My Thoughts on Today’s Stevenote
Today’s keynote speech by Steve Jobs at MacWorld in San Francisco brought us several things - the hyped-up iPhone and Apple TV. On the side, Apple silently released an upgraded Airport Extreme base station with 802.11n capability. If you have a 24-inch iMac and buy the Airport Extreme, you can enable 802.11n in your iMac with the bundled software. Other currently shipping Macs have 802.11n built-in. Unfortunately, there was no mention of any new iPod or Mac.
It’s quite unusual that this keynote unveiled two completely new non-computer products. With Apple recognizing the surge in use of other gadgets, it’s understandable why Apple changed its name from Apple Computer Incorporated to simply Apple, Incorporated. Moving on, the iPhone itself is quite an amazing engineering feat.
iPhone
You’ve probably memorized the specs by now but they are quite outstanding: 3.5-inch touch-screen, 11.6mm thin (that’s almost as thin as Type III PCMCIA), 2MP camera, proximity sensor, accelerometer, and ambient light sensors, Quad-band GSM/EDGE + WiFi (yes!!) + Bluetooth 2.0 and an awe-inspiring battery life of 16 hours for audio and 5 hours for actual phone use.
The software that runs on the iPhone is a version of OS X that can amazingly run “full desktop-class applications”, somehow. There’s a version of Safari that is the first fully usable HTML mobile browser. Other iPhone software highlights include:
- Support for conference calls with up to 3 participants
- Multiple SMS session support with an iChat-like interface
- “coolest photo management app ever”
- Widget support (looking forward to this..)
- Yahoo IMAP “push” mail
- Google Maps integration, with satellite images too
I am blown away by how capable the software is, Safari especially. Unfortunately, the iPhone is a little pricey at $599 for the 8GB model and $499 for the 4GB model. However, if you put that into context that’s in the same price-range as a high-end Treo or Blackberry. The phone won’t be shipping until June so you can start saving up now. Luckily for me I’m on Cingular so upgrading to the iPhone shouldn’t be too hard to do.
I’m just wondering what the data plan will run for. The data plan on my old Motorola Q was horrendous and I ended up with $90/month bills when I wasn’t even getting “unlimited” data. As long as the iPhone isn’t crippled by Cingular, it will no doubt be an amazing seller.
Another thing that has me up in arms is that the iPhone is all screen. In a few months, it’s going to get just as scratched as my iPod. I’ll have to get my hands on the touch-screen to see what it feels like. I’m not a big fan of touch-screen devices as I prefer tactile feedback.
So, will I buy the iPhone? Ignoring the high price, my decision would be based on whether the EDGE connection can be utilized on my Mac and if the iPhone can utilize closed WEP or WPA WiFi networks that require authentication in a browser, like the one on campus at Georgia Tech.
Apple TV
In a nutshell, the Apple TV is Mac Mini modified for your home theater setup. A bit less powerful than a Mac Mini but just as capable, it boasts a 40GB hard drive with 802.11n connectivity which will work nicely with your new Airport Extreme. At $299, the set-top box is essentially the missing link between your computers (works with PCs too) and your widescreen TV. The Apple TV supports up to 720p and is appropriate considering the quality of videos and movies offered for download on iTunes. I love the bevy of connections on the back of it - ensuring capability from high-end plasma to college-kid CRT (assuming that CRT has component video connections).
However, unlike Macs which can be manipulated to play other forms of content like DivX, I don’t think you’ll be able to do that with Apple TV just yet. As far as putting in a larger, aftermarket hard drive, it will probably use a 2.5-inch laptop hard drive filled with the special software to run everything. It might be a little more involved than a simple drive swap and require cloning the drive and putting the image on the new drive. We’ll be seeing a bunch of people attempt this in the next month or two I’m sure.
As for me, I won’t be buying the Apple TV. There’s a 20-inch Sony flat CRT in our living room at school.. and I’m writing this from my 24-inch iMac. On the other hand, Charles Stroup, owner of 123MacMini and 123MacBook, ordered 3 today.
