iPhone Sir? Hmmm... no thanks.

Published: 2007-09-19

So today (18th Sept. 2007), Apple finally set the UK launch date for the eagerly anticipated cure for world poverty, or as we consumers know it, the 'iPhone'.  There was the familiar build up of press speculation, primarily in regards to which operator was going to be 'allowed'  access to the holy grail and on the morning of the press release the Internet was flooded with photos of a shrouded Apple store in Regent Street, London in preparation for the impending news.  The result was a fairly tame Job's and Mr. O2 presentation outlining the pricing structure and 9th November launch date.

For the record I'm in no way anti-Apple, I'm in awe of Apple's turn around from flagging PC manufacturer to multimedia hardware giant.  I own an iBook, use a G5 in my workplace and my iPod Shuffle has become my most faithful running companion.  I do however, feel a slight pain at the base of my skull each time Apple announce a press conference. I think it's caused by the knowing that the following days of technology news and office talk will be focused solely on what possible life saving product Apple will launch next.

So why won't I be buying an iPhone? The obvious answer would seem to be the price.

O2's iPhone specific contracts make the iPhone an expensive option in comparison to their existing tariffs, the £45 iPhone tariff offers the same minutes as the O2's standard £35 contract with half the texts.  There's also the initial £270 outlay, quite hefty by most UK standards for a handset tied to a contract.   That said, if you look at the cost vs. features benefits the £270 can be offset against the fact it's an iPod and WiFi enabled Internet browser in one, while the monthly costs are value added with free WiFi access to Cloud hot-spots and nearly unlimited Edge2 access.

So if not the cost what? It looks good, it's funky touch screen interface would keep me entertained for months and everybody will want to be my friend when they see I own one (I think). I've got a feeling it's part of the skull pains I mentioned earlier or maybe the sense that I don't really care about gadgets all that much.  Above all I believe it's the fact the dimensions and weight are similar to a phone I had 5 years ago, and that phone didn't fit in my favorite jeans.

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