BBC, iPhone and the Carriers

You’ve got to love the BBC – a few days after the plans for iPlayer were announced (currently Windows only, reliant on wmv and MS DRM tech) they talk about the iPhone – apparently the internet connection is slow; ok it doesn’t have 3G, but even 3G and data plans are slow compared to the Wifi installed in the iPhone.

Eh? The iPhone has built in wifi? Yes, Throughly-Research-My-Articles-BBC-Person, it does.

Of course they know this, but, erm, fail to mention this on any of their broadcasts and online review bar the tiny specifications box.

I hate to say this, but most people despise browsing the internet through their phone – on any network technology it’s slow, the screen/and or browser just don’t make it a good experience and most phones that do have wifi in them, have it switched off by the network or carrier because it interferes with the carriers revenue streams – one of my workmates has a phone and they’ve removed the WIFI capability (or turned it off – same difference) so he has to use T-Mobile’s Web’n'Walk.
My hope for the iPhone is that it’s more a shakeup for the demands of the networks and carriers than it is to the handest makers – at least then the iPhone will have a positive effect for everyone regardless of whether they buy the iPhone or not

~ by calum on June 29, 2007.