Is the iPhone finished?

[realityhack]

With regard to MS - I think what's killing them is the lack of a decent app infrastructure, as developers don't want to code apps for them either because it's a smaller market (so the cost/benefit doesn't stack up), or it's more onerous to code for that OS.

I can't see Android dying, and there's such a massive captive market for iOS that it's worth refreshing the UI, also - I think Apple are getting the message that ppl aren't happy having small functionality changes from one release to the next, and will produce something more transformational next time round. Depends how much the accountants are ruling the roost now Jobs has gone.

Linux is an interesting move - although if Ubuntu take the same approach to mobile UI development as they do to the desktop versions, it'll remain the preserve of the geeky few.

Such a shame that Palm OS died out really - I did like their approach.

Blackberry? That's becoming more like chavberry lately. Burning platform.

Feel free to quote me in later years if this turns out to be horsetulip.

[ZARDOZ]

Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Those who are satisfied with commodity goods at knock-down prices will always find something in the market to make them happy. Android is useful in that it allows Apple to ignore external pressures to cater to those who value low price over quality.

It's cost about £100 to make one, that's quite a mark up. They could sell them for quite a lot less.

[suityou01]

Ubuntu need to sort the upgrade management parts first.

[BoredBloke]

Anybody know how well the widows phones integrate with proper office apps. I had a play with the copy of Excel on one a bit back and was quite impressed

[NickFitz]

It's cost about £100 to make one, that's quite a mark up. They could sell them for quite a lot less.

Between $199 and $230 depending on memory for the parts, according to this teardown: iPhone 5 Carries $199 BOM, Virtual Teardown Reveals

They specify an $8 manufacturing cost to be added to that. Then there are going to be other overheads, such as distribution and operation of their retail stores.

But at the end of the day, as long as people are willing to pay for them, they'll continue to reap about 75% of the profit in the market.

[ZARDOZ]

Cheapest iPhone 5 costs an estimated $168 to make but sells for $649 | VentureBeat

That's a rip-off. I appreciate most Appleheads are as fervent as fundamentalist Godheads so I'll stop now.

[d000hg]

Cheapest iPhone 5 costs an estimated $168 to make but sells for $649 | VentureBeat

That's a rip-off. I appreciate most Appleheads are as fervent as fundamentalist Godheads so I'll stop now.

Most Apple owners aren't Appleheads though.

[Platypus]

There's lots of talk about iOS being dated and so on, less functional than Android. I ditched my Android (ice cream sandwich) when the i5 came out and I'm glad I switched. ICS was a big improvement on the previous incarnation, whatever that was called. The bloke down the pub who bought my phone has upgraded to Jelly Bean and it looks ok but I don't see anything radically new.

Talk about "hating that iOS is tied to iTunes" ... I find that somewhat of a bonus. On the Android I'd set up a folder on my PC with my Music in, used a program called MP3TAG to sort out tags and so on, then used some (paid for) sync software to copy it to the Android. Which wasn't very convenient. Whereas iTunes syncs automatically and allows me to mess with tags if I need to. I never did figure out if there was an Android equivalent or preferred iTunes-like bit of software. Most likely there were 20, but which one to choose?

I'd agree that Android is a more techy phone, but most people I know who have one bought on price and haven't the foggiest how to use it. Its techiness was what put me off in the end, as I approach my dotage I prefer devices that are easy to use, do the job and don't need lots of screwing around with to be made to work.

And one more thing I don't like about Android - every version is different, every handset maker adds their own tweaks and "value add". Person A asks person B "how do you do X on your phone?" and the answer is different every time because almost nothing is in the same place on 2 Android phones.

I've read forums and blogs where folks claim that this is part of the beauty of Android, it's individual, customisable and only for tech savvy people. Well frankly I find that a PITA these days. It's going the same way as Linux, it'll fragment itself to death.

That's my 2cents, for now. I've never owned an Apple product (apart from an iPod classic that I never used) until 2012 so don't be accusing me of being a fanboi!

[Platypus]

Cheapest iPhone 5 costs an estimated $168 to make but sells for $649 | VentureBeat

That's a rip-off.

What a dickish remark! How much do you charge for your time per hour? My bet is rather more than your "cost price". Unless you're a low end contractor. If so, then think about lawyers, accountants, dentists, doctors... what a RIP OFF !!

[Bunk]

I have no doubt you can do all sorts of cool stuff on an Android phone that you can't do on an iPhone. What makes me laugh is that most of the people who keep telling me their phone is much better than mine can barely figure out how to switch it on.

A couple of guys who sit beside me at clientco were going on the other about how great their phones were and one of their main plus points was that you could use a micro SD card and therefore had unlimited storage, unlike my crappy iPhone. After a few minutes listening to them it became apparent that neither of them had figured out how to save files to their SD card instead of their phone's memory so they weren't even using this 'unlimited storage'.



Obviously not everyone is that useless but it illustrates the point that being able to do anything with the phone isn't necessarily a good thing.