iPhone vs. Motorola Droid comparisons: why does the iPhone seem to win all of them?

[qItor]

I've looked at quite a few reviews that compare the Droid / Milestone to the iPhone 3Gs. Apparently, nearly all of them declare the iPhone 3Gs the winner. I find this somewhat strange - because I really don't see why. And neither do most of the reviewers - the points they cite to justify the iPhone 3Gs' win are either dubious at best or plain out non-existent).

Here are a couple of facts:

- The Droid / Milestone has a screen that's beyond any doubt superior to the iPhone's

- The Droid does multi-tasking without impairing on battery-life or speed

- Both the Droid and the Milestone come with turn-by-turn navigation
(Google maps and Motonav). So while the phone costs the same as the iPhone, for the latter you'll have to shed another 100 something $ on navigation. Therefore (unless you don't need navigation), the Droid is actually quite a bit cheaper than the iPhone. If you're already in a contract, the price difference is massive. Here in Switzerland, the 16gb iPhone 3Gs costs around 1000$ without a contract. The Milestone is 700$.

- The Droid has a physical keyboard, the iPhone doesn't

- Both phones are equally snappy. The iPhone 3Gs is probably slightly faster (about 10% when looking at the raw processing speed). But declaring the iPhone 3Gs to be superior solely based on this is a bit far-fetched

- The Droid has a much better camera. The camera on the iPhone has always sucked and the 3Gs' is only a minor improvement

- The Droid doesn't have pinch-to-zoom. Now that's an annoyance to some degree. The Milestone does have that feature, though.

- The Android Market "only" has 12'000 apps compared to 100'000+ for the iPhone. Again, raw numbers would make it seem the app situation for the Android Market is dire compared to the iPhone's. However - 12'000 apps are already a crapload. Apps also tend to be cheaper on Android Market. Apple counts each book that's for sale in the App Store a whole app of its own - so while there probably are more apps on the iPhone's App Store, the way you count does apps does matter - and so far, I don't think any of the reviews have taken this into account. I somewhat doubt that the number of usable apps is that much higher in the App Store. I know Apple's App Store quite well and still think that the number of usable apps is in the 100s, not 1000s. The rest is crap that nobody wants or uses.


Now this is all coming from an iPhone 3Gs user. I'm considering switching to the Motorola Milestone once it's out here in Europe..

[hondamx525]

Just to be fair, android does the same thing when counting their apps, every individual soundboard, every comic book, every downloadable book is its own app too. Thats why the 100000 to 15000 is a big difference when there is so much clutter in both markets. And a lot of people had a problem with the quality of the droid camera, even though on paper it is better.

A few other complaints were jitteryness and slight lag some times while panning the home screen, which hardware wise is no fault to the droid, it is most definitely a coding thing because the droid should have plenty of power to reduce any lag.

All in all, although the iphone 3gs is probably more polished because its been out longer, the UI tends to get old and boring quickly. The app store is what keeps it intersting, and at least for now thats its one-up. Give it time though as more and more people become attrated to developing for android.

[Fare]

the iPhone is probably still "better*" than the android platform, but I think the gap is closing (and closing fast).

Most people aren't tech savy, most people don't frequent Engadget/Gizmodo. Most people want a phone that "just works", that plays music seamlessly, no lag (why do you think the iPhone is single threaded?), and has the most "things" (IE apps) available to them.

If I may quote Matt Buchanan, a writer for Gizmodo, "I can't say Android 2.0 is ready for your mom yet, but it's defiantly ready for anybody reading [an tech internet blog]"

*better for the average person

[thundermax]

alot of those reviews are written by people who are very familiar with the iphone, so they are more comfortable with it.

I just finished spending a week carrying both an iphone and a droid. My conclusion was the droid was better, partly because I have had a G1 since day 1 and have never used an iphone. The time I spent with the iphone was learning how to use it, while I was already familiar with the android OS I enjoyed the droid more. I kept trying to make the iphone do things that I knew android could do and was frustrating.

I also did not want to spend money on iphone apps, so i downloaded more apps onto the droid and maybe that was also a factor.

