Tim Cook (in)famously said other platforms and devices are still struggling to catch up with the original 2007 iPhone 2G, and while TiPb wouldn’t go that far (the App Store didn’t show up until the iPhone 3G in 2008), strictly in terms of user experience and functionality, he may have had a point.

First up, Jamie Zawinski (jwz) has abandoned the Palm Pre and gone all in on iPhone, despite Apple being worse than Palm when it comes to developer relations and closed ecosystems. Why? “Because it just [redacted] works.” He highlights Mac sycn, but especially performance as key. Long delays in being able to use the Pre calendar, phone, and camera apps are especially irksome.

I don’t expect the performance of this phone to be even remotely suitable for every day use for at least a year. I figure it’s going to either take a substantial amount of work on the lower levels of the OS, or they’re going to have to throw Moore’s law and new hardware at it…

Next up, Steven Frank, who abandoned the iPhone after the Google Voice incident, and returned to it when he couldn’t find happiness with another device, nails why that’s still the case some 2 years later:

It's not just that the iPhone has fancy woo-woo transitions and purty graphics; it runs all the way down the software stack. For example, when I tap on something, I don't have to hover for five seconds wondering "now did it get that tap, or do I have to do it again?" This is something other platforms are still struggling with. When we say you have a bad experience, this is the sort of thing we mean. It has little to do with features, and everything to do with core functionality.

Lastly, Daniel Pasco offers a theory as to why — Apple spent years and a fortune figuring out the iPhone:

Because of that effort, since the iPhone was released, everyone else has been struggling to play catch up, and no one has really come close. Apple raised the bar higher than anyone else had before, and by the time the competition realized how much of an effort would be required to seriously compete, the public had already turned to them to see how they would meet Apple's threat.

Spending 2.5 years in secret, and who knowns how many of those billions, and then unleashing the iPhone 2G multi-touch user interface changed the game in 2007, and more — it forced competitors to play catchup in public. Sure, many have the iPhone now to copy, but Apple has the momentum to keep innovating.

The question is, can incredibly rich companies like Microsoft, and amazingly innovative ones like Palm — or Google which is both — bridge that gap at the core functionality and user experience level?

[via Daring Fireball]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Developers Turn, Return, and Reaffirm — iPhone Still Unmatched

As part of their massive, yet strangely casual, new product drop this morning, Apple also introduced a new version of the Apple Remote [$19 - Apple Store link], which when combined with an IR-enabled Universal Dock, can control your iPhone or iPod (as well as iTunes on Mac or an Apple TV sans-dock). Add in the A/V out cables, and the remote also lets your iPhone or iPod function as a mini, highly portable Apple TV all its own, showing your content on the big screen, controllable with the touch of a button.

Or three buttons now, as the new aluminum and black Apple Remote, which replaces the ancient white plastic one, not only matches Apple’s new design aesthetic, but takes the play/pause button out from the center of the 4 way, and puts it on its own, on the side next to the menu button.

Not sure how we feel about this new arrangement yet. It’s a little more scattered than Apple’s usual (and older) elegance. However, we’ll reserve judgement until we get our geeky little mits on it!

Apple’s info, after the break!

Apple Remote with iPod and iPhone

If you connect your iPod to a home stereo, powered speakers, or TV set, the Apple Remote lets you experience your songs, slideshows, and more from across the room. Plug your iPod into the Universal Dock and choose a playlist, slideshow, or video. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Ready to move on to the next song? No need to get up. Just press the Next button on the Apple Remote. Getting a call on your iPhone? Press Pause, then pick up where you left off.

The Apple Remote requires the iPod Universal Dock and any iPod with a dock connector or any iPhone.

Apple Remote with Mac

The Apple Remote gives you total command of your music, photos, videos, and DVDs from anywhere in the room. It works with Front Row — a menu-based, full-screen interface — to make accessing the digital content on your Mac as simple as navigating your iPod. When you press the Menu button, your desktop fades and the sleek Front Row interface takes its place to give you control over your music in iTunes, your photos in iPhoto, the videos in your Movies folder, and your DVDs. Turn up the volume. Shuffle. Skip to the next chapter on your DVD. Play a slideshow, a home movie you made in iMovie, even a movie trailer.

Compatible with Apple products introduced in 2005 or later that have a built-in infrared (IR) receiver.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

More on Apple’s New iPhone/iPod/iTunes/Apple TV Remote

Apple today announced new 21.5″ and 27″ iMacs, a new line of MacBooks, mightier Mac Minis, and a Magic Mouse (with iPhone-like multi-touch), and new Apple Remote.

