iPhone... a history of hate and love. And hate again, soon...

If you think you know me, you'd say I'm an iPhone lover. Or an Apple fanboy. If you do know me, you'll now I try (and am very fortunate to be able to) use the best possible device(s) to suit my needs.

So when I first used an iPhone (the original), without MMS, 3G, copy/paste and whatever else it was missing as a phone, my verdict was simple. This is not a phone, even less a smartphone, it's an iPod touch that can send/receive calls, sms and some mail... And I really couldn't be bothered with it.

Then the 3G came along with iOS 3.0 and it was... meh. Better but uglier.

Time went by... and the 3Gs came. That was about when it became more than a decent smartphone or a simple matter of preference. It was the best UX (user experience) and the most complete device for me. And I did adopted it. But barely... the only things that had me using it were the UX, and especially the audio quality. The excellent and loud iPod was, is, and probably will always be a winner for the iPhone. No one has done it better in my opinion. And even if on par, not by using as little power, and not as 100% reliable without hiccups as an iPod/iPhone does. So this, and only this, made me use my awesome and beloved Nokia N900 less and less. Even got a dock to connect to my wi-fi and a car radio with iPod/iPhone support. And that is pretty awesome. iPod high quality music, transported in one device inside the phone, connectable "anywhere". It actually made me start using the "iPod" with a phone.

Then the 4. Well... New hardware, more capacity and new OS with even more improvements or, granted, more "corrections". It was just a "no brainer". Best thing out there. Period. Still is, for me and my needs. Despite still uglier than the original, slippery, uneven and uncomfortable around the edges and with one of the worst radio performances (especially moving) I've ever seen on a mobile phone.

However, there is a thorn, a pet hate, an asinine stupid emasculating frustrating piece of the puzzle that still bugs me and ultimately will see me dropping the use of an iPhone, or any Apple device even. i-freakin-Tunes.



I've written before on the subject and... well, it's just that it still sucks! It has not improved one bit in the way I'd like it to. Worst even, with iOS5 I can now live without iTunes. Except for music and video. For that, I still have to sync with a computer. And that's the problem right there. A computer. Seriously... still? Stuck with one machine, user and operating system? Not acceptable. I run multi OS machines and VM's across different locations and machines. Work, home, laptop, netbook and for that I store my music on an external drive. Which is a useless solution with iTunes.

Fortunately I've been lucky to be able to start using the awesome Google Music Service. Not only I could load all my stuff into it, it also provides me with new stuff to satisfy my constant need to discover new music. And I can access it from ANYWHERE and ANYTHING.

This has started to shift my needs. More specifically, my need to have my music "with me". I mean, it's still valid when "on the move". But I don't do buses or other means of mass transportation, and my car radio has a neat hidden USB port that plays music with very high quality as well. From a USB thumb drive I can manage ANYWHERE. And add files. And delete. And no software needed. And create my "mixes", and playlists, and don't see them disappear on yet another software upgrade. Gaaaah.....!

 

So, since I seriously expect Music Match not to have any sort of free "basic" subscription to allow me to synch without iTunes and without paying for my own music(!), I believe that this moment - when I do not need and won't miss the iPhone - is very close.

Because if I stop needing an iPhone for "musical" reasons, then I'm only left with the (now) superior UX. Which won't be the best for long... And I do not mean the Android 4,0 crap stuff that's coming.

I'll go back to a Nokia. If not the N900 now, then the new N9 MeeGo with the best UI (user interface) out there. Or the Lumia 800 with WP7 and fantastic Office and windows (home and work) network integration, and the most complete and therefor best UX for me. And you can play Angry Birds as well.

They even have a shiny new free music service...

And free GPS Navigation...

And the ability to hold a call from work to home, without dropping the connection 4 or 5 times. Also included, for free...

And the Ipad may soon follow... if "someone" and Microsoft get the Win8 tablet thing right.