iPhone casts its "Strong" spell on US cell users

Yes, Apple iPhone can be very expensive indeed at $599, but people in the United States are ready to spend that much for this revolutionary Phone, an all-in-one cell phone/iPod/pocket computer which is due to hit the market shelves in America on June, 29, according to a survey conducted by the mobile market authority, M:Metrics.

More than 19 million people or 9% of U.S. cell users has "a strong interest" in buying Apple’s widely anticipated gadget, the survey said Friday.

Presenting the findings from its April Benchmark Survey surrounding consumer awareness and intention to purchase Apple iPhone, the measurement firm that tracks mobile phone use said it has found that 56 percent of British and 64 percent of American mobile phone users were aware of the iPhone.

Apple’s much-hyped combination device accumulates three amazing products, a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching, into one small and lightweight handheld device.

This widely anticipated gadget is priced at $499 for 4-gigabyte model and $599 for an 8-gigabyte model, Apple has said previously.

In the United States, 14 percent of those who had heard about the iPhone reported they would be highly interested in buying one, while 12% showed “Neutral Interest” and 74% reported “Low Interest”.

Britons, who apparently are also eagerly looking forward for the much-touted iPhone, showed great interest in buying iPhone, even though a launch date in Europe has yet to be announced. In Britain, 28% of those who were aware of the iPhone had reported “Strong Interest” in buying the combination phone; however, 22% showed “Neutral Interest” and 50% reported “Low Interest”.

"This data confirms that the iPhone has sparked the imaginations of consumers and is not merely a topic of conversation among insiders and technology enthusiasts," M:Metrics senior vice president and senior analyst, Mark Donovan said. "19 million Americans reported strong interest in purchasing an iPhone -- an impressive figure, when you consider that the installed base of most high-end devices rarely approaches one million and respondents were informed of the price point as well as of the AT&T exclusive."

Apple made its long-awaited entry into the cellphone world this year in January by launching its much-anticipated mobile phone, iPhone, at the annual Macworld conference and Expo in San Francisco. Apple's CEO and chief showman Steve Jobs had unveiled iPhone during his keynote speech at the Macworld conference.

Cingular, the Atlanta-based leading wireless carrier and a unit of AT&T Inc., is Apple’s exclusive U.S. carrier partner for iPhone.

While AT&T, the largest U.S. cell-phone service, formerly named Cingular Wireless LLC, has a five-year exclusive contract with Apple Inc. for the marketing of device in the United States, 67 percent of those who indicated strong interest in buying an iPhone were customers of carriers other than the San Antonio company, AT&T.

"This is an early indication that AT&T's strategy to use the device to lure customers from competitors could pay off," commented Donovan.

AT&T Mobility LLC has received more than 1 million inquiries for Apple's multimedia and Web-enabled iPhone device, the San Antonio-based company reported in the first week of this month.

Apple’s iPhone, which was touted as "revolutionary" by Jobs in the keynote, has a built-in camera, five hours of continuous talk time and 15 hours for playing music, and runs Safari Web browser and Apple's Macintosh operating system software. It has Bluetooth, a short-range wireless technology that supports wireless headsets or links to devices like printers, and can connect to the Internet wirelessly via Wi-Fi.

Unlike the tiny multiple keys found on existing smart phones, Apple's iPhone has a single button and a 3.5-inch (9-cm) touch screen, and is larger than the iPod Nano. With a black front and silver back, the iPhone according to Apple is the thinnest smart phone in the market having thickness of 11.6 millimeters (0.5-inches).

Last month, Apple said the regulators have given their stamp of approval to iPhone, allowing it to sell iPhone in the United States.

The approval of FCC, which is an independent executive agency of the U.S. government established to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest, is necessary before a manufacturer can sell a handset to consumers.

After revolutionizing the personal computing with its Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers, and digital media market with its most popular iPod, the Cupertino, California based Apple is ready to revolutionize the mobile market with its multifunctional device that has such potent qualities which make it potential for revolutionizing the handset industry.