Apple finally announced the much anticipated iPhone at the MacWorld 2007 Keynote. The design is stunning and the feature set seems compelling enough; does it support Cingular’s burgeoning HSDPA network like the new Treo 750? I can’t tell.
I’ve long been conflicted with regard to handsets and carriers. I’m a bit of a design and user experience junkie, and I travel a lot, which means that in theory the selection and flexibility of GSM/3G handsets would suit me. My Nokia E61 is a fabulous phone. It has everything (except a camera). What doesn’t it have? Sadly, it lacks the thing I need most on a daily basis: a carrier with great voice coverage and widely-deployed 3G in areas where I most frequently find myself (I live in California and most of my travel is in the US). I now use Verizon on a daily basis and reserve my E61 for European travel. Will the iPhone change this? If the carrier’s network supports the design promise of the handset, it will be worth a serious look. We’ll see how that comes together.