Is It Safe...

What makes an iPhone great ...

it doesn't have as many features as many other devices on the market - in fact it's components are often less advanced than competitor's... ex shaky camera - no volume speaker phone - no 3g speeds - etc ..

none of that matters - what people needed was exactly the platform the iPhone provides - the iPhone is a PLATFORM from which to experience applications and content - Experience is the Key - what the phone industry failed to do was to listen for customer's experience needs ... customers need a mobile communication platform that can provide all the familiar applications in a way that makes sense no matter how you look at it - examples --> form factors that don't change drastically every 5 seconds so that a lot of sub components and accessories will be relevant to supply chains and repair enthusiasts for many years to come as people mis match parts accross generations and apple leverages dyes and components in manufacturing and refurbishment activities ... so yeah - long runs, multiple mostly partial overlapping form factor device generations...a subtle shape shifter over the years, where the interfaces are durable and don't wear out easily, hosting a real computer OS so that actual development can be done and consistencies from generation to generation can be maintained and will make sense, a great distribution system so that equipment and parts are always available when and where needed, a place to go to get repairs made easily with a straightforward consistent style, easy and natural interface to existing computer systems and applications, etc etc

what they will deliver with the new 3g iPhone:
-more advanced component technologies
-some new features
-many new applications
-opening of the currently-safe portion of the OS (maybe more will open later)
-offerings in more locations - expanded distribution
-etc

what they have yet to do :
-allow multiple form factors to share one account - a dancing phone, a work phone, a camping phone .. etc - where you can login and out of them whenever you want without changing any chips - allowing users to buy chip sets or combine login in with bio-metrics to do away with the need for chips altogether :-: somehow they will eventually solve this problem and teach the phone companies that like sunglasses - each person would really like to have a backup in their briefcase or a different style for a different occasion... etc
-send its screen to other devices for larger temporary display - like the car nav or a "Blank" - (blank)
-integrated iGlasses, iWatch, iNav, and for when your ready to go...the iWill...
-etc

Yes

Apple is safe --> even if the iPhone was all they had...! and it's not even close to what they'll turn out to have when this is all said and done...