So, it is hard not to be truly biased when reviewing phones. The one you are more comfortable with will be easier for you to use.

my 2 cents

[gwlaw99]

I think the iphone interface is still a bit slicker as far as transitions such as the portrait to landscape animation on the iphone vs no animation on the Droid. The Droid camera is horrible, but it looks like a software problem. I also wish the droid screen was a wide as the iphone even if it is longer.

[qItor]

I also wish the droid screen was a wide as the iphone even if it is longer.

well, it's only 3mm less wide - you wouldn't even notice that

[Derrick]

A few other complaints were jitteryness and slight lag some times while panning the home screen, which hardware wise is no fault to the droid, it is most definitely a coding thing because the droid should have plenty of power to reduce any lag.

I think this is the last "big" issue that Google has to fix. This shouldn't be an issue with the hardware we are getting now, and Cyan has been able to almost complete rid of this lag on his ROMs.

[RichardRahl]

I have been a Android fan from since before it came out and I'm pretty biased against the iPhone but most of us know the reasons we like the Android better than the iPhone. Unfortunately usually those reasons dont' apply to the everyday users who just want a user friendly phone and the iPhone still has that polish that Android seems to lack (though from what I've seen 2.0 closes that gap). I agree with the reasons above that user comfort probably has something to do with why many reviewers are giving iPhone a lead. But i think apps and graphics have a lot to do with it also as that adds to the polish. When you see the iPhone you see a very "pretty" UI and its hard for average phone user (reviewer) to get over that with a few hours of playing around.

just my two cents

[ahugo68]

I have been a Android fan from since before it came out and I'm pretty biased against the iPhone but most of us know the reasons we like the Android better than the iPhone. Unfortunately usually those reasons dont' apply to the everyday users who just want a user friendly phone and the iPhone still has that polish that Android seems to lack (though from what I've seen 2.0 closes that gap). I agree with the reasons above that user comfort probably has something to do with why many reviewers are giving iPhone a lead. But i think apps and graphics have a lot to do with it also as that adds to the polish. When you see the iPhone you see a very "pretty" UI and its hard for average phone user (reviewer) to get over that with a few hours of playing around.

just my two cents


my mom was looking at phones and i didnt push her towards the hero but she narrowed her choices to 2 finalist. it was the IPhone and The Hero so we went and looked at both and when we walked out of the sprint store with a brand new Hero and turned to me and said that the Hero was 100 times easier for her to use and was more practical for her (real estate agent) i was shocked. BTW my MOM is FAAAAAR from techsavvy

[bmcclure937]

I think the iphone interface is still a bit slicker as far as transitions such as the portrait to landscape animation on the iphone vs no animation on the Droid. The Droid camera is horrible, but it looks like a software problem. I also wish the droid screen was a wide as the iphone even if it is longer.

I immediately disregarded any credibility in your statement after I read about the "width" of the screens. You do realize that the Droid screen does have much better resolution and pixel density than the iPhone screen, right?!?! :eek:

It is not always about physical size (which is only "smaller" than the iPhone physically by a few millimeters anyhow). The Droid undeniably has the best screen on any phone to date. There is no way around that... and that should be the last thing people complain about.

It is fair to complain about no multitouch on the Verizon Droid. It is fair to complain about specific aspects of Android 2.0 that are still lacking or lagging. It is fair to complain that the slideout keyboard does not spring into place (which would be hard with the physical size of the device anyhow) or that there are 2 completely wasted (blank) buttons on the keypad. Heck, it would even be fair to complain that the D-Pad is useless and that the keyboard is not responsive and easy to type on. Or the fact that the 4 "main buttons" are built in to the touch screen and are touch sensitive. But complaining about the screen is the dumbest thing you could complain about.

Like any device, there are always strengths and weaknesses. There is never a perfect device for everyone, some people may prefer one device while other people prefer a different one.

If you like it and it suits your personal needs, then get it! :cool:

[hondamx525]

You discredited his statement even though the narrower width means that the virtual keyboard in portrait mode will still be worse than the iphones regardless of pixel density? Size is still important.

[Hands0n]

Just to set the credentials.
I've had the iPhone since day one.
The T-Mobile G1 left me cold from day one (more on that in a moment) so I abstained until the HTC Magic arrived on Vodafone in the UK earlier in 2009.

