NEWS ANALYSIS: Apple's iPhone might be the world's most popular smartphone, but there are some rather quirky aspects to the mobile handset's features and the way Apple markets it.
Apple's iPhone is officially the world's most popular smartphone. Tens of
millions of units of the device are sold to customers around the world each
quarter, and there is currently no product on store shelves today that can come
even close to matching that figure. The iPhone is the benchmark by which all
other smartphones are judged, and it's widely viewed among reviewers and
consumers alike as a device that deserves that crown.
But that doesn't mean that the iPhone is perfect. It has its flaws,
including a less-than-desirable camera and lack of 4G, that don't make it ideal
for everyone. In addition, the device is surrounded by some rather surprising
market and feature quirks that raise questions about how Apple made some of its
decisions. From its choice to ignore T-Mobile to its old debate over not
offering Flash support, Apple has made some odd decisions over the last several
years.
Read
on to find out what sort of oddities are surrounding Apple's iPhone, and
why, at least in some cases, they'll never end:
1. No friend to T-Mobile
Apple has always offered the iPhone on AT&T's network and last year
brought the device to Verizon and Sprint. This year, it has made a serious push
into the regional carriers. Along the way, however, Apple has turned its back
on T-Mobile. It's an odd decision, considering T-Mobile is a major carrier and
has more customers than any of the smaller regional carriers. Why is Apple
ignoring T-Mobile? And more importantly, when will it stop?
2. Apple's no-4G stance
Although Apple has brought 4G LTE to the iPad, the company has yet to give
the same treatment to its iPhone. It's an odd decision, considering so many
competitors have already introduced 4G smartphones. Hopefully
Apple will support the ultra-high-speed network when the iPhone 5 launches
later this year.
3. High subsidies: Take it or leave it
In the vast majority of cases in the mobile space, smartphone makers aren't
so willing to charge carriers an exorbitant amount of cash to carry their
products. In fact, they usually come to some sort of agreement to make it
easier for carriers to want to sell their devices. But with Apple, everything
is different. For years now, the company has been selling the iPhone for $600
or more to carriers, and Apple has given no indication it'll budge from those
prices.
4. Touch ... to a point
Apple might have been the first company to truly popularize touch screens in
the mobile space. But to call its iPhone a fully touch-enabled device would be
incorrect. Since it was released, the iPhone has come with a home button, and
in order to quickly change volume settings, set the phone to vibrate or turn
off the screen, physical buttons are required.
When will Apple finally go all-touch?
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