For the first time, marketers will be able to reach a large number of mobile customers who are using a high-end device primarily for entertainment consumption.

The iPhone’s high price tag, $499 for the 4GB phone and $599 for the 8GB version, did not seem to faze the early adopter crowd. Informal data provided by Piper Jaffray estimated that the vast percentage of consumers purchased the 8GB version. It's a steep price tag, but when we compare the prices of smartphones, even with the cost defrayed by entering long contracts, the price isn’t overwhelming in this context.

Also, if we factor in the challenges of switching carriers and the inevitable first generation bugs, the initial sales are encouraging. The failure of MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) such as Amp’d and ESPN proved that people were looking for something more than content channels, but it also revealed that there was a market to be developed. The most telling fact about consumers’ relationship with the iPhone is that many more people camped out at the Apple Stores (where available) than the AT&T outlets.

What this means for marketers and advertisers
Millions of BlackBerry and Treo customers are not receiving much advertising on their devices. Their primary use of these devices as business communication tools makes customers less receptive to disruptive messaging. The iPhone, which admittedly does not synch well with Microsoft Outlook and other key business applications, is first and foremost a means to consume and share social information. While millions of social emails and text messages are generated daily by the smartphone set, they are not overtly looking transform these phones into their social centerpieces.

With those stylistically challenged belt holders, we can all relate to ditching the smartphone albatross on a Friday night (or earlier in the week for the younger folk) in favor of something a bit more socially versatile, such as the Motorola Razr. However, these smaller phones do not offer the promise of the iPhone. With its email, audio, video and widget versatility, it will make the shift from day to night, with advertisers following suit.

We are ready for the merging of our communications technology with our entertainment. The millions who have a "crackberry" addiction in one form or another have been purchasers of the iPod. The median age has steadily climbed as the player has become ubiquitous. We are sensitized to these expensive but versatile gadgets, and we are sick of having to look after multiple ones. We’re ready!