How many post of yours that are going to say the same thing
just in a different variation. What a genius. It would help Android if you port all your software to it.
Same trite about competition and innovation. This is exact meme that Wall Street said no look what are they advocating.

Only thing left for you to do is to lobby the government to force iphone open. or how about Microsoft is going to steal Apple thunder just like the PC.

I'm someone who has been waiting to get an iPhone because I don't think it's there yet. On the other hand there hasn't been anything else interesting to consider. I'm itching to upgrade from this now crummy Razr though. So I'll be watching both Android phones and new iPhone's. Exciting!

People say they want background application, even though the same people will offer the loudest complaints about battery life.

People say they want copy and paste, but iPhone sales lead me to conclude that this is not a deal breaker, especially when it is likely a straightforward software upgrade.

People say they want a physical keyboard, but it wouldn't be an "iPhone" if it had one, and see the remark about sales above. Also, while there are several solid physical keyboard phones (courtesy of RIM), most people use them because it's what their company provides, not because it's something they themselves wanted. This is why we've yet to hear of a "Blackberry killer" or a "WinMo killer," but have moved through many "iPhone killers," and before that, "iPod killers."

I often hear that android is the first true competitor to the iPhone, but I really don't get this. It seems to me to be less polished than RIM devices and only a bit less clumsy than a WinMo device.

If Apple released this exact device a year ago, the press would have crucified them. I know the technorati love Google, but what is it about them that they feel like they have to come out with their own version of just about anything? (Witness Knol vs Wikipedia, Firefox vs. Chrome, Google video vs youtube (before they got smart and just bought youtube)) Is it just because they have the money to do this kind of stuff, and they have no idea what else to do?

Classically, Paul Kafasis (and the rest of the pundit press) doesn't 'get it'.

Android is no competition for the iPhone, and I doubt Android sales with cause even a microscopic dip in iPhone sales numbers. Not only is Android aimed at an entirely different demographic than iPhone buyers, but Google's entire strategy has always been about disrupting the *MICROSOFT* business model, not Apple's (for crying out loud, Eric Schmidt sits on Apple's board).

Android is designed to damage and cannibalize Windows Mobile market share, therefore:

- runs on the same hardware as any WinMo device, thus making it easy for any mobile smartphone manufacturer to accomodate Android and make the switch.

- does not charge a licensing fee (i.e. it's free to implement).

- does not provide draconian and specific user interface designs and criteria, thus again not eliminating talentless Chinese companies that are barely able to copy and paste.

- does not restrict carriers in how they can customize the devices to their liking and provide appropriately ugly interfaces.

All sarcasm aside, this is why Google and Apple are actually on the same side, just squeezing Microsoft from different angles.

The iPhone has targeted the top, quickly accumulated the largest smartphone marketshare in the US, and displacing WinMo to a distant 2nd, while Google aims to shore up from the angle of targeting WinMo's licensees on the volume end. With manufacturers like HTC already on board, it will be interesting what future devices will bring to the table in terms of user interface (which, currently, is ugly, and lacking).

It's is the media, and clueless writers, that are positioning Android as an iPhone killer™ (yawn), while this has never been Google's positioning of the platform.

The lack of understanding of this market, by the people writing about it, always fascinates me.

Why do you want to IMPOSE those features on the iPhone ? If you need and want them, just get a G1.

This is called "choice". I like the iPhone the way it is currently and I think that we are about 10 millions other people thinking like me. I don't want you to IMPOSE me things I don't want and might break what I like about the current form if the iPhone.

jar: You're correct, I want the iPhone to be more open. But this post is largely about how Android is taking on the iPhone, and how that will affect Apple. Heck, I didn't even talk about the App Store vs. Android's Market.

Waiting: I was using a 2-3 year old non-smart phone before I picked up the iPhone back in 2007. It's not everything I want it to be, but it's far, far better than what I had. I'd say waiting for too long is just wasting time, really.

Perspective: Looking at existing sales doesn't really tell you much, beyond the fact that the iPhone hasn't flopped due to what's missing. That much is obvious - but would these features help? That's what's at issue here.

Would a model with a physical keyboard open up the potential market? Would copy and paste make more people satisfied? And then, if so, are they valuable enough to be worth it? Those are the questions I'm interested in. The iPhone is great, I love mine, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon.

jbella: Android itself is device-independent. The way it competes with the iPhone is that the devices on which it runs/will run are aimed at the same customer base as the iPhone. That is, the average user who wants a phone that does more (as opposed to Blackberry's primarily business market or even Windows Mobile's more technical audience).