Since then I have carried both the iPhone and the Magic with me daily and tried my absolute best to use them as interchangeably as possible. It has been fairly easy to do this because I've been able to link up MobileMe and Google Mail, Calendar and Contacts seamlessly across the two mobile devices as well as the Mac computers that I use. The integration across all of the platforms and the two clouds is perfect (for me).

So with all of that going on, how has the experience been?

I have to say that in all honesty the iPhone experience just pips the Android one. And let me say that Android is close, closer than any other product currently on the market, or that may be very near to release.

Focussing on the experience is, I believe, a more reasonable marker to compare the two broad products than individual hardware. And in Apple-land the experience is across more than just the handset. For example, with MobileMe not only are you able to sync the usual Mail, Contacts and Calendar but also other vital essentials such as Bookmarks. Perhaps seemingly unimportant - but how often have you wanted to visit a site bookmarked on the desktop/laptop only for it not to be there on the handset? It is the "silly little things" like this that add to the experience. With the iPhone, physical size notwithstanding, the desktop/laptop paradigm is carried across almost perfectly.

Now I know that much of the above can be done on Android, and no doubt with various apps and cloud-based plug-ins. But, and this is the critical point, with the iPhone the whole thing is much more natural and intuitive to do.

Someone said it earlier in this thread - the iPhone has a mass appeal. That is through its sheer intuitiveness to use. What other smartphone comes in a box without a manual, nor needing one? People tend to pick up an iPhone and just get on using it.

Perhaps it is that simpleness and intuitiveness that quickly bores the more technically adept of us. We generally like to fiddle and tinker, to make and to break, and to make again. Android caters wonderfully for the technically curious.

Briefly, on handsets, I despair at the lag that is apparent across all Android I've used to date. Even on the ROMs like Cyanogens it is apparent. Clearly this is not simply a software issue in the OS. That Droid is reported to exhibit some slight lag is disappointing, although it wouldn't put me off getting one when they finally arrive in the UK.

Back to the G1 :) - I didn't like it at the outset. But a few weeks back I picked up a mint condition one from eBay for my youngest lad (15) and he's like a dog with the proverbial two wotsits ;) Having spent a bit of time getting it unlocked, then setting it up on Vodafone for him my interest was tickled. I had also previously helped eldest with his G1 - he'd put a Hero ROM on it that didn't work too well - and of course hadn't backed up the G1 first. So with a lot of searching around the Interwebs I finally got him back to factory condition. The result is I went back to eBay and picked up a G1 for myself to play with. I'm happier with the Magic, but have a greater respect for the G1 these days. It is industrial strength :D

[qItor]

You discredited his statement even though the narrower width means that the virtual keyboard in portrait mode will still be worse than the iphones regardless of pixel density? Size is still important.

in landscape mode (yes, despite the slide-out keyboard, the Droid also has a virtual keyboard that works in landscape mode) it isn't worse - it's better. Apart from that: do you know how much 3mm is? Get yourself a metric ruler and check it for yourself.

the HTC Hero has a massively smaller screen and the virtual keyboard is still very good. The reviews I've seen also say that the Droid's VK is very good.

The 3mm (which you wouldn't even notice) won't make any difference whatsoever. If the virtual keyboard were worse (which it apparently isn't), it would be because of other factors (auto-correction etc.)

[embrace LB]

Can't really compare the two, thats just my take. Both the phones are great I will admit. Always will love android & i'll always enjoy the stability of apps and vibrant looks of the iPhone. But android isn't at the OS level nor are the apps quite there yet to be compared to the iPhone. The race is close but the iPhone's been out longer and it's only the beginning for us. We're catching up quick and with the functionality and customization of our android phones, it makes all the difference. I believe in soon time when we make a comparison of a certain android device vs the iPhone, android will obviously win. In soon time Android OS will soon surpass apple (:

just my 2 cents.

PS. It's always about preference, not so much which phone is better I see it as which phone works more for you. *cough* android...

