The iPhone launches officially in the UK today. At 6.02pm, official Apple Stores, O2 shops and Carphone Warehouse outlets will be selling Apple's latest fad gadget.
Should you buy one? Along with our review of the iPhone, we asked some tech-fans who already own one, what you can expect and whether they've been happy with their purchase.
"Benefits outweigh its issues"
"All things considered, the iPhone is a stellar device that is easily the most important product released this year. That said, the product does have some issues that could scare some away. But in the end, the iPhone's benefits far outweigh its issues and owning it has been a treat.
"One of my favorite features with the iPhone is its touchscreen. At first, I wasn't sold on its functionality and it took me a while to get used to it. But once I did, I found that it easily eclipsed even my most grand expectations. Simply put, it's fantastic.
The biggest issue I have with the iPhone is the inability to add third-party applications. While a closed-down device may make sense from Apple's perspective, as a power user, I rely on handy apps that make my life just little easier. Luckily for me, that issue will be resolved now that Apple has announced an SDK.
"Should you buy an iPhone? Absolutely." - Don Reisinger
"iChat-like SMS is great"
"For me, the most impressive thing about the iPhone is not having to carry an iPod and a phone around separately any more.
"There are gimmicky things too, like using multi-touch to zoom into photos (impresses friends but never really use it) and the YouTube widget (again, used once in a blue moon). But there are more useful widgets such as Weather - which I use every day.
"The fact that I can hook into wireless networks to retrieve email or info without having to open up my laptop is also fantastic - sure, I could sort of do this with my old phone, but not with such a familiar and fully-featured browser (Flash-support aside). The iChat-like presentation of SMS is also top-notch and I've never ever used MMS so I don't care that you can't do that. I also love the Wi-Fi Music Store, although it is, seriously, costing me a fortune.
"The only thing I really don't like about the iPhone is its lack of 3G. But with Wi-Fi virtually everywhere I go, I don't really need it. So yes, I'm glad I own it, and yes, I'd recommend getting one." - Rob Carney
"Applications open instantly"
"After three months of owning an iPhone I still can't keep my hands of it. Every few minutes I'm checking my emails, browsing the web, or changing tracks on the iPod. I'm fortunate to live in an area with plenty of WiFi access, so I don't have to worry about falling back on the aging Edge network.
"What still surprises me about the iPhone is its speed. Applications open instantly, the screen scrolls through images and text without a hiccup, and the coverflow browser on the iPod scrolls quicker than on my home PC. Using the touch screen feels natural and intuitive, especially when browsing Google's Map application or the image browser with two fingers.
"Would I suggest buying an iPhone? Definitely, it's the best mobile phone I've ever used. However, if you send a lot of MMS messages and have no WiFi access, you might want to hold out for the inevitable 3G model." - Tom Rudderham
"Edge is extremely slow"
"I like everything about the iPhone. From the ease of typing on the virtual keyboard to the stock quotes I can monitor in a matter of seconds, it has everything I could ask for. The fully integrated address book is an extremely nice feature. Instead of working my way through tons of menus, I now have as many phone numbers as I need, not to mention the ability to integrate a mailing and email address, all within a few taps on the screen.
"However, with every good point there is at least one bad. And unfortunately, it's not the phone, but the network. The EDGE network is extremely slow and does not allow for fast Internet surfing or downloads. Also, when I receive emails with certain attachments, I cannot open them every time. I've also noticed that sometimes the iPhone seems to freeze up instantaneously before finishing the task that I want it to perform.
"All in all, I like the iPhone quite a bit and would recommend it to anyone. Its ease of use and capabilities alone have made up for the price tag that came with it." - Mark Vena
"No other phone comes close"
"The bottom line to iPhone's greatness is very simple. 95% of ALL its features can be accessed with one tap and the other 5%, 2 taps.
"No other phone comes close.
"Lots of phones have dozens of features to match the iPhone but accessing them? It takes three menus down to select fast dialing on my Moto ... How many menus are required for slow dialing?
"Lots of phones claim to surf the internet but only the iPhone brings your home screen to your hand. Sure, EDGE can be slow but when you are standing waiting for the train 20 minutes away, would you prefer no internet or a slower one? If you stick to sites without a lot of ads, the iPhone EDGE is not bad ..." - KC
Do you own an iPhone? What do you think of it? Drop tech.co.uk an email: [email protected], and we'll publish the best responses.
