iPhone 3GS vs. Android 2.1 (now on Droid too)

Anyone looking to buy a terrific smartphone today is faced with the dilemma of choosing between the iPhone 3GS and an Android 2.1 device. ZDNet and PocketNow.com recently ran dueling posts on this topic with ZDNet offering five reasons why the iPhone is superior and PocketNow.com countering with five reasons why Android 2.1 is superior. Below is a synopsis with some commentary along the way.

Five Things iPhones Do Better offered by ZDNet

1. Both phones can copy and paste, although, apparently, the iPhone does it better. I think this is a none issue and most users rarely, if ever, use the feature. In those rare instances where a user wants to copy and paste, both phones can achieve the end result. I became skeptical of the rest of the ZDNet claims after reading this “advantage” as numero uno on their list.
2. Touchscreen quality. Objective tests have shown the iPhone to have a more responsive and more precise touchscreen than the Nexus One. Whether this impacts the user experience in a meaningful way is a question worth considering. The author also believes that text appears crisper on the iPhone. While this could be true (I’ve never seen the two side by side), the Nexus One has a larger screen and when text is scaled, I suspect that the Nexus One would outshine the iPhone in readability.
3. The music app user interface is better on the iPhone. This is definitely the case when comparing the native apps (and should have been listed as numero uno) but keep in mind that Android Market has a wide variety of third party music apps that have been promoted for having good UIs, including some with 3D navigation.
4. Google Voice’s threading of SMS. Apparently they don’t thread the same way as they do on the iPhone. The PocketNow post states that the author has never experienced any SMS threading “problem” with Google Voice. Oddly, I was wondering, “WTH?” Google Voice barely even exists on the iPhone because Apple won’t allow it into the App Store. Advantage Android?
5. App Store. Android is making up ground here, as the author notes, but the App Store has some ridiculous number of apps with a bunch of digits in it. It does seem like many developers are going for App Store cash first before heading to the Android Market. I think as more Android devices hit the market the playing field will become more level but Apple clearly has the upperhand on app development right now.

Five Things Android Does Better offered by PocketNow.com

1. You don’t need iTunes “bloatware” to activate Android. True but are computers really grinding to a halt because of iTunes? Also, iTunes has a good UI and some people actually like it.
2. “App Freedom” is an advantage because Android phones, other than those on AT&T, can install apps without Apple or anyone else as a gatekeeper. Openness means nobody censors the apps you can install. What will be particularly telling on this front is whether Apple approves the Opera Mini browser for iPhone which beats the heck out of the native browser in speed. This is one example of how a closed ecosystem can diminish the user experience.
3. Alternatives to built-in apps exist for Android. This is a score for Android because, among other reasons, the stock Android keyboard isn’t so hot. The Apple counterargument is “we perfected the built-in apps”; however, see above regarding Opera Mini browser.
4. Carrier options exist for Android phones. This was a really big deal and probably the single-most reason why I didn’t go iPhone/AT&T. However, the next generation iPhone will also be offered on other, more reliable carriers than AT&T.
5. Google Voice is a big score for Android. See #4 above in prior list. If you want to make cheap international calls, free calls within the U.S. and Canada and send SMS for free, then this matters.

My own calculus comes down to apps on the iPhone vs. “openness” and Google Voice on Android. I’m mid-contract with Verizon and can adopt the wait-and-see approach. Hell, I’m still stuck with a Blackberry Tour. I’ll can give you a minimum of 10 reasons why both the iPhone and Android are superior to the Tour.

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