showed an interactive map of the anatomy, MIMvista showed a 3D view into the body, and Digital Legends Entertainment showed a stunning 3D fighting game. The key to each jaw-dropping demo was the multi-touch interface. Loving it: Every software developer. Hating it: Every iPhone competitor, especially Microsoft, Symbian, Google (GOOG) and Palm.
3. Productivity. A few new features for workers: Search contacts, bulk delete and move e-mail messages; iWork compatibility; Word, Excel and PowerPoint compatibility, multi-language support, and custom app distribution options for enterprise and for education. Loving it: Business users, educators, Microsoft. Hating it: No one, really.
4. mobileMe. Exchange “for the rest of us,” Apple calls it; Phil Schiller casually slips and calls Microsoft’s ActiveSync product “ActiveStink.” Apple’s mobileMe keeps all of your address, calendar and mail products in sync, on Macs and PCs (including Outlook compatibility). It also has a slick web-based e-mail and contacts interface. Only problem: It’s $99 per year. There’s a 60-day free trial, but no ongoing free version to get people hooked. Loving it: People who used the .Mac service before. Hating it: The masses who use free web 2.0 apps.
And of course, there was a 3G iPhone announced. But to me, the other stuff matters just as much.
Jobs didn’t disclose his plan on GPS navigation which will cost users $10 per months ($120 a year).
I wonder if the free mobile phone navigation service http://mobile.roadcomm.com/ will support iPhone?
3G iPhone’s native application “Map with GPS” offers only driving direction without real-time turn by turn voice instruction.
Jobs also didn’t mention the new rate plan for iPhone. Will that stay the same of cost more to offset price cut?
Oh…and full microsoft office functionality.
The new computing paradigm has begun!
Long rimm,long NOK.Be afarid real afraid.
Read the keynote… % 95 iphone users access the internet.
Upside to 200 + on AAPL coming soon.
You’re also forgetting that Jobs briefly mentioned at the beginning of the key note that Mac OS 10.6 will be debuted a bit later in the day. However, this is rumored to be mostly small enhancements in performance rather than the feature rich update of OS 10.5
Damn, shares are down 5% since I bought them last week @ $187.
http://www.savingtoinvest.com/2008/06/my-shiny-new-iphone-and-why-i-bought.html
Hopefully the volume growth (everyone is going to buy them right; at this lower price) will offset margin erosion. Also, GPS device makers like Garmin better watch out – this could kill them in the portable market.
ok I am not a techy. Just a PDA user. I am a heavy email user for my job can the new 3G comfortably accommodate a Blackberry or PDA consumer who is use to a keyboard?