Strand Consulting has a report on the iPhone: "The fact that the iPhone is currently receiving so much attention from the press is probably due to an uncritical press that have allowed themselves to be seduced by Apple's unique PR machine - and that have not analysed and examined the underlying business models and the financial success of the iPhone from an operator’s point of view."

I last saw John Strand talk a few years back at World Telemedia, and first came across him when he gave European operators launching I-Mode a right ticking off several years before that. History proved him right on European I-mode, but I'm not convinced that everything he said last time about niche MVNOs has come to pass here in the UK (though I suspect it has, *somewhere*). It's nonetheless interesting to hear some well-informed views on the iPhone from someone well grounded in telco-land.

Comments

[Alex Gollner]

Interesting article. It seems that the only thing operators get out of partnering with Apple is an improvement in the perception of their brand and increased footfall in their shops.

As a phone user I find the effect the iPhone has on the whole industry incredibly entertaining. Everyone has had years to make a phone 'any good.' They could never manage to produce a phone that was good enough. They deserve all the upheaval!

The iPhone is to the phone industry as Windows 95 was to the computer industry.

However many expert UI designers have had a go over the last 10 years, they've obviously been screwed by pitiful industry politics.

The funny thing is that the politics is so entrenched I don't think the iPhone is enough to change things, but it is good start!