Touted as the most likely major competitor to the iPhone in the foreseeable future, Motorola’s new Droid smartphone has a number of features that must have the folk down at Apple throwing back their coffee and redoubling their workload. With an aggressive Motorola advertising campaign set to pit the Droid directly against the iPhone, too (in the US they’ve settled on iDont as a slogan), we thought we’d take a good look at what all the fuss about, and uncover just what it is about the Droid that makes it a more likely iPhone killer than all that have come before it. Here are the major assets we uncovered:
Google Map Navigation Okay, so you can’t hang your entire product on satellite navigation. It is a phone at heart, after all. But Google’s new, free sat nav program is a serious asset to the Droid, which will be the first phone to host it. Real time, turn-by-turn directions are perfect for walking, driving or just getting yourself from A to B the quickest way possible. Similar software is available on the iPhone, of course, but that will set you back in the region £50.
Applications The Droid’s Android operating system might be lagging some way behind the iPhone in terms of quantity of applications, but it does still have around 10,000 of them floating around (iPhone’s total currently stands nearer 100,000), with producers pledging plenty more money to the system in the future. Simple programming language and plenty of advertising promotion will encourage developers (especially those looking for quick growth) to focus on the Android rather than the iPhone from now on, and that could see the Android apps putting serious pressure on the iPhone alternatives before too long.
Suitability for Business Users The sliding keyboard on the Droid won’t take away from the casual users touch screen function, but it does add a new dimension in terms of business applications such as writing emails that the iPhone simply doesn’t have, which may well put the Droid ahead right off the cuff in the business sector, and make it a rival to the Blackberry as well as to the iPhone. Some users have suggested the keyboard is too flat and that the proximity of the keys is a problem, though, which could prove to be a substantial design flaw. But then again, there’s always the on screen keyboard, too.
Search Function/ Effective Voice Recognition Software With ‘search’ incorporating a voice option one of only four options the Droid plans to use on its main screen, they had better have it down well. By all accounts they do, with the function incorporating both online and contact search, as well as what appears to be the most effective voice recognition software yet programmed in a mobile phone. Which is a great plus, considering the fallibility of previous voice recognition efforts.
Replaceable Battery A frequent complaint leveled at the iPhone is that once the battery is dead, so is your phone. Perhaps Motorola were being particularly pointed in making their battery replaceable, then, and so making the Droid a potentially much longer lasting investment. The battery life is substantially better than most smartphones, too.
Expandable Memory Motorola have included the option to expand your phone’s memory with SD memory cards, another option that requires an upgrade on the iPhone. If you’re one of those people who likes a phone full of music and takes a lot of pictures, this could prove an important addition.
Android 2.0 Okay, most agree that Google’s first effort at providing a mobile system was a little off the mark, and had a few design oversights. But they’ve clearly worked hard on this one, and produced a system with minimal lag time and easy functionality. It might not quite be up with Apple’s system just yet, but it’s a country mile ahead of the first version, and it certainly won’t irritate the way the earlier one could. Of course, you don’t have to buy a Droid to get Android 2.0, at least not in the long run, but it is the first phone to retail with Android 2.0 as standard.
Screen Size It’s certainly a chunky phone, but if you’re looking for a big, vibrant screen you’re going to do well to match this one. 3,7 inches and 854×480 pixels make it right at the forefront of the market, and you’ll be impressed by the bright color as well.
Of course, all of these plus points far from guarantee the Droid’s success. Many have already taken on Apple and failed, and most iPhone lovers argue that it’s the smooth design and image of the iPhone that keep it ahead of its rivals, as opposed to functions and applications. When it comes to design, we’ll leave you to make up your own mind, but when it comes to functionality, the Droid has to be considered a serious rival to the market leader.
Update: As of early 2010, the Motorola Droid is only available on a SIM free basis in the UK. Buy it here.
