Maria,

The iPhone has interested mainstream consumers who have cheap phones in the concept of a smartphone. People who may have tried a Treo/Blackberrys, or PDAs, and didn’t like the complexity are intrigued by the seeming simplicity of using the iPhone. These people have cheap phones not because they couldn’t afford the more expensive phones/PDAs, but because in their previous experiences, they always eventually stopped using the complex device. These people value simplicity: simplicity in choice, simplicity in use, because time is their most precious resource. Carl Howe at blackfriarsinc.com and others have written about this Tyranny of Too Much.

I have a cheap RAZR. I’ve tried Palm, Handspring, Treo and Blackberry and didn’t like any of them; and I hate the RAZR user interface. I’d like an iPhone – I’d like to have access to web services from a pocketable device – but I’m not yet buying as I don’t like it so much to break my contract yet.

Nice overview post considering it is from an Apple stockholder :)

I cannot afford a new phone right now, but would not jump on iPhone yet even if I could. Taking a sideline view like you. I would like to see more reviews after more user experiences, over time.

I am not surprised by the hype – remember Microsoft’s Origami mobile PC just a while back? The buzz far out-weighed the biz. The iPhone certainly does have the cool factor, and the “gotta have the latest tech gadget” early adapters will always wait in line.

As a result, the iPhone plus it’s 2 year plan ends up being cheaper than most discounted smartphones with their 2 year plans.