The short but amazing rise of the iPhone

By Donny Joseph

The iPhone was the talk of the town in the initial days of its existence. In fact, even before it would just appear in the market, there was so much hype created all over the world. Big expectations were created in the minds of the consumer by the apple marketing juggernaught even before the iPhone came into the market. Everybody would talk about its features and price. Everybody wanted to know all about this new sophisticated gadget called the iPhone.

A lot of goody- goody things were written in the newspapers and other medium’s of information, even before the launching of the iPhone. The expectations of the people were boosted high. The so called “hype” for the iPhone was creating a good impact on the consumers mind. As a result, when iPhone was about to launch the next day, people were already standing in a long queue, waiting for the dealer’s shop to get opened according to the official timings. People were excited to have their first piece of iPhone. They were so much carried away by the launch hype, that they were ready to even purchase it at the initial new technology price. I must add here by saying that it was the media too who was equally responsible in creating that urgent want like thing for the iPhone, in the minds of the people.

Now, we all know that the iPhone has been launced. In fact, a lot of months have passed and people are using and enjoying it. But there are people who also have their own story to tell with regard to the iPhone. A genuine review that one can get about the iPhone is from people who have actually purchased it and have used it extensively. If you ask them about their experience with regard to the iPhone, some may have some good experiences to share and some may be less impressed by the iPhone. Yes, in my opinion too, iPhone has its good art as well as its bad side to tell. I now would like to explain you in brief about the positive features of the iPhone and then we’ll discuss the drawbacks.

As the world was waiting for the launch of the iPhone in the US, two Indian companies were also getting ready to register gains from this revolutionary offering of Apple Inc., the makers of Macintosh computer (popularly known as Mac) and the iPod. Noida based HCL Infosystems and Bangalore-based, Wipro Technologies (India) were then close to becoming the exclusive Indian distributors of the iPhone. Similarly, all over the world, there would be distributors who would be anxiously waiting to take their piece of cake. Finally, the waiting period has ended. In fact, the iPhone is now, almost reaching the end of this year. The next year, will be the year of facing new challenges with respect to new competitors who are willing to join the race along with iPhone.

Some of the good features of the iPhone are as follows:

1) The display is very impressive. Everything looks good on it.

2) The menu design is simple, clean and eye catching.

3) You can navigate easily with your fingertip. You could also zoom and scroll, effectively and fast.

4) You can get access to visual voice mails, very fast.

5) Enjoying great integrated applications like google maps, youTube and also you can get access to a world clock cum timer along with a stopwatch and multiple alarms.

6) You will enjoy visually flipping through album art in order to choose your music.

7) The iPhone looks slick but it has passed the initial stress test and it is more durable.

8) The iPhone can also be considered a music player with a speaker.

9) The iPhone has a touch activated calling facility. You just have to touch the caller’s name from your list and the phone does everything else for you. You can also create a favorite list and also from a group list which allows you to create conferences calls easily.

10) You can find your way anywhere without fear of getting lost anywhere. All this is possible by using the built in maps facility incorporated in the iPhone.

11) The iPhone is a world phone with quad-band GSM technology that works great in the US, Europe and most of Asia.

12) The iPhone has built in wi-fi and uses the edge high-speed data network. Edge is popular throughout the US and for many applications like email, maps and weather.

13) Customers want both, a phone and ipod, since most phones are not good music players.

14) The user can record and play video footage in all popular video formats. The Apple iPhone comes with easy to use touch screen video controls which include play, pause chapter fast forward, chapter rewind and volume controls which are all displayed on the intelligent multi touch screen. The Smartphone allows the user to watch their favourite TV shows and movies which makes the iPhone the perfect companion when the user has some leisure time.

In my opinion, iPhone has historically been considered as the best among other mobile phones. However with the changes in the mobile phone market by late 2007, iPhone is likely to face tough competition from other companies who are also entering into the same market. The iPhone’s true hold in the market will be made known by next year, 2008. It is by next year, that we will know the exact standing of iPhone in the market. I am not saying that iPhone is not appealing to the consumers. In fact I say that consumers are happy using the iPhone. But certainly, in the long run, there is a possibility that the iPhone may not be able to sustain its standing by being known as the best among all other mobile phone in the market. By 2008 the iPhone will have to face stiff competition from other players. There are other mobile competitors who are about to launch their mobile phones in the market with all best features incorporated within the phone. You will have to wait and watch till 2008, for the real outcome. But having said all this, I must say that the marketing machine that is apple will make sure that the iPhone is here to stay.