5.5 Reasons: Why I didn’t buy an iPhone

Ok so the iPhone is sleek, sexy and the talk of the town. Several people have asked me when I was going to get one. Like many people, I enjoy staying abreast of the trends and I’ll typically keep a newer cell phone. If you don’t, they break down anyway in about a year so you might as well keep your eyes open. But after months of anticipation over the highly coveted prize, I won’t dare buy one; at least not yet; and here’s why:

1. Not enough features. If anyone has an iPod or an MP3 player and you happen to be into listening to your music more often than not; you probably have more than 8GB of space for your player. The iPhone only offers a 4GB or 8GB version device, which is hardly enough. In the coming weeks, you’ll still find many people with an iPhone still carrying at least two devices. I’m not really impressed with the contacts and how they are listed. You shouldn’t have to scroll through your entire list of “T’s” in your contact list to get to your friend “Tzeng”. Honestly the device is very very sleek, but the iPhone has blown me away. It doesn’t even have a task list.

2. That damn thing is expensive. $499 for the 4GB and $599 for the 8GB. It’s sexy; but not that damn sexy. I’m sure there are a number of people though that have spent their have their paycheck just to say that they have the iPhone though. The features don’t command that much money for me and my next three points will further justify why I wouldn’t pay that type of money on the device. Take $100-$150 off that price and maybe we can start talking. Not to mention that the accessories for the iPhone are expensive as well.

3. AT&T’s EDGE Network is slow. Whomever made the decision to choose AT&T as the “sole” provider of the iPhone should be fired. Why would they choose, Cingular at the time to launch a device whose features are reliant on the speed of its network? Did Apple run any speed tests against other possible vendors? HELLO? I’m sure they did, and for some complelling reason; which most of the world doesn’t understand they chose Cingular/ AT&T. Maybe Cingular had some big plans for speeding up the network, but the buyout by AT&T slowed up that process. Whatever the case, it was a bonehead move; one that users of the iPhone will regret. And knowone in their right mind wants to jump from one hotspot to another just to get faster speeds; not to mention that you have to pay extra for hotspots these days ontop of your slow EDGE network. By the time AT&T picks up the speed, the 4G networks will be out.

4. First gen phone. If you know Apple and how technology works in general, you just don’t release all the fancy features in the first model. There are usually problems to resolve and more money to make on advanced features that should have really been released on the first model. But someone has to buy the latest and greatest things so it will be fully tested by the time folks like myself are ready for a mature product. Thanks for working the kinks out.

5. Lack of business support. And lastly, most businesses in the world will not support this device if they are remotely concerned with security. Almost every month there is another headline featuring a business that had data stolen from a lost laptop, third-party data breach and even handheld data from a smartphone. So all the executives now with an iPhone, also carry their Blackberry or Treo, along with their 40-80GB iPod.

5.5. My wife wants one. If I got one, then I’d be purchasing another one for my wife. I know many of you are thinking the same thing. If it’s not your wife, your children, girlfriend, whomever. I can’t imagine shelling out over $1000 for two phones. These things must be for true ballers only.

So, I’m still waiting for a real all-in-one device. Apple came close, but maybe in a year or so, someone will create a device as hot as the iPhone combining the latest features with a sleek design.