Surprisingly enough, they succeeded when it comes to surfing the web or using one of the many available applications, which make the iPhone one of the best handheld internet browsing devices around. Add to that the fact that it's one of the best multimedia players out there, and it's enough - for me at least - to proudly start wearing the fanboy badge.
But when it comes to the basics - making phone calls - the iPhone leaves a lot to be desired.
CNET UK does a great job at pinpointing nearly all of the device's shortcomings, giving it the title of the "worst phone in the world". Yes, none of the issues they point out are particularly new, but from my experience, and the experience of many other users I spoke to, they're very real, and the sheer fact that they exist over two years after the first iPhone was launched is not only newsworthy: it's unbeliavable.
Here's a short recap of the lengthy list of iPhone problems: poor sound (if you don't position the phone at that perfect spot), poor microphone, dropped calls, phone not ringing or reacting to calls at all, and shoddy battery life.
I don't complain about that last bit; it's a powerful device, and yes, it sucks a lot of battery juice. But I've had my share of dropped calls; calls that get cut in the middle for no apparent reason; iPhone getting stuck when you try to end the call, and yes, the worst of them all, calls not getting through at all. Is it my network? I doubt it; I own two more phones, and haven't had nearly as many problems with them as I do with the iPhone.