Verizon is finally selling the iPhone beginning this month. While many frustrated subscribers to AT&T’s much maligned 3G coverage can’t wait to switch carriers, I don’t believe many businesses will care. That’s because I’ve always viewed the iPhone as a entertainment device, not a business device.
Think about it: how many people do you know who have cell phones from their job have a Blackberry? For me, it’s nearly everyone. Despite the ridiculous extra data service fee that Blackberry charges for using their network, it’s still the most popular business device in the United States and UK, according to the Telegraph.
Meanwhile, what are people using their iPhones for? Playing games, checking Facebook, watching videos … generally, killing time. Plus, it’s not easy to type professional e-mails (e.g. correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, etc.) quickly using a touch keyboard.
Same goes with Apple’s iPad. This excerpt from a Wall Street Journal article on LG’s tablet device says it all: “The first LG tablet, which will run on Google Inc.’s Android software, will set itself apart from Apple Inc.’s iPad by focusing on the ability to create content, rather than simply display it, Mr. Ma said in an interview. Mr. Ma said that the iPad is a great device, but he doesn’t do much work on it.”