Switching to the iPhone?

Okay. Apple Computer Inc, now having dropped the "Computer" part of its name, has announced the highly anticipated iPhone. It's probably everything that you can expect from Apple and then some. The big question here for a Treo user like me, it that is it attractive enough to make me switch?

I have to admit that the design of the phone is pretty sweet. In fact, it's so sweet that I would love to lick it like a candy bar. Seriously though, Apple's design ethos is clear in the design with the clean look, use of on screen UI, single button concept, everything is just very... zen. Compared to the Treo 680 that I'm currently using, the iPhone wins hands down.

I guess for me, the main things to consider is my usage pattern. I use my Treo for scheduling, taking notes, reading ebooks on iSilo, getting info (such as number/currency conversion), reading Bible, tracking passwords and other info in a database, etc. If the iPhone can replace all these functions, then I don't see why I won't "switch". But from the looks of things, it seems that you can't really install apps on an iPhone, so it is unlikely that one will be able to do those nifty things on an iPhone. If my main use for a device is for listening to music, watching movies, occassionally surfing the web, then I guess the iPhone is more suitable, but for now, it seems that the Treo is a beter device for me, especially for the use of reading ebooks.

But who knows? My usage pattern might change. Then again, the iPhone will need to get ebook reading capability before I can rely on it as my sole device. I a sense, I feel that's one reason why the iPhone is not in the truest sense a "smartphone".

As for surfing the Net, the iPhone is really a suitable device with the use of Safari and its inclusion of Wi-fi. For now, I can live without Wi-fi on my phone, although it would be a good thing to have. The one thing against the iPhone is that it is not even 3G. That will make it more attractive.

Regardless, the announcement of the iPhone will mean that mobile makers will have to look at design from a different perspective. Considering that the iPhone will only be expected to reach the hands of Asian users in 2008, I'm not going to be too hard up on this thing. A lot of things can happen between now and 2008. In fact, hopefully Palm can come up with something that is as attractive... we can only hope, and wait.