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iPhone: Apple Making All the Wrong Moves

People like Thomas Barta is why I wouldn't short Apple. Why is it that any article that even tries to say anything negative immediately draws flames from the pro-mac crowd? Bottom line is that even if the iphone is a dismal product the same crowd will still buy into it, that is the risk in betting against AAPL. As some quick rebuttals:

"It looks like Verizon (according to "theStreet") is going with the LG Prada-- a 2nd rate phone from a third rate Korean company."
- Joke? The "2nd rate phone" is essentially everything the iphone is; a no button phone with a big pricetag and a nice/desirable name. The "third rate company" makes Apple LCDs (Apple LCDs are now third rate products?) and is way more experienced in the cell phone game than Apple.

"You REALLY believe Verizon could deliver a phone with anywhere NEAR the capabilities on the iPhone in this current decade?
- The real question is do you REALLY believe people will pay big bucks to buy a phone that is technologically average? I agree with jyung here, in many other countries you can get a phone that has can play mp3s, watch videos, listen to the radio, have a big screen, open locks, operate as a debit card etc - all for $50. The US has never been the leader in phone technology and the iphone isn't going to change that. Just do some research on what is available out there (internationally). Be objective here, the iphone isn't the smallest/thinnest, doesn't have the best battery, doesn't have the best camera, isn't the first to be button free, doesn't have all of the wireless features available on other phones, has subpar expansion capabilities, etc - what makes it so groundbreaking? Oh right.. if you spin it 90 degrees the picture on the screen will rotate - the $500 feature I was looking for!

I personally think that iphone will be below expectations but still do well. Though I don't agree with everything in the article I think 5-year lock-in mentioned means that the US will play a much smaller role than expected. I don't really understand why the successful marketing of one product automatically means that it is impervious in future plans, completely discounting decades of subpar performance.