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January 9, 2007

hardware

MW07: The real iPhone stands up

Posted Jan. 9, ’07, 11:41 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Hardware

The Real iPhoneI don’t even know how to start this post. Perhaps with a healthy heaping of crow: I’ll admit it, I didn’t think an Apple phone was coming. And I sure as hell didn’t think it would be called the iPhone after Linksys snagged the name (of course, now I’m wondering if Steve arranged for that somehow). And yet, today Apple pulled the wraps off the long-rumored device—is it everything we’ve hoped for?

Let’s start with what’s inside. A 2MP camera is joined by Wi-Fi (unspecified flavor 802.11b/g), Bluetooth (2.0 EDR, we certainly hope), and Quad-band GSM + EDGE. The iPhone is the culmination of Apple’s portable devices: not only is it a phone, but it’s an iPod, and an Internet device. Running a version of OS X, it supports SMS, Dashboard widgets, and a feature called Visual Voicemail, that will allow you to listen to your voicemail in any order you choose. There’s also web-browsing via an included version of Safari, and an HTML-compatible email client that supports IMAP or POP. Contacts can be synced with either a Mac or a PC, and media is controlled via iTunes.

Perhaps most revolutionary is the iPhone’s spartan UI. Most operations are done through a 3.5” touchscreen with Multi-Touch capability that Apple has patented the hell out of. Besides that, there’s a small Home button, volume controls on the side, and a ring/silent switch.

Battery live will be five hours of talk time, video or Web page browsing, or 16 hours of audio playback. And, of course, what everybody’s waiting for: the price. It’ll come in 4GB and 8GB models costing $499 and $599 respectively. That’s with a two year contract from Cingular, the only announced partner at this point. The drop date is June 2007 for the US (late 2007 for Europe, 2008 for Asia), but the device is announced now to prevent the FCC from leaking the product launch.

I’m sure there will be many, many more details to come, and we’ll keep you updated on all of them, so stay tuned.

Update: Wireless is 802.11b/g (thanks!) and Bluetooth 2.0 confirmed. More details on the tech specs page at Apple.


14 Comments

Moe said:

I swore I preferred my devices separately!! But why am I pulling the trigger already on the iPhone. I am stunned and shocked. I think I wet myself with excitement. Plus, I have a few months of gathering the coins to pay for this bad boy. The greatest feature for me is wi-fi and of course the iPod.

Zune... What is that?

January 9, 2007 11:50 AM
Jeremy McCullough said:

Apple's website mentions Wireless B/G on the technical specifications, I believe.

I'd like to see iChat as an option, since there'll be WiFi.

January 9, 2007 11:52 AM
Steve said:

The phone is cool, no doubt. But I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the keynote overall. I may get an iPhone one day.

But there was nothing other than the phone! Nothing about the final promised features of Leopard, much less a ship date. Nothing about iLife or iWork 07. And nothing about computers at all.

The iPhone will make Apple a lot of money, which is a good thing. But I use a cell phone a few times a day. I use my Mac all day, and even for fun in the evening. I feel a little left out in the new sans-"computer" Apple world.

January 9, 2007 11:55 AM
Neil Miller said:

I love the new iPhone, but I am just wondering why apple didn't release a stand-alone widescreen ipod? Don't they realize that not everyone has Cingular and those people want a widescreen iPod as well? I hope they do this b/c it would be a real shame if the only way to get it would be through the iPhone.

Anyway, my $0.02

- Neil

January 9, 2007 12:40 PM
Tony Di Giacomo said:

I always liked my devices seperate. Maybe I'm so 20th Century that way. But only Apple would have me drooling over a cell phone. Damn, now I gotta save my money.

January 9, 2007 1:07 PM
Moe said:

Holy iPhone... I totally forgot about that. Thanks for bringing that up Steve (is this you Mr. Jobs?).

What about Leopard? and iLife 07? He has a great point. Unless Apple is considering dumping leopard and its OS on computers completely and rely solely on the iPhone. Wait a minute... Apple also dropped the "computer" from its name. That may mean that Apple won't be making no more computers, iPods, software. Just iPhones!!

You never seem to amaze me Steve.

January 9, 2007 1:07 PM
Todd Heidenreich said:

I will buy one of these 10 minutes after I find out I can get one without a camera. :(

Since I can't take a camera phone into work, it would be sort of pointless to spend $600 on a phone I would have to leave at home. I just can't be the only person who has this problem. Come on Apple, make me spend my money!

January 9, 2007 1:12 PM
Pat Nakajima Author Profile Page said:

Moe, I couldn't have said it better myself.

January 9, 2007 1:27 PM
Paul said:

And now, the Big Question, the one that is my deal-breaker on the iPhone:

Will this damn thing have a replaceable BATTERY?

January 9, 2007 1:39 PM
ericg said:

it looks very cool and i want one but i doubt i'll get one. if i got one i'd want it to replace my 5g ipod that has 60 gb. 8gb is no where near enough space for me. if it had a large hard drive like the current ipods then maybe. also i wish the phone was unlocked. i hate cingular and won't be using there service again. if it was unlocked at least i could use it with t-mobile and be fine. that makes it unusable for me. also when are we going to see a regular widescreen ipod without the phone features. until that comes out or they unlock and increase the compacity of the iphone i'll stick with my current ipod. it's an amazing device but unusable for me.

January 9, 2007 2:06 PM
shadownight said:

Well, the iPhone is exciting and all, but what about iLife, Leopard, iWork... that was the stuff I was looking forward too... Definitely a weird keynote, but the iPhone looks amazing... but will I be able to get it in Canada? No mention of that :(

January 9, 2007 5:21 PM
Chris said:

FANTASTIC, SUPER even!

We have the iPhone!

Thank you Steve and Steve and everyone else at Apple!! You have done us very proud!

Another thing, glad it's not got two batteries.


January 10, 2007 4:30 AM
Robbie L. said:

I'm sure by the time it's released, a lot more things will be added to it. My question is how was Steve able to place calls on it if it's not approved by the FCC yet?

January 10, 2007 2:13 PM
wyld stalyn said:

i am really excited about htis new iphone. the only problem is that i do not have cingular. i cannot cancel my two year contract with my company, without paying a lot of money; and i know there are thousands of people in position. i am still hoping that they come out with a new stand alon ewide screen ipod for every one who already has a cell phone plan that is not cingular.

January 10, 2007 2:39 PM

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