As for why Google so often tries to go their own way, that's an interesting question. Having the ability to do it is certainly part of it. "Because it's there"?

DaffyDuck: To be frank, I think saying Android is "no competition for the iPhone" is "not getting it". I just can't imagine honestly believing Android will have no effect on Apple's plans for the future. We'll see just how popular Android devices get, but Google isn't solely concerned with Microsoft - they want to dominate the smart phone market, period.

Part of that is Windows Mobile, sure, but as I noted earlier, just like the iPhone, these devices seem to be aimed at the exact same market as the iPhone, the average consumer who's looking for a phone that does more.

I certainly don't believe that Android is "an iPhone killer", nor did I ever say that. But I absolutely believe that as it gains popularity, it will affect the decisions Apple makes, much more so than the existing smart phones out there.

So, what exactly do you think I'm not understanding, as far as the market goes? You say that Android is aiming at Windows Mobile exclusively, and I just don't agree. The marketing for the G1 alone is the same sort of thing we've seen for the iPhone, and something I've certainly never seen for Windows Mobile (or BlackBerry for that matter).

AWx: Who's talking about imposing features? I simply detailed a few features many users have stated a desire for, and pointed out that the G1 and Android are promoting them heavily.

I've had an iPhone for 15 months now, and I'm certainly satisfied. But a "love it or leave it" mentality isn't productive - I recognize that the iPhone can be improved, that it's not perfect yet. I'll certainly be watching to see what happens with new models and updates.

I'd like to add that "the media" - mentioned in the comments here - gets its income mostly from ads produced to support the Win Ecosystem. (except from the work of some real journalists) That said, the media isn't likely to bite the hands that feed it. To the contrary I might add. So its normal that they set up Google against Apple. It wants Microsoft to be the third dog.

While I do agree that Android phones will help to drive innovation in the market, I have to point it out: the current state of Android is horribly un-focused, evident by the content of these videos.

Those two videos that "showcase" copy-and-paste on Android are so horribly short-sighted, it's not funny. The truth is, copying text from a URL field or other short text field is only one example of usage...there are unlimited other places from which you'd want to copy text in a mobile OS. An email paragraph, a currently-composing email, the middle of a web page, a Note, an RSS item, 1Password...

The reason Apple hasn't just jumped willy-nilly into providing copy-and-paste is because it's a much more multi-faceted problem to solve than it would initially appear on the surface. It looks to me like the Android developers are barely addressing the surface need. Tell me: how does the "press and hold" method for copy and paste hold up when you consider applying it throughout the rest of your mobile OS? You can't just implement half a dozen copy-paste-invocation conventions for half a dozen different contexts and expect your users to laud you for it.

Could someone with a technical background comment on the effects of a multitasking cellphone operating system on
(1) battery life
(2) memory requirements
(3) stability; and
(4) security?

If it's the case that the Android has full multitasking and works well, that would be a huge advantage over the iPhone.

This article is very helpful:

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/03/13/iphone-20-sdk-the-no-multitasking-myth/

Regarding the video "Run Multiple Apps, All At Once on Android-Powered Phones."

I fail to see any benefit, based on the video, to running multiple apps on Android.

First, he's browsing photos and gets an IM notification. This is what Apple has already proposed with their notification server (a badge, an alert sound and/or textual alerts). Instantly go to that notifying app or ignore it. The only difference with current demos from Apple is that the user will have to select ignore or close if they don't want to respond immediately. Having the IM app active in the background in this case is useless.

Next, he can switch to any app by long-pressing the home button. Sure, and I can simply tap the home button and and choose any app and almost instantaneously be back exactly where I last left off. There are not a significant number of apps that actually benefit by using processor time. The difference in time between switching state-saved-apps and background-apps is negligible. Without the app actively processing information, why have it in the background?

Then he claims he's currently running a few apps simultaneously: Really?
IM - background process is insignificant given that a notification is still required and Apple's proposed notification services aims to complete this for all apps with one process vs each app running its own process.
Browser - I guess if something continues to download or if you're streaming some audio this can be a plus. But, having my browser always running has never been a desire on the iPhone.
Settings - seriously? That's considered an app running in the background?
Music - of course. A background app and central feature to the iPhone (with a headphone jack).
Contacts - again, seriously? What exactly are they doing in the background?

