iPhone

The Apple iPhone is a next-generation cell phone built with web capability in "true-web" fashion: rather than viewing "mobile" versions of web-pages, as common on other mobile devices, using a touch screen panel, the iPhone enables the user to navigate a full-size web page.

Other Applications

Aside from cellular phone capabilities, and web-viewing, the iPhone also offers (through partnership with Google Maps), a full-featured map application that users can use anywhere in the United States, over AT&T's EDGE data network. Other standard PDA capabilities were included, too, such as Microsoft Outlook synchronization capability.

Release and Price Controversy

The iPhone was release in the United States on 29 June 2007 in the United States, to wide acclaim. At release the iPhone was capable only of usage on the AT&T network, and retailed (depending on hard disk size) for $500 and $600. The pricing of the device made it a quick luxury and status symbol, although it restricted availability to most other users.

Only 69 days after the release, though, on 5 September 2007, Apple slashed the prices of the device to $400 for the model formerly priced at $600, and discontinued selling the lower-capacity $500 model. This quick price cut - aside from being very uncommon in Apple's tradition of delayed price cuts - inflamed the tempers of so-called "early adopters," or those who had purchased the iPhone in the preceding two months, and now had no recourse against Apple's seemingly capricious price cut. Apple founder Steve Jobs, conscious of his company's image, quickly offered a $100 credit to the iTunes Music Store to every early adopter who could not otherwise obtain price relief from a return or exchange.

Notable Oversights

Despite the iPhone's technological breakthroughs, it initially lacked several features that users have come to expect of PDAs, such as a copy and paste feature, Bluetooth synchronization capability, and a customizable ringtone. The latter of these two features, within one week of the iPhone's release, was available to users who were willing to "hack" their device to add such functionality. Copy and paste functionality and bluetooth have been announced for iPhone OS 3.0, and ringtones are now available via the iTunes store.

Also, many AT&T customers were befuddled that the iPhone's designers had not taken the chance to use AT&T's 3G mobile data network, a considerably faster and more usable framework than the included EDGE compatibility. Apple stated that the EDGE network was used to prolong battery life, as the battery on the original iPhone would not last long on 3G. The newer version of the iPhone is now capable of utilizing the 3G network.