“Just how slippery is Apple’s iPhone? Scattered reports from people who have put their hands on pre-release models say that its main problem is not the rumored battery life shortfall, but the sleek, slippery surface,” hilip Elmer-DeWitt blogs for Business 2.0.
“I handled one for about 15 minutes in January and didn’t find it any more prone to flying out of my hands — or my shirt pocket — than an iPod. But others who have spent more time with it say different,” Elmer-DeWitt writes.
Elmer-DeWitt writes, “Alexandros Roussos recently interviewed a ‘tipster who had the chance to play with the device for a longer time than just a few minutes.’ He reported on MacScoop that its real-world battery performance would ‘surprise us,’ and, in fact, exceed Apple’s posted specs: up to 5 hours talk/video/browsing, and up to 16 hours audio playback.”
“Overall,” he added, “our source found the iPhone awesome but he mentioned, as a sole negative point, that the material used on the device’s case makes it feel even more slippery than the iPod and will probably require the purchase of a protective skin or case so as to avoid unintentionally dropping it.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “DLMeyer” for the heads up.]
Judging “slipperiness” by pre-production units is probably not the best idea. We’ll reserve judgement for the shipping product.
Also, if you don’t get a case/consider getting one, well that’s just unwise.
IMHO
Isn’t that was cases are for?
While your point is valid, MDN, so are the others who have gotten their hands on it. Better to change it now than after a class-action lawsuit, don’t you think?
That was a subjective observation. “Feel” does not equate to slippery. Slippery means you can’t hold onto it. Did the anonymous reviewer drop the iPhone? I think not.
This is a bogus “anaonymous” tipster that is more likely made up by the author to create controversy and drive hits.
The internet has sunk to the lowest form of journalism, if that’s possible.
“slipperiness” depends primarily on the hands of the user. If you’ve got very dry or very sweaty hands, you may have problems holding smooth objects. For most people, it won’t be a problem.
Personally, I find the new Nano to be very slippery, and the Shuffle just flies out of my fingers when I try to open the clasp. Never had any problems with the larger iPods, which seem closer in materials to what the iPhone looks like, so, maybe just a matter of these testers being a little more careful than they should be because they were handling the jewels of the kingdom.
If someone describes the device as “awesome” and limits the sole drawback as “slippery” then boy-oh-boy this device is gonna live up to the hype.
And, at $600+, a case should frakkin’ be included.
it might “squirt” out of your hand, hehe.
yea, see? Apple copying MS (zune) AGAIN!!
The big news in the article isn’t the slipperyness, but that the battery life is great.
A rubber case would work well with the iPhone. There have already been images around of a company in China producing cases for the iPhone.
I hope that the iPhone is not slippery… this is the exact reason why I hate my Razr phone; I cannot tell you how many times it has “slipped” out of my hands…. If I were to invest in an iPhone, then getting a protective case for it would be a top priority.
by the way…
Has there ever been more press about a product that isn’t yet available for sale? Maybe the Wii?
Even if the iPhone is slippery, people will bitch, but it will not affect sales what-so-ever. People will just bitch.
It’s very easy to change up the feel of the exterior – it’s not so easy to re-engineer the whole device to fit a larger capacity battery. if this is the worst problem they have, this thing will be a HUGE hit.
You have GOT to be kidding me. This is news? Has the Fud Threshold really fallen this low?
“It can’t be used as a paddle! How will I row my boat if I loose my other 2 paddles?!”
Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
This made me laugh out loud. Anything to minimize sales, it seems. Avoid the iPhone!!! It’ll fly out of your hand and take out an eye!
File this one with the scratch prone Nano FUD. It’s B.S., my bride has a Nano, the screen looks great. Trust me, if anyone could trash one it would be her.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m buying a case with my iPhone. And hopefully they’ll let me get “My Precious” engraved on the back.
Slippery is good, but the shape needs to be more bullet-like.
BTW if it is too slippery you could put a lanyard on it and wear it like one of those big Mercedes medallions that the rappers wear.
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“And, at $600+, a case should frakkin’ be included.”
It looks like it already ships with a case–a metal one.
I’m going to take mine into the bath with me then. I love playing with slippery things in the bathtub.
Thppft. This will just be an excuse to sell third party slipcases.
I can’t believe the BS FUD flying around before launch.
Give up you idiots, iPhone will be BIG and there is nothing you can say to stop it.
you can always carve knotches in the side of it….
Just remember to wipe yer hands off after your KFC binge and before using the iPhone, and you shouldnt have any probs !
A pre-production model is not the best way of evaluating anything, since the processes for a mass production run are different than a one off model. The pre-production model could have easily been a working test of a different material, one that they’re gonna change but that works perfectly well to allow people 5 minute demonstrations.
“you can always carve knotches in the side of it….”
Ha! I have a 20,000 RPM angle grinder if anyone needs to borrow it.
It’s a phone not a bar of soap. Just hold it.
ha ha
let me see
the iphone could be slippery thats the ticket
BORING BS
I love to see everyone trying so hard to catch up with Apple. Thank microsuck for lowering the bar so much …. Apple has had the last 10 years to focus with steve at the top.
this is only the start of some serious change coming down the line
macboy “2010” AAPL
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sorry i dont have a problem with sweat pouring out of my palms like some sort of mongol.
its akin to saying the ipod scratches too easily because as my knuckles drag on the ground during normal walking, the ipod should somehow be made to be totally scratch resistant because i am half ape-man.
for normal people with any taste its like looking at vista and wanting to throw you guts up is suppose.
