The siren song of screens - iPhone vs. N95

[Rafe]

Steve has been thinking about the lure of Apple's iPhone to normal users. In this editorial he looks at screens and compares Apple's technology with that found in the N95 8GB. How important, for the average consumer, are screens in the all-important first impression period?

Read on in the full article.

The default backlight turn off timing on the N95 is not long enough to create a good impression for new users whereas the iPhone seems ready for action.

[Bosambo]

I think the explanation here is a little simpler. I just can’t imagine over the last year or so your sister and friend have not heard about the iPhone. It think the reaction you saw was more than likely from the media hype behind the device and the chance to finally get some hands on time with one of these things they’ve seen on TV and on the net all these months and to see what the fuss was all about and not really to bother with this other unknown device you were saying did more. Plus, something I had to admit the first time I got hold of one that had nothing to do with screen real estate and brightness…it’s a better designed device than the N95…it just looks better. I wouldn’t give up my N95 for one (I had a chance to do so last year and I declined) but I know that the factors you talk about are only a small part of the appeal.

[Tzer2]

I know some people who actively avoid all large screen devices because in their minds "large screen = very fragile".

There seems to be a "can I safely put it in my back pocket?" mentality in some quarters which scares people away from most smart devices, which is why it's so important to create a diverse range of form factors.

[srizah]

Hype definitely is a factor. In the case of iPhone, Apple primed the market with the iPod with a whole new approach to gadget interface. It was the new thing that normobs have fallen for. Nokia sold on what its phones could do more, but Apple sold on what you can do with the phone on a much basic level. Even without touch, those factors like "jumping colors", "screen size" "first screens" and "brightness" should weigh in future designs of Symbian phones. This edit is good

My epiphany. Two weeks ago I dumped my N95, not for an iPhone, but for an old Nokia 6100 basic phone. Do I need all this smartphone rubbish? Do I hell, it's been joyous to be rid of it, not care about it and generally do interesting things instead.

Except that I'm errm, on here posting, but it's only to tell you all about it and it's gonna be the last time that I know.

iPhone schmiphone, get a life. Smartphone fartphone. Bye.

Quote
"As a phone 'power user' I can see that the button-driven system is often more efficient and flexible"
Unquote

A little elaboration on this would be helpful

Steve. If the iPhone screen is 3.6 inches and the N95 8GB 2.8 inches then the former is not 30% greater in size than the latter. The area, not the diagonal length, is the key factor in a screen. The iPhone screen has a 3:2 ratio so has an area of 36.6cm². The N95 8GB has a 4:3 screen so the area is 24.3cm^2. This makes the iPhone 51% larger - that's why it looks so much more impressive.

I recently switched to an iPhone. Previously had an E51, E61, and 3650.

I was with T-Mobile here in the US, and finally got tired of not having proper 3G. I was also beginning to travel to places where the coverage was rubbish.

So I switched to AT&T, and thought I'd give the iPhone a spin for 30 days while I wait for the E71 to drop a little more in price.

So far I'm not blown away. I do love that screen though. I don't 'hate' the "keyboard", but I'm certainly not enamored with it. I reckon it'll be a great phone for it's next owner.

My girlfriend on the other hand loves her "new" E51!! Says it's a night and day difference in usability from her previous Blackberry Perl. Getting the BIS working on it was a bit of a pain for her, but she figured it out all on her own, and she's not what I'd call a power user.

Intuitive I think she called the E51.

[slitchfield]

"As a phone 'power user' I can see that the button-driven system is often more efficient and flexible"

Elaboration was requested 8-)

By this, I meant (as I've mentioned numerous times in the past) that although the iPhone is super when you're stationary and have both hands free, a button-driven, one-handed interface is superior when you're on the move (walking, cycling, jogging, hanging from a tube strap etc) and/or only have one hand free (kid, briefcase or shopping on other, etc)

What's the difference between 1" and 2" screen?

The 2" screen is FOUR times bigger.

This is why some may perceive 0.2" difference as nothing but in reality is quite a bit larger and does make a noticeable difference.

Best to view for every mm in screen size is not linear but exponential!

[mjlaris]

I've had a chance to play with an iPhone once or twice and was not really blown away like I was when I first laid hands on my E90, or my new E71. That said, as an engineer and certified gadget freak, I'm always more interested in what a device can do than what it looks like, as long as it's not totally ugly. The iPhone really seemed to me to be more of a toy, something for a teenager, not something a business professional would carry around.

Mark

[Jaggz]

I totally agree with everything you've mentioned Steve. The look and feel of the iPhone is second to none. There is something extremely 'human' about it.

From my experience with showing people the iPhone, I would say that Apple (and the media) have been very good at communicating the additional features of the iPhone to the point where even Joe Public perceived it as something beyond the standard smartphone.

[ashu]

people here have made some very valid points.

To me it looks pure marketing genius.

What steve (jobs and not litchfield!) has done. He has simply divided the market into 'us' and 'them'. The touchscreen vs the phonepad people. He has made sure the touch interface of apple remains the best in class. (we know touch diamond is a good phone but its nowhere near an iPhone when you feel both.

And the marketing has given this product more of an aspirational value than the usability.

Ofcourse, to normobs, having multiple apps thru s60 platform will be more of secondary factor.

The look and feel of iPhone plus the desire of common people to join a niche community will definitely make it more attractive.

Come on nokia, your phones have been 'generalized' in the marketing world!

[ashu]

by the way, i found one of the comments little strange. 'smartphone fartphone'. Where the hell does that come from? Thankfully, he will not be here anymore!! Cheers to his absence now!