Apple iPhone: A Sweet Taste of Apple Success or is the Apple Set to Crumble?
Overview
After bagging a golden gong from a panel of industry experts as the 'coolest gadget of the year', the revolutionary new Apple iPhone was launched in the UK last month. Gadget enthusiasts and the normal public queued from the very early hours on the 9th of November to get their hands on some Apple 'magic'. So let's take a closer look and see whether the Apple iPhone lives up to the expectations of 'coolest gadget of the year'.
Design
At face value, the Apple iPhone is certainly a thing of beauty. It tantalises your taste buds with its super slick exterior and its large, crisp, bright touch screen. To stop it from acquiring those pesky scratches, this beauty is brushed with a stainless steel finish and a shiny black toughened glass facia. This attracts the smallest of fingerprints, which I'm sure we can live with! Although this is not as small as some of the phones on the market, it undoubtedly feels like a device that isn't just a pretty face.
Features
It is disappointing that there is no 3G and the camera is only 3.2 megapixels, but its WiFi connectivity is very speedy in most urban areas. The Apple iPhone also unites itself with its Apple big brother: the iPod. This is built into the phone to give you the chance to listen to all your favourite tracks until your heart is content. However, there is no video recording which is surprising considering Apple's close link to YouTube, along with no zoom for the digital camera and no flash. Bluetooth only works with headsets rather than allowing file transfer and it is unfortunate that it has only 8GB of storage and no more can be added to it by memory cards.
Touch screen mobiles haven't really grasped the transition from keypad to touch screen. However, the iPhone touch screen interface is cleverly designed, and certainly gets the thumbs up. For example, by getting rid of the cluttered menu options which reside in other similar phones, it is easy to email and text. Navigating an e-mail or web browsing is made easier and fun by using iPhone "pinch": dragging thumb and forefinger together and back out to zoom in and out.
Price
The main obstacle appears to be the price. Most of its near rivals are available free on contract, yet the iPhone will cost you £269.
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Let the Battle Commence!
The iPhone may be far from perfect. However, following the announcement of the iPhone at the start of the year, rival tech design teams have certainly made a quick sprint to their drawing boards to make sure they don't lose the mobile phone war. If you don't fancy an 'Apple Tart' or don't want to burn an expensive hole in your pocket, then below are some worthy contenders which may leave the Apple team quaking in their boots.
Round 1 – Nokia N95
This 8GB model is already a worthy competitor, matching the iPhones 8GB capacity. Along with this there are some other features which you might want to consider, such as its 5 mega-pixel camera with Car Zeiss optics, MPEG4 VGA video, as well as a front camera for video calling. As well as immaculate quality photos and DVDlike quality footage, the phone is quite simple to use allowing you to access your music or e-mails very effortlessly with advanced web browsing.
You won't get lost with its GPS functionality; a feature that the iPhone doesn't have. Also, HDPSA connectivity means a faster connection to online services, compared to the iPhone which uses EDGE. The altogether plus point about this worthy opponent is that it is free on most contracts. Therefore, it is less likely to burn a whole in your pocket unlike the iPhone, where you have to buy the phone upfront and sign up to a very expensive contract.
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Round 2 – Sony Ericsson W910i
Sony Ericsson's walkman phones have always had music in mind when designed, so with the iPhone music functionality of incorporating the iPod, it's no surprise that we could deem the Sony Ericsson as a worthy contender. It has transfer speeds of up to 3.6Mps via HSDPA connectivity, which means, in non-techie terms, that it has 3G and Apple doesn't. Although the internal memory is only 35MB, unlike the iPhone, it can be expanded through a memory stick.
If you're looking for a phone with gimmicky features then this definitely wins hands down with its SensMe and Shake controls. In particular, the Shake control allows you to step out of the conventional way of skipping tracks by using the keypad control. Instead, you shake your phone left or right to skip tracks. It's fun with a capital 'F'! Other features which need a mention are, 2-megapixel camera with 2.5x digital zoom, Bluetooth, FM radio, video calling and messaging and nine hours of battery life.
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Round 3 – LG Viewty
This slick and stylish looking handset possesses a large touchscreen and comes with an amazing 5 mega-pixel camera. This phone is really stepping up the mobile market after the release of the iPhone. Looking closer at the camera capabilities, it certainly wins by a mile, with a manual focus function, which no other camera phone offers. It also has a built-in image stabiliser, which provides you with shots up to an ISO 800 rating. Not only has it beaten the iPhone with its camera goodies but it looks worthy to replace the digital camera market in the future.
The 120 fps recording and playback claims DVD-like quality, even in slow motion. Featuring a search-enabled jog wheel on the back of the phone, users can zoom in or out when taking photos. And if that is not enough, if you're looking for specific features that the iPhone snubs with brain power connectivity of 3.6Mps HSPDA, it makes web browsing quicker, plus it boasts a QWERTY keyboard and stereo Bluetooth (A2DP), it's certainly not just a pretty face!
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Gaj-it Verdict – The Fight Continues"¦
It's looks as though the Apple iPhone team are stepping up the competition with possible announcements that their new iPhone will include 3G and GPS capabilities. On that note, all I can say is watch this space: the war is only heating up as Apple is not going to let iPhone 'crumble' just yet.