It’s ok, Apple’s including some Gorilla Snot with every iPhone.
Slipperiness won’t be the issue.
You’ll need to CHAIN it to your wrist to stop people grabbing it for a feel…
My girlfriend’s quite slippery when she’s being nice to me…
I don’t know about the iPhone being slippery, but I know Mr. Gates is pretty slippery.
Perl is a slick piece of plastic.
Now let me ask everyone this: How many times have you dropped your cell phone or iPod? Virtually everyone’s done this at least a few times, and this will be no different.
Personally, the invisible shield (free plug boys!), delivers great scratch protection, no added bulk, and delivers grip to any product, while letting the product look like it has nothing added to it.
Stay tuned for more shit:
– the touch screen will get scratched easily;
– you need three arms to dial (if you don’t have thumbs);
– the Excel files will open, but some Visual Basic macros won’t work;
– the Gogle Earth photo of the Eiffel Tower is obsolete (because it’s evening now, and the photo was taken during the day);
– the browser works fine, but the Windows Update website won’t load properly;
– the album art is from the UK, and not the US edition;
– if you dial more than fifty digits, the font size is too small for people with disabilities (i.e., Bill Gates)
– you have to wash your hands each time after flushing the zune (especially if you don’t have toilet paper), otherwise it/you will get slippery.
They should stop wanking beforehand or avoid eating fried chicken before using one.
I suspect this is an example of the class action wh***s pre -launch strategy, as they did with Nano scratches.
The iPhone is so darn slippery because that hand model who posed with it for the promo photo had way too much makeup on.
I mean, look at this photo:
http://www.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/specials/iPhone.js
Introducing the coolest new accessories for the iPhone…. iNipps! Exciting new iNipps are smart rubber finger tip caps that increase your grip on the super slippery new iPhone! Five hot new colors will handsomely compliment the sleek black and silver of your iPhone. Check out iNipps here:
http://www.craftconn.com/Main.asp?Task=Custom&Step=Notion+Details&productID=14988
Remember kids – Don’t lose your grip, get iNipps!
As long as the launch date doesn’t slip
Lucky for me my hands are adjustable, so i can grip things tighter if needed. Too bad this option wasn’t orderd from the factory by the author’s parents
This is getting to be like Mac OS X security. When it was obvious that there were no real world issues to point at, the media starts looking for silly things, like “Mac OS X is not secure because Apple does not hire a security czar” or “Mac OS X is not as secure as Windows because Apple’s average reaction time to a vulnerability was slower than Microsoft.”
Now that price, battery life, and lack of a physical “thumb” keyboard have run out of steam (and validity), it’s time to focus on “slipperiness” as a critical flaw in iPhone. iPods are “slippery.” I like the feel and would never cover it up with a cheap case. Others will buy a leather or silicone case. If this is the worst issue facing iPhone, it’s going to be huge.
“Isn’t that was cases are for?”
Well, think when you are taking it out from your case. Slip…and there you go!
Time go buy another iPhone.
Everyone should change iPhone once a year, i guess, that’s what S.Jobs would say.
its a non-issue.
There’s going to be a cases market anyway just like other ipods and phones – leather, aluminum, plastic, whatever. I mean, there’s aluminum cases for gadgets that are made of, you guessed it, aluminum.
This has an easy solution: cover it in brown plastic!
Its not like its covered with grease c;mon, if your that much of a klutz get a rubber case for it
Note to self: purchase property insurance along with iPhone in June.
that you can’t drive while using the touchpad!
WTF!!!
“It’s a phone not a bar of soap. Just hold it.”
Just like a bar of soap, don’t drop it in the wrong place.
It won’t slip out of my hands
Newsflash:
People drop phones!
It’s gunna happen, no matter what. But I can aready see the headlines…
@MDN
Whoa! Hold on one minute! You can’t have it both ways MDN!
Either it is not pre-procution vaporware…thus it is effecting Palm sales and Crackberry sales…or it is pre-production vaporware…hence it cannot be judged until it is released from its vaporware state. This site has had way too many “me too” takes on pro-iPhone-already-exists articles to play the Prototype card now.
I have always said it is vaporware and all reviews bad or good are useles. All speculation on it’s sales, capabilities, and usefulness are stupid.
This is what annoys me about the koolaid drinking side of this site. Stay consistent! You can’t hide behind the prototype excuse when it is convenient and treat the iPhone like a real product when you are trying to thumb your nose at other phone makers or M$.
The iPhone will be what it will be. Most ppl here willl buy one and be very happy with it even it is not flawless and the quintessential mobile phone. I know I will be happy with mine (when my current contract dies..hopefully iPhone 2.0 will be out).
Just my $0.02
“People drop phones!”
Especially people who have just been jerking off looking at their collection of Apple hardware and go to pick it up.
Nobody jerks off looking at their collection of PC hardware then goes to pick up their Treo.
Hence you see the problem. Apple can predict this kind of behavior and the iPhone should be designed to perform OK in that situation.