I read the NY Times when I have the chance, and this article caught my eye.  It claims that fewer than 30% of iPhone users do work with their iPhones. I beg to differ.  Maybe I don’t represent the masses of users, but in the course of my work, I use the following native apps on my iPhone:

Phone
Mail (I use my iPhone mail reader almost exclusively, especially to weed through the first check of the day – SO easy to sort and delete on the iPhone!)
SMS Text
iCal Calendar
Photos
Camera
iPod (for instructional podcasts, entertainment in the office, transferring and previewing online video files, etc)
WeatherBug (if its going to rain all day, I’m not dragging my camera crew around looking for exterior shots at Lewis Ginter)
YouTube (to preview productions online, provide comps to clients, etc)
Maps
Safari (I develop websites, mobile apps, etc)
OmniFocus (CRM software)
App Store (to keep everything up to date)
NY Times (market info and continuing education, research…like this article)
USA Today (see above)
Newser (ditto…)
Pingle (for updating social networks, blogs, etc)
Facebook (I develop social media brands for local businesses, mobile apps)
Twitteriffic
Tweetie
Twittelator
LinkedIn
MySpace (just to test output for social media clients)
WordPress (for updating this blog, duh)
Yelp (to decide where to take clients to lunch, buy supplies, etc)
Google Earth (to figure out terrain, accessibility, directions to meetings, etc)
MProfs (great marketing newsletter!)
Huff Post (news, market research)
Mashable (market research)
TWC
Joost (video streaming site, testing, etc)
Stitcher (for creating panoramas – great for panning in video!)
Air Sharing (for exchanging files to and from remote locations and my home office)
iHandy Level (for leveling tripods and cameras on-site)
Flashlight (for when we drop a bolt in a dark, smokey bar before a music video shoot, right Josh?)
vCardMailer (like beaming a contact for Treo and Blackberry owners)
Remote (for controlling Keynote presentations)
iRecorder (for site notes, ideas in the car, etc)
Tasks
Clock (countdown timers)
Loopt (for finding other crew members in a crowded site)
…and there are more web shortcuts as well…I won’t completely bore you.

But you get the picture.  If my iPhone is in my hand, it’s in use, most likely for work-related activity.  But it’s so much MORE than a phone.  I seldom use the phone functions on the iPhone.  Less than 25% of my time, I would guess (and I use it for SALES!)

I rest my case, but again…I don’t know how “typical” a user I am, but I know plenty of other people who use them for business, and that number will only increase with further app development, further integrating it into business/server-class applications for larger workgroups.  It’s already happening.  The next rev of the iPhone should be a pretty major release as well…and I’m sure I’ll have one.

Another rambling from the exhaust of the Rocket Pop!

Scott

I referenced the following sources:
http://blog.compete.com/2009/04/29/iphone-smartphone-personal-business-usage/

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/apple-iphone-owners-dont-use-it-for-work/