3. The Bad

The iPhone is the most expensive phone I know of except for maybe devices from Palm. The $600 price tag puts the iPhone out of the reach of many. Some may have to forgo buying an iPod in order to fund an iPhone purchase. In addition, I suspect data services won't be cheap. Adding data services costs to voice rates will likely raise the monthly nut for an iPhone user to around $100.

Second, the iPhone will only be available for use on Cingular's network. I see no plans for the phone to be used on other carrier's networks. The bandwidth specifications allow the phone to work on other networks, but the device will require unlocking or perhaps a special device and software to permit use on these networks. As it will ship, the iPhone is restricted to networks based on the GSM standard, ruling out Sprint PCS and Verizon, which both use CDMA networks. For the record, both of these carriers currently offer higher data transmission bandwidths, which means downloads and Internet screens get to your phone faster than on the Cingular or other GSM networks. Paul to Steve: If you want to make one of your typical iKillings, then give us an iPhone that can work on just about any carrier's network. Motorola is obliging that way, so is RIM with the Blackberry. You need to be too.

Finally, though I praised its potential above, I don't like the touch-screen concept. I have found most touch screens to be unreliable. As fingerprints build up, accuracy and responsiveness go down - sometimes never to come back. Also, I can't imagine poking around with my fingers on the tiny screen with any degree of accuracy, but final judgment on that issue will have to await some real fingers-on experience with the iPhone.

Conclusion

At base, I like the iPhone conceptually. However, for the smartphone to be truly competitive, Apple needs to lower the price and assure the phone's availability on both GSM and CDMA networks. Also, great as it could be, I'm leery about the iPhone's touch-screen.

If you can afford it and are willing to accept the phone's current limitations, consider the iPhone as a candidate for your next smartphone purchase. If you're on the fence about this phone, I advise waiting to see what others think of it and for the inevitable revisions to come, before springing for Apple's first entry into the mobile phone market.

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