[qItor]

But android isn't at the OS level nor are the apps quite there yet to be compared to the iPhone.

that's what I keep hearing - could you elaborate on that? I simply fail to see where Android is inferior to iPhone OS. Apart from the speed (although some reviews say the Droid is very fast, so won't know which version's true there until I have my Milestone) - what's supposed to be worse on Android? Android has all the functionality (including multi-touch and pinch-to-zoom, which was disabled for the US version for whatever reason but is present and active in the Milestone) and then some more (multi-tasking, unified message notifications, much greater customizability, browser with visual bookmarks, a plugin interface for Adobe Flash, integrated navigation etc.)

If you look at the features, iPhone OS is limited. Stability? Not sure - for some people (like my wife), iPhone OS is very stable. My iPhone 3Gs is still suffering from the occasional force-closed application, so I can't say it's very stable. I've had the HTC Hero which was much more stable than my iPhone. But the Hero was limited by its antiquated processor and the small screen-size.

Usability? Now that's a different story. I personally much prefer Android's UI but I can see that other people like the simpler and more limited interface of the iPhone better - less choice isn't always a bad thing. But that's a matter of taste and can't really be the basis of an objective comparison.

Peter

[clarence3000]

Motorola Android Launch bright and early Friday November 6th at 7am at the Verizon Wireless store in South San Francisco (next to the San Mateo Credit Union on El Camino Real):

150B El Camino Real
South San Francisco Ca. 94080
650-624-0370

Beat the rest of the crowd and stop in, doors open at 7am!!!!!!!!
This phone is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[embrace LB]

that's what I keep hearing - could you elaborate on that? I simply fail to see where Android is inferior to iPhone OS. Apart from the speed (although some reviews say the Droid is very fast, so won't know which version's true there until I have my Milestone) - what's supposed to be worse on Android? Android has all the functionality (including multi-touch and pinch-to-zoom, which was disabled for the US version for whatever reason but is present and active in the Milestone) and then some more (multi-tasking, unified message notifications, much greater customizability, browser with visual bookmarks, a plugin interface for Adobe Flash, integrated navigation etc.)

If you look at the features, iPhone OS is limited. Stability? Not sure - for some people (like my wife), iPhone OS is very stable. My iPhone 3Gs is still suffering from the occasional force-closed application, so I can't say it's very stable. I've had the HTC Hero which was much more stable than my iPhone. But the Hero was limited by its antiquated processor and the small screen-size.

Usability? Now that's a different story. I personally much prefer Android's UI but I can see that other people like the simpler and more limited interface of the iPhone better - less choice isn't always a bad thing. But that's a matter of taste and can't really be the basis of an objective comparison.

Peter

Apple's been in the game longer, they're at what 3.0? and we aren't even at 2.0 yet, by the time we catch up and meet eye-to-eye we'll obviously have a better OS. I never said we dont' have the potential to have a better OS than apple cause by far i think we do and thats coming soon. As far as pinch to zoom and all that browser multi-touch, that all goes along with apple's patents which we have yet to re-create on our own for android, that'll come soon. I know what we have and what apple doesnt. And in my opinion, our apps are good, i like the creativity and all the more stuff we can do with it, but as far as UI and stability not so much. Theres a lot of clutter in the app market, makes sense since mostly anyone can post up an app which accounts with being open market and what not. We do have that over apple, but they still have a lot more nicer apps than we do. We have a lot of apps just not that many amazing ones. We're at two different levels. I've had way more force closes on my android device then i ever had with an iPhone. And im not saying our OS is inferior to apple's im saying its not exactly quite there to compare. When we reach the same build OS i think it's only more natural to then compare.

PS. I love my g1, one of thee many who first pre-ordered.

[qItor]

Apple's been in the game longer, they're at what 3.0? and we aren't even at 2.0 yet, by the time we catch up and meet eye-to-eye we'll obviously have a better OS. I never said we dont' have the potential to have a better OS than apple cause by far i think we do and thats coming soon. As far as pinch to zoom and all that browser multi-touch, that all goes along with apple's patents which we have yet to re-create on our own for android, that'll come soon.

Please excuse my ignorance - but I fail to see what a version number says about the quality of the OS? Some companies get it right the first time, you know. Saying that Android is worse than iPhone OS just because Android is at version 2.0 and iPhone OS at version 3.x is absurd.
I maintain my stance: Android 2.0 is every bit as good as iPhone OS and in many respect it's massively better. It's different to use and iPhone OS is more novice-oriented but Android is definitely not worse.

