Um... no, Motorola is not 'somewhat perturbed'. I know someone who works at Moto, and their initial reaction was "Huh!?", followed by sh****g their pants.

The main problem for them is that Apple's strength goes directly against Motorola's weakness, which is that Motorola just isn't a software company.

Never have been, actually. This has been proven by the many Moto phone releases that were spoiled out of the gate by various software glitches and numerous bugs. I know a lot of people who won't even consider a Moto until its been out for several months. Their rep has gotten that bad.

And even when Moto's software works correctly, it still amazingly, incredibly, sloooooow. Try doing much with your RAZR once you have over 100 contacts in there, it isn't fun at all. They are trying to address this, with their new JUIX OS (Java/Linux), and by putting a faster cpu into the RAZR 2, but still, they are just now starting to do things they should've done a long time ago.

The other major phone makers are also somewhat in the same boat, as they are not great at software either (especially compared to Apple), but Moto has the additional burden of its star product (the RAZR) no longer being hot, plus their (well-earned) reputation for bugs and horrible quality control in general.

So, its really no wonder they're looking for a change of pants right now.


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Loved your post, TBaggins.

It's not too hard to scare Motorola. They are pretty clueless.

The got lucky with the Razr a few years ago, but the main appeal of the phone was it's looks, not any sort of functionality. I bought it because it was the only decent phone without an external antenna.

Motorola is toast.

Sorry Moto RAZR 2 will mean nothing, people don't want a new version, they want new hotness. You're going to need a new design, not a refined old one.

The major difference between most cell phones and the iPhone is that the iPhone (like the Blackberry) defines a whole new genre of phones, establishing itself as a platform. Apple is going to do the same thing with the iPhone that they did with the iPod. It's already happening, as shown by the numerous 3rd-party accessories available on launch day.

Future versions:
- iPhone mini
- iPhone nano
- iPhone shuffle (okay, maybe not) :-)

Hmmm, the "iPhone metro"... that would be a cool name.

There will be different members of the iPhone family at difference price points and that is what existing members of the wireless industry should be afraid of. The onslaught, not just the introductory phone.

The iPhone is such a hot topic because of the iPod. Consumers know they are in for a well-designed, fun-to-use product, and that's the source of the excitement.

The iPhone is the first Apple product family where we'll know about new releases months before its introduction, simply because of the FCC process.

Apple is also not geeking out the image of the iPhone by calling it a "smart phone". That would attract a very specific target audience. They are going broader. For example, how any teenagers would buy a Blackberry? Not many. However, I run into lots of business people that buy them.

The iPhone is going to clean house. That should scare Motorola. It's about time, too.

I take it that Motorola can no longer license iTunes for the ROKR and SLVR?

The iPhone will not harm the other companies to badly.

What is going to be really scary for them all is when Apple releases their "iPhone nano" - a phone that goes up against all the other "normal" phones and just makes calls, sends text messages, and takes pictures.

It truly is going to be just like the iPod. There are many other mp3 players out there that have many more features than the iPod, but using their software is like slamming your face up against a brick wall repeatedly. People don't like that.

The big thing that is going to limit the iPhone is just that it is targeted at the high-end user just like the iPod. There are many people who don't need 30GBs of music storage so they buy the ipod nano. That is why the iPod nano is Apple's best selling mp3 players. Many people just want a phone that makes calls and can send text messages.

In the end it all comes down to the software and Apple already has every other company beat to death in that category. It just hasn't been realized yet in the physical phone by the appending DOOM of the "iPhone Nano".

SHHHH. Don't say its name to loudly. It gives the other companies nightmares.