Official smartphone discussion thread

[E6600]

Originally Posted by Spindel

I've tried Android, used WinMob 2003 and currently use WinMob 6.2 and iPhone OS.

iPhone OS wins hands down for ease of use and "it just works".

WinMob makes me want to cry ,I hate it and want to kill someone everytime I have to use my work phone (which means all the time everyday).

Android is still bad and not at all user friendly, but I have to give it a point for being better than WinMob (which isn't such a impressive feat). The feeling of android is too much Nokia or SonyEricsson phones, which means loads of "features" of which you'll never use because they are too cumbersome and you end up only using SMS, Phone and maybe something else.

The other OSs I can't comment.

Of all the OSes I've used iPhone OS was the best. I haven't used Palm's webOS or BlackBerry OS, so I can't comment on them. BlackBerry OS judging from comments here isn't viewed favorably.

I need to use webOS before I can say with confidence if iPhone OS is best or 2nd best.

Two things are keeping me with Apple and away from Palm (I wont consider a smartphone out of those two makers)

1. iPhone OS has many many fun apps that webOS doesn't have
2. Palm's webOS devices aren't globally available (how am I gonna get JRPGs if it isn't available in Japan?)
3. None of Palm's hardware entices me to buy
   1. Palm Pre small screen with prone to failure slide mechanism
   2. Palm Pixi even smaller screen

Originally Posted by PirateThom

Blackberry OS is a mess. It only responds when it wants to and the theoretical easy email set up is a pain in the ass.

I vote it as worst phone OS ever.

Never used it, but I'm guessing you and downphoenix are right.
Setting up mail in the iPhone OS is so easy I felt I was being patronized. I love Apple.
Easiest mail setup ever, even setting up my work Exchange account, and getting up to date with contacts, calendar and mail was easy breezy. Simply nothing beats Apple here. Except maybe for Palm, I dunno.

Originally Posted by lol_pc

I have a HTC Hero with Android... Haven't really used any other mobile OS so can't say which is best, but I voted for Android since it works pretty well for what I need.

How can you vote if you haven't used everything else. Then again I guess you can as you just did

Originally Posted by MasterSword

Why do all the Apple lovers keep saying the iPod OS "just works"? The others are broken or something? I don't get it.

Because iPhone OS "just works" and is the among the best smartphone OSes (need to try Palm's webOS to decide if its 1st or 2nd best). When Apple launched the iPhone back in 2007 it was years ahead of anything in the market, and it still is. Apple says this years update will be significant, I can't wait to upgrade to the new iPhone. Time is ticking and Palm better give me a reason to switch, or they'll lose me for the next 2 years.
Just look at early Android prototypes, and you'll see how much influence the iPhone had on smartphones that followed.
You never used anything from Apple, so you don't know, but many Apple users have used everything else out there, I know I did. I can say for certain that Apple constantly puts up best hardware coupled with best software. It is all a matter of whether you believe the price Apple asks for is justified or not, to me it is a big YES.
I'm not an Apple-only person, in fact I use Windows and Linux/X/GNU on a daily basis, and I work in IT, so I'm no clueless bum who needs to be spoon fed. All of this makes me more than willing to buy Macs, anything to get away from chaos and to the tranquility of OS X.
No matter how resourceful you are when it comes to computers, sometimes you want something that does everything for you, without you having to worry about how it does it.

Originally Posted by Nirvana09

It doesn't "Just work", Apple users just don't know any better.

Keep telling yourself that. Only thing worse than blind fanbois are blind haters

Originally Posted by rbbdrooger

I'm missing Symbian OS on that list. Not my personal favorite but Symbian has a huge marketshare.

Only NA OSes apply
Symbian is dying, Maemo is no more, MeeGo hasn't taken off yet.
Symbian's market share is tied with Nokia's dominance and NTT Docomo in Japan, not many really care about it beyond that.
Symbian is irrelevant in America, and as we all know America is the World.

Above all I've used Symbian and it is a piece of shit. So complicated and unnatural, I felt like I was blowing an elephant while a giraffe is fingering me while being covered in maple syrup and flies are all over me; or as some call it Canada's History. Totally an uncomfortable and quite traumatizing experience.

