| iPhone: The REAL iPod Killer |
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(Column) - Finally! It’s fair to say that we will soon see the real iPod killer in the market and from none other than Apple. Who would’ve thought? As you know, the iPhone, according to Apple, is a 3-in-1 device with a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and an Internet communications device integrated all in one. The most interesting feature out of the three, at least for the purpose of this column, is the highly advanced iPod integration functionality. The concept of the most advanced music player in a mobile phone is downright amazing, but unfortunately, Apple may be shooting itself in the foot with such convergence. Granted that the iPhone is only going to be available in 4GB and 8GB flavors and for some audiophiles, this amount of onboard storage isn’t going to be nearly enough, but for the vast majority of users, this isn’t such a bad deal, especially given the price tag. Not to mention, with touch controls and a widescreen display, it’s a dream come true for gadget lovers. Since the iPhone is also going to be a ridiculously powerful mobile device, the number of exciting applications that Apple will release throughout the product’s lifecycle is only going to make the iPhone an all around winner. And considering that a lot of users are interested in converging technologies and reducing the number of devices they carry, the iPhone is going to be the iPod on steroids. Another way to look at it, from a music lover’s perspective, is that you can now make calls and browse the web with your iPod. Can the real iPod do that? The problem for Apple is that when they are giving everything someone might need in one package, why would they opt for the iPod? Apple certainly won’t compromise the audio quality of the iPhone to purposely cripple its upcoming device to entice consumers into getting both devices. Then why would I need both devices? I don’t. Unfortunately for Apple, after the iPhone hits retail shelves, it should see a decline in iPod sales. iPhone has what it takes to be a phenomenon just like the iPod. Therefore, as the iPhone takes off, it will knock out some wind out of the iPod, which has been an amazingly successful product for Apple. If Apple wants to protect its market share in the digital audio market, it needs to work even harder to outdo itself. It’s not a matter of merely beating its competitors anymore; it’s now a matter of competing against its internal efforts to release and reinvent a new line of iPods in the near future. And that’s going to be the case for Apple for as long as it focuses on innovation. It will always have to compete against its previous efforts to continue to mesmerize consumers. With that said, it’s almost amusing to see that the real iPod killer is from none other than Apple. Talk about irony. Although iPhone will have the most advanced iPod to date, it will come at a price. Not only will you have to pay $499 and $599 for 4GB and 8GB versions, respectively, but you will also have to switch to Cingular as part of the deal. But hey, hopefully, you could combine your iPod, BlackBerry and a mobile phone in a single device. Check out the latest prices on Apple products at Apple.com!
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