What device will challenge the iPhone: Thoughts from the readers

Wow, nothing gets people worked up like talking about Apple vs. anything. For the record, I use a BlackBerry Curve on Verizon and have been BlackBerry loyal for about three years. I just think the iPhone is very compelling in comparison to nearly everything else.

So what will compete with iPhone? The readers speak:

• Samsung i900
• HTC Diamond and the real iPhone killer HTC Touch Pro *coming soon*
• The Sony Xperia *coming soon*
• Why a new entrant? RIM's BlackBerry Curve already holds its own quite well against even the iPhone 3G. The Bold will wipe the floor with it.
• Nothing will challenge the iPhone until Windows Mobile 7 is released. Even then, it might not be enough. There may not be any serious challenge to the iPhone until Windows Mobile 8 in 2010.
• First, Blackberry HAS NO NEED for an "iPhone killer." Second, the Thunder project PREDATES the iPhone. GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT. It's APPLE fighting the uphill battle, not RIM. Argue all you want, it can't change the facts.

[SururD]

Only a company that spends five times as much on marketing as R&D can challenge Apple. It worked for the Instinct, did it not.

[ahsanfarhan22]

Haha, you are right, nothing attracts more than a Apple vs something article. I fell right into it.

[rathofbuns]

Android? From what we've seen it seems like it could give the iPhone a run for its money.

[AmrcnHstryX]

agreed, i have followed it as close as i can and i think that them launching an OS is genius, why try to compete with other phone when you can get companies that provide great phones to support the OS.

[macdaddy402]

Why the need for somebody to out-do Apple. I played the cell phone game with motorola, nokia, palm and blackberry. It wasn't until i got my iPhone that i was happy with my phone. No, I didn't go out and stand in line for the new 3g. I am perfectly happy with my original iPhone. It manages my contacts, calendar and music better than any phone I have owned. Yes it is true, I have been an Apple computer user for many years now. I am no early adopter, even though i got my iPhone early on. I always said, if Apple made a phone that worked like their computers, I would most certainly buy it...So I did. And you know what, I haven't looked back yet.

[Kontracnet]

I examined 10 factors that put Apple in an unassailable position in the mobile platform wars and reviewed the weaknesses of iPhone competitors in:

Who can beat iPhone 2.0?
http://counternotions.com/2008/03/10/iphone2-competitors/

[Kev Orng]

Well competition is good, and I want to support Blackberry because I live in Blackberry town and RIM does more for the local economy than you could possibly imagine (or care about, if you don't live here). But I have an iPod touch so I know how the iPhone works, and I have to say, it's going to take some good software design to beat it.

And that's the point that everyone misses. It's not about the hardware. You can compare specs until you're blue in the face, and you'll be able to say, look, the Thingy Whatsit has a bigger screen, and the Phoninator has a frikkin laser gun attachment. But it's the OS that makes the iPhone user friendly, sleek, and a draw for developers and users. The OS and the integration with your computer, at least on the consumer side.

If we're going to talk about what device will challenge the iPhone, then we need to discuss the OS. Hardware specs can change and catch up, but an unintuitive and clunky OS will gain legacy baggage, and will remain an unintuitive and clunky OS whether it's in version 7 or 8 or 9.

[dcase99]

Anything that has MMS on it today already not only competes but exceeds the iPhlop, ooops iPhone.

[Kev Orng]

"iPhlop", that's really clever! And we all appreciate the "oops, iPhone" bit at the end, because some of us who are less clever than you might not have made the connection. Because they both start with "iPh" and have the same number of syllables, so it's funny, and it's making fun of the obvious failure that the iPhone is, like it's a flop, because nobody is buying iPhones, so calling it iPhlop is witty and funny. And you spelt it "Phlop" with a Ph, just like phone, and that gives you some hacker cred because you used Ph like when the hip-hop hackers say phishing or phat or phonograph, so you're cool AND funny.

And you've probably been posting that everywhere you can, waiting for an affirmation of your wit. Well, here it is: you are just as clever as those witty folks who say "Windoze" or "M$"

[AmrcnHstryX]

Kev Orng you havent made any point on this topic or replied to the MMS issue that was made. whats with the personal attacks?

[dcase99]

Wow, that's the best you can do? Oh well, my attention is better spent elsewhere. Thanks for the time and comment, pretty sure it's time not well spent though.

[Kev Orng]

I know it wasn't as witty as "iPhlop" but, really, what could beat that?

[elgruga]

Kev - one question.
WHERE can I buy the Phoninator?!

[johnnydfred]

Just got my iPhone two days ago. This is not a phone with features - it is an OS in a pillbox that can be (among many things) a great phone. Like the iPod, Apple has created something so pure in its metaphorical connection to user interface that little will truly equal it for, who knows how long?

Combine this with a marketing engine that is finally running on half its cylinders, and most of all, momentum, and the iPhone will carve out a large chunk of smart phone market share that will be difficult to foil.