{"id":557,"date":"2008-09-24T09:57:15","date_gmt":"2008-09-24T16:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bspcn.com\/2008\/09\/24\/11-ways-android-will-kick-the-iphones-ass\/"},"modified":"2008-09-24T09:57:15","modified_gmt":"2008-09-24T16:57:15","slug":"11-ways-android-will-kick-the-iphones-ass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/2008\/09\/24\/11-ways-android-will-kick-the-iphones-ass\/","title":{"rendered":"11 ways Android will kick the iPhone’s ass"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Written by Dan Grabham<\/a><\/p>\n So Android has arrived with the announcement of the T-Mobile G1. The HTC-manufactured phone certainly has a few nice touches, despite its lack of multi-touch (and with T-Mobile’s particular variant, no accelerometer).<\/p>\n But while this particular handset might not be the technology king to beat the iPhone, the potential’s there. And the OS looks super-hot. Here’s why Android can make its presence felt and could really threaten the iPhone.<\/p>\n 1. It’s more open<\/strong> 2. It’s got integration with online apps<\/strong> 3. It’s faster, faster, faster<\/strong> 4.<\/strong> Better hardware<\/strong> 5. There’ll be more variants<\/strong> 6. It’ll have Flash<\/strong> 7. It won’t be restricted by Apple’s nuances<\/strong> 8. You can have proper keyboards<\/strong> 9. It’ll have better format support<\/strong> 10. You won’t need to jailbreak<\/strong> Start quaking in your boots, Steve. Or support some more stuff, up to you<\/h3>\n
Android is a fully open OS, which means that developing for it is a free-for-all. Handily, that’ll mean more free apps and games than the iPhone’s App Store can throw at us currently as they’ll be offered by networks, content providers and Google alike.<\/p>\n
Google is heavily involved here. We’ll get better versions of handy stuff like Google Docs, Talk and Calendar plus Street View mapping on Android-based handsets. And it all comes with a single sign-on.<\/p>\n
One thing we’ve seen with Android all year is that it’s incredibly fast. In the tech demo<\/a> at last week’s Google Developer Day and now we’ve got hands on with the G1<\/a>, the interface doesn’t suffer from the recent glitches the iPhone 2.0 firmware has.<\/p>\n
The iPhone is high tech hardware, but it remains that phones with features such as HSDPA and better digital cameras appeal to the masses. Add in Android, and the iPhone will be playing catchup.<\/p>\n
Apple has always been a bit one-size-fits-all. And the iPhone is no different in terms of the hardware (the capacity aside, of course). Android will be available in cheap mobiles as well as expensive ones, and that can only be a good thing.<\/p>\n
So Steve Jobs reckons Flash is too intensive for mobile use? We don’t think it’ll be too long before somebody develops a version for Android. In the meantime, websites use Flash, Steve. Get over it.<\/p>\n
Following on from number 6, many Android phones won’t be locked down in the same way that the iPhone is (although how this plays out with networks remains to be seen). More flexibility could mean more fans.<\/p>\n
We’re pretty used to typing with the iPhone’s keyboard now, but for many it’s a step too far – and too small. The QWERTY slider keyboard on the T-Mobile G1 is the real deal.<\/p>\n
Wider support for different formats will appeal to those frustrated by Apple’s restricted model. And bring a whole load of new fans to Android.<\/p>\n
Hacking? It’ll be expected with Android (though, once again, we don’t know how this will play out with the networks). Customisation will be the norm, rather than the exception. Jailbreaking? What’s the point?<\/p>\n