Has iPhone 4S & 4 Gone to Dogs? Will iPhone 5 Be Cool? (Commentary)

When Grandma and my local taco maker use iPhones does that mean the iPhone has lost its cool cachet?

CNET's Roger Cheng says in his latest commentary "Let's face it: the iPhone isn't cool anymore."  He notes that  iPhone is everywhere and gone from elite to something you buy for your mother.  He cites that more carriers including prepaid bargain-priced Cricket will offer the iPhone.

Something Mom uses is the ultimate not-cool, but even more not-cool is something Grandma uses in church. (Yes I've seen confirmed grandmothers in church checking iPhone messages, she was a hip grandmother, though.)

For me, I knew the iPhone lost its cool factor when the woman who cleans my house bought an iPhone instead of a BlackBerry because she thought she needed it.  She checked her email while cleaning the bathroom.

My taco guy admitted that he does not pay a monthly fee to AT&T or a carrier for his iPhone.  His iPhone uses Wi-Fi calling via the Wi-Fi network at the Taquería.

The amazing places where I've seen an iPhone grace the palms of whom heretofore I would not expect when the iPhone came out 5 years ago include:

• The servers for Chinese take-out, who didn't speak English put could dish out chow mien noodles.
• Two-year olds in a shopping cart and on a playground.
• Swap-meet vendors - this one does make sense they were using it for credit card charges.  The man I bought a $5 dog Hawaiian shirt from used an iPad for credit card processing
• A homeless guy in sleeping bag with an iPhone plugged into a wall in a car wash. He may have lost his home but not his iPhone.
• An entire family eating dinner at the rotisserie chicken place with every member iPhone-ing while eating.
• An elderly couple at a classical music concert.

In a funny video a dog says that even dogs in New York have iPhones.  The dog says ""I mean how else would we keep in touch barking?  That's so last season"  The Poodle-Bichon uses Siri to find  a carpet cleaner.

Apple's cool factor and being a must-have device for the iPhone has indeed spread across all cultures, socio-economic factors and species becoming utilitarian like a pair of sneakers.

The good part of the iPhone in all its creations is that Apple controlled the ecosystem. They all have 3.5" screens and look alike.  Samsung with its Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy S III upped the ante with huge screens and tablet like features.  The Nokia Lumia 900 is touted for not looking like everyone else's phone.

The latest rumors surrounding the iPhone 5 show some what could be called the "same ol."  To quote an AT&T commercial that's so "2007."