Will the iPhone feel the Droid’s heat?
Droid has its eye on the iPhone
I can’t seem to remember the last time non-geeks were raving about a phone that wasn’t the iPhone. Maybe it was the BlackBerry Storm, but only because BlackBerry is now a household name and it was the first touch screen model. We all know what happened with that one. The only other phone that has made even a minor dent in the iPhone’s mind share was the Palm Pre, but again it was short lived and the phone isn’t getting any more popular. Now the Motorola Droid is on the scene and it looks like it might start to rain on the iPhone’s parade – or lightly drizzle, at the very least.
Over the past week, friends and relatives and acquaintances have been sending me emails, Facebook messages and Twitter replies asking my opinion of the Droid. Before I get into all that, if you haven’t heard of the Droid, you should definitely look into it because you might soon see it all over the place. The phone won’t be released to the public until November 6, but the buzz surrounding the device is deafening. I was initially lukewarm about the Droid, but it’s been tugging at me a little more as of late. I know more than a handful of people who plan on leaving their current carriers to get one and that really hasn’t happened since the iPhone became subsidized.
How is the Droid becoming so popular so quickly? Blogs. Every major blog and news site out there has given nothing short of glowing reviews for the Droid. The anti-iPhone commercial didn’t seem to do so well, and I think I made it pretty clear that going head-to-head with the iPhone wasn’t the best idea. Instead, consumers are already sold on the Droid thanks to blogs and reviews showcasing its strengths. Positive word-of-mouth, especially coming from the experts, seems to be a far more effective tool in marketing than teaser video clips and mocking commercials. The messages I’ve been receiving are becoming redundant: I heard it was an awesome phone. I read that it’s as good as or better than the iPhone. Someone told me it was going to be able to double as a navigation system in your car.
Android 2.0 all grown up
Motorola made the smart choice with choosing Android over Windows Mobile with this comeback device. Android has become a far more rich and mature OS in version 2.0 (called Eclair). The user interface has been cleaned up and looks more attractive, and it also seems to be a little more intuitive than earlier iterations. The Droid packs a snappy processor which helps eliminate most of the lag that has plagued earlier Android devices. The iPhone still has the simplest, so-easy-a-caveman-can-do-it operating system, but Android is becoming a pleasure to use. It might take a little more technical know-how, but after just a day or two anyone can customize home screens and navigate the OS while shaving, eating and driving a car at the same time. The hardware and design has earned mixed reviews; the general consensus is that it’s not so unattractive that you wouldn’t buy it. Some think it’s just plain gorgeous. I think it could have been sexier.
Another one of the Motorola Droid’s perks is that it gets to be on the number one network in America: Verizon. The carrier boasts a network with five times more 3G coverage than AT&T, and it also doesn’t suffer from the outages and the strain put onto AT&T’s network by the iPhone. With a rock solid network and customers who have been longing for an iPhone type of device for a while, I can’t imagine the Droid sitting on shelves for long – especially with a very attractive $199 price tag with a two-year service agreement.
With a great network, a resurging handset manufacturer, an attractive and intuitive operating system all packed into an affordable price, should Apple be worried about the Droid? Probably not. Sales are still strong and there are a few advantages that the iPhone has, like an enormous app store and a ridiculously simple OS. But there are certainly going to be fewer converts. Those who have held out on buying an iPhone waiting for something comparable will likely jump on the Droid. The thread to Apple isn’t going to be so immediate, but I get the feeling it’s no longer going to be so lonely at the top. One thing I’m hoping for is that the Droid and the new crop of Android handsets pushes Apple to produce a mind-blowing, jaw-dropping iPhone for next summer.
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I think the new Google app to give you a “free” GPS to use in place of having to buy a Garmin or Tom Tom for $100 extra will be a huge reason for sales to take off for Verizon
Yes. Google Navigation is probably going to be a nice selling point for the Droid, but the car mount is going to cost extra. Also, the application itself has a few bugs, but we all know that gets sorted over time.
In response to another comment. See in context »Marc,
I have to say I am intrigued by another phone putting up some competition to the iPhone. I am on the verge of either buying an iPhone or a Blackberry, and now I’ll consider the Droid as well. I have to say though, that I went to the Droid web site and found it very badly designed and unfriendly for the user. I even found the whole roving eye thing a little juvenile and overdone. Is that really an essential part of the phone? Or is it a gimmick?
Hi Nick,
Although I think the Droid is going to be great for the consumer space, and the hardware is pretty good (albeit somewhat unattractive), I still think the iPhone has an edge over the Droid. Definitely look into it, but for ease of use, a wealth of apps and media-syncing, I’d have a hard time passing up on the iPhone.
If you’re a messaging freak who’s constantly on email and instant messenger, you can’t go wrong with a new BlackBerry.
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] OS – even the first few phones that arrived with Android weren’t much threat. With Motorola’s Droid and GOOG’s ‘own’ Nexus One, all that’s changed. photo by missha @ [...]
[...] OS – even the first few phones that arrived with Android weren’t much threat. With Motorola’s Droid and GOOG’s ‘own’ Nexus One, all that’s changed. photo by missha @ [...]