Also: pinch-to-zoom and multi-touch in the browser etc. ALREADY EXISTS in Android. Verizon apparently chose to have it disabled for the Droid but it WORKS PERFECTLY FINE in the Motorola Milestone. Also, while Apple has a patent for multi-touch (which nobody really cares about - HTC and Palm included multi-touch support in their handsets and Apple did nothing about it), they don't apparently have a patent for pinch-to-zoom. Of course, one could argue that one doesn't work without the other, but since the HTC Hero, the Palm Pre and also the Motorola Milestone have the feature, I believe Apple isn't very confident they could win in court against any of these companies.

[hondamx525]

When people say that the iphone is better, it often just has to do with apps. The apps for the iphone are far and above android apps, which i have been saying is because we havent had the hardware to keep up.

Now that the droid is out, i believe we will catch up, however i also believe that alot of the 3d games written for the droid, and fancy UI apps wont run well on other android phones, which could cause a problem.

[bmcclure937]

in landscape mode (yes, despite the slide-out keyboard, the Droid also has a virtual keyboard that works in landscape mode) it isn't worse - it's better. Apart from that: do you know how much 3mm is? Get yourself a metric ruler and check it for yourself.

the HTC Hero has a massively smaller screen and the virtual keyboard is still very good. The reviews I've seen also say that the Droid's VK is very good.

The 3mm (which you wouldn't even notice) won't make any difference whatsoever. If the virtual keyboard were worse (which it apparently isn't), it would be because of other factors (auto-correction etc.)

Exactly my point!! ;) I was not saying that the physical size of a screen never matters, but in this context (iPhone vs Droid) is definitely does not :eek:

I would much rather have the Droid screen, sacrificing 3mm of physical size and gaining so much more because of pixel density and high resolution :D

If it was a different case, like Eris vs iPhone... then it would obviously go to the iPhone (both size and resolution). You have to take things in context.

[ImaG]

The 3GS has great hardware, and its SDK makes way for some very impressive applications. The Android OS is already better than the iPhone OS IMO. Check out some of the videos on Google detailing the new API's introduced in 2.0. Those, plus the new hardware from the Droid, and HTC's latest Android devices should make way to some very impressive software as well. Look at how fast PicSay was able to add multi-touch to their application. I imagine the creators of "Steel" could do the same for their browser if they chose to.

Those are having babies over the lack of multi touch in the Droid should just rest easy. I'm willing to bet money that when the Milestone is released, someone will do a software dump, and adding that browser will be no harder than installing an .apk from your SD card.

[djunio]

IMO Android is better than iPhone now, have you not seen the iDon't which is all true about whats lacking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoYr8-uG5C0&feature=player_embedded and furthermore, although most of these are at&t problems someone finally had the guts to call the iPhone what it really is http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/03/brit-blog-names-iphone-worlds-worst/ this series of phone is the biggest rip off ever, the 3GS should've been the first iPhone then I would've been comfortable with giving the iPhone props.

[Hands0n]

I maintain my stance: Android 2.0 is every bit as good as iPhone OS and in many respect it's massively better. It's different to use and iPhone OS is more novice-oriented but Android is definitely not worse.

Please do not make the same mistake as the manufacturers in consiering the iPhone's UI "novice-oriented". It is anything but, and has been very carefully and intentionally designed. There is nothing about the iPhone that Apple did not intend it to be. That is why the design has not changed through three full versions of OS and hardware.

The iPhone UI is designed to be completely intuitive - and in that it succeeds. What other handset on the planet comes without a manual? Nor needs one? It really is "pick up and go". I've seen the uninitiated pick one up and start using it within moments, making calls, reviewing contacts, sending messages, playing music and video, the full 9 yards.

All of that is not to be underestimated.

That the technically minded of us, usually us lot who hang around forums ;) , might find the UI less challenging does not diminish the iPhone. That we may prefer Android's UI being much more akin to a computer desktop says more about us than Android itself.

Having both, I like both technologies. But to be honest, when it comes to practical daily use, I find that the iPhone suits better. Android being just a little be more raw around the edges, less performant, technically more involving whereas the iPhone behaves like an appliance.

