iPhone Improvements - An Article for Apple

This Computer World article is looking to give Apple a few pointers for their second crack at making the most accessible and feature-full mobile device on the market. As mystery shrouds the next generation iPhone release, one can only speculate as to what improvements will be made.

The first one on the list is a big one. 3G technology is where we're going. WiMax is where we're eventually headed , but for now, 3G chips should become standard in the US, and the iPhone should follow suit. Furthermore, the applications would run much smoother - mobile YouTube might even be able to run a few more videos.

Adding mobile iChat would be another huge feature for the iPhone. As mobile broadband steps up, mobile video conferencing would become possible.

Adding push email to the iPhone would help with enterprise solutions. Businesses might even pick it up as the primary work tool, as its features overshadow RIM's Blackberry or Palm's Treo.

There are others on that list, all of which would vastly improve the second generation iPhone.

Google and Unity - Under Sea Communications

What is being called "yet another foray into the telecommunications business," Google is considering joining a consortium, known as Unity, which wants to lay high capacity underwater cables across the Pacific Ocean. As I've mentioned before, Google is also looking to bid for the 700 MHz spectrum in January.

What does Google not have its hand in?

According to the above "Bits" article, Google has considered becoming part owner of undersea cables because it needs the bandwidth to move massive amounts of digital information between its international data centers. The company already leases bandwidth on some underwater cables, but having a hand in ownership may be less expensive.

Google's massive footprint is looking to extend itself. "Faster, Higher, Stronger" doesn't seem to just be the Olympic credo anymore. I'm starting to see Google as the new Microsoft. Instead of Windows, Google harnesses the power of Web 2.0 to deliver a truly universal platform. They web applications are quickly approaching the features and reliability that we've come to expect from Microsoft Outlook or Apple's iLife. They've even surpassed Microsoft with innovative map solutions, unprecedented search engines, including blogs, patents, scholarly reports, video, products, and images. They're even looking to step in on Microsoft's most prized possession; word processing and spreadsheets. With Google docs and spreadsheets, I can see users writing and editing documents on the go, from any internet capable device.

Convergence is coming along nicely, and Google has shown the ability to adapt. With a hand in telecom and a dynasty in data, Google's looking good. Google's looking very good.

MySpace Mobile

According to this Engadget Mobile article, mobile versions of MySpace are expanding past Helio's scope. As social networking goes mobile more and more carriers are going to cash in. In this case T-Mobile and Danger have included customized versions of MySpace Mobile for the Sidekick.

Soon enough we'll see MySpace Mobile, Facebook Mobile, even that Sprite Yard Mobile on every platform, from Windows Mobile, to Blackberry (and maybe even Apple's platform). I have a feeling that Mobile Social Networking, in fact, the mobile web itself, is not going to fade away. In the same way that word processing and spreadsheet creation were killer apps for the Apple II platform, social networking may be a must have for mobile technology. With Blackberry users are evolving from businessmen to socialite teens, the mobile web and applications like these are going to be used heavily.

Competitor's Take on the iPhone

This Laptop magazine article gives an amusing look at some of Apple's largest mobile competitors. The interview is with Helio, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung - pretty much the biggest players of the handset business.

Some of the thoughts were a bit backwards. The Helio rep doesn't believe that the touch screen will be a mainstay in the near future. The touch screen essentially allows the user to mimic "real" web browsing on a mobile device. This is probably the best feature of the iPhone, considering the terrible browsing experience on almost all other smartphones. As a Blackberry user, I can say that a 3.5" brilliant screen with actual pictures and formatting is a step up from a text-based display with a less than ideal user interface.

When asked about convergence, Helio, Motorola and Nokia all answered that consumers are looking all-in-one devices, and then give a free plug about their own devices, such as the N95 or the Ocean. Samsung, however, seems to have little to say on the subject, grabbing hold of GPS. All in all, convergence in the style of the iPhone is here to stay, according to these big players.

Nokia seems to place functionality over slimness of the device - which makes sense. Phones can only get so thin before they become frail and unusable.

Helio keeps finding a way to talk about the Ocean - when asked about a positive feature of the iPhone, the rep mentions the difference in feel between the two devices. Nokia does so as well, with the N95. Those two are probably the only two phones on the market that serve the same market as the iPhone.

Saving the best for last, Laptop Mag asks the four reps the dislikes that they have about the iPhone. Helio jumps on the lack of tactile keypad. To be honest, the software based keypad on the iPhone takes some getting used to, but actually provides a larger surface area and far more room for error than any tactile keypad could. With slimness, durability, and screen size all being taken into account, the lack of keypad is going to become the industry standard. As long as the software solutions are smart enough to compensate for potential mistakes, keypads will become a thing of the past. Nokia makes some fair points - the lack of 3G and and GPS. The lack of 3G is a big deal, but will soon be remedied in Apple's next generation (hopefully). Samsung also jumps on the battery life and lack of expandable memory. Fair points, however no other phone can compare with the amount of memory on the iPhone - it's still about 7 gigs ahead of the competition, with or without expandable ports.

Then, of course, Motorola tactfully declines to speak negatively about the iPhone; how classy.

Verizon files suit over FCC ruling n 700 MHz spectrum

According to this Reuters article, Verizon Wireless is filing suit, asking the FCC to overturn the open-access rules imposed on the 700 MHz spectrum to be auctioned off in January.

