iPhone alternatives

There is good news for those gadget lovers that can’t afford or don’t want to pony up the US$500+ for an iPhone.

Rival smart phone makers, such as Nokia, have released a slew of devices in the months leading up to the launch of the “Jesus phone” as New York Magazine recently dubbed the iPhone.

None of the phones outlined in the CNN Money article on iPhone alternatives have received even half the attention the iPhone has garnered over the past year which is why you haven’t heard of them. The phones, in many cases, do the same thing as the iPhone but don’t have the Apple brand and therefore won’t sell half as well as the iPhone (in the U.S.) if early indications hold true. Part of the problem too is the fact many of the smartphones cost MORE than the US$499 and US$599 price Apple and AT&T are commanding.

Bigger problem is the cachet factor, which you can never discount in the world of cell phones. These phones have no buzz, no street cred so to speak. It matters.

Nonetheless, mobile feens that don’t want to wait in line for the iPhone may want to examine some of the options outlined in the CNN smartphone photo montage. Take for example, Nokia’s N95 which has a 5-megapixel camera - the iPhone only has a 2-megapixel camera + the N95 comes unlocked. It’ll set you back US$750 and can only be bought online.

LG’s Prada phone and Motorola’s Razr 2, as two iPhone alternative examples, are least likely to capture the public’s imagination and are way overpriced given that relatively few people care. The Prada will appeal to fashionistas but still looks far too much like LG’s other phones, namely the Chocolate. The Razr, meanwhile, has a stainless steel case and a higher-resolution screen. Major problem with the Razr 2? It looks almost exactly like the Razr. Motorola will plug the feeds and speeds of the phone - that’s when you know the competition has won. Anyways, if you’re still interested the Prada sells for US$800 while Motorola and its carrier partners have yet to determine the price of the Razr 2.

It won’t matter. Like it or not, the iPhone is all the rage.

July 17, 2007 | Filed Under News Items and Commentary