Originally Posted by rbbdrooger

Right now I have a Samsung Omnia with WinMo 6.1 and Samsung's custom TouchWiz UI on top. In terms of features it's a very good phone, but WinMo 6.1 isn't very touch-friendly once you get beyond Samsung's costum layer.

You poor tortured soul. I've used WinMo 6.1 without any UI layer. I'd rather pull out my teeth with pliers.

Originally Posted by rbbdrooger

My next phone will definitely be Android. I've played around with Android devices a lot and it's my favorite mobile OS so far.

Android is excellent choice. Last time I've used Android found it to be very good, but not iPhone OS level of excellence.
The Android vs. iPhone OS battle revolves around one key criteria, semi-openness vs. gated environment. Or in other terms do you believe that Apple are Nazis with how they control the iPhone? If yes get Android, if No or Don't care get iPhone.

[rbbdrooger]

Originally Posted by E6600

Symbian is dying.

Source

Symbian isn't dying, it's just becoming less dominant. Don't underestimate Nokia's userbase. They are very loyal.

Originally Posted by E6600

Android is excellent choice. Last time I've used Android found it to be very good, but not iPhone OS level of excellence.
The Android vs. iPhone OS battle revolves around one key criteria, semi-openness vs. gated environment. Or in other terms do you believe that Apple are Nazis with how they control the iPhone? If yes get Android, if No or Don't care get iPhone.

I'm in the 'yes' camp. But even if I wasn't, there's a shitstorm of Android devices coming out soon that easily outspec the 3GS in every way.

[E6600]

I'm aware of Symbian's market share, but that doesn't mean it aint dying.

An 80 year old man isn't any more alive than a 20 year old, just because he lived more.

Put it this way, Nokia has Symbian and MeeGo, which one they are most likely to push going forward?

Nokia currently puts Symbian on everything, even devices that shouldn't be considered smartphones because they are so crippled and unpleasant to use, or at least that's my experience with E71. Worst smartphone I've ever user.

If they don't sort it out quick, all the people who buy Nokia by default around the world will open up to the fact that the OS and not the brand is what makes a smartphone. Lucky for them they've got MeeGo now, they just need to transition their smartphone line to it and nuke Symbian from orbit.

tl;dr
I hate Symbian and don't see a future in it.

[downphoenix]

he's pretty much right. Symbian shouldn't really be considered a smartphone OS because nearly every phone Nokia even makes, even entry level phones, have some sort of symbian on it.

[E6600]

It is sad when 3rd rate software can be so dominating. Nothing Nokia makes is unique or interesting yet it dominates.
Palm, which managed to wow me with webOS, is in deep rut. I'd hate to see Palm go, and wouldn't mind going with a Palm instead of an iPhone but they need to give me an all screen Pixi plus.

The Associated Press: Palm shares continue slide after weak forecast

Palm's new smartphones fail to fuel sales

I'm guessing but their limited sales are due to:

1. Originally limited to Sprint (now also on Verizon)
2. US only (??) or limited worldwide availability
3. Subpar hardware (I'm holding for an all screen Palm)

What helps the iPhone is the iPod touch both account for +75M devices, that is a huge market. The iPhone might be a disaster in Japan, but the iPod touch is doing great.
Maybe Palm should bring a webOS portable media player? no harm in expanding your market, and they wont do much worse than Microsoft with the Zune. In fact I guess they can do a whole lot better as they are both a software and hardware company.
Redesign the Pixi as an all-screen smartphone and bring a Pixi without the phone.

Apparently games are coming
Palm USA | Palm webOS Applications | Mobile apps that go further.

That's a start, I guess.


For those who never seen webOS in action
Has webOS 1.4 won me over to the new Palm Pre Plus? | Smartphones and Cell Phones | ZDNet.com
YouTube - Palm Pre Vs. iPhone 3G

[rbbdrooger]

Originally Posted by E6600

tl;dr
I hate Symbian and don't see a future in it.

Yup, same as every other discussion then. If you personally don't like it, it can't possibly be succesful.

I'm out.

[E6600]

It is not just me. Even Nokia says it.

