Being I am such a Mactard you would think I have a iPhone right? I have been using Apple computers and products since the early 80′s (before the Macintosh) and have probably 95% apple products where applicable. Well I do not have a iPhone and I have no plans to get one. I get asked soooo many times why not so I thought I would make a post about why. Here are the biggest reasons off the top of my head. These may or may not apply to you based on what you need out of a phone or where you live.
1 – Coverage – Where I live in the midwest ATT has horrible coverage. Everytime someone visits me with an iPhone they complain about not being able to get service. This by itself is a deal killer. Every other major carrier works great.
2 – No keyboard. I just cant do the touchscreen thing. I know it looks cool and all that but its just not my thing. I need a full qwerty keyboard and I want real keys.
3 – iTunes Lock In – Its pretty lame that you can’t do anything without itunes. If I want to load a application from a developer why should it have to go through itunes? If I want a ringtone why should it have to go through iTunes ????? Maybe I am just a control freak.
4 – Battery Life – from my friends that have iPhones they pretty much all complain about the batter life. With my BlackBerry curve I have applications working 24/7. Stock ticker updates, email, news reader, twitter updates and I can go 72 hours without a charge depending on talk time.
I really like the iPhone. Its basically won every award for gadget of the year for 2007 and I expect the 3g version to sweep all the gadget awards in 2008. Its a really awesome toy and if I was not so business dependent on my phone I might consider getting one. I do have a ipod touch and its a fun toy… but that fun toy has not had any use since the first week I got it.
So in closing – Basically I have no friends to impress with the cool features, and I do not have time to constantly hax0r it with jailbreak so if I were to get a iPhone shortly after I got it I would be stuck with:
A phone with horrible coverage and battery life with no keyboard.
P.S. If you are a iPhone user and trying to cope with the low battery life this is a great guide to get a longer battery life
About the author...
Jeremy Schoemaker – who has written 2415 posts on ShoeMoney.com.
Hi I am Jeremy Schoemaker and ShoeMoney.com is my blog. 99% of the post here are done by me but you will see others occasionally make guest posts. This blog is fun to write but for my day job I run several online companies.
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{ 108 comments… read them below or add one }
iPhone is kinda overhyped. Of course it looks cool and.. it’s mac, but still there are much better options. I got a Nokia n81 and I believe that it totally beats iPhone.
You may have understated how bad the battery life sucks. I can barely make it from my house to my car without losing half my charge. Don’t even think about trying to have an application run constantly. They probably should have sold these phones with a backpack for extra power.
Good reasons and very interesting points of view. I use both: a iPhone and a Blackberry and i can understand all the concerns and reasons you brought up. Can you tell us what kind of applications ypu use on the balckberry for your business purpose? May be there is some helpfull ideas which i can use too.
@Brian I think the new 3G one gives you better batt. life, (as per engadget).
@ShoeMoney A typo there, 4th line .. “Well I have a iPhone” should be “Well I don’t have a iPhone “
I agree, the battery life sucks, and the limitation on apps is horrible, AFAIK, it’s difficult to put an app in without it coming from the iTunes store.
I like my Nokia N80, it does the job
Hmmm, I’ve been an iPhone user for a few months now and have no complaints. No coverage issues because I unlocked it to run T-Mobile, really good battery life (I also have it charging whenever I’m at my desk or in the car), and the touchscreen keyboard is really surprisingly good. I thought the keyboard would be the deal breaker for me too, but after using it for a while I feel it is faster than the real keys I used to have when I was a die had blackberry user. Being a Mactard as you say you are, I figured iTunes wouldn’t be so much of a problem for you.
Can’t see I’ve ever understood the fascination with the iPhone. I’m more than happy with my current mobile phone and see no reason to upgrade to Apple’s product any time soon.
jeremy,
i only have 1 reasons. the old iphone don’t have 3G yet in my country. thats why im not using iphone.
but when iphone with 3G arrived in my country, i’ll absolutely will buy it. iphone is very cool for me.
p/s: im from Malaysia
When I was in the states the iPhone had only just come out and there were queues to get into the Apple store in New York. I had to take a look so we went in after the rush was over. They are pretty cool phones but I won’t be getting one either. I hate to be tied to a plan so until they can be bought without one I will stick with my 02 PC Phone.