And that is where, I think, the iPhone scores for the masses. As an appliance it pretty much just does stuff. The vast majority don't care that it does not multi-task as Android may. They can still do exactly what they need to and get on with their day!

[qItor]

Please do not make the same mistake as the manufacturers in consiering the iPhone's UI "novice-oriented".

A phone that can hardly be customized and is overly simplistic in many ways is clearly not targeted at mobile professionals but rather at the technically impaired general population. It attracted a huge crowd of tech-savvy people as well - I salute Apple for pulling this off. That doesn't change however, that the more tech-savvy will flock to the alternatives as soon as they are ready (and now they are).

[Hands0n]

A phone that can hardly be customized and is overly simplistic in many ways is clearly not targeted at mobile professionals but rather at the technically impaired general population.

I'll have to disagree with you, a will the market itself. Mobile "professionals" need appliances that work and do exactly what they want and need it to. They do not have the time nor the inclination to fiddle around with customisations, jaibreaks, unlocks et. al. The iPhone very capably delivers on that score.

It is interesting that the argument against iPhone has been a steadily shifting sand. As each of the devices cited "deficiencies" was addressed in subsequent OS releases the argument against has narrowed as people tried their damnedest to convince that it was a seriously deficient in some way. That conversation has now found a resting place that really does not hold very much water at all.

Make no mistake, the iPhone paradigm has yet to be bettered. That Android delivers a more complex UI and and OS that allows greater access to Developers does not make it "better" than the iPhone. It certainly makes it more flexible to those that require that flexibility. Being open(ish) Android allows for all manner of customisations, including very different ROMs to be installed. But, and this is the really important bit, that is not what Enterprise, Business and the mass buyers of iPhone want. Nor, I would argue, do the general masses out there.

Most people who buy Android will use it as it comes out of the box. Us lot on these forums who may try out different ROMs and generally hack around with our Android are in a very tiny minority. The the manufacturers we are insignificant. Android is not targeted at us at all - but the masses.

None of that makes Android "better", its just different.

[kitsunisan]

And lets not forget that Apple has been refining the iphone's firmware for about three years now. The android platform is a year old, but for every device, there is a new learning curve to it to get the hardware and software in sync, unless I'm very much mistaken. Minor tweaks that needs to be worked out. Give Android another two years, it'll have a much improved os and many more apps on the marketplace.


Please excuse my ignorance - but I fail to see what a version number says about the quality of the OS? Some companies get it right the first time, you know. Saying that Android is worse than iPhone OS just because Android is at version 2.0 and iPhone OS at version 3.x is absurd.

While I agree with part of the sentiment there, and am fully with you in believing Android is a great platform, its a fact that, over time, a good os can be added to, trimmed down and otherwise refined into a better one. I like what Android does, but some areas could use a great deal of improvement. You look at what works, what doesn't, and what people want, then make tweaks to improve it.


I maintain my stance: Android 2.0 is every bit as good as iPhone OS and in many respect it's massively better. It's different to use and iPhone OS is more novice-oriented but Android is definitely not worse.

Agreed. The latest iphone revision was basically just to let it catch up to what Android had. Cut and paste becomes a "revolutionary feature" when Jobs allows it to appear on his device. :rolleyes:

[Hands0n]

There is a very real chance that, for the sake of this particular discussion, Android could become its own worst enemy. It could turn out to be a modern day re-enactment of the Tower of Babel.

Up until recently Android has been running on a relatively pure environment, that being HTC product - and for the longest time that being the G1. No more. Now we are seeing Android on different HTC hardware, and more significantly, different manufacturers hardware. And that is where the analogy to the Tower begins.

Already I am reading at how Android is being implemented such as to cause variations in design and capability - something that does not exist in the iPhone world (yet). These variations are introducing "differences" within the Android universe that we have not had to deal with so far.

An example might be the Samsung Galaxy i7500. Differences are showing up already. Instead of OTA the user seems to have to use a specific tool called NPS (http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f55/problems-with-android-in-i7500-26734/)?

Then there is the T-Mobile Pulse - a remarkable budget Android that, it is said, will not update beyond Donut, if at all, because of its own memory size limitations.