• The new iMacs [PR link] include cinematic 16×9 displays, quad-core option,
• The new MacBooks [PR link] have plastic unibody construction, 7-hour non-changeable batteries, LED backlights, and glass multi-touch trackpads (basically like the pros but without the aluminum)
• The new Mac Minis [PR link pending] are now up to 2.66GHz and up to 4GB, and a special version with Snow Leopard Server pre-installed.
• The Magic Mouse [PR link] is wireless and has a seamless multi-track surface, and laser-tracking engine. Click, swipe, and scroll anywhere.
• The new Apple Remote is black and aluminum, with a large 4 way (re: Muero in comments — not sure if it’s a click wheel), and now 2 separate buttons beneath, menu and play/pause (which used to be inside the 4 way).

More as this develops!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Introduces New 27″ iMac, MacBook, Mightier Mini, Magic Mouse, Remote

Yes, the Apple Online Store is DOWN! Following up yesterday’s Daring Fireball of rumors, this is what we might just see soon:

Redesigned Plastic MacBooks, Redesigned ('Impressive') iMacs, Updated Minis (Including One That Ships With Mac OS X Server), the Multi-Touch Magic Mouse, and, as the Wildcard I'm-Not-Sure-I-Really-Believe-It-Myself Out-There Rumor, Maybe Even Some Sort of Mentioned-Nowhere-Else-But-in-This-Very-Headline Multi-Touch Trackpad Gadget for Desktop Macs

Or it could just be routine maintenance. Shug. Fingers crossed for the good stuff!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Online Store Down — New iMacs, Mac Minis, MacBooks, Multi-touch Mice/Trackpads On the Way?!

Synchronization of Media State Across Multiple Devices, one of the latest patents filed by Apple, aims to use MobileMe to make sure if you start watching a movie in iTunes or on the AppleTV, then switch to your iPhone, you’re at the exact same place in the movie (and back again) — with no USB sync required.

Last month, prompted by reader Seth Clifford, TiPb asked for just such “WhisperSync” (to use the Amazon Kindle term) functionality. Not only would this be great for users with multiple Windows, Macs, iPhones, and/or iPod touches, but it would be a great way for Apple to add value to MobileMe, whose $99 a year is non-competitive to say the least, especially for Windows users (who don’t benefit from iLife, Back to my Mac, Mac sync, etc.) So, yeah, Apple — make this happen!

[Patently Apple via Macworld via Engadget. Thanks @sethclifford!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

MobileMe Media Sync — Apple Patent Watch

Apple has announced an iPhone Tech Talk World Tour, which is billed as expert advice, coming to a city near you.

Apple technology evangelists are coming to a city near you with expert advice on how you can maximize the innovative technologies of iPhone OS within your apps.

Advanced content for advanced developers

The iPhone Tech Talk World Tour features a range of sessions for advanced developers who want to enhance the capability, functionality, and usability of their iPhone apps. You’ll dive deep into coding and design techniques that will help you take your apps to the next level.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity available only to you as a member of the iPhone Developer Program. The event is free, but space is limited. Register for an iPhone Tech Talk today.

Cities include San Jose, Seattle, New York, Toronto, Paris, London, Hamburg, Bejing, and Tokyo (already full). Schedule, agenda, and registration information can be found online via developer.apple.com.

Anyone going?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Announces iPhone Tech Talk World Tour: Expert Advice Coming to a City Near You

During Apple’s Q4 2009 financial results conference call today, when asked about competitive smartphone platforms and devices, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook responded:

Frankly, they are really just trying to catch up with the 1st iPhone that was announced 2 years ago

While many will no doubt argue — perhaps laugh outright — at that, it’s harder to laugh at Apple’s results to date: 7.2 million more iPhones sold in the last 3 months, and half-a-billion more App Store downloads during the same period.

So was Cook just showing his swagger, setting himself up for a big takedown, or comfortably settling into a combined iPhone/iTunes/App Store offering his thinks will be tough to beat in the consumer market?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

COOh-Snap: Apple Competitors Still Trying to Catchup to Original 2007 iPhone 2G

According to Daring Fireball, Apple is set to introduce new products tomorrow morning, including:

Redesigned Plastic MacBooks, Redesigned ('Impressive') iMacs, Updated Minis (Including One That Ships With Mac OS X Server), the Multi-Touch Magic Mouse, and, as the Wildcard I'm-Not-Sure-I-Really-Believe-It-Myself Out-There Rumor, Maybe Even Some Sort of Mentioned-Nowhere-Else-But-in-This-Very-Headline Multi-Touch Trackpad Gadget for Desktop Macs

Last year, Apple held a special event, Spotlight Turns to Notebooks, to debut their last before-the-holidays offerings. Would they just dump so much new, and frankly interesting, products tomorrow morning without benefit of stage or keynote? Sure, but we’d be lying if we said we wouldn’t prefer the song and dance to go with them.

TiPb will cover whatever does get released, however it gets released, mainly as it pertains to anything that looks to have cross-over with iPhone technology like the “multi-touch trackpad” (why not just make an official Apple Mac trackpad app for the iPhone and iPod touch?)

Keep your eyes peeled for the Apple Online Store going down…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

New Apple Products, Including Magic Mice and Desktop Multi-touch Tomorrow?