Pre-Game Analysis: The iPhone vs. Real Smartphones

Iria · Jun 24, 2007, 10:15 PM

Source: PC Magazine
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The Apple iPhone is almost here. By parsing the available press materials, information gleaned from demos, Steve Jobs' own words, the commercials, and other Apple Web site information, we can deduce an awful lot about the iPhone today—even before we get our grubby product-reviewer hands on one.

I've broken down the iPhone's features into ten main facets. In each case, I'll analyze Apple's latest darling will and won't be able to do, how it compares to top smartphone contenders in each category, and what questions remain unanswered in the final week before its June 29th release date.

Note that this comparison is directed at the smartphone market. It's increasingly unlikely that the iPhone will ever be a true smartphone, despite Jobsian rants about built-in Safari as an open platform to the contrary. But in terms of sheer ability, the iPhone comes closest to today's smartphones running Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Symbian S60, and BlackBerry OS—even if you can't add applications to it in the traditional sense.

Jun 24, 2007, 10:15 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Pre-Game Analysis: The iPhone vs. Real Smartphones Source: PC Magazine _______ The Apple iPhone is almost here. By parsing the available press materials, information gleaned from demos, Steve Jobs' own words, the commercials, and other Apple Web site information, we can deduce an awful lot about the iPhone today—even before we get our grubby product-reviewer hands on one. I've broken down the iPhone's features into ten main facets. In each case, I'll analyze Apple's latest darling will and won't be able to do, how it compares to top smartphone contenders in each category, and what questions remain unanswered in the final week before its June 29th release date. Note that this comparison is directed at the smartphone market. It's increasingly unlikely that the iPhone will ever be a true smartphone, despite Jobsian rants about built-in Safari as an open platform to the contrary. But in terms of sheer ability, the iPhone comes closest to today's smartphones running Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Symbian S60, and BlackBerry OS—even if you can't add applications to it in the traditional sense.