And so, as the 52-odd new Androids appear in 2010 we will start to see people comparing Android against Android. The comparison against the iPhone will become more difficult - or at least will not be as simple as Android vs iPhone or OS X.

[qItor]

There is a very real chance that, for the sake of this particular discussion, Android could become its own worst enemy. It could turn out to be a modern day re-enactment of the Tower of Babel.


Apple will soon have to start diversifying, should they want to increase the market share of the iPhone. Also, it's more than likely that the 1st gen iPhone won't be upgradeable beyond 3.x - so very soon we'll see the same thing happen as with Android 1.6 and 2.0.
From the customers' point of view, this is confusing and generally not a good thing. However, Windows Mobile has been available on a plethora of different devices, screen sizes etc., yet most software works flawlessly on almost all devices. Yes, some devices will remain stuck on 1.6 because their hardware makers choose not to provide upgrades. That sucks. But it's hardly anything new that device manufactures eventually force their users to upgrade. I think the whole thing is going to be a non-issue. There'll be some limited incompatibility (which could be avoided by more careful screening of the apps that are allowed into the Market - hardly going to happen, but possible) app-wise. Nothing more.

[Hands0n]

Agreed, we may well see that very thing happen with Apple in time to come. I think it will be to a much lesser degree than the with WinMo and Android across a plethora of handset manufacturers.

You're absolutely right about what has happened with WinMo to date. But is it desirable to happen with Android? Especially as there is such a ready route to updating the OS in Android that simply does not exist in WinMo and, more importantly, Microsoft.

Will the buying public understand and gladly accept that their device has no, or limited, upgrade potential? I'm thinking the likes of the Huawei-made T-Mobile Pulse, or the Samsung Galaxy i7500 as mentioned earlier.

If, and this is a big if, Apple can stay on track across all of their future iPhone iterations then they'll have succeeded where all of the others have not.

[Shootingstars]

I've looked at quite a few reviews that compare the Droid / Milestone to the iPhone 3Gs. Apparently, nearly all of them declare the iPhone 3Gs the winner. I find this somewhat strange - because I really don't see why. And neither do most of the reviewers - the points they cite to justify the iPhone 3Gs' win are either dubious at best or plain out non-existent).

Here are a couple of facts:

- The Droid / Milestone has a screen that's beyond any doubt superior to the iPhone's

- The Droid does multi-tasking without impairing on battery-life or speed

- Both the Droid and the Milestone come with turn-by-turn navigation
(Google maps and Motonav). So while the phone costs the same as the iPhone, for the latter you'll have to shed another 100 something $ on navigation. Therefore (unless you don't need navigation), the Droid is actually quite a bit cheaper than the iPhone. If you're already in a contract, the price difference is massive. Here in Switzerland, the 16gb iPhone 3Gs costs around 1000$ without a contract. The Milestone is 700$.

- The Droid has a physical keyboard, the iPhone doesn't

- Both phones are equally snappy. The iPhone 3Gs is probably slightly faster (about 10% when looking at the raw processing speed). But declaring the iPhone 3Gs to be superior solely based on this is a bit far-fetched

- The Droid has a much better camera. The camera on the iPhone has always sucked and the 3Gs' is only a minor improvement

- The Droid doesn't have pinch-to-zoom. Now that's an annoyance to some degree. The Milestone does have that feature, though.

- The Android Market "only" has 12'000 apps compared to 100'000+ for the iPhone. Again, raw numbers would make it seem the app situation for the Android Market is dire compared to the iPhone's. However - 12'000 apps are already a crapload. Apps also tend to be cheaper on Android Market. Apple counts each book that's for sale in the App Store a whole app of its own - so while there probably are more apps on the iPhone's App Store, the way you count does apps does matter - and so far, I don't think any of the reviews have taken this into account. I somewhat doubt that the number of usable apps is that much higher in the App Store. I know Apple's App Store quite well and still think that the number of usable apps is in the 100s, not 1000s. The rest is crap that nobody wants or uses.


Now this is all coming from an iPhone 3Gs user. I'm considering switching to the Motorola Milestone once it's out here in Europe..


The Droid is new and in time all the problems shall be fixed, including the camera which sucks. I just spoke to the Motorola rep and was told a firmware update will be released in the beginning of 2010.