Since its launch, the iPhone has truly revolutionized the mobile phone industry.
The success of the iPhone has given way to the launch of a wide range of mobile phones now well known as the smartphones. Just imagine things that wouldn't have existed but for the iPhone - today we hold a computer in our hands, not just a mobile phone.
Though a lot of credit to this mobile phone revolution goes to Apple, the game is not won yet. There are a whole lot of smartphones flooding the market today and each one of those have features unique to them and things that make them special. We had recently written about a Gartner study that predicted tough competition ahead for the iPhone in the smartphone market.
While competition from the likes of Android and Palm have been studied and acknowledged, there are a few more competitors on their way in. One of the promising handsets among these is Motorola CLIQ. The CLIQ comes with a touch-screen and also has a slide-out physical keyboard. A head-to-head comparison between the CLIQ and the iPhone would mean the iPhone would win in terms of memory (CLIQ comes with 2GB memory) while CLIQ wins in terms of the battery life (six hours talktime). Additionally, CLIQ also offers expandable memory, removable battery and a 5MP camera.
But what makes CLIQ click in the smartphone segment is the effective consolidation of all your social networking communication. With the help of a software called Blur, CLIQ displays several on-screen widgets that helps you keep tab on the latest updates from your friends across various services like Facebook and Twitter without the need to open separate apps.
One more exciting new addition to the smartphone segment is RIM's Blackberry Storm2. Storm2 is essentially an upgraded version of the original Blackberry Storm which was the first RIM phone without a physical keyboard. Storm2 has apparently addressed all major flaws in Storm and offers one of the best typing experience among all virtual keyboard phones.
These are still early days in the smartphone industry. With a flurry of new smartphone devices coming to the market, the Wall Street Journal sees the onset of an era of Super-Smartphones. The iPhone itself could be seeing a lot of innovation over the next few years to counter the threat and maintain its position.
Do you think CLIQ or Storm2 have a realistic chance to be an iPhone killer? What are the 'smart' features on other smartphones that you would like to see on the iPhone? If not for the iPhone, which smartphone would you have gone for? Please do tell us in the comments.
[via All Things Digital]
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People will go with the brand they want. I doubt any phone will be an iPhone killer. Companies will need to innovate to attract new customers, not copy an old model.
I agree with John there will be no iPhone killer, and highly doubt the Storm would make a dent or the Cliq. Brand recognition will take too long for those 2 models to pick up steam to even ride the coattails of the iPhone. while everyone is busy trying to catch up the iPhone will be pulling ahead wait and see.
I think that as long as Apple continues to make the nicest products when it comes to looks and actually using the product I don't see any one else make an iphone killer.
Apple and a lot of it's buyers have a special releationship compared to other companies. I mean how man Sony fans do you see stand in line several days before they launch their new product?
The thing with Apple is that they create what they would like to have for them selfs. That's why only one kind of iphone each year. Because 1 is all you need. I think I heard that Nokia or was it Sony Ericson has a plan of producing 20 different phones each year. Why not just make 2, 3, 4 or maybe 5 even and then create something that is really good… and maybe an iphone killer
). For now I couldn't be happiere for my Iphone 3GS, use it to the max! Now I just need the Viper kid so I can start my car with it.
If a phone does get close to being a threat to the iPhone, then Apple would most likely open up to all of the carriers, and that would be like opening pandora's box! Once that happens then there would really be no chance of a phone beating the iPhone
If Apple ever gets it f*ng head on straight, they would allow modding — that, coupled with dumping AT&T as the sole carrier — might indeed prove to be *far* too much for any competition.
i really hate my iphone, its stuck in DFU mode snd not reconized my pc or mac, if it dont work by tonight im getting the storm and 32gb iTouch
no one cares I'm fkn 16 y/o and I can get an iPhone outa DFU just freaking shift restore it then pwnage tool god read the damn site or hmmmm google…..
No phone will ever beat iphone. Remember as one phone is out, so apple is getting ready too.
Ideally I would like to see these changes to bet the market for another few years -
- Battery life more than 7hrs talktime
- Multitasking
- 5MP camera w/Flash
- VGA Chat camera
- More themes, Ringtones, Wallpaper – WinterBoard
- Good network connection.. not like ATT
- New design and look
- More elegant colors
You're obviously doing something wrong. Read again on how to put your phone in "TRUE" DFU mode so that you can flash it again. Hint: That's when the screen is completely black but iTunes will detect it as in recovery mode. Read, read read before people start calling you a noob. Otherwise, jailbreaking just isn't for you.
We already know the iPhone killer: Apple.
They continue to display nothing but animosity to the hackers who work hard to enable people to jailbreak their iphone and thus use their $600 portable computers the way they want.
Within a year or so, an Android based phone will match or pass the physical spec of an iPhone. And the hackers, tired of the game with Apple will simply start writing their applets for Android. The cool and/or innovative apps will start showing up on Android.
Where the hackers go, "cool" goes.
Apple is working hard to pretty much guarantee that the iPhone will end up as a little visited wiki page, noted as "the walkman of the early 21st".
I agree with jt, apple is it's own worst enemy at this point. Open it up so you can use Cydia and winterboard without jailbreaking. Still can't steal apps, which seems to be the main reason it hasn't happened. Also, slacken on the rules for the app store.
Being able to have multiple apps open in the background would be nice also. Would love to have google chat on all the time.
Apple just needs to keep adding to the feature and they migh be able to stay ahead.