Overall
Many people, including myself, were a bit disappointed with today’s announcements. Don’t get me wrong I am bouncing off the wall thinking about the iPhone, but it’s just not a keynote without some actual computer announcement - Core 2 Duo Mac Minis, 8-core Mac Pros or revamp of their displays, or maybe a 12-inch solid-state MacBook? Yeah, that would have been nice. What are your thoughts?
An iPhone will definitely be in my hands in June, especially since my birthday is May 25th. And…….the best part has to be the wifi.
If I can get the money, I’m buying an iPhone. That is if it’s not crippled by it’s carrier up here in Canada. :/
But yeah, the keynote was rather lacking. At least an update on 10.5 would’ve been nice.
Yeah, the iPhone’s wifi is splendid! Especially campus-dwellers that get it free and pretty much everywhere - no need for a data plan.
At first I was floored with today’s keynote, but then I realized that the only real products announced were the Apple TV and the iPhone.
Apple TV - intrigues me, but I am not sure that I really need it.
iPhone - Sounds fantastic. However, I’ve just jumped to Cingular to get a BlackJack which meant taking on a 2-year contract. As I understand the prices announced today were with a 2-year contract, who knows what the cost will be without?
What happened to the iLife update?
Sure they now serve Paramount movies, but why no hint about at improvements to iTunes?
When are we going to see Gen 6 of the iPod? Remember iPod?
I wonder how much will be the unlocked iPhone. Apple TV? No thanks… I’m sticking to my Tivo.
I bought a MacBook about a month ago and I am glad its still the “New” model. Although a little talk of 8 core desktop would of been exciting.
“it’s just not a keynote without some actual computer announcement”
There *was* a computer announcement. They removed “computer” from the company name!
Kinda disappointed in the announcement. AppleTV is like stripped down Mac mini (and only with 40GB hard drive?? WTF? My music collection its self is more than that, not to count video rip collection… 500GB-1TB is what I’m expecting not a meager 40GB) and iPhone, nothing new on it.
The SMS conversation? Has been around with built-in O2 software. No 3G? No go… however, Apple sold me an iPhone just by design… it’s beautiful and I’m going to buy it in 2008 when it hits Asia
I’m glad they aren’t releasing it over here (Europe) ’till Q4, here’s hoping my provider will let me upgrade for something other than those prices..
I’m disappointed that Apple chose to go with a carrier at launch. I guess they see it as a way to quickly build market share. I would have liked to have seen an unlocked phone. I’m guessing the iPhone will be unlocked or offered by (most) every major carrier by the end of the year.
The price doesn’t seem to out of line. You’re essentially getting an iPod and a cellphone (smartphone?) in one device. So think about what you paid for your iPod (this one is essentially G6 of the iPod) and your cellphone/PDA and the prices will be pretty close.
Another thing I would have liked would have been the ability to use the iPhone as an iPod without needing a service plan. A person could use it as an iPod/PIM device, decide if they like the multitouch interface, and then sign up for service. Especially with the wifi, use Skype and Grand Central with it and no service is necessary.
iPhone was a great announcement indeed, I was however expecting some software demo’s and perhaps a computer or iPod upgrade. A more in depth demo of Leopard would have been nice, and I really thought iLife 07 och iWork 07 were given, perhaps there will be many exciting announcements within the next couple of months just as Steve mentioned in the keynote. Well I for sure am looking forward to the iPhone, too bad I live in Europe and have to wait that long for it, at least I’ll have time so save up some money.
I was extremely disappointed by the lack of a Leopard showing, iLife ‘07 or iWork ‘07 as that’s usually the tradition of MWSF (new iLife at least).
The iPhone, interests me, but I hate Cingular as a carrier, and the pricetag is not enticing me to switch from Verizon at all, heck when I got my enV for my birthday (got it Sunday), it was cheaper than the iPhone and has the same camera, and a majority of the features a regular consumer needs.
