Every one has heard about the iPhone, and with its recent debut many cell phone users are clamoring to get one. The iPhone has a lot going for it, it's cool first of all and delivers an internet experience closer to that of an actual computer than any other phone on the market. But what about the drawbacks? If the price doesn't stop you consider some other drawbacks of the iPhone that may keep many people from buying it, for now anyway.
The price is one major drawback, its $500 price tag for the 4GB model and $600 price tag for the 8GB model will turn enough people off before they even learn about all the nifty features. While $500 is not totally unheard of in the world of mobile devices, plenty of people will be waiting until the price drops some before snagging an iPhone for themselves.
One of the iPhone's best qualities, its internet ability, is also one of its drawbacks. While you can view web pages the way you would on a computer right on the iPhone, the iPhone is not compatible with multiple browsers, with Safari being the only choice. The iPhone also does not support Java, Windows Media, Real, or Flash Video so your internet experience may be lacking on sites that require the use of said programs. Oh, and about watching You Tube videos on your iPhone, the number of videos you can watch initially will be limited, with the full catalog of videos not being available until this fall.
Another drawback you might not even know about, a buried battery. The iPhone has a battery that is encased inside the phone among sensitive electronics and under glass. This means iPhone owners can't replace the battery themselves, the iPhone must be sent out for repairs. So when the battery becomes depleted or malfunctions hopefully replacing it is covered by the warranty or else iPhone owners will be forking over more dough to get a new battery.
And because the iPhone is so new, real consumer data isn't available yet on just how long battery life is, over all and between charges. Apple says the iPhone will last for 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of internet use, 7 hours of video playback, 24 hours of audio playback, and 250 hours of idle time. But with these tests being done in a lab and with many features turned off, actual usage times will probably vary.
The third party applications loaded on many cell phone users phones are the most important and most used features they have, regardless of which carrier they have or where the applications came from. At first Apple was going to shut out third party applications altogether, but after enough people protested they decided to allow applications, except they had to run in Safari. This should be good news except that the iPhone's EDGE network connection is not the fastest out there which means Safari applications will probably be kind of slow and, well, a lot of programmers don't like designing for Safari in the first place.
Keyboard is really cool, but may prove problematic. For people who have perfected typing with their thumbs on a mobile device's QWERTY keyboard, the iPhone's keypad will slow them down. The smooth glass surface used to type on is also prone to slips and smudges, making typing even more precarious. And unlike other phones, the keypad is taking up precious screen space.
Something else to think about, the iPhone is going to be in high demand after its release so it will probably be targeted for theft more than other types of phones for a while. Also, running out to get an iPhone right away means paying for a two year contract with AT&T while their rates are comparable to the other national carriers they may not be the cheapest. And if you have to switch carriers you may have to pay hefty cancellation fees to your old carrier if your current cell phone contract isn't up yet.
The iPhone is the coolest phone out there right now, but every one knows what's hot one day is not the next. Consider all aspects of any major purchase before you buy because in the end, the choice is up to you.