Surprised by Gartner’s iPhone sales numbers for Q3 2008? So is Matthew Miller of ZDNET:
It is pretty shocking to me that the iPhone/Mac OS X operating system sales are greater than Windows Mobile given that there are so many different Windows Mobile devices and only two models of iPhones. Windows Mobile has also been around for quite some time. It looks like usability may be winning out over functionality and specifications.
I disagree a bit. The iPhone’s usability really isn’t that great especially in terms of “ease of use”. It crashes all the time, phone calls drop frequently, the keyboard is difficult to use, and navigation is a chore with only one hardware button. I think the real reason for the iPhone’s success is marketing.
How often do you see iPhone commercials on TV? Every 20 minutes, right? How often have you seen a commercial for Windows Mobile on TV? Never in the 8 years it’s been around, right? Is it any wonder that the mass majority of consumers out there have no idea what Windows Mobile is capable of?
Originally published on Pocketnow on December 4, 2008. More Thought articles from the Pocketnow archive.