Will you Buy an iPhone Tomorrow?

As I started drafting this post yesterday, I was prepared to talk all about why I didn’t really want/need an iPhone and all of the reasons to wait for version 2 or 3. Then, I watched the Guided Tour.

This product is absolutely amazing. I hesitate to even refer to it as a phone, since that’s only 1 piece of what it really does. The four main features are the phone, ipod, web browser, and email. Not only do each of these pieces function better than on pretty much any other phone, but they are also integrated.

The thing that I love most about Apple is their focus on building products from the user’s perspective. This fundamental principle of the company comes across in their design as well as their explanations of the products. In the guided tour, the narrator does not talk about specs or use much technical jargon. He explains the features of the product in terms of how they help the user in their daily lives.

The Maps feature on the iPhone is perhaps the most interesting. Using Google Maps, you can pinpoint your current location, get directions, and see traffic updates, all of the usual stuff. More important, you can find restaurants, businesses, etc. near your location or a place where you will be traveling, get their number and make a reservation.

I think this is where the evolution of technology is heading. People are beginning to use tools like this not only to perform the individual functions of emailing, listening to music, or browsing websites, but also to interact with the world around them. Maybe this sounds somewhat ridiculous. People need an iPhone or similar device to interact with the physical world. What I really mean is that the design of these tools will continue to become less about working in isolation and more about being a part of the world community.

The only thing the Maps application is missing when it comes to seeing these restaurants is some sort of community interaction. If I see 5 sushi restaurants in San Francisco, how do I know which one to go to? I want to read what other people have to say about these places and see the consumer ratings that they get. This seems like a simple addition that would improve the value of the tool and further engage users.

So, will I buy an iPhone tomorrow? Sadly, the answer is no. First, there is the $600 price tag. There’s also that pesky little contract that I signed with TMobile a few months ago when I got my Blackberry (which, by the way, works well but is no where near as pretty as the iPhone).

If you get one, please let me know what parts of it you like and which ones are a bit disappointing. As good as the people at Apple are, we all know that there will be room for improvement.