8) Converged Portable Digital Technology

The iPhone

The iPhone is a combination of a mobile phone, an iPod and an internet communications device. It has a 2 megapixel camera with video, music storage, internet and email, touch screen, bluetooth and mobile phone. It has relevance to the current market as people were awaiting the iPhone for a long time, however, as it took so long to bring out a technology that combined internet, music and mobile phone, it isn't as good as it could have been, with not a lot of memory, and it is unable to send picture messages.

The iPhone is aimed at people, eager to keep up with the current technologies as well as loyal Apple customers, owning iPods, Macs etc. The main benefit of the iPhone is the portability. All the technologies are combined to fit into your pocket. The iPhone also looks professional and would appeal to businessmen and women.

The different institutions involved are obviously Apple and its products such as iTunes, which allows the iPhone to combine internet and iTunes, so there is no longer the need to download music on your computer and then putting it onto the iPod. O2 has priority to sell phone contracts for the iPhone in the UK.

The key theories involved are Portability, Miniaturisation, Personalisation, Time-shift, Convergence and Vertical Intergration.

Portability & Miniaturisation - These are both linked, as due to minurisation of the technology, it has become more portable and can fit in your pocket.

Personalisation - The user can add thier own music and videos and customise thier playlists and iTunes library etc.

Time-shift - The audience can chose when and where to watch thier videos and listen to music. They can also download podcasts which can be listened to at any time.

Convergence - The iPhone combines a mobile phone, iPod, camera, photo, video and music storage as well as internet and email.

Vertical Intergration - The iPhone works together with other Apple products such as iTunes, so the user can purcase songs for thier iPhone from the iTunes store.