Who is your employer? How many do you employ? How many of those have cell phones? What percentage of those phones are regular phones vs data plan phones? What percentage of those are Iphones? Do you employ more people than AT&T? We're the third largest enterprise software provider in the world. Microsoft > Oracle > Us. That being said, we have about 1/4th of our company on company provided cell phones. Out of those, about 1/2 of those are data plan phones (smart phones whatever you want to call them). Out of those 90% are Blackberries. We currently have 3478 Blackberries in the company from Verizon, ATT, Sprint, Rogers, and T-mobile. I've tested most every major data phone that's out right now. Ask anyone who is friends with me on Blackberry Messenger. I've switched Blackberries once a week for the last 2 months as I swapped out phones pretty much daily.
The Iphone is a toy. No matter how you want to make it sound, it is a toy. My gaming computer is a toy and it does work related things as well, so just becuase you can do work on it doesn't mean it's a business phone. Is it practical in a daily use? not relly. You can't really text while driving or do an assorted other things (multi task etc...). But for people daily who just want a phone that's got a "cool" aura and an application package chock full of ways to update your facebook/twitter/myspace etc, it's a great phone.
As far as the Iphone part of it. Meh. Wife has an itouch and it does it's job well. Then again, listening to MP3's isn't exactly part of a daily job function. I guarantee you I don't walk around the office with headphones on all day listening to my music. the new Zune HD is a far better MP3 player than the Ipod. Many people hold that opinion as well. THat's all based off of personal preferrence though.
The phone is a good toy phone for every day use. It has practical applications that can be used in a business environment, but it almost certainly will never be the standard of business phones unless they completely revamp the phone and re-release it. Corporate Executive America will not be looking for an app to update their facebook. And as such, till the phone is recognized as more than a toy it will not be treated as anything other than a toy. This is the crux it seems of what Iphone slappies don't like to hear. They think the phone is the end of all to the business world and it's not. sure, some companies will allow it and some may even recommend it, but that doesn't mean the phone is a business phone. As an analogy. Jennifer Aniston was known as Rachel from Friends. She wanted desperately to be something other than that, so she has tried and tried to land a job that doesn't portray her as a dumb blonde with nice tits. It didn't work. She's back to doing just that because she knows that's what she is and will be. No matter how bad she wants to be Angelina Jolie, she won't be that type of actor. The Storm is to the Iphone as the Iphone is to the Bold.
This all goes without the complications of international travel with an Iphone. Some European countries have fines and controlls over their cellular networks. They charge a hefty premium for Iphones used with corporate download plans. Last guy who hit one of those countries came home with a $3000 phone bill for the 2 weeks he was there.
It's a good phone for everyday use for sure, if you like touchscreen. Not sure where having touchscreen makes it technologically miraculous. Untilll voice to text emulators are perfect, a touchscreen only setup is going to have flaws. major ones depending on the use of the phone. My phones lack of a touch screen interface doesn't make it any less technological than your phones lack of a physical interface that doesn't require work arounds to use in certain day to day situations.
