In 18 days Apple will release iPhone distributed exclusively through all the AT&T stores which number around 10,000. If Apple sends each store 40 units …well you do the math. Bottom line is, there’s going be a whole lot of these gadgets taking fireworks pics on July 4th.
Here is exactly what Steve Jobs said today – "Developers and users alike are going to be very surprised and pleased
at how great these applications look and work on iPhone. “Our innovative approach, using Web 2.0-based
standards, lets developers create amazing new applications while
keeping the iPhone secure and reliable.”
So iPhone is built with Web 2.0 Internet standards. Surprise surprise. What this means is third party web developers, that means those guys in your back room office chugging down Red Bulls and Camel lights all day will be able to create Web 2.0 applications for the iPhone that will seamlessly
access iPhone’s services, including making a phone call, sending an
email and displaying a location in Google Maps and …wait did I just say Google Maps?
You bet I did. See where this is going?
Imagine what the tie in to real estate could be? How about everything!!!! Can anyone say listing alerts. Search applications. Feedback widgets consumers can leave on your listed properties. The possibilities seem endless to me.
Tech companies…get cracking.
Brokerages, give your developers something cool to work on. There are 100,000,000 iPods out there in the world. Over the next few years, these iPhones could replace them. That means millions upon millions could be accessing your services anytime anywhere from their phone.
Want to build value? Regain trust? Do something cool and revolutionary? Work with Apple. They proved how a company all but dead can reclaim life.
- Davison
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This is the type of innovation that can potentially remodel the business blueprint and it is one tile in the giant mosaic of evolution that is literally handing the real estate industry the change it so desperately needs.
Imagine for a moment the plethora of ways this gadget can revolutionize broker/agent interfacing, let alone the powerful and countless consumer applications that exist.
Apple has it right; it's all about the consumer and that is why they were able to resurrected themselves!
Our industry is in need of more than a fresh coat of paint and some new screen doors. The innovation likely will come from without, rather than within, sadly.
As for REALonomics, we have an order pending!
Scenario:
I have a desire. I want to buy my first home. I have a need. To find one. I'm at the park on a Sunday with my wife and daughter. It's a beautiful day. While the girls do their thing (obviously i'm not married, hence the lack of description here), I explore my new iPhone purchased this morning. I download a homefinder app. I input my search criteria, and would you believe it, there's a property right down the street. After the park we get in the car. As we drive, the GPS registers my approach towards the home, and suddenly my wife is watching the virtual tour in the passenger seat. She wants to stop and see the property. The REALTOR has been notified we just viewed the home tour. We get a text asking if we'd like to see the home. Would love to, but Sally is getting hungry, and we need to prepare dinner. My wife has time at lunch tomorrow, and schedules the showing. We all know she's the one who makes the decisions around here anyway. Besides, that way i can enjoy my red bull and camel light…
Did i mention we logged our notes the following day after the showing, and that the next person who drives by and views the tour can see what we had to say… because we'd rather have people than a website provide recomendation. I know, cuz the smoking gun told me so.
Funny… I wrote a blog post back when I first saw the iPhone about how I thought it could change the R/E world. Most the comments I got went something like this "yeah the phone is cool, but the apps aren't there to support your ideas". So, I definitely want to see some new web 2.0 apps so that I can go back and say "see, I told you so".
Now, I just have to figure out a way to justify spending $500 for the new phone to my wife. Any ideas?
Yes. Get yourself the iPhone and her a $500 gift certificate to Zappos!
- Davison
Scenario:
I have a desire. I want to buy my first home. I have a need. To find one. I'm at the park on a Sunday with my wife and daughter. It's a beautiful day. While the girls do their thing (obviously i'm not married, hence the lack of description here), I explore my new iPhone purchased this morning. I download a homefinder app. I input my search criteria, and would you believe it, there's a property right down the street. After the park we get in the car. As we drive, the GPS registers my approach towards the home, and suddenly my wife is watching the virtual tour in the passenger seat. She wants to stop and see the property. The REALTOR has been notified we just viewed the home tour. We get a text asking if we'd like to see the home. Would love to, but Sally is getting hungry, and we need to prepare dinner. My wife has time at lunch tomorrow, and schedules the showing. We all know she's the one who makes the decisions around here anyway. Besides, that way i can enjoy my red bull and camel light…