I don’t know of any other single product announcement that has generated as much posting, conversation, and controversy as the iPhone. It’s form, function, features, carrier, and even it’s name are being both praised and criticized. You couldn’t pay for this much publicity. Moshe Maeir’s post “Is the iPhone the first phone worth criticizing?” compares this to the introduction of the first Mac, which, while not perfect moved ahead of many of the computers at the time.

Many bloggers such as Alec, Robert Scoble ,  Paul Kedrosky and others came out with criticism of the iPhone. Their comments reminded me how when in 1983 Apple introduced the first Mac (128k, one floppy and no hard disk), Alan Kay (at the time a Apple Fellow) compared it in an internal Apple memo to “a Honda with a one quart gas tank” well designed but “it can only take you to the corner store and back”. However with all his misgivings, Kay considered the Mac to be the first computer “worth criticizing”.

Sure, the iPhone is not perfect. But it is does break ahead of a lot of other products on market. The march towards One Device is on and I have no doubt that we will see improvements and in the years to come. Do we really want to carry around separate cell phones, MP3 players, notebooks, and PDAs?

The final vote on how well Apple did with the initial design and marketing of the iPhone will be decided by consumers.  Many of those who are now criticizing the iPhone will be lined up to purchase one when they come to market. 

That will be their final word on the personal appeal of the iPhone.  I would bet that Apple got it mostly right.

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