Can you explain that :
:p
i dident get the iphone since in canada only rogers offered it , decided to go with HTC Touch Of bell (and it sucks)
I keep trying to come up with reasons why I need an iPhone besides “It’s totally cool”, but I can’t find any… I pretty much use my phone for, well, making phone calls, and that’s about it.
I totally agree. People get so swept up with eye candy. If you have real business needs you just don’t have time to mess around.
Apple freak, BUT agree with Shoe on this one – blackberry for me – need Verizon for coverage. Hope to switch from 8830 to curve soon. Bad thing is I still use a RAZR also – easier to talk on. And my 3G sweet nano goes everywhere for music and books. Even though Verizon will not support tethering on blackberry for Mac, I figured out a workaround, so can connect my MB Pro to the internet from anywhere and work on a full size machine.
The coverage issue can be handled rather easily as you CAN unlock it.
Battery life depends on how you use your iPhone, but if any of your friends are disappointed they might want to sell theirs…
There are plenty of features available on standard cell phones that the Iphone doesn’t have and they cost 50% less. However, even if those issues were taken care of, I still wouldn’t consider it because of their exclusive contract with ATT. You’re in the market to sell phones. Why limit yourself?
Lets wait for the response for iPhones when launched next month in India. BTW here are some tips for Improving Apple iPhone Battery Life
hah my bad I meant to say I had a ipod touch fixed it
Valid reasons! For me, one reason I don’t have one is because of money. And popularity. I don’t like following the trends!
This is the fist one i read some real negative side of iPhone.
I also wanted an iPhone and the coverage here is horrid. Maybe now that verizon bought Atllel i can get a jailbroken iphone.
LoL
The one redeeming thing is all the apps that are built for it. There are some amazing apps out there. Here lies the true advantage.
well the battery issue alone is enough to be convinced on not buying a iphone.. Also its expensive and small people (like me) would certainly think hundred times…
dont think it is… n81 is also overrated on other sense…
I love this: “Its a really awesome toy and if I was not so business dependent on my phone I might consider getting one”, it’s exactly what we PC users have been saying about any mac for years. When it comes down to business…
Nokia e71 just came out, has everything you could ever need (we’ll I love it much more than the iPhone)
what problems do you have with the touch? what version of the OS are you running
Here in India, they are using these so called unlocked iPhone’s that were originally from the US AT&T network. They surprisingly work well here on different networks.
I couldn’t go with the iphone for similar reasons. My bberry is great.
hmm I always looked at PC’s as a jukebox or gaming machine. I guess its how you use it
i still want one! I just got wait until my contract runs out ! damn !…
I agree with the comment about coverage here in the Midwest – I’ll stick with my Treo on Verizon until I need something different.
I would love to have an iPhone, but I want to stick with Verizon (and I have four other people on my family plan that have to stay there too) and until they are offered for other carriers, no deal.
In the meantime, my iPod Touch functions as a tiny internet connection most places I go – good enough to check some websites and email. Last year I was amazed to find I could get several wifi connections inside Michigan Stadium during Univ of Mich football games, although it was hard to maintain – out of 111,000 people, probably 70,000 were fighting for those few connections…
I hate gadgets – to be honest, i think i was actually happier Pre-Internet/computer days (pre-mid 90s)
Although tech is good, it diminishes relationships.
Answer emails, etc…when you get back home or to the office…you don’t need to be ‘connected’ constantly, it’s annoying.
Quote: “If I want a ringtone why should it have to go through iTunes ????? Maybe I am just a control freak.”
Oh, really? Then why are you using Google Analytics and send all your traffic data to Google? And why are you telling all your Feed-Readers to subscribe for your feed located at feedburner.com and not shoemoney.com? What if Feedburner decided to close its service in the future? The connection between you and your readers would be lost. This is called a “single point failure” and nothing that a “control freak” would do.
if you have a network problem, you can get it unlocked.
I too dont like touch keypad things..
