The T-Mobile G1 was officially announced yesterday and the comparisons to the iPhone started almost as soon as the last executive left the stage. But when you pair up the iPhone 3G and the T-Mobile G1, which device comes out as the winner? Or, is it too soon to tell?
For starters, the T-Mobile G1 has a brand new operating system, Google's Android that has been highly anticipated for quite some time. It has the unique distinction of being open-source, which means developers from all over can update and modify the OS. The Android Market is also going to go live, which features apps from all walks of life.
The phone itself features Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G (where available). It features a 3-megapixel camera and 1GB of storage by means of a removable memory card, which can be expanded up to 8GB. The G1 has a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard that is revealed by means of a nifty sliding mechanism. We can expect the G1 from T-Mobile on October 22 and current T-Mobile customers can pre-order it for $179.
On the flip side, we have the iPhone 3G. It's been out for nearly three months and while it looks nice, it hasn't been without its drama. Some people don't get 3G reception, there were a few security issues, and the App Store appears to be highly monitored so certain apps are rejected. But as far as specs go, the iPhone has Wi-Fi, a limited GPS function, a 2-megapixel camera, 8GB or 16GB of storage and a 3.5" touchscreen that supports multi-touch gestures. It currently costs $199.
When it comes to looks, the iPhone 3G definitely wins. It's glossy back, large screen smooth touch capabilities all lend it a sense of style. The T-Mobile G1 is also decent-looking, though what was previously described as the "chin" and the bulkier feel bring it down a notch.
But looks aside, who comes out on top here? Well, Apple has been criticized recently for its excessive monitoring of apps in the iTunes App Store, and the Android Market will be rule-free, in effect. But is that a good idea, either? What about malware apps or other annoying programs that intend to harm your G1 or obtain your personal information? What will be done in these cases?
The limited storage capacity is also a bit of a problem, especially for those that want to load up on music. A plus, however, is that Android uses Amazon MP3, which offers DRM-free tracks, often a point of contention with iTunes.
During the announcement yesterday, I would have said the G1 has a leg up because it only costs $179, but many users of our Android Community are reporting differently, noting pre-order price tags of $299 or more!
In the end, I find myself torn. While the iPhone 3G and T-Mobile G1 are similar in that they are smartphones with touchscreens and app stores, they couldn't be more different. The iPhone 3G is a phone made by Apple that runs on Apple software. When it comes to the G1, we're dealing with a phone made by HTC, carried by T-Mobile that runs on an OS by Google.
Could an Android-based handset be the always talked about "iPhone killer?" Sure. But that handset is not the G1. Until Google makes their own phone that runs on Android, I don't think we'll see all that the very impressive OS from the search engine mogul can do.
