I’m not ready to write my review (if I ever am) on the iPad. It’s intriguing, it does things very well that make it compelling and it’s still a work in progress. So I’m more likely to write a few observations about the iPad over the next little while.
Observation #1
I won’t be buying another iPhone soon unless it delivers the speedy performance the iPad delivers. The iPad is the fastest “switching” device I’ve ever had my hands on. If only one app at a time was an issue on the iPhone or your old PC takes seconds to load that extra program then the iPad will leave you gob-smacked.
I loaded mine up 27gb (32gb iPad) and over 2gb of apps. Netflix loads and plays the movie without waiting or seeming to buffer or anything. YouTube the same way. The slowest sucky app I’ve tried is the WSJ and I won’t be subscribing to it at $17.99 per month.
I found there’s no sluggish changing between browser screens. They seem to be pop pop pop. Yes some games load a little slower yet I expect that. Yet my reference point is my 3G iPhone which is getting a little tired (not the 3GS with faster chip). And that is the most important point. iPad sets my expectations re performance for the next iPhone. It’s also feels faster for reading pages.. than my MacbookPro.
Competitors and Future iPhone Purchaser Advice – Observations.
1. Know the Speed Spec: If you plan later this year to buy the next generation iPhone listen carefully to the announced specs. You want to know if you be standing in line to buy on day one the “chip” and the same performance delivered or even faster response than the iPad. If it isn’t or won’t deliver I will be disappointed and less likely to buy. I certainly won’t stand in line for one and will wait to go in and test “speed” first. Also, if the next gen iPhone provides this level of speedy response they have an even better chance of sticking with their model and not running background apps.
2. Speed is Critical to Location: The speed has been verified already in other tests. Eg iPad vs Nexus1. The response speed of the iPad is so obvious to me that I’d pay a price premium to have the same or better on an iPhone. That’s good news for Apple. When there’s a visual difference and obvious out of pocket time to response ,whether maps, browsing, or to take a message it matters. We don’t slow for seconds… we are effectively on the run. Mobile devices that run faster and respond quicker to the out of pocket experience will win. This game is no more about answering a call or an SMS. Its about access to data/info, and momentary pauses, fleeting moments or notifications. We don’t all run the 100m in less than 10sec. However many mobiles won’t even respond in 10seconds to getting their browser open or responding to that notification. Apple’s on the right track with speed. Location centric devices need speed.
3. iPhone before iPad: The iPhone will always be more important to me than the iPad. Many iPhone purchasers will also purchase iPads. The iPad cannot compete with the utility and pocket-ability of the iPhone. I feel there’s still many cases where the iPad will be an appropriate purchase. For non-iPhone users that is really an iPod purchase and the iPad will excel at trading up iPod Touch users and broadening the Apple audience.
4. Speed and Longevity: So here in the iPad there is a device that will further reframe how we think about mobility, touch, and performance. Just when the “chip” speed and memory was no longer relevant to the PC / Mac we may be poised to find it defines the mobile space. Before iPad it appeared it was just software and some good design that made the iPhone better. The iPad suggests that the tight integration Apple is applying may not be easy to compete with. I’m yet to handle a “fast” Nokia, and “Androids” seem to be fragmenting. The time to hold on to a mobile has been decreasing. Yet Apple appears to be going against the tide with a platform approach which pushes 2 to 3+ years of life rather than 1 year or 18 months. Phone’s that last a little longer have many benefits from implications re “contracts” to total cost of ownership. Apple’s iPhone approach doesn’t suggest radical change tomorrow. The form factor won’t be out of date in 18 months. The range is not proliferating with many different models. They are all factors which help justify a higher price.
The real point of this post and “observation” is “speed”. Speed matters, the chip is only part of it. So is touch, clicks to action, generally accessibility. Touch is already maturing. So, Apple’s timing on “hardware” seems impeccable. if that makes my phone last like my Laptop then it’s an important purchase criteria.
Now let’s wait and see if Apple “launch” the speed model (just like the PC/Mac 2.8ghz etc) in the next generation iPhones / mobile. They get a huge premium currently for the 32gb vs 16gb etc. That’s less and less sustainable. Most of us have more capacity than we need. So…. why will you continue to pay a premium… it’s for speed or screen.. there’s not much else in it. So extend that thought and we get two versions. One higher speed – more efficient screen and longer battery life. The other faster than current. Who know’s if I’m right.
As a competitor I’d be worried that Apple’s next generation mobile devices will be faster than what’s in your pipeline.
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Apple has done a wonderful job in anticipating what the market demands. Great job to the engineers at Apple for coming up with these wonderful devices. I’m eager to see what else Apple has up their sleeves. Wonder what the next geni iPhone will be like.