iPhone is Flickr's #1 Camera; Soon to be Facebook's #1 Video

Mashable is reporting tonight that the iPhone is set to replace the Canon Rebel XTi as the #1 source of photographs on Flickr:

That smartphone, with its weak 2 MP camera and its lack of zoom, is now set to overtake Canon Rebel XTi as the #1 camera on Flickr. This is according to Flickr’s Camera Finder graphs. Actually, as the LA Times has already caught, the iPhone has already passed the Rebel XTi on a few occasions as the two duke it out for the top spot.

This shouldn't come as a surprise (price differential, convenience and ease of mobile uploading) - but it is noteworthy. As an owner of both the iPhone 3GS and the Canon Rebel - I can say that I too have found myself opting for convenience and mobility over artistic and picture quality.

As we all await Facebook's new iPhone App (which is setting in Apple's approval queue and enables mobile video uploads), we should expect the iPhone to quickly become the #1 source of video on Facebook - which is currently the tenth largest video provider on the web. It will be interesting to see just how much activity the iPhone / video integration produces and whether it is enough to advance Facebook beyond #10 (#9 AOL is 50% larger and #8 Hulu is over 2x).

"Welcome to your iPhone 3GS" Email. Two Weeks Later.

Yet another awful, poorly timed email from Apple. At this point, I should start a weekly post about email campaigns from Apple...

Today's email says: "Thanks for purchasing iPhone 3GS. Welcome to your iPhone 3GS: We can't wait to show you around."

That is very kind of Apple - but it would have been far more useful when I actually bought the iPhone... rather than two weeks later. The well-edited tutorials / videos would have also been useful at that point, but I am afraid that learning how to place calls and using the keyboard are no longer helpful (and if they were - it would be a terrible reflection on me and the phone).

After iPhone 3GS Upgrade, Apple Asks me to Insure my 3G

I have criticized Apple's email marketing efforts before (here and here)... but this one takes the cake: Your iPhone 3G hardware coverage is about to expire Don't say good-bye. Extend your coverage with the AppleCare Protection Plan.

This email is laughable since I purchased the iPhone 3GS this weekend and used the same email address to pre-order it. And I activated the 3GS through iTunes - effectively replacing iPhone 3G.

I understand that Apple has these emails systematically scheduled; but, you would think they would scrub the recipient list on a weekend when 1,000,000 new iPhones were sold.

Considering I just extended my AT&T contract and upgraded my hardware, I really enjoyed the ironic "don't say goodbye" tagline.

iPhone 3GS Video & Camera Demo: Using MLB.tv

Oh how technology and digital media have advanced. Below is a video demonstration:

- capturing an HD broadcast of a live Red Sox game (streamed from MLB.tv, through my computer, and onto the television) - the video was shot on the iPhone 3GS's new video capture - and uploaded to Youtube wirelessly via the iPhone... in less than 30 seconds

On the iPhone and the computer, the video quality is far better than what is displayed on Youtube... but it is still far from HD and, despite TechCrunch's argument otherwise, products like the Flip Mino HD still have a role within the market (for now).

Also worth noting, the iPhone 3GS's camera is markedly better than the previous model's - both in focus, function and output. This photo also does a better job conveying the quality of MLB.tv's broadcast... a product I am so thoroughly impressed with that I chose to cancel my Comcast MLB Package subscription after five years:

iPhone 3GS Launch: Advertisers Join the Consumers

Early indications are that the iPhone 3GS launch has been a success - there were "100,000s of pre-orders" and, thanks to Apple's pre-launch reservations and purchases, the experience was clean and efficient. But just as consumers waited in line for their shiny new iPhone, advertisers prepared the launch and the marketing onslaught is everywhere. Visit any tech blog and you'll see a swarm of ads for: - iPhone 3GS-compatible accessories (ie skins and cases) - iPhone competitors (namely the Palm Pre) - Phone carriers (Sprint and T-Mobile are trying to capture attention)

My personal favorite:

This is good too... as *everything* comes off as an ad:

The Market Responds to Palm Pre and iPhone 3GS, Differently

On a day when data was released surrounding the Palm Pre's launch and Apple announced the iPhone 3GS, the clear loser was the Palm Pre and its carrier.

Palm: -6.5% Sprint: -2.9% Apple: -0.6% (rebounded from -3% after WWDC) AT&T: -0.3%

You will notice in the below chart that the market's reaction occurred before Apple's keynote (which was relatively expected materials) and actually rebounded as the day progressed... suggesting that the movement was rather a reaction to the Pre's weekend sales: