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iPhone 2008 is Like AOL 1993
Fifteen years ago, AOL was actually kind of cool. It provided email, shopping, entertainment, and chat applications through a slow internet connection to millions of people. But over time, the popularity waned as people realized they're better off bypassing AOL for the actual world wide web.
To me, this seems quite similar to the state of the mobile industry, including the iPhone today.
1. It's slow.
2. The carrier acts as a gatekeeper to content and applications.
3. One of the most popular buttons is for the web, rather than the applications the provider thinks are important.
History seems to be repeating itself on the mobile Internet.
Based on Apple's recent approaches to application approval, I get the impression that the transition from AOL-style gatekeeper to web surfing device will be faster than in the past. If Apple denies their users access to content they want on their phones, they'll simply use their phones to find similar content on the web. Apple will train people away from the App Store.
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2. Posted by: Patrick Galesloot on August 28, 2008 12:28 PM:
Interesting point of view Ed.
Are the I phone apps really any different than those of Palm? Designed for use on a particular operating system, and not so much on others.
What's frustrating is the lack of availability on the different networks. whether your acrrier is CDMA or GDSM, and whether or not your carrier has it. That freedom of choice and availability should have a greater negative impact on carriers and phone suppliers you would think. For instance the new Palm Treo Pro
Thanks,
Patrick
3. Posted by: Ed Kohler on August 28, 2008 1:47 PM:
Aaron, it's not slow if you're in a major city or using WiFi. I'll give you that.
Apple doesn't create most of the applications, but they control what applications you are able to install or even pay for.
When people can build porn or gambling applications and install them without going through the App Store, I'll consider it open. That doesn't mean that I'm holding out for porn Apps on the iPhone. :-)
Patrick, the difference between Palm and Apple is that anyone can create and sell an application without Palm's approval and without going through a Palm store to download/buy the application.
Eventually, phones will be more like computers where you can decide for yourself which software you want to install. But we'll also see more web applications as the power of the phone and speed of networks increase.
4. Posted by: ryan l on August 28, 2008 4:30 PM:
Thats why I am holding out for the t-mobile android phone.
Tmobile seems the least walled of the carriers. The platform is supposed to be open.
The phone in the blurry shots Ive seen leaves a little to be desired but it has promise.
I look at the iphone and it just doesn't seem to have enough differentiation from my blackberry to justify it.
It is a shiny sexy device but that was only enough to entice me into a touch not an iphone.
I was hoping that google would buy some spectrum and open it up, really make this thing a game changer but alas it looks like it is not in the cards.
Come on Google get your network up, put some e-wallet on that b*tch and subsidize my surfing with merchant transactional fees.
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1. Posted by: Aaron on August 28, 2008 10:18 AM:
Huh?
1. It's not slow.
2. AOL created, sourced or purchased almost all the content. Apple creates less than 1% of the applications.
3. Safari is still, by default, on every menu screen on the device, not hidden away or non-existent like earlier versions of AOL.
Yeah. I'm not totally on board with Apple's approval process, but comparing this to AOL seems a bit far-fetched to me.