An Intro to Apple’s iPhone
Apple’s iPhone is the latest buzz in the cell phone world. Essentially, it’s Apple’s attempt at redifining the iPod while adding phone and internet capabilities.
Instead of the traditional iPod interface with a click-wheel placed below a smaller screen, the iPhone’s face is almost completely replaced by a 3.5″ rectangular touchscreen. Apple has come up with a slick new interface for listening to music and watching videos using the device, and all the controls are driven by touching the screen. The device can be used in the traditional upright (or “portrait”) orientation or in the horizontal “landscape” orientation. The device can sense how you are holding it and adjust the screen orientation and functions to match. For example, if you hold the iPhone vertically, the list of music is presented in a list format that most iPod users are familiar with. Rotate the iPod 90 degrees and now that list becomes a flippable catalog of album art which Apple calls “cover flow”. Not call functions can be rotated like this (movies, for example, only play in widescreen mode), but many can.
In addition the the traditional iPod functions (music, movies, and videos), the iPhone acts as (surprise) a cell phone, using the large touchscreen to make the interface easy to use. Granted, most people don’t have too much trouble using a phone, but a large interface can make complex tasks like conference calling and browsing call logs considerably easier. The iPhone also synchronizes contact information with a desktop computer, allowing for easy storage and browsing of a large collection of contacts. Apple has found a creative way of dealing with one annoyance of voicemail by introducing a feature they call “visual voicemail”. Instead of dialing into a voicemail line, you see a list of your voicemails on the screen along with the name of the sender if it is known. You can listen to the voicemails in whatever order you want, simply by pressing the screen.
The iPhone will also offer traditional organizer functions, such as a calendar, to-do’s, and notes. These will synchronize with a computer as well. Current iPod’s can synchronize a photo collection for viewing on the device, and the iPhone will be no different. Because of the additional features, the iPhone allows its owners to manipulate the size of pictures by “pinching” the image with two fingers.
Most cell phone providers allow for internet access via the phone for an additional fee, and the iPhone will be able to take advantage of this functionality on Cingular’s EDGE network. A fully functional web browser (Safari) is included, and allows for easy zooming in and out of a web page, as well as handling multiple web pages simultaneously. Email is built in to the device as well. If a WiFi network is available, the iPhone can take advantage of it. It is not yet known what software will be available for the iPhone beyond what I have described above, but there are currently no announced plans to allow companies other than Apple develop software for the iPhone. Apple includes their own “widgets” including a weather forcast program, Google maps, and software that displays stock quotes.
One obvious concern is that the iPhone’s screen may be prone to scratches and fingerprints. Apple has apparently taken steps to minimize this risk, though I’m sure plenty of cases will be available by the time the device ships. There is no physical keyboard on the iPhone. Instead, a virtual onscreen keyboard appears as needed.
The iPhone will be available in June for $499 (4 GB version) or $599 with a 2 year contract from Cingular.