Apple's New Phone Has Core Strengths

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday July 10, 2008

Stephen Hutcheon

THE mobile device dubbed the Jesus Phone is about to have its second coming. The iPhone 3G, the new incarnation of Apple's first foray into the mobile handset business, will go on sale in 22 countries tomorrow.

Australians will be among the first in the world to experience the buzz surrounding this much-hyped touch-screen device that is part phone, part iPod and part pocket computer.

For the past couple of weeks, this reporter has had the opportunity to poke and prod the iPhone 3G, putting it through its paces to see if it does perform the kind of miracles that earned it the Jesus Phone moniker.

The good news for Australian consumers is that because three carriers are offering the phone, there is an array of plans and deals available. However all iPhones will be locked to the carrier from which the device was bought.

In addition to the phone and iPod, the device comes pre-installed with several applications, including those that will allow you to surf the internet, collect emails, take and store photographs, watch YouTube videos and plot your position on the GPS-enabled Google Maps feature.

The iPhone's core advantage is still its simplified process of accessing internet services, giving users quick-click access to features such as email and internet browsing.

Despite some shortcomings, the iPhone still has a couple of aces up its sleeve.

One is a service called the App Store. Indications are that App Store will feed the iPhone the way the iTunes Store feeds the iPod.

For about $10, iPhone 3G owners will be able to tap into a potentially bottomless pit of content that can transform their phone into a game console, a musical instrument or a medical encyclopedia.

The support for corporate email systems and the App Store will extend the phone's appeal to new markets.

While it still has many elements of a versatile consumer gadget, the iPhone 3G appears to also have a greater utility that will make it more of a workhorse and less of a show pony.

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