The launch of the iPhone drew large crowds outside Apple stores yesterday. Those eager to get their hands on the coolest device on earth got in line very early. By 6:00 pm on June 29, the crowd outside the Apple Store in downtown San Francisco had spilled out onto the street and caused a huge traffic jam. I was one of those who just had to see how insane the hype had become. I posted a photo of the crowds in front of the Apple store on my other blog, Pajama Entrepreneur.
I read in the Philadelphia Daily News that the city’s mayor, John Street, was one of the first there to get an iPhone and that several EarthLink employees also stood in line to get their hands on the device. No doubt they will be using the citywide Wi-Fi network.
I will eventually get an iPhone but only when it comes unlocked (note that even though the carrier, AT&T, is not subsidizing it, Apple is selling the iPhone with a required 2-year contract).
With devices such as the iPhone that make web browsing a delight, people will demand Internet everywhere and ubiquitous broadband service, preferably via Wi-Fi which is cheap to roll out and already available on laptops, phones and tablets. The idea I had in 2003 – that cities would become carriers of telecommunications – has become a reality with more cities and regions setting up ubiquitous Wi-Fi networks.
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