Worst of the Week: I’ve had it with the iPhone!

Hello!
And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way. We hope you enjoy it!
And without further ado:
So, it looks to be official. The iPhone is a full-blown epidemic of American Idol proportions. You can’t defeat it, you can only hope to contain it. And even that seems to be pointless. Just ask any domestic carrier not named AT&T Mobility.
The latest numbers from the No. 2 operator, but at the current rate of growth perhaps soon to be No. 1 again, showed that 1.9 million new iPhone users signed up with the carrier during the fourth quarter of 2008. That is on top of the 2.4 million iPhone subscribers inked during the third quarter, the first in which the new 3G version of the device was available.
These are heady numbers for a device that retails for at least $200 and requires customers to pay at least $70 per month for service.
(Full disclosure: I am not and probably will never be an iPhone owner simply because my fat fingers make it impossible for me to type accurately with the on-screen keyboard. I’ve tried and tried, but am just clumsy enough to not be able to master the device. So this rant could be tinged with some bitterness. You have been warned.)
When it launched in the early summer of 2007, most thought the touchscreen device would be a game changer that would at least temporarily alter the mobile landscape. But, here we are, more than a year-and-a-half later and it looks like the iPhone phenomenon has not only altered the landscape, but it has slashed and burned its way through competitors and left many on the brink. It seems that every handset manufacturer has launched a so-called iPhone-killer, most of which have failed to live up to the hype or ease of use that Apple mastered on its first attempt.
I must admit that at times I have fallen prey to the onslaught. This often happens when someone asks me advice on buying a new phone and the iPhone envariably comes up in the conversation. Initially I would go through the pros and cons of the device, citing a need to sign up with AT&T Mobility and that service plans would begin at $70 per month and that the device does not include some basic functionality available on just about every other handset. But, what I have found is that it does not seem to matter what I tell people, all they really want me to say is: “Yes, you should buy the iPhone. In fact you should buy two in case an elephant steps on one of them.” Really, this is what I think people want me to say.
And people who own the device just can’t seem to get enough of it. They are always wanting to show me some app, which usually involves some crappy, free app they downloaded and is fun to use once, maybe twice. The only way I can usually maintain a calm demeanor after such demonstrations is to then ask if they could take a picture of something and send it to my phone. You know, a task that any real cellphone should be able to accomplish. Sure, this is childish, and should not take away from all the other cool aspects of the iPhone, but when cornered by an iPhone, I find an unreasonable response is the best response.
But, this will all end. I have now come around to the opinion that the iPhone is the greatest invention since the Chia Pet and as deserving of my accolades.
OK! Enough of that.
Thanks for checking out this Worst of the Week column. And now, an extra:
–We try not to get too tied up with the dozens of new applications launched on a daily basis for the iPhone, but one crossed our desks last week that drew a double take. The “Ballroom Dance Channel,” which describes itself as the “premier online and mobile destination for ballroom dancing lessons,” unveiled its own how-to app for the iPhone. As Scott Flacks, COO of the BDC notes: “Building on the success of our Web site, we are excited to offer the world’s only ballroom dance mobile application. iPhone users can practice basic steps anytime, anywhere on their mobile phones for less than a dollar.” Sounds awesome, though I hope those looking to practice these steps “anytime, anywhere” avoid doing so anywhere where I can see them as my tolerance for people dancing with their iPhones is quite low.
I welcome your comments. Please send me an e-mail at dmeyer@crain.com. Or, if you prefer, leave a comment in the space below.