Forbes Runs Down Some (Mostly Old Hat) iPhone Killers
Apple has caused a panic, with competitors scrambling to crank out Web-friendly, widescreen phones. But like the iPod, the harder rivals try to blunt Apple’s strengths, the worse they look in comparison.
A week after the iPhone 3G announcements, Forbes.com has got a pictorial and article up running down some ‘iPhone killer’ competitor devices, although the gist for now seems to be there is nothing like a real killer rival standing out just yet.
Apart from the Blackberry Thunder (which there’s almost no real detail about yet), the entries on the ‘killer’ list are mostly old hat – featuring standards like the AT&T Tilt and the N95, with their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink power; the HTC Touch and the Sony Ericsson Walkman w580i, and the Samsung Instinct. Oddly, there’s even an entry for a ‘Google Phone’ – although we know that the Android platform will produce a wide range of devices rather than any single G-branded handset to compare head-to-head to the iPhone.
It seems like we’re already well overdue for the next iPhone Killer Of The Month entrant – I’m sure it won’t be too long before we’re seeing some fresh candidates. For now, I still don’t see anything on the Forbes list that stands out as an imposing iPhone 3G rival, though it will be very interesting to see what Blackberry has got coming.
What do you all think?
I don’t think there will be an “iPhone killer” – but I do think there will be one (or more) that emerge as just as capable – and just as popular – as the iPhone. The main thing that will drive it – and the reason the iPhone is different from the iPod – is because the iPhone REQUIRES AT&T – and not everyone who drools over an iPhone is willing or able to switch to AT&T. Make no mistake – the iPhone has been great for AT&T – people have switched to AT&T just because they wanted an iPhone… however the link has hurt Apple – people who WANT an iPhone haven’t bought one because of the AT&T restriction (Yes, I know some have gotten around it, but lots more haven’t – and that will be increasingly true with the new model/sales plan (in which you can no longer purchase one from Apple without a 2-year contract…) So yeah, I think there is likely to be a serious competitor.