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Mon, 24 Sep 2007 Stephen Fry slams iPhone

Stephen Fry reviews smartphones

Jonny Evans

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Legendary UK actor, writer, director and Mac enthusiast Stephen Fry has published an in-depth report contrasting some of the UK's leading smartphones, including the iPhone.

Fry slams the iPhone for only supporting server-side applications, pointing out that closed environments aren't the future for the technology industry.

He also criticises Apple for insisting iPhone owners purchase and download ringtones for their devices, isn't impressed with the Mail app, and is anxious for a 3G version of the iPhone because EDGE support in the UK is extremely limited.

Fry is a self-confessed Mac addict, and has been since the beginning - he purchased the second Mac ever shipped into the UK, with the first being acquired by his friend, the late author, Douglas Adams.

The actor hasn't let his predilection for Apple sully his attempt to be objective. Instead he sets the challenge for manufacturers: "All the big guns want an iPhone killer. Even I, mad for all things Apple as I am, want an iPhone killer. I want smart digital devices to be as good as mankind’s ingenuity can make them. I want us eternally to strive to improve and surprise. Bring on the iPhone killers. Bring them on," he writes.

Fry takes a look at the iPhone, the HTC Touch, the Nokia E90 and the Sony Ericsson P1i. He offers objective praise and constructive criticisms for each of these devices, including Apple's.

Fry has been using such devices for many years, and can marshall more insight and knowledge of the sector than all but the most experienced mobile-device journalists. As such, the extensive report offers some valuable insights into the development of the smartphone industry.

Of the iPhone, Fry concludes: "Everything else in the iPhone lives up to, even surpasses the hype. Another triumph for Jonathan Ive and his design team, Apple has made a wholly desirable and beautiful object. Only a cross and silly person would pretend to be unimpressed or make claims of parity about their O2 xda Trion or similar lumpen beast."

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