Returning to the browser from IM would have been just as easy on iPhone.

Now we finally get to the interesting part, cut and paste. That's really all this video demonstrates. Given the workings of a clipboard, running the app in the background is not a requirement. The way it's presented insinuates that the app had to be previously running. This should not be and probably is not the case. Had I wanted to paste that URL into mail, I should be able to do it just as easy by opening the app.

For a video titled, "Run Multiple Apps, All At Once on Android-Powered Phones," there was nothing in that video that demonstrated any difference between iPhone and Android running multiple applications simultaneously.

Its manufacturer HTC called it "The most exciting phone in the history of phones." I compiled a list of all software, hardware and service flaws of G1 and asked the question, "Would Apple have been utterly crucified and AAPL have tanked if the iPhone came out with so many shortcomings?" in:

The Big List: 30 critical issues with Google G1 phone
http://counternotions.com/2008/09/24/g1/

Yeah, I watched the copy and paste demo. Absolutely pathetic. So... how do you do actually useful copy and pasting? The interface gave no indication whether or not there are selection options other than 'everything'. Seeing as nearly all of my selections for a copy would fall under 'not everything', it seems like a useful thing for the video to show. Also, how do you copy text from a web page? Or any non-editable text for that matter? Again, that makes up the bulk of my copies, so it seems that would've been useful to show.

Unless of course there is no way to do those things on the gphone, in which case this "functionality" is just a pathetic attempt to stick it to the iphone, as oppose to providing an actually useful feature. If I am wrong, then please, please prove me wrong. I want to be proven wrong. Please, someone upload a video with a demo of these standard copy and pastes.

The iPhone runs on OS X
OS X is a variant of Unix. And Unix does multi-tasking. Period. Always has always will.

The interface of the iPhone allows only one application to be in focus at time. And so by design. That is BY DESIGN. Applications that lose focus are stopped and unloaded. The is done to save resources and battery.

That isn't a bad thing. It's a good thing. Longer battery life, better foreground perfomance.

The Android phones run Java applications. Under an interpreter. Which makes them slow and wasteful. To make them slower and wastefuller, Android will let you run five at once.

Isn't that special. What good will it do for the user? What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again.

As more Android phones arrive and they become more popular, Apple will certainly be forced to respond.
Do you remember the claims for a "more-than-one-button-mouse"?
Apple follows its own guts.

What about the terrible bluetooth support in iphone? Or the lack of mms, or the lack of video recording?

Or things like decent applications that would be easier to use than itunes gets rejected.
I see lots of fields where other devices could be better than iphone for both regular and corporate users.

Along the lines of what Palmer Deville was saying...

You lay out the effects that Android will have on the iPhone as being background applications, cut & paste, and hardware keyboards.

Lets consider the last first. If the iPhone never has a hardware keyboard (and why would they?) then obviously that has had no effect.

For Cut & Paste, signs are that Apple has already been working on a solution - from rumors it would appear to be an extension of the existing data-directing approach where you direct where cut data should go rather than having a traditional copy buffer. So again, what effect is Android having on Apple?

Lastly (or firstly), we have background applications. Again Apple already had an approach in the works with the notification service - to the user the difference between an application truly running in the background and one that has been woken by such a service is not very apparent.

I would posit that if anything of Android might have an effect on future iPhone development it would be more around things like the Android app store than any specific features Android offers - differences in policy rather than ability. That is the biggest area where Android might shift some aspects of the iPhone.

@Snigel

Your cries of "terrible bluetooth" and "mms" support might carry more weight if the G1 supported either to any greater extent than the iPhone.

In point of fact, not only will stereo bluetooth headsets not operate in stereo on the G1 but reports are the headphone adaptors will be scarce to start with so you must use the included headphones for all listening!

As for other applications... how about waiting to see what arrives on other app stores before you critique so harshly?

I can't wait for the malware to strike the Android platform - then we'll see just what an iPhone killer looks like!!

Are we finally seeing the often requested, so easy to implement additions like:

1 External (Bluetooth) keyboard.
>> Who can let alone wants to write substantial emails on the small keyboards, virtual or physical?

2 copy-paste
>> Together with the above, the impertinence with which this doesn't get implemented leads to the question: Are there too many masochists at apple?

Go Apple.

