difenbaker
02-10-2007, 01:34 AM
iPhone Quietly Setting The Tone At Barcelona Tech Gathering
9th February 2007
LONDON (Dow Jones) -- Call it the iPhone effect. Such is the sway of Apple's yet-to-be-released gadget that it has, in subtle ways, shaped the agenda of the mobile-telecommunications industry's largest annual gathering.
The 3GSM show, which runs from Monday through Thursday in Barcelona, is the first major industry event since Apple unsettled handset makers such as Research in Motion and Motorola with its $499 gadget back in January.
Loath to publicly admit it, they know the iPhone -- a combination of a phone, an iPod music player and a device to surf the Internet-- rings in a new era.
So while the iPhone name may not be on every executive's lips at the show, it will most certainly be on their minds.
And as the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson unveil their latest high-end models, investors and industry insiders alike will be quietly assessing how they measure up to Apple's new creation.
Matthew Hatton, an analyst with technology research firm the Yankee Group, cautions that comparisons could be tricky.
"The issue with the iPhone is that very few people have seen one or had a chance to play with it. Is it really a sea change? Is it really that revolutionary? That's hard to assess without getting your hands on it."
Thinner, smarter phones
So while they keep their ears open for more information, phone makers will likely stay mum on Apple's latest venture. "They can't comment because they don't know what they're really up against. That makes it hard to fight back," Hatton said.
In that context, low-key launches are expected at the gathering in Spain.
"Most of the models will be evolutionary," rather than revolutionary, said Hatton.
more here:
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/21905.php
cheers!
9th February 2007
LONDON (Dow Jones) -- Call it the iPhone effect. Such is the sway of Apple's yet-to-be-released gadget that it has, in subtle ways, shaped the agenda of the mobile-telecommunications industry's largest annual gathering.
The 3GSM show, which runs from Monday through Thursday in Barcelona, is the first major industry event since Apple unsettled handset makers such as Research in Motion and Motorola with its $499 gadget back in January.
Loath to publicly admit it, they know the iPhone -- a combination of a phone, an iPod music player and a device to surf the Internet-- rings in a new era.
So while the iPhone name may not be on every executive's lips at the show, it will most certainly be on their minds.
And as the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson unveil their latest high-end models, investors and industry insiders alike will be quietly assessing how they measure up to Apple's new creation.
Matthew Hatton, an analyst with technology research firm the Yankee Group, cautions that comparisons could be tricky.
"The issue with the iPhone is that very few people have seen one or had a chance to play with it. Is it really a sea change? Is it really that revolutionary? That's hard to assess without getting your hands on it."
Thinner, smarter phones
So while they keep their ears open for more information, phone makers will likely stay mum on Apple's latest venture. "They can't comment because they don't know what they're really up against. That makes it hard to fight back," Hatton said.
In that context, low-key launches are expected at the gathering in Spain.
"Most of the models will be evolutionary," rather than revolutionary, said Hatton.
more here:
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/21905.php
cheers!