5 ways the Apple iPhone might change the industry
Watching the iPhone keynote, there were a few things that surprised us. We were surprised at how slick the interface was, when all speculation leading up to the event seemed to be focused on the hardware. We were surprised at how excited the audience was about Google Maps, when Google Maps for mobile phones has been out for some time. But of all the innovations, the following are the five that we think will lead competitors to rethink their phone designs, and may end up changing the course of the phone industry.
1. The overall visual flourish
For years (and especially since the release of OS X back in March 2001), Mac users have been familiar with the idea of a slick interface, even at the cost of processing resources. Mobile phones, with some minor exceptions, have been utilitarian by comparison, especially when it comes to smartphones. Apple’s iPhone brings some eye-popping effects and tricks to the UI that will make the entire experience more, well, loveable. Cover Flow is hardly useful, but watching your album art fly by is reminiscent of the old days of flipping through albums, and the tactile experience is quite enjoyable. We liked the rubber-band effect on scrolling lists, where a list moves a little too far beyond its endpoint and snaps back into place. We enjoyed watching icons explode off the screen and recompress as Steve Jobs navigated to and from the home screen. Apple owners, iPod users and Macintosh users alike can certainly attest to the idea that a good, pleasing interface can trump even a powerful new feature.
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