Disagree. It has given my wife and I both the freedom to move about while still running our businesses. Otherwise we would be tied to our home/office every weekend. Now we can go to the ball game or go camping and deal with a few phone calls if needed then get back to the fun!
Should the subject read “4 Valid Reasons I do not have an iPhone”?
I’ve been a Sidekick user for years. Great device. Best keyboard in the business, and they have a SSH client that lets you do remote admin stuff when you are in a bind.
I left my sidekick and went with the iPhone last year… Been pretty happy so far. My biggest gripe is no SSH client unless you hack the phone! Ridiculous. They offer a Telnet app (no secure telnet). Who uses just Telnet anymore without security?
And you are right, the keyboard is tough to adjust to. Not so bad, but the software in this new “2.0″ is a bit glitchy… worse than the previous version. The keyboard is actually slower and the backspace key gets “stuck” sometimes removing an entire line accidentally… And the browser crashes way more than it use to in the pre-2.0 OS.
But it is a pretty neat device, which is what helps it survive among functionally superior options. Even their email sucks… With my Sidekick I could view all my email accounts from one screen. Now I have to go into each account to view my mail one at a time.
Shouldn’t it be “Shouldn’t”?
The keyboard is essential, I just think it’s faster and less error prone than touch. I have always been of fan of BlackBerry and at least the batter life on those is pretty healthy after a couple days of use.
I actually really dislike iPhones. It sucks having the same phone as everyone else anyways. I never like to be like other people so I would rather have a different brand.
there are about 5,530,000 google results if you search for “iphone sucks”
So you like to be different just to be different? (Not because another product is better) That’s sad.
You forgot the “ATT is the devil” reason… I can’t stand that company, and refuse to be their customer after they F’d me over countless times.
Who are you linking to, Shoe? I was looking forward to some battery life saving tips for the iPhone, but clicking the link revealed a pretty messy blog post. I can somewhat get past what looks to be a language barrier and some speed blogging, but some of it just doesn’t make sense.
“Low brightness also helps > Having high brightness doesn’t at all affect the life of the battery, but still if you are trying to be a lot conservative, then you can adjust the iPhone brightness and set it to low which saves battery.”
So high brighness doesn’t affect battery life unless I’m trying to be a lot conservative in which case low brightness will save the battery.
OK Shoe,
You pushed me over the edge, I’m going BB going to try to hold out for the Bold.
As an owner of an iPhone, I agree with a few of your reasons. I live in Arizona, but originally lived in the midwest. When I fly home to visit family, I get no service, which pretty much makes my iPhone useless.
I also agree with the battery life not being so good. Ever since I installed the 2.0 update, it has been even worse. I have to charge the thing at least once every 2 days, if not more.
Yeah, the coverage is what gets me.
Does “batter life” refer to a measure of how long the batter lasts in the deep frier?
With you on this one Jeremy. Coverage is essential and so is a keyboard.
iphone is what i have been trying to own approximately for 6 months , they just dont sell it in Turkey .
there’s always ebay…once you get it, unlock it and use it with your local network
Seriously guys I will blow away anyone on those qwerty keyboards. The only people that really complain about are people that have not got the hang of the keyboard. Once you get it down you realize how crappy those little keys are. I have had all the phones minus the blackberry couldn’t bring myself to use one for more then a few minutes as the phones are clunky. Battery life has been no worse for me if anything better than most other smart phones. Trust me when I say once you know how to use the touch keyboard you will smoke anyone with real keys. People freak at me when I’m texting.
I completely agree with many of your reasons- I think coverage is the most important thing to consider- AT&T has terrible coverage in my area as well- and I would much rather have a full keyboard than a touch screen- I’d just rather have my keyboard.
I can’t use the iPhone with Verizon (unless I go through the hassle of unlocking one and getting Verizon to accept it?), so I will wait for an iPhone equivalent that works with Verizon.
I didn’t realize how much trouble people were having with the battery life- that guide shoe mentioned looks like it would help a lot!!
