Price concerns for iPhone

While analysts remain generally upbeat regarding the prospects for Apple's iPhone, some are beginning to posit some questions about price, battery life, and keyboard functionality as the launch date enters a two-week frame. Shaw Wu with American Technology research thinks that the keyboard will be one of the biggest points of contention for early adopters of the device. Saying that the keyboard will "likely require a learning curve for most users,' Wu reports in a research note that he is not overly concerned believe users will likely spend the majority of their time on navigation-type tasks, i.e. scrolling through menus, surfing the web, etc. Wu also points out that iPhone's firmware and software will be easy to upgrade in the case of user distaste.

Wu also cautions on Apple's new battery life estimates, saying that sources have indicated iPhone's active use battery life may be closer to around 4-5 hours for heavy use instead of the 8 hours recently claimed by Apple.

The research note also raises concerns over the iPhone's lack of integration with corporate email services, saying "Our sources indicate that iPhone works with corporate e-mail systems based on Microsoft Exchange, but will not be as robust as the push technology offered by Blackberry." The iPhone has been publicly confirmed to sport IMAP connectivity to Exchange servers, but not full support for Exchange functionality.

Finally, Wu says that lower-priced iPhones are already in the pipeline, due to be delivered shortly after the initial device's release, propelling market penetration.

American Technology Research has set a $145 price target for shares of AAPL.

By Electronista Staff

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