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With Apple’s white iPhone finally on store shelves and available to both AT&T and Verizon Wireless customers, the time has come for consumers and enterprise customers to decide whether the smartphone is right for them.
Some folks who have been waiting nearly a year for the white iPhone have undoubtedly jumped at the chance to drive down to the Apple Store and get their hands on the smartphone. But all others see obvious red flags related to the white iPhone.
Sure, the device is an iPhone, which automatically makes it appealing, but don’t forget that it was delayed time and again due to production problems. Moreover, is a white device that provides the same value proposition as the black version enough for folks to jump at the chance to buy it? Does the color really matter for any reason except esthetics?
Though some might disagree, there are several reasons for consumers and enterprise customers to opt against buying the white iPhone. Yes, it’s from Apple and it’s certainly a good-looking device, but there are some major question marks that need to be answered before choosing the white option.
Read on to find out why:
1. What’s the difference?
Let’s face it:The white iPhone is the same basic device as its black counterpart. It features the same design, it will have the same functionality, and it delivers the same operating system. More than anything else, consumers are simply buying the product for its color. For some folks, that might be enough. But for the rest of the market, choosing a $200 or $300 smartphone that only adds a fresh color isn’t exactly the best reason to buy.
2. The iPhone 5 looms
Historically, Apple has delivered a new iPhone to customers over the summer. And speculation abounds that the company will unveil the iPhone 5 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. With that in mind, it might be a good idea for customers to wait and see what Apple announces at the event before opting for the white iPhone. After all, who wants a device that will be obsolete in a few short months?
3. The black option might have fewer issues
Let’s not forget that production issues reportedly caused Apple todelay the launch of the white iPhone. The company said that all the kinks were worked out and the white smartphone is now up to par, but who knows if that’s really the case? It sounds like the white iPhone was a pain to produce and issues cropped up at every corner. Until everyone is sure that Apple’s production partners have all the issues worked out, it might be best to not buy the white iPhone.
4. Wait for early adopter approval
There are some folks who want the latest and greatest device, no matter what kind of problems could arise. Known as early adopters, they typically get to the stores on launch day to buy the respective product. Those who are interested in the white iPhone should at least wait to hear from early adopters to see if the white iPhone’s issues are behind it. If so, by all means, buy it. But if they report some issues, potential customers will be happy they didn’t buy the device now.
Wait for the Best Deal
5. What about Android?
The iPhone is undoubtedly the most-desired smartphone on the market, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are several Android-based smartphones on store shelves right now that can deliver a worthwhile experience, as well. The white iPhone looks nice, but consumers might want to consider Android smartphones that haven’t experienced production issues before they opt for Apple’s latest launch.
6. Forget about 4G LTE
Unfortunately, all the delays surrounding the white iPhone didn’t give Apple the idea to include 4G connectivity with the device. So, those who buy the white iPhone from a Verizon store, for example, won’t be able to connect to that company’s LTE network. It’s unfortunate. Considering 4G connectivity is becoming more important today, opting for a device with that functionality is a good idea.
7. Entering into a two-year contract now is a bad idea
In order to get the reduced pricing on the white iPhone, customers will need to enter into a two-year contract with either AT&T or Verizon Wireless. That might be a bad idea right now. Aside from the aforementioned impending announcement of the iPhone 5, there are several potentially worthwhile Android-based devices scheduled to be announced and launched in the coming months, as well. Inking a two-year deal now could prove to be bad timing.
8. Will the antenna problems be addressed?
When the iPhone 4 launched, consumers quickly found that the device experienced antenna issues when they held it with a “death grip.” Apple issued cases to help address the problem. Now that the white iPhone is on store shelves, it should be interesting to see if its owners will have the same antenna problems. Expect an answer to that in the coming weeks as more and more people get their hands on it and test it out in the wild. Until then, it’s best to take a wait-and-see approach.
9. It’s no more appealing to enterprise customers
What makes the white iPhone so much more appealing to enterprise customers than the black version? In a word-nothing. The white iPhone is the same old, consumer-focused device that its predecessor was. For enterprise decision-makers who balked at bringing the black iPhone 4 to their employees, choosing the white iPhone doesn’t look any better. At this point, the white iPhone simply doesn’t look like the most enterprise-friendly device on store shelves.
10. There will be others
The white iPhone 4 is just the first of what will likely be manyall-white smartphones from Apple. After all, in previous years, the company offered iPhone models that had white backs. Now, the device is completely white. Looking ahead, the white iPhone will probably continue to be a staple in Apple’s product line. So, why rush to buy a device that offers little to no improvements and some concerning red flags? It’ll have a successor eventually.