Apple TV on the other hand, I would love IF I bought a lot of movies and TV Shows from iTunes AND had a high def widescreen TV, but I lack either of those two, so bye bye iPhone and Apple TV, Steve really didn’t tickle my fancy this year.
Here’s to another event real soon for more product announcements/showoffs.
Paul, I agree with you. I love the phone but do not believe I’ll be buying generation one. The bullet point that was glossed over in the keynote was the “killer app for the phone is a phone call”. My experience with the Treo is that for all its great features, the phone was crap! I too have reservations about the touch screen, no matter how cool the zoom feature and cover flow are. Time will tell for me.
OH BY THE WAY… didn’t anyone notice all the “Beatles” music he kept featuring. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO ADD BEATLES MUSIC TO ITUNES?
I agree, Steve definitely left me hanging. Where is iLife 07′?, Update on Leopard?, new MacBooks?. It sounds like Apple has been either full force working on the iPhone, rushing to get it out in time or this is just a marketing approach to get everyones attention on the iPhone and to have everyone talk only about the iPhone.
One thing is fact, Apple stock went up $7 yesterday to $92.57 a share and I am kicking myself for selling back at $58.
And one more thing….
Since they dropped “Computer” from the company name, how long will it be before they drop the name “MacWorld”? There was very little Mac talk at the MacWorld Keynote. Will they change the name of the convention to “AppleWorld”?
I too was disappointed a the lack of Mac announcements, especially when I’m sitting on a quote to buy either an iMac or MacPro but would prefer something inbetween - more expandable than an iMac but less expensive than a MacPro.
I was planning on purchasing the apple tv, but luckily I thought about it and right now I have a Mac mini hooked up to my LCD plus a PS3 and Xbox 360 with the HD DVD addon, so I have access to a lot of HD content. Unless Apple starts releasing HD content by the boatload and cheaply…there’s no real reason for me to buy one.
The 40GB Disk in the Apple TV is kinda poor, as for a device which can act as a stand alone unit (e.g. I don’t need my computer on at the time) I would expect to see more storage in this day and age.
With regards to that point, I would like to know what the deal is with the USB port. To quote the Apple site, it’s for “service and diagnostics”, but it would have been neat if you could hook up a big USB drive.
I believe the thing with the 40GB hard drive on the Apple TV is that it will store and sync the last 10 videos and store them on the hard drive and stream everything else, plus use some of the space for cache purposes. I don’t think it was ever supposed to be used a storage medium for all of your content.
Angel - I can see the thinking behind the “sync 10 items” approach, but I’d still like to see more storage to allow the device to be used as an actual ‘media device’ rather than an ‘extension’ of the computer. If I want to watch, or more likely listen to something specific, but it has been bumped off my Apple TV, forcing me to boot my Mac/PC and transfer the media I want I would be pretty pissed.
If you look at the Apple TV as just a link between your Computer and your TV, it’s pretty bloody expensive. If you look at it as a networked media center the whole deal looks very reasonable.
Paul- I was excited about the built-in GPS too, for automated geotagging, then upload to Flickr! For certain photos where location data adds value, it would be great to have GPS built-in plus some way of uploading Wifi or GSM cellular network. Hopefully Apple implements this feature, and in a way where users are not limited to iPhoto.
I was also disappointed there were no hardware updates announced for MacBook Pros and Minis. For my brief synopsis, please visit Pain in the Tech.
I totally agree with you that touch screens are annoying. It’s like that Sony digital camera with a touch screen menu; clearly it’s just going to get all smeared in finger prints which means you won’t be able to see what you’re actually photographing very well.
I have to say, I like your blog! I hadn’t had time to read up on the Apple phone yet, but from the looks of it, I’ll keep sticking to Nokia…
and what about the iPhone name? Cisco is suing for infringement of trademark oops!
All hail the iPhone!
“As long as the iPhone isn’t crippled by Cingular,”
Yeah, like that will ever happen.