If you don’t need all the extra features don’t invest in the iPhone- if you wouldn’t use the extra features (internet, email, etc), then you probably wouldn’t have to pay for the monthly data usage you’d need to use that anyway. I too only use my current phone for making phone calls- it’s cheaper, and all I can afford right now!
It’s really good to hear some negatives about the iPhone. All the blogs I read continually say how great it is, but I can’t see any major advantage in using an iPhone over a Windows Mobile device or a Blackberry, both of which have been around much longer and have many 3rd party apps which can do just about anything. The iPhone is good, but not all that good compared to some other devices on the market. It’s a trendy fashion accessory for the majority, rather than a useful tool. “But it looks so good” does not mean it is good.
Am I one of the only people who mainly likes the keypad so I can type while my phones in my pocket?
I can easily go from having my phone in a locked state to sending a text to a friend and locking the phone again by just putting my hand in my pocket and feeling my way round the keys.
I could never do this with an iphone!
I don’t like the idea of being forced to use the provider they say for services when there are many competitors. I can’t say anything about the iPhone itself because I haven’t had the chance to use it and go through all the features with my own hands and until they give people the option of choosing their service provider, I don’t see myself getting an iPhone.
I hope Verizon gets something better then the iphone i love verizon cost little more but you get quallity service!
Honestly, it took me a couple days to get used to the keyboard. Now that I have, I can type faster on it than an any QWERTY phone I’ve ever used.
But yes, the battery life sucks.
Oh, and add this to your list: 5) if you drop it, you will most likely need to buy a new one.
I like Iphone, but its battery life and non-keypad or keybooard design is what I hate the most.
Your so right! Take a gander at our take on the new iPhone 3G:
All excellent points. When it comes right down to it, everyone’s needs are different and you need to use the tools that work best for you.
yes, why not try unlocked versions.
lol, nice reasons
I’m wondering if you do certain things to conserve battery life without realizing that you’re conserving your battery life. I heard that heat has a lot to do with battery life- there’s a rumor that overcharging it could harm your battery life. However, then I learn that it’s not the overcharging, it’s the heat that is generated from the charging of the battery. It was suggested that you turn off your phone when charging to cut down on the heat generated.
How do you go about getting service on an unlocked version of the iPhone? Do you just take it to your provider and say “I want this on my plan?”
I agree at this point in my life- I would prefer to acquire an iPod touch to be my toy and PDA.
I agree, the touch screen is a big issue for me- what if it gets all worn and stops working?
Hey Shoe, what’s your PIN Number?
I would never buy an iPhone. I like my old mobile phone because it has a long battery life, and I don’t need so many programs on a mobile phone. I only use my phone to call somebody or write an short message. so without this keyboard, it would take me hour to write a message, that’s uncomfortable. Don’t know why a mobile phone needs so many functions.
I think a mobile phone is not sufficient for doing MS work. Its keys are very small and difficult to use properly. So your decision is good that you are not going to buy Apple mobile phone.
I do not know what to say. I do not use iPhone and yet not going to use it. I have already accustomed to dispense with it.
I am also very accustomed to the keyboard. This is the important thing for me and my musical fingers. -)
Battery life definitely sucks and it is pretty clear someone at Apple has control issues… but that won’t last long. The coolest feature of the iPhone in my opinion is the applications you can download. But, most of these can be downloaded and used on an iPod Touch.
Overall I think the big issue here is the mobile application industry which is probably gonna make the ringtone industry look like a joke. But then there’s that android project, so who knows. Should be interesting, that’s for sure…
I figure the iphone would have aweful battery life after the 2 ipods I had!!!
iTunes is a HUGE deal buster for me. Apple is known for innovation, not openness!
With some tiny external speakers attached, my three year old loves her iTouch on long trips in the car. I can easily download some of her favorite tv kid shows right before a trip. Sesame Street podcasts are free! Really beats having to carry dvds and a larger player around. It fits in her tiny hands well. She likes the touch and the ability to control what she wants to watch.
Usually I’m a big mactard as well, but the iphone didn’t ring my bell. My flat screen iMac (which just went kaput) was purchased 6 years ago and was revolutionary compared to all the other designs of the time. Using it everyday was a great experience.
