Comment of the Day: iPhone No Match For Windows Mobile on Exchange Features
Alex Iskold's post from last night, Why Apple Will Dominate Next Gen Computing, has generated over 70 comments as of writing. Many of them challenged the article - but it was also interesting to see some commenters fact-checking other comments ;-) The comment of the day comes from "IT", who was skeptical about "the level of 'Exchange Support' that Apple is really going to be able to build into the new IPhone."
That ties in with our current poll: iPhone Exchange Support; Did Microsoft Make a Mistake? (embedded below).
Congratulations IT, you've won a $30 Amazon voucher - courtesy of our competition sponsors AdaptiveBlue and their Netflix Queue Widget.
Here is IT's full comment:
"I'm most interested in the level of "Exchange Support" that Apple is really going to be able to build into the new IPhone. As a heavy user of both an IPhone, and a Windows Mobile phone (personal/work), the only way I can see the IPhone even coming close to being comparable to the WM phone (at least in terms of exchange feature sets) is if Apple can completely copy the WM exchange integration. It's not just about mail anymore. I'll need complete integration with my exchange calendar (online free/busy, shared calendars, resource scheduling), access to the Global Address List, as well as my contacts, as well as complete access to my e-mail. AND, all those things will have to work as well as they work on my WM phone. That's a pretty tall order, even with the SDK and the avid (but relatively small) group of apple developers. Additionally, Apple and their carriers (CINGULAR, I'M TALKING TO YOU) will have to put forth a cheaper phone. $299 IPhone that I can't insure and has a more expensive unlimited data plan, or a $49 (or god forbid free) WM6 phone that I can insure for $5 a month, has a cheaper data plan, etc. Which of those costs would you like to try and justify to your CFO? Overall, I just don't think the IPhone, even with all the changes, will ever be thought of as a good WM6 / BlackBerry alternative."
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iphone will do all that the comment mentions. If you watch the March 6 event you will know that it will be doing
Push email
Push contacts
Push calendar
Global Address List
Remote Wipe
So i won't make this comment "comment of the day"
You can watch the march 6 event on ITunes, and be rest assured the exchange integration is as good if not better than WM.
Price is the only valid concern
I have faith on apple. iphone is rocking and will do well.
Thanks for posting
www.webrexia.com
"Rest assured that exchange integration is as good if not better than WM."
I'm going to have to vote no on that front. Microsoft invested heavily in development for both Exchange 2007 and Windows Mobile 6. What in their long history of monopolistic behavior makes anyone think they are just going to hand over the keys to the e-mail castle just because Apple came knocking? While I am encouraged that the next gen IPhone will have improved enterprise access, I still wouldn't bet my house that the feature set will be the same. For some, that might be acceptable, but for the IPhone to truely be a replacement, the feature set truely has to be the same. That still doesn't address the COST of the device though. In a work enviroment, most managers don't care if their users can watch wide screen video, or access ITunes wirelessly. They want a device that does what they need it to do dependably, and for the lowest cost. That's where things break down for the IPhone.
Both devices are great. iPhone looks better and feels better.
I don't get the point on the price of the data plan. I ended up choosing the iPhone because the AT&T unlimited data plan for the iPhone is half the price ($20) of the regular data plan ($40).
N
Apple demonstrated the iPhone actually doing every thing his lists as concerns. And Apple didn't have to copy anything to get it to work, because they licensed the same system that Windows Mobile uses (Exchange ActiveSync).
Also, I can't see the business case for paying $60 per year to insure a $50 (or God forbid free) phone. My iPhone is insured for $30 per year.
I will, however, have to give IT a pat on the back for finding an unlimited data plan for less than $60 per month.
Yeah, I don't get the pricing complaints either. When I priced out my iPhone + data plan + voice plan and compared it to a bunch of others, the iPhone came out the cheapest option/phone I could buy with unlimited data...
The iPhone is an overhyped piece of shit for dumbass mactards and fashion lemmings.