Michael Mistretta is from Canada, and waited a year to get an iPhone. His 4,500 word essay on the iPhone 3G is comprehensive to say the least. It’s a blast to see the excitement and awe of an avid Apple fan who is blown away by the sheer “other than-ness” of the iPhone.
Towards the end he makes a point about the possibility of users eventually choosing their iPhone over their PC:
Think about it, the iPhone + the AppStore could be a major paradigm shift in how people look at “computersâ€. For many people, the iPhone can be the only computer they need. Why do I need a big beige box, or a laptop anymore?
I’m not talking about the geeks. I’m talking about normal people: my mom, a teenager, the cashier at Wal-Mart. How do these people use their computers now? Email. Web browsing. Facebook. A bit of IM. Maybe some Youtube. Music. And a couple games. What if 1 device the size of a deck of cards could do all of that? It fits in your pocket, gets Internet anywhere, and costs $200.
The fact that this topic is even being addressed is a massive accolade to the iPhone.
Michael’s point is that the iPhone could replace the need for a computer, which is true. And I am sure many people will begin to use it much more than their home PC. But I cannot imagine the iPhone ever fully replacing the need for a computer; not even to the non-professional consumer.
Lately I have been asking various friends which they would pick if they had to choose between their iPhone/Blackberry or their laptop: all chose the laptop. I’m in the same boat. Although the iPhone is remarkable, and I can take care of nearly all my core daily needs with it, it still is just an extension of my laptop; not a replacement.
And maybe it’s because I’m old school, but if I was forced to choose between always being reachable on my iPhone (phone calls, SMS, email) or sometimes reachable on my laptop (email, IM) I’d take the latter.