Is the iPhone the next Nintendo Wii?

For those that know me well, I tend to change cell phones just about as often as people change toothbrushes. I have zero shame when it comes to it too, over the past ten years, I’ve been with T-Mobile, Sprint, Nextel, and even Verizon. I can’t even begin to count the number of phones I’ve gone through, counting everything from dumb phones to Blackberries and Treos.

So why is it that I still haven’t bought an iPhone?

$700 for a thing of utility, not of fashion

I like to get the latest and greatest phone, regardless of how much it costs because I see it is a thing of fashion. Sure it’s got the features, the functionality, probably is the slimmest and slickest thing on the market, but most importantly, I’m the only person with it, it’s bleeding edge, and I like that. Forking over $700 for a piece of equipment that everyone else is carrying just is not appealing to me.

It’s new, it’s different, but for how long?

Here’s my biggest fear about the iPhone. It definitely does have some crazy features, instant access to the internet, etc. It does introduce a whole new way of looking at a cell phone and a whole new way of interacting with the cell phone. And I think that’s what makes it so exciting, the brand new interaction that it requires. Because of this, it reminds me a lot about the Nintendo Wii that is collecting dust in our living room right now. It introduced a brand new way of interacting with video games, and it sold like hotcakes. But here we are now, where most people I know haven’t touched their Wiis for a few months now. After $700, I’d hate to see the iPhone meet the same fate…

So what’s the verdict?

There’s a new iPhone user in my office every single day. I think I’m going to hold off on the purchase for now. On the other hand, if Mom and Dad wants to buy it for me as a gift, then hell yeah, bring it on!