Verizon asked the U.S. Court of the Appeals for the District of Columbia to strike down the FCC conditions, which requires that the winner of the new spectrum allow users to connect to this network using any device or software.

This spectrum is a big deal - it's supposed to raise about $10 billion. This is pretty much the last chance for another player to enter into the wireless market.

The current spectrum being used by wireless network carriers restricts users to use only certain types of phones. Verizon claims that the FCC rules overstep its authority - an argument that is very heated at the moment. Verizon would obviously want to maintain the current norm - they're deals are working for them. A new network with any hardware/software solutions available would be quite a competitor for Verizon.

Google, Apple, Verizon, and many other big players are interested in this spectrum. If one of the network-neutrality supporting companies win this valuable spectrum, cell carriers will have to rethink the way they deal with hardware and software solutions.

Apple To Obtain Wireless Spectrum?

According to this eFlux Media article, Apple may enter into competition for the wireless spectrum to be auctioned off on January 16, 2008 (the 700 MHz band).

According to the article, Apple is also interested in competing for the White Space that the FCC has been hesitant to release for broadcast, despite the urging of a Coalition of Technology's Biggest Players (including Microsoft, Google, Dell and Intel). This space is becoming even more valuable as analog TV is going digital by February 2009.

Using analog signals to provide internet access provides many advantages. Increased speeds (from 50 to 100 Mbps), decreased prices, and more accessibility are all claimed to be obtainable using this coveted white space.

With Apple's having sold 1 million iPhones in a little over two months, their deeps pockets could make them serious contenders. One conflict of interest presents itself as Eric Schmidt, the outspoken Google CEO who also sits on the board of Apple. Google is also looking to purchase the 700 MHz spectrum in January.

The White Space, or the spectrum ranging from 43 MHz and 698 MHz, is still facing issues with the FCC, as television broadcasters fear interference with their programming.

iPhone - 1 Million Served

According to this New York Times post and this Apple Press Release, the number of iPhones sold has topped 1 million units.

This is remarkable, as the holiday season is still approaching. The iPod sold 1 million units after two years, making the 74 day/1 million mark for the iPhone pretty incredible. Also, with ostensibly very little marketing (mostly relying on hype from excited users), the iPhone is selling purely because of its innovation. The advertisements are simple - just examples of the functionality - and were not too heavily laden upon the public (at least in my experience). Granted the music used is really cool (and the "Hello?" advertisement tapping classic movies that premiered during the Oscars was super-hip), the iPhone's success isn't as reliant on marketing as one might think.

The pricing "fiasco" that occurred in the past week isn't as big a deal as most make it out to be - at least it won't be remembered in a few months. In fact, the market that it opens with the iPod Touch and the new Nano will probably make up for the angry customers (who were already so into Apple that they jumped the gun, bit the bullet, and spent $600).

Back To School Mobility

According to this CNET article, students going back to college are gravitating toward mobility - laptops, smartphones and digital cameras.

Nine of Amazon.com's 10 best-selling PCs are laptops, dominated by Toshiba's satellite and Apple's MacBook. As notebook technology ages, prices have dropped, allowing for more to be purchased.

The most surprising development has occurred with smartphones. The market is becoming younger and younger as more text messaging teens and twenty-somethings are taking advantage of the full QWERTY keyboards and the mobile web. Just a few years ago only suit laden businessmen and women could be seen on the streets glued to their PDA. Now, more students are finding a need to take advantage of various PDA's numerous features.

With these continuing patterns, the future of the Mobile Web seems to be in great shape.

Hardware and Service Converging?

This is a pretty good read - an interesting New York Times Article on the convergence of "Gadget Makers and Service Providers." Google used to be a search engine, but is now knocking at the door of mobile telephony with their new Google Phone, which may attract the same hype as the iPhone. Both Google and Apple are chic companies known for their innovation - Google more on the software side, so it would make sense for a hoard of tech-heads following the development of Google's first crack at hardware.

With Nokia's new Ovi network, the tried and true hardware developers are cracking in on the space that Apples' iTunes has carved out.

These cross-market products put out by these growing companies are great for innovation. Maybe Google will put out a product that uses VoIP to a higher degree, harnessing its power, or even its own search technology. These benefits will certainly move technology and services forward. With big, well known names adding new services to different markets, those already in these markets will have to step up their services as well.

iPhone Unlock 2;

An Engadget Mobile article discusses another unlocking software for the iPhone. UniquePhones, a Belfast firm is promising a downloadable application that will "allow customers to unlock their Apple iPhones so they can use SIM cards from carriers other than AT&T to activate the mobiles." Their engineers are looking to "break the encryption process that protects the token sent through the iTunes activation process to an iPhone's firmware."

This should be active tomorrow: iPhoneUnlocking.com.

Apple Rides iPhone Carrier Announcement

According to a Wall Street Journal Article , Apple shares have climbed throughout today due to reported contracts with three European carriers. It must have to do with Apple's breakthrough deal - raking in a 10% cut of the revenue made from calls and data.


People might also have more faith in O2, Orange and T-Mobile's networks in England, France, and Germany than they do in AT&T's - with their 300 page phone bills and hidden charges.


In other iPhone news, a new website promises a software solution to unlock the phone. This seems like a promising alternative to AT&T's poor coverage (if it can be easily transferred to another carrier), but it still isn't 3G enabled.