The ipod I got a few years ago, again was revolutionary. Amazing storage, with a supremely easy to use interface.
The iPhone is pretty cool, but it doesn’t have that ‘revolutionary’ factor when other brands were already doing so well. For the time being I’ll stick with my cousin’s hand-me-down Sony Ericsson.
I’ve never used any Apple products, I prefer Nokia, Microsot, and HP
I will likely skip the iphone until coverage is better as well, esp since I might be moving to the extreme midwest soon (for a year) and am certain coverage will not be uber solid.
So I join you on the search for the best crackberry to pickup.
-S
Ya that’s trye the iphone don’t work fine with me too. I use a blackberry and nokia N95 now, perfect.
I am going to have to agree with you on the first reason! I only live a couple of hours from omaha and it wouldn’t be worth the money because the coverage is terrible!
I have a Blackberry. I never bought into the iPhone hype for the reasons you listed & more.
I only need the simple one. No more features.
it was going to launch around past 11th of July … but its still not yet launched … how r u sure about its launch next month in India.
Each thing has its drawbacks. I think that they will soon be improved.
I am not willing to spend the cash to get one out of contract. But even for all it’s faults, I still wouldn’t mind one.
Thanks for the link love Shoe
btw some interesting and good points u mentioned there.
Well you’ve used an ipod touch and they are basically the same thing.
You missed a big one SHoe.
No MMS (you can’t send media like picture messages).
who the F makes a state of the art phone these days that can’t send picture messages? Even the cheap ass free ones you get with new plans can send picture messages!
The thing thats holding me back from getting one is having to get ATT cause their service sucks
well after my first ipod broke in a month i dont buy apple products period. Ill stick with my windows mobile phone which lets me do a ton more stuff. only thing he iphone got going for it is a nice screen and there touch interface other than that its a total ripoff to me. kids buy iphones
Heh, Apple has their own tips, and they are to basically use the phone like an ipod and you’ll have plenty of battery:
http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html
I actually just got my first blackberry and have enjoyed the qwerty keyboard the most. I hated text prediction.
Alot of people here in africa buy iphone because of the rave about without actually utilising it to the fullest.
9jaboy.
I got the HTC Touch rather than iPhone because I just don’t want to tie up with all these Apple services. In addition, the data plan is ridiculously expensive in Canada.
I wasn’t able to do the whole touchscreen thing either when I was using the original iPhone, but then I got a Blackberry Curve, keyboard wasn’t go excellent on it. Decided to just take a round two with the new iPhone, I know it’s the same thing (touchscreen), but I’m used to it now.
iPhone battery life sucks a big time..
I would have bought an iPhone but it is waste of money, Here in India it costs like $900 for 8 gb too high cost
iPhone is also one of the most expensive phones on the market.
you do not … !??? *dropdead*
I went to buy a new phone today and after playing with the test iphone i’m passing on the iphone for another black berry
thanks for the battery life tip. although I plug mine up every night and don’t have a problem with it. I’m with you shoe. If i couldn’t get reception then there is no point in having an iphone. I mean would i’d rather have a Bentley that didn’t work or a beat up car that gets me where I need to go.
Recently heard that a Phd student managed to increase iphone battery life by 12 times. I m just wondering if this is possible. anyways… here is what i read http://www.weekwill.com/a-student-increases-iphone-battery-life/
Impeccable work $h0e.Im using 2G Iphone since a year,which my brother has gifted me on my B’day from US,locked one but I unlocked it through a jailbraker.but since then I’m facing lots of troubles with this.My main problem is battery ofcose,one more thing i would like 2 mention is,My Iphone dos’nt ring at all when some1 makes a call.Its very annoying & at times I’m missing urgent calls even.please help me out in this regard & i’ll b thankfull 2 u.thanx $hoe.bye
Even viewing webpages for any extended period of time can become bothersome on an iPhone or iPad Touch.
Please go on with your wonderful blog posts, I truly like them.
Good article. I would like to start my own webblog about this topic, but i have to many projects in the hopper at this moment. :\ I did however link to your website from mine here http://www.juke-nissan.com/sites-we-like/ hope it helps you get some more traffic!