Are we finally seeing the often requested, so easy to implement additions like:

1 External (Bluetooth) keyboard.
>> Who can let alone wants to write substantial emails on the small keyboards, virtual or physical?

2 copy-paste
>> Together with the above, the impertinence with which this doesn't get implemented leads to the question: Are there too many masochists at apple?

Go Apple.

"Who can let alone wants to write substantial emails on the small keyboards, virtual or physical?"

Anyone that lives with an iPhone will tell you they're quite happy writing lengthy diatribes on the virtual keyboard.

Sure, it's no desktop or laptop keyboard, but I used a Blackberry Pearl before my iPhone and don't miss a physical keyboard.

I even use my iPhone for SSH from time to time. That's keyboard-intensive and seems to work fine.

"Anyone that lives with an iPhone will tell you they're quite happy writing lengthy diatribes on the virtual keyboard."

Being used to 10-finger-typing, I cannot quite agree. Any lengthy text on the iPhone isn't a pleasure. Which, of course, may be due to my big hands. Or my being spoilt with 70 wpm.
I am talking about the scenario: business trip, hotel room, apple bluetooth keyboard and iPhone.

Jared, if you are happy with your typing, fine. No one would force you to do it this way, but it would definitely open up an interesting extension and opportunity for many others.

Alph

I myself use a Danger Sidekick, which has a nice large keyboard (And space on the sides unlike a blackberry) but I know my preferences aren't everyone's.

Google doesn't want to necessarily own the smartphone market. No money in it if they give it away for free. Remember where Google's bread and butter comes from: advertising and possibly data mining, full stop. It's why the phone doesn't sync with the desktop or handle much except what Google provides. Everything else is only a funnel into the land of text ads.

I just received my G1. I previously have been using a Blackberry Curve. As far as multi-tasking, this phone will handle it. Yes, I am a little sad to see that it doesn't have video capture but a 3rd party one will probably show up here in a couple weeks. Overall I like it. Compared to an Iphone I don’t think it will be the killer, but with the open source OS it will definitely change the way Apple does the next Iphone.

Android is not in even in the same league as Mac Os X (which is basically what iPhone os is). iPhone is the device with certain unique components and features (and of course limitations); it is not an operating system. Android is an operating system. Its not even close, in terms of maturity, documentation, tools, etc. The real competition is between RIM devices and Apple devices. The benefit of Android is that it is the Windows to the OS/2 of iPhone. Next stop, the DELL of the mobility devices ...

From the marketing videos I was half expecting Google and Android to claim they made HTML and linking.

There's nothing new here. It's marketing crap and Apple have already done it.

Uh oh, android is killer! I recently pulled out some nice open source apps at a Christmas party and wowed 3 iphone users. I convinced them all that Android (not the phone hardware by anymeans) kills the iphone. Very customizable. The programs running in the background are pretty cool btw. Don't have to exit apps which means that going between my web browser, messaging, and a game I will be at the same spot when i return. No game over man! Android will be released on many different phones and when money from the android market starts getting paid out its going to really hurt the iphone.

P.S.
I have a program that finds my location using gps and allows me to move my phone like a window in the sky. This window shows where all the constellations and planets are and lines up perfectly with the real stars. Its called Sky Map and it is just one of many killer open source apps that highlight the potential of Android.

As it turns out, android is a very clear competitor to the iPhone. While not quite as polished as iPhone applications, android apps run well, and provide great utility. Apps like shopsavvy and locale are quite useful.

This HTC magic has a more recent build of Google maps than the iPhone, because I just got version 3.1.0 from the market today. Barcode scanning works really well, the 3.2 mega pixel camera is nice, the video camera is better than I thought it would be. The soft keyboard is great, I'm using it now, and in general this phone is every bit as nice as an iPhone.

For the apple faithful, android will likely not earn many converts, but for everybody else, it represents a real choice.

iPhone OS 4 with multitasking will certainly help iPhone compete better with Android. The Android vs iPhone debate will go on for a long time. It is getting more and more difficult to choose between the two, but I think the Android OS will eventually dominate the market.

Like it or not Android can do more than compete with the iPhone. They are devolping more and more technology that is giving them the edge against apple. It's getting to the point were people just buy apple products just because they are apple products. No only that, but the AT&T network is subpar and way overpriced. This article really sums it up http://hubpages.com/hub/Android-Vs-The-iPhone Check it out.