Nokia: We Will Catch Up with Apple and RIM | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD

MacDailyNews - Nokia: We'll match Apple by 2011

Nokia hopes to catch up and beat Research in Motion and Apple by next year | High Tech Lounge

Nokia hopes to beat iPhone, BlackBerry by 2011 | Electronista

Nokia: We will match Apple, RIM | The Digital Home - CNET News

Nokia: We'll be on par with Apple and RIM by 2011

Analysts Say Nokia Really Is Doomed by 2013, Apple to Pass It in 2011 - Apple - Gizmodo

Nokia hopes to beat iPhone, BlackBerry by 2011... (Electronista) » TechNews.AM

Seems Nokia is betting on MeeGo, which has a HUGE chance of being successful. Symbian is a dead end. Android will run away with most of Symbian partners.

Last mobile show, Nokia talked about MeeGo and not Symbian. If this isn't a sign I dunno what is.

[rbbdrooger]

This is from your own links:

Nokia will catch up to and hopefully beat Apple's iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry within the next year, its mobile division chief Rick Simonson said in an interview published today. He acknowledges that a gap has existed that has led to a loss in market share but is confident when telling the India Times that the losses have stabilized and that Nokia is actually recovering quickly. He points out that sales of Eseries phones like the E75 are three times larger than for the BlackBerry and that both it and the iPhone are relatively narrow focus devices where Nokia's broader focus could help it win.

"By 2011, our efforts will start producing results, as we will be at par with Apple and RIM in smartphones," Simonson claims. "Not only [will] we draw level with them, we will also win the war because, in addition to e-mail, we will be adding content, chat, music, entertainment and several other features, which will soon become very critical for success of any company in this space."

He also dismisses talk that the deficit in apps versus the iPhone is an issue and argues that Nokia's sheer scale, as well as its use of the multi-vendor Symbian platform, should convince developers to write for its phones. App downloads so far sit at about two million per day and put it behind only Apple.

The responses while important nonetheless underscore a deficit in Nokia's performance. Although still the largest single smartphone maker, it has repeatedly lost share to two of its newest competitors and is behind Apple in apps despite the iPhone occupying only a small fraction of the smartphone market versus Nokia's 200 million. Critics have also observed that key Nokia services like the unified Ovi Store and Comes With Music have failed to gain ground while most of Nokia's touchscreen phones outside of the 5800 XpressMusic have had lackluster sales.

Most of Nokia's hopes are placed on Symbian 3, which should finally give it multi-touch and an interface built more for touchscreens from the start.

[E6600]

They are wrong. Symbian^3 at best is a UI polish on top of Symbian.
The only thing I wanted to point to is Nokia's chief own quote. I don't care what the journalist filling in the gaps think.
Mind you nothing he mentions is new, which means either Nokia is bankrupt or he's keeping his cards to himself, hopefully the latter.

“By 2011, our efforts will start producing results, as we will be at par with Apple and RIM in smartphones,” said Simonson. “Not only [will] we draw level with them, we will also win the war because, in addition to e-mail, we will be adding content, chat, music, entertainment and several other features, which will soon become very critical for success of any company in this space.”

I'm betting MeeGo will be Nokia's choice going forward and Symbian will be phased out. Though, it might take Nokia 5 years to do so.
Only Nokia loses when it splits its effort on two different mobile OSes. Think back to why Nokia and Intel merged Maemo and Moblin, and then see how ridiculous it is to keep Symbian around.



Slightly related to topic:
Hitachi, NEC, Casio delay merger of mobile handset operations › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Note: they only delayed merger for a month and due to antitrust investigation outside Japan.

The Japanese finally realized that being ahead on featurephones only held them back when it came to smartphones. I dunno about the rest of the world, but smartphones are 'in' in the US, not so in Japan from latest market info. The Japanese eventually will realize the truth of smartphones and abandon their torturous featurephones.

I don't think the Japanese have it in them to come up with a proper smartphone OS. Best bet is for them to bet on Android.

[PirateThom]

I remember when I phone was just a phone....

OS? Multitouch?

If it can make calls and send texts, who cares?