I think the question of third-party apps is a rather artificial one, and it originates from the fact that the most vociferous people discussing the iPhone on the web are geeks and tech bloggers and Mac fans, who would all love to install third-party apps, or even develop some.
The real question is, however, whether or not the iPhone will have good apps, either pre-installed or available for download. Skype or iChat come to mind, but with Cingular's stranglehold on the iPhone, it's dubious.
Also, the iPhone simply isn't going after the (tiny) market of the Treo or the P990. It isn't a business phone, or a geeky phone. It is for people who would never consider a Treo, but still want to surf the web and use e-mail.
My only doubts are whether or not the iPhone's decidedly limited initial functionality will be enough. No, I don't mean that users would miss SSH or Xcode, but rather that they'd miss speed dial, contact search, and other basic phone functionality that people expect to find on any cellphone.
by Andrs Puiz — Jan 16
The real question is, however, whether or not the iPhone will have good apps, either pre-installed or available for download. Skype or iChat come to mind, but with Cingular's stranglehold on the iPhone, it's dubious.
Also, the iPhone simply isn't going after the (tiny) market of the Treo or the P990. It isn't a business phone, or a geeky phone. It is for people who would never consider a Treo, but still want to surf the web and use e-mail.
My only doubts are whether or not the iPhone's decidedly limited initial functionality will be enough. No, I don't mean that users would miss SSH or Xcode, but rather that they'd miss speed dial, contact search, and other basic phone functionality that people expect to find on any cellphone.