My one Apple phone prediction
With Steve Jobs’ MWSF keynote speech just minutes away, I’m going to offer one prediction about the rumored Apple phone: Like the iPod, it will be PC-centric (and by PC, I mean “Mac or PC”). While a true mobile phone, it will also be designed to connect to your computer when you’re at home. You won’t be able to take full advantage of the phone without a computer running Apple software.
The iPod depends on iTunes, and iTunes lets you perform the more complicated tasks of buying, and organizing your music using the more powerful interfaces available on a PC. Moving more of the complexity onto the PC is what allows the iPod itself to be so simple, and appear so powerful despite having limited computational power. I think we’ll see something similar with the Apple phone - your computer will control the data on your phone. Syncing your music, photos, etc. will be almost transparent, easier then it’s ever been before. Unlike the iPod, though, the flow of information will be two-way. You’ll be able to take your songs and photos with you when you leave your computer, but you’ll also be able to record information - names, addresses, pictures - when you’re out and about, and have it all collected back onto your computer when you get home.
That’s how I imagine it, anyway.
Update: Well, the iPhone is pretty amazing, and much more powerful than I would have thought possible. So forget what I said about moving complexity to the PC. I still think there will be some slick two-way synching, though.
