Simon’s Blog

Back in January, when iPhone was first announced, I blogged my initial reactions. At that time, I questioned whether the mobile operators and handset makers actually understood what Apple had done with iPhone. I made the point then that they probably didn’t “get it”; because if they had got it, they’d have already built a product like iPhone.

Today, of course, they’ve had a few months to reflect on what the iPhone really is. Do they get it now? Do they understand why iPhone will probably be the best mobile phone in the market (and if not on Version 1, you can bet it will be by Version 2)?

Well, the big story today is: we’re going to find out very soon. That’s because Verizon wants to respond to iPhone in a matter of months. The Verizon COO, Denny Strigl, has been quoted as saying,

We do have a very good response (to iPhone) in the mill. You’ll see that from us in the late summer.

It will be interesting to see what they come up with, because this will be a great barometer for whether mobile handset makers and network operators, having “seen it”, now “get it”. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the new JavaFX Mobile platform being the potential basis of some competition for iPhone, because it brings a desktop-class platform (Java SE) to mobile devices, just as iPhone does (Mac OS X).

However, JavaFX Mobile has a way to go before it’s a workable system.

So, what will Verizon come up with? Will it be a sleek form factor device, with a multi-touch gesture interface and a desktop class operating environment? Or will it be a clunky, underpowered, music-playing phone, with a crappy user interface and standard mobile OS/OE? If it’s the former – well congratulations to Verizon, better late than never! If it’s the latter, well it won’t be the first time a major player showed just how clearly they don’t get it…