I found an article that makes more sense to me out of the all the negative Apple iPhone articles that have come out since MacWorld 2007. Written by Mike Elgan, former editor of Windows Magazine, it criticizes Apple's decision of announcing the iPhone during MacWorld as opposed to, say right before they ship in June.
Elgan had six main points:
(1) By announcing the iPhone early, buyer expectations have risen to a level that even Apple couldn't possibly meet. For all it's hype, the iPhone has no voice calling, 3G, Word and Excel support, voice memos, video recording and, perhaps the only real revolution of the iPhone, no more one-handed handset operations.
(2) Wall Street expectations also too high. With target sales at 10 million, the iPhone is almost certain to disappoint and in Wall Street lingo this translates to a major risk for the Apple company.
(3) Competitors get a heads up. Jobs have already shown the world what the Apple iPhone could and could not do. With a shipping date at five months from now, competitors will have enough time to put out products with sets of features that can compete with the iPhone.
(4) Apple TV was undermined. (Self-explanatory).
(5) iPod Sales are put at risk. From a business standpoint, by announcing the iPhone this early Apple will suffer on its iPod sales without reaping on the iPhone end. A lot of consumer money is being displaced from Apple stores by a product no one can buy yet.
(6) Jobs broke talks with Cisco. The last thing Apple needs right now is distraction that a trademark dispute brings.
Elgan's bottomline is:
A June unveiling that coincided with the actual product launch would have kept customers' and Wall Street expectations in line; concealed product details from competitors; given Apple TV the full spotlight when it ships; kept iPod sales robust; and helped Apple gracefully negotiate the rights to use the iPhone name. In short, it would have been the traditional Apple home run.
Steve Jobs blew it.