Ok, so here’s the real deal, they are both fantastic steps in the right direction but neither offer much more than was already available via Windows mobile devices. Let break it down shall we:
- Touch screen – The only addition is multi-touch. After you get over the wow factor, you soon realize that other then zooming into things, it doesn’t do much; in fact in some cases you’ll wish you could turn it off.
- App store – Well if you like being forced to only shop in one place, then it’s a good thing. The guys at Google did the same, but also allowed other parties to sell as well outside of their store (Amazon for example). Apple takes a cut of every transaction on the iPhone. In the Windows mobile world, purchasing apps from hundreds of store and developers has been around from day 1.
- Accelerometer – This is probably the only real innovation, but not as innovative as you would think. All it really does it let the device know its orientation, easily duplicated and already a part of most of the devices available on the market.
- Web browser, email and contacts, etc. – Old hat for all of these devices and even older ones.
- Bluetooth – A failure on both Apple and Google, why do it at all if you can’t do it right. Even the cheapest Nokia smart phone has full Bluetooth compatibility. Windows Mobile devices can even sync over Bluetooth.
About the only thing that gives the G1 or iPhone an edge over Windows Mobile devices is the willingness of developers to make cheap new apps, it is here that Google has taken a bold step in allowing everyone to get the SDK and an emulator to play with. Their openness gives them and edge of Apple who daily fights with developers and have dictator like control over what goes into the app store. Microsoft seems to be falling behind, but if you look closely you’ll notice that they have changed their concentration and are targeting new markets (Windows mobile embedded vehicles for example). They are poised to take the world by storm with the Surface technology and have formed some strategic alliances along the way that should make both Google and Apple worry. They’ve shown that they are not the sleeping giant with the recent ad wars with Apple (I’m a PC), frankly Apple got schooled, their adds are now seen as insulting to the majority of computer owners instead of a compelling reason to buy a Mac,
Hopefully this week I’ll post some pictures of with the G1 and iPhone in action, but already I can tell you the G1 is faster, more reliable and more solid than the iPhone, oh and did I mention “COPY AND PASTE”, it’s good to be able to do that again.
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