What does the iPhone do for music listeners?

Yes, it plays music. More than that though, how does a much smaller iPod connected with a phone and internet change the way we listen to music on mobile devices? I'm inclined to believe that it changes it very little. Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone is massive in many ways, but it is no more different than any of the other mobile phone-mp3 players already available on the market from numerous phone providers.

The problem with the iPhone is how much it does not do with the iPod feature. The iPhone is already equipped with the internet, and yet does not feature the iTunes Store from the phone. As far as everything I have watched and read (and I searched longingly) that is still a sync issue with your PC or Mac. The ability to download iTunes from the phone may be a future feature, but in a market where another device has the ability to recognize and download a song accordingly, this inability is glaring.

The new iPod that is rumored to be out before the end of the year is to be based on the same features as the iPod on the iPhone, but it will apparently not feature a wireless iTunes either. It's nice to have the music backed up on the computer, but it is still just one more step that makes any spontaneity in music listening unavailable for iTunes users. If digital formats are to replace CDs, wireless downloading seems more feasible and potential successful in my opinion.