> Don't want to be rude, I may be wrong, but I'm not thinking that apple
> is trying to go after making converts of businesses.

The thing is, the cellphone business is a pretty low-margin business, and
this is actually the highest-yielding market segment.

> If I had to guess.  I'd guess apple is going after 20 and 30
> somethings who are gadget freaks... your pervebial young urban
> professional... just out of college... 1-5 years in the workforce,
> working in the big city, living in the city, spending lots of time on
> public transportation...

The thing is, the cellphone business is pretty low-margin, and this is
actually a very small segment.

> Last time I was in chicago one thing really hit me.  I walked by Union
> Station in the business loop and I was AMAZED at all the people
> rushing to their trains wearing ipods. It just seemed like every other
> person was wearing and ipod... it was just sensationak... and that's
> exactly apple's market.

Market structures are par for the course in the cell phone industry were
not in place in the digital audio player market, which was basically a
squabbling anarchy that Apple walked into unopposed.  The successes in
producing and marketing the iPod do not translate highly to phones.

> the idea that the iphone is going to replace the blackberry as ANY
> companies standard issue business phone is simply absurd...   as
> absurd as thinking some business is just going to wholesale switch
> from windows to mac.  That's fundamentally not apple's market.

Your comparison is false, but you are right.  iPhones lack push email, so
they're useless in the enterprise market.

> BTW... one of the things that makes the ipod so appealing is it's an
> accessory, a fashion statement, and it's HIGHLY visible.  The white
> earbuds are practically an advertisement and a trademark symbol of
> apple.  I suspect that the iphone will do the same as a phone and a
> communications device... because it's also an mp3 player it will spend
> more time OUT of the pocket then ever, in the hand... ear buds in the
> ear.

Its total lack of tactile features ensures it will never be in a pocket. 
You won't be able to touch-type, dial by feel, change ringtone, etc
without pulling it out.

> The only pocketspace functionality apple hasn't tackled is the gaming
> space. Other than that the iphone has it all.

I dunno.  It's lacking in network connectivity, it's lacking in battery
life, it's storage space is too expensive, it's pretty much a sealed
item...as a portable Internet-enabled computer, it's no better than my
PSP, and as a phone, it's no better than my RAZR.

--
Rhett.
http://www.weatherlight.com/freetime


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