MacWorld 2007 Keynote - OMFG IPHONEE!!!!!11111
The iPod was talked about, some statistics showing the iPod's continued dominance were tossed out. A few sly jokes about the Zune were also made. No updates were made to the iPod, nor to the Mac. More content on iTunes was mentioned, particularly Paramount putting their movie library on iTunes. Apple showed off the iTV, renamed it Apple TV, and provided additional details (HDMI, 720p, shipping in February, yadda yadda yadda). Check out the website if you're curious. I'm not going to talk about it much since I wrote a previous entry on it and nothing significantly new was unveiled. Apple also quietly updated the Airport Extreme adding support for the speedy 802.11n protocol and a new design.
Perhaps, most curiously Apple announced they were dropping Computer from their name to become Apple, Inc. This was a long-predicted and rumored change, I remember the first prediction of this back when the iPod was first announced. Interesting that Apple waited so long to make the change. Some argue the change may finally point to a shift at Apple away from computers into other electronic markets where Apple could expand. I think, or rather hope, it points to Apple being more open to entering new markets and potentially making new markets altogether.
Apple iPhone
The majority of the show, of course, was dedicated to the long-rumored iPhone, which fans were shocked to learn is still called the iPhone despite Linksys grabbing the name for their VoIP phone family. Of particular interest, is that the rumored iPhone and full-screen iPod proved to in fact be the same device (Apple has videos on the site detailing how iTunes works on the iPhone).
The device comes in 4GB ($499) and 8GB ($599) variations and in America is bound to Cingular's network. Both models sport a 3.5-inch Touch Screen display and runs a specially designed version of Mac OS X. The Phone comes with fully-featured versions of iTunes, iPhoto, Apple Mail, Safari, Google Maps, and support for Mac OS X's Dashboard Widgets. The device is a quad-band GSM phone (which means it potentially works all over the world), boasts support for Cingular's new high-speed EDGE service in addition to WiFi (802.11b/g) and naturally includes Bluetooth EDR connection for synching with a computer, file transfer, and headset peripherals. Oh, it also has a 2 megapixel camera.
The device is less than a half-inch thick and is about 4.5-inches long. The majority of the face of the unit is a touch-screen. Not just a touch screen, the iPhone has the first multi-touch screen in the industry (something Apple has collected a patent on too), and the whole interface has been designed around using nothing but your fingers. The example that was given was resizing an image on screen by 'pinching' it with your fingers. This has a potential to be really incredible.
The device the 3.5-inch screen has 160ppi (pixels per inch) compared to the industry average for computer monitors is about 100ppi. This means while the screen is small the pixels are much more densely packed allowing for a much more crisp detailed image than a standard screen. This can go a long way on a device with such a small screen, particularly with web browsing.
In typical Apple fashion the device has a lot of subtle touches. First off, the device also detects how you have the device oriented and automatically switches the display between portrait and landscape. The iPhone also detects proximity to your ear and automatically turns off the display to save power. The ambient light sensor detects the amount of light and automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast for viewability and power savings. If you're listening to music or watching a video in iTunes and a you receive a call the device fades out and pauses allowing you to accept your call. Once you hang up the device automatically fades in the video or music you were listening to from where it left off.
The device bleeds usability and a feature-set as-of-yet unmatched in the industry. The combination comes as a surprise to everyone, I remember only a week ago poking around various mobile phone enthusiast websites where people were convinced Apple couldn't match the feature set of other Smartphones without complicating the device. I think Apple has proven there is quite a lot of room for improvement in the Smartphone market, and created an interface that looks easy intuitive (driven by the multi-touch screen) but also quite beautiful with subtle animations that make the device look like an absolute joy to use. I really encourage anyone reading this to look at the demonstrations on Apple's site because it looks absolutely stunning.
Apple claims the iPhone will revolutionize the cellular phone industry. That may certainly prove to be correct, but for now there is little doubting this device will revolutionize the Smartphone market. Smartphones, at least up until now, have been an entirely separate market from standard phones. Smart Phones have for the most part been rather bland, un-stylish, and expensive phones boasting PDA features that wouldn't interest the majority of people.
But Apple has arguably changed all that, offering a Smartphone that not only looks a lot better than its competitors but is superior in nearly every way at the same cost as the higher-end Smart Phones. Apple is poised to really change this market, and potentially despite the device's high cost significantly expand the Smartphone market much like they did to the MP3 Player market with the iPod.
Not surprisingly, Apple is aggressively pushing this device, an example of that is their stated end-of-year goal of a 1% (10 million unit) market share of the 957 million phones sold every year world-wide. The iPhone has already founds its way to prominence on the Apple homepage where it has its own tab alongside iPod+iTunes. We'll see whether they can achieve their goal by year's end, but I have little doubt this device will make huge headlines and has the potential to become a must-have gadget like the iPod. Less than an hour after the event ended (as of time of typing), already 1,036 articles have been written on it according to Google News. Apple doesn't seem to need hype, unlike a certain other company up at Redmond who struggled to keep the media from nodding off during their uninspired CES address.
