Why I Think The iPhone Is Not A Business Smartphone

I was reading Tim Moynihan’s blog entry, titled “Thirteen reasons to doubt the iPhone hype” on Crave and got to thinking. Specifically on reason number 7. An excerpt from that reason reads:

But as Tom Krazit and Declan McCullagh kindly point out:

1. Yahoo e-mail isn’t going to cut it in the business world.
2. It’s unknown which business applications will be available for the iPhone.
3. Will there be file-compatibility issues between the iPhone and Windows-centric businesses? Remember, the Vista age is almost upon us, and even next-generation Windows programs may have issues with files created in older versions.

Reading through that it made me realize, that yeah the iPhone is not a business smartphone. It wasn’t designed that way. I don’t think Apple intended it for that use. Sure it does have the price point of a business smartphone, however I think it’s a consumer smartphone.

Apple is and I think not until Steve Job’s steps down a primarily consumer focused company. All their products are geared towards everyday consumers. While Macs are great computers and are used by companies espcially in the creative industry, I don’t think the business or corporate market was in Apple’s sights. Well except for it’s x-serves but I think even that was geared more for the creative and education markets.

All of Apple’s products are designed with the consumer in mind. The Macs and iPods were all designed to make our digital life easier and better. So why should the iPhone be different?

I think Steve and co. really designed the iPhone to be a smartphone for consumers. So the point that yahoo’s email won’t cut for business users, while true is really not a problem. What business applications will be available for the iPhone? Initially, I think nada. Not unless you consider email and web surfing. These are both used by businesses as well but it’s also used by consumers. As for file compatibilitie’s with Window’s centric files well, that’s something I don’t know much about. But without any word, powerpoint, excel app in the iPhone, I don’t think this will be a problem.

So for those people saying that the iPhone lacks punch as a business phone, well I think your assumptions that it was meant to be one is wrong.

The iPhone is expensive, that I agree whole-heartedly. It’s expensive because it’s still tied up with a 2 year contract. If it was priced the same without the contract then I think it would be a good deal already, considering all the technologies inside it. My current phone, the Nokia e61 is about $400 without a contract but it doesn’t come close to the iPhone.

I think that the strategy that Apple made in terms of making the iPhone a closed environment as of now is a good one. This is their first foray in the mobile phone market. They don’t want a product that will be looked upon as faulty because people keep installing stuff on it that breaks it down. Sure, a lot of tech geeks will be buying iPhones but I think there are more people who will buy the iPhone who simply want a phone that works and is great and easy to use.

I would consider myself somewhere between a tech geek and an average consumer and really, I haven’t installed much apps on my smartphone. At least none that I can’t live without. The closest app that I can’t live without that’s installed on my phone is my IM app. Now that’s something that I’d like to see on the iPhone. Although I hope that Apple doesn’t lock it to just iChat and AIM.

I think for the time being Apple will keep the iPhone a closed environment just to give people a phone that works great and is fun and easy to use. Something that will please a broader segment of their market. We must undestand that even if we are tech geeks and are early adopters of technology, we’re still outnumbered by the majority of consumers that are Apple’s customers.