iPhone - Victim to Apple's Blunders??

When Steve Jobs announced iPhone at MacWorld Conference this year, Me spent the best of my free time available in reading up about this phone and allowing myself to be flattered by all that it offers.

Me means, who wouldn't be?? Sample these specs: 11.6mm thin, 2.4 inches wide, 4.5 inches in height, with a dazzling display and an user interface that comes from the pioneers, and loaded with features - no stylus, multi touch sensitive screen, OS X loaded, completely wireless with enhanced bluetooth and 802.11b/g integrated, a proximity sensor that turns the screen off once the device gets near the ear, an ambient light sensor that adjusts the brightness of the screen according to the ambience, an accelerometer that switches the display between landscape/ portrait modes based on the device's orientation, the all famous iTunes, visual voicemail, integrated audio/ video that supports the latest greatest standards - that would give the best of cell phone manufacturers a nightmare of sorts - am sure its going to be a geek's delight.

But then, Me sort of feels Apple's kinda done the same mistake that had prevented them from gaining a major market share.

First - the device in itself is a little far from being perfect. Me means - Me would think twice before investing my money, about more than $700 on a device that doesn't gimme expandable memory, that doesn't let me view/ edit my MS-Office files (can't help it right - they are the most prevelant ones around!), that has a irreplaceable battery (never mind it having a very good life) - and how hassle free is software development for this one?? Can Me develop my own software on this device?? Me donno.

Second - couldn't it have been announced when its ready to be released to the market?? The fact that it would be available only 6 months from now - doesn't it give enough time for competition to catch up?? More so when Apple's not the only one who has expertise in touch sensitive screens and video/ audio playouts??. The competition has already started - LG's Prada - already seems offer almost everything that iPhone has to offer!!

Third - Why on earth did Apple choose to tie up with a single operator - Cingular?? Me thinks it doesn't take the best of brains to conclude that Cingular has just about a fraction of cell phone customers, right??

But Me's gonna wait and watch. One, for iPhone to be released in India, Two, if there would be future revisions which can address some aspects that Me mentioned, Three, to wait and watch the war that's going to ensue between cell phone manufacturers in the near future - am sure there would be a better models, better features and better prices too!!

Me.