iPhone's Lack of Mechanical Keyboard

Well, D-day for Apple's iPhone is fast approaching and the debate re its missing keyboard is heating up as well.

For me, it is simple. Either Apple's brand cachet is enough to overcome the perceived shortcoming and enable the iPhone to become a bestseller or it won't.

If it does, then the iPhone will definitely change user habits and the mobile experience, especially texting. Most teenaged users around the world (except perhaps in the US) have mastered the art of touch-typing on the phone's keypad that it is not unusual for them to text while their phone is in their pocket or in their bag hidden away from either teachers or parents. This is difficult to achieve without the tactile feedback.

But if sales are lukewarm and users decide to wait for the release of a keyboard-equipped iPhone, my guess is Apple will. After all, the mobile phone market is simply too huge for Apple to ignore. More so, the aftermarket of videos and tunes that Steve Jobs wants so much to dominate.