iPhone vs. iTouch

The theory goes that the more technologies converge in one product, the better received such product will be in the market. However, when you use a product, there are more factors to consider than just multiple intersections of technology. For example, people are saying that mp3 players and cameras are becoming obsolete because their functionalities are already integrated in cellular phones. Why buy two or three products when you can buy one item capable of doing the functions of all three, right? More importantly, as one blogger put it, you only have one pocket to place all these items in anyway.

But, as I said, convergence isn't the only consideration. Companies have found a competitive foothold by capitalizing on the quality and not just the capacity for convergence of their products. Let's take the iPhone and the iPod touch. They have the same functions except for one: the iPhone can make calls and send SMS. During the earlier phases of the iPhone however, the overall performance of the product suffered greatly because the call and text functions weren't stable yet. This bogged down the entire software and generally created a whole bunch of pissed off consumers. The downside for the iPhone therefore became similar to that of the iPod: you couldn't make calls.

Even arguing that the iPhone has improved, it is highly noticeable that iPhone users use the music player functions of their iPhones less than iTouch users. The fact is, the more functions are available in one product, the less that those several functions are used for their individual purposes. Think about it, when was the last time you used the video or music player functions of your cellphone? So as it is, the mere fact of convergence doesn't create a competitive edge for companies. Competition doesn't have to focus on having technologies available through one medium. Competition may still be driven the old-school manner: by producing quality products outbidding each other in conditions and attributes.

Maricris L. Real
Entry # 10