In the meantime, anyone want to go into business with me making screen wipes and spray on cleaner? We're going to make such a killing. My friends, it looks as though integration (Communication, Internet, Multimedia) has finally been achieved.
EDIT: Real™ high-resolution pictures of the iPhone's hardware (See what the back looks like), and high-resolution pictures of the software have been uploaded.
Perhaps, most curiously Apple announced they were dropping Computer from their name to become Apple, Inc. This was a long-predicted and rumored change, I remember the first prediction of this back when the iPod was first announced. Interesting that Apple waited so long to make the change. Some argue the change may finally point to a shift at Apple away from computers into other electronic markets where Apple could expand. I think, or rather hope, it points to Apple being more open to entering new markets and potentially making new markets altogether.
Apple iPhone
The majority of the show, of course, was dedicated to the long-rumored iPhone, which fans were shocked to learn is still called the iPhone despite Linksys grabbing the name for their VoIP phone family. Of particular interest, is that the rumored iPhone and full-screen iPod proved to in fact be the same device (Apple has videos on the site detailing how iTunes works on the iPhone).
The device comes in 4GB ($499) and 8GB ($599) variations and in America is bound to Cingular's network. Both models sport a 3.5-inch Touch Screen display and runs a specially designed version of Mac OS X. The Phone comes with fully-featured versions of iTunes, iPhoto, Apple Mail, Safari, Google Maps, and support for Mac OS X's Dashboard Widgets. The device is a quad-band GSM phone (which means it potentially works all over the world), boasts support for Cingular's new high-speed EDGE service in addition to WiFi (802.11b/g) and naturally includes Bluetooth EDR connection for synching with a computer, file transfer, and headset peripherals. Oh, it also has a 2 megapixel camera.
The device is less than a half-inch thick and is about 4.5-inches long. The majority of the face of the unit is a touch-screen. Not just a touch screen, the iPhone has the first multi-touch screen in the industry (something Apple has collected a patent on too), and the whole interface has been designed around using nothing but your fingers. The example that was given was resizing an image on screen by 'pinching' it with your fingers. This has a potential to be really incredible.
The device the 3.5-inch screen has 160ppi (pixels per inch) compared to the industry average for computer monitors is about 100ppi. This means while the screen is small the pixels are much more densely packed allowing for a much more crisp detailed image than a standard screen. This can go a long way on a device with such a small screen, particularly with web browsing.
In typical Apple fashion the device has a lot of subtle touches. First off, the device also detects how you have the device oriented and automatically switches the display between portrait and landscape. The iPhone also detects proximity to your ear and automatically turns off the display to save power. The ambient light sensor detects the amount of light and automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast for viewability and power savings. If you're listening to music or watching a video in iTunes and a you receive a call the device fades out and pauses allowing you to accept your call. Once you hang up the device automatically fades in the video or music you were listening to from where it left off.
The device bleeds usability and a feature-set as-of-yet unmatched in the industry. The combination comes as a surprise to everyone, I remember only a week ago poking around various mobile phone enthusiast websites where people were convinced Apple couldn't match the feature set of other Smartphones without complicating the device. I think Apple has proven there is quite a lot of room for improvement in the Smartphone market, and created an interface that looks easy intuitive (driven by the multi-touch screen) but also quite beautiful with subtle animations that make the device look like an absolute joy to use. I really encourage anyone reading this to look at the demonstrations on Apple's site because it looks absolutely stunning.
Apple claims the iPhone will revolutionize the cellular phone industry. That may certainly prove to be correct, but for now there is little doubting this device will revolutionize the Smartphone market. Smartphones, at least up until now, have been an entirely separate market from standard phones. Smart Phones have for the most part been rather bland, un-stylish, and expensive phones boasting PDA features that wouldn't interest the majority of people.
But Apple has arguably changed all that, offering a Smartphone that not only looks a lot better than its competitors but is superior in nearly every way at the same cost as the higher-end Smart Phones. Apple is poised to really change this market, and potentially despite the device's high cost significantly expand the Smartphone market much like they did to the MP3 Player market with the iPod.
Not surprisingly, Apple is aggressively pushing this device, an example of that is their stated end-of-year goal of a 1% (10 million unit) market share of the 957 million phones sold every year world-wide. The iPhone has already founds its way to prominence on the Apple homepage where it has its own tab alongside iPod+iTunes. We'll see whether they can achieve their goal by year's end, but I have little doubt this device will make huge headlines and has the potential to become a must-have gadget like the iPod. Less than an hour after the event ended (as of time of typing), already 1,036 articles have been written on it according to Google News. Apple doesn't seem to need hype, unlike a certain other company up at Redmond who struggled to keep the media from nodding off during their uninspired CES address.
In the meantime, anyone want to go into business with me making screen wipes and spray on cleaner? We're going to make such a killing. My friends, it looks as though integration (Communication, Internet, Multimedia) has finally been achieved.
EDIT: Real™ high-resolution pictures of the iPhone's hardware (See what the back looks like), and high-resolution pictures of the software have been uploaded.