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Apple: iPhone Brings Step Change to Consumer RIA Market

Posted on: Thursday, 5 July 2007, 06:20 CDT

The US launch on 29 June, 2007 of the Apple iPhone is the culmination of a hype cycle that started when Apple CEO Steve Jobs first unveiled the device in January this year. As the 'object of desire' of the moment, the iPhone appears destined to equal the iPod's capture of the public's imagination.

Hype aside, the new PDA, which combines mobile phone, iPod music system and computer with rich browser and applications, does represent a step change in the emergence of rich internet applications (RIAs) for the consumer market. Following Web 2.0, where the consumer market leads businesses, it will not be far behind, gauging from the opportunities.

RIAs represent the latest frontier in the human-machine interface space, as accessing server-based applications becomes as easy and as rich in experience as with traditional desktop applications. The iPhone represents the start of a new market that will see a gradual decline in the sight of information workers 'on the go' lugging heavy laptops. The tipping point is the availability of 'always on everywhere' internet, whether through WiFi or 3G.

With train services now providing WiFi, for example, it does not make sense to carry large chunks of hardware around if you can link into office applications using a much simpler, lighter device. Note that the iPhone only has WiFi, but rival device the Nokia N95 offers both WiFi and 3G.

For ergonomic reasons, there is a need for a new typing device to get written information into the RIAs - the iPhone's touchpad keyboard is neat for the occasional email or internet searching, but is not designed for heavy duty writing. So expect to see third-party keyboard attachments emerging for the new generation of PDAs.

The future has a habit of sneaking up on you when you are looking elsewhere; all of a sudden it is there all around. RIAs are one of those examples. Server-based computing can reduce costs and make the administration of applications simpler. RIAs should be on the agenda of CIOs to ensure IT departments are building the right type of applications that exploit the opportunities the internet can offer.

Source: OpinionWire by Butler Group (www.butlergroup.com)

Source: Datamonitor

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