T-Mobile G1 was launched in late September, which is considered by many as the real "iPhone Killer". Is it really an iPhone Killer?
I am going to run a side-by-side comparison between Apple’s iPhone 3G and T-Mobile G1 to see which one will stand out
For starters, you may not be familiar with T-Mobile G1. It’s actually the first mobile phone powered by Google’s Android OS, with hardware designed by HTC and T-Mobile as the exclusive carrier.
Hardware Specs
- Dimension:
- G1 = 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.62 inches
- iPhone 3G = 5.5 x 2.4 x 0.48 inches
- Weight:
- G1 = 158g
- iPhone 3G = 133g
- Screen Size:
- G1 = 3.2 inches
- iPhone 3G = 3.5 inches
- Camera:
- G1 = 3M pixel
- iPhone 3G = 2M pixel
- Memory:
- G1 = 2GB on board + 8GB expandable with MicroSD
- iPhone 3G = 8GB / 16GB (No expansion)
- Battery:
- G1 = 5hrs talk time / 130 hrs standby
- iPhone 3G = 5hrs talk time / 300 hrs standby
Winner: iPhone 3G
Design
The design of iPhone is extraordinary, with its glossy black finish, curved back and not to forget its stunning 3.5 inch screen. The multi-touch interface makes the iPhone 3G even more appealing.
As for T-Mobile G1, when compared with other ordinary smartphones, the design is not too bad but it just doesn’t stand out. And, with thickness of 0.62 inches, it looks much bulkier than iPhone. It also comes with a smaller (3.2 inches) screen as compared to the iPhone (3.5 inches).
One of the improvements in iPhone 3G was the 3.5mm headset jack, which was a welcome change from the recessed headset jack on the original iPhone. So you can now select any headset for your iPhone 3G without the need of an adapter.
The G1 will come with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack for its proprietary ExtUSB connector, which means you’ll need custom headphones or an adapter. The bad news doesn’t stop there, apparently the adapter won’t be available immediately at launch, just a bundled headset. (Thanks thedevilsjester for highlighting it)
Winner: iPhone 3G
Input Method
iPhone’s has full QWERTY soft keyboard. However, its software-powered keyboard serves as a barrier for some keyboard-savvy users.
On the other hand, G1 delivers a full QWERTY keyboard to let you type your email, note or text messages. This just makes G1 look great for those keyboard-savvy users.
While, G1 offers touch interface, its not multi-touch. It even has a trackball which Blackberry users will find appealing.
Winner: T-Mobile G1
Multimedia
iPhone 3G is the best iPod Apple has ever created. It comes with iTunes application pre-installed for music downloads. You can download songs directly to your iPhone over Wi-Fi. You can also use iTunes to purchase music, tv shows and movies on your desktop and sync it back to the iPhone. The iPhone plays a range of music formats, including anything from iTunes, but only plays Quicktime-friendly video.
T-Mobile G1 will have Amazon’s MP3 online music and movie store built under its bonnet. The G1 is expected to be able to play a wide range of DRM-free music and video formats.
Winner: iPhone 3G
Mobile Applications
iPhone users can download applications from Apple’s App Store. The most amazing thing about the App Store is just how easy it is to use from the get go. Its success can be gauged from the fact that the iPhone users have already downloaded more than 100 million iPhone apps since the launch of the App Store, three months ago.
T-Mobile G1 will rely on App Store’s competitor, Android Market. Android Market is backed by Google which will act as the central repository for all Android phones to locate and download mobile applications. So in terms of concept it appears to be similar to the App Store though it could be more open. We will need to see how much control Google wields over application developers.
Winner: iPhone 3G
Pricing
In the US, the G1 will be available exclusively on T-Mobile, reportedly for $25pm (minimum) for unlimited data.
In the UK, it will also come on T-Mobile, with the handset being free on plans over £40pm, again with unlimited data.
This seems quite a bit cheaper than the iPhone, especially in the US, but we’ll have to wait and see how things pan out.
Winner: T-Mobile
Conclusion:
So, is the Android-powered G1 the iPhone Killer?
Though G1 offers
similar features as the iPhone, the iPhone is the clear winner (based on the information available currently).
Further, what iPhone offers is a total user experience, with both
hardware and software tightly integrated and with design so
well-thought by Apple. And T-Mobile G1, which is designed by HTC and
Google, is somewhat like PC + Windows. It’s hard to come up
with seamless design between two different companies.
But I must add that T-Mobile G1 is an impressive first attempt at an Android phone. Users with strong preference for QWERTY keyboard should definitely take a look at T-Mobile G1.
You can checkout the YouTube video of T-Mobile G1 to get an overview:
I guess at the end of the day the decision is yours to make, it
really doesn’t matter what I or others think, the decision should be based
on what you are looking for in the smartphone.
Let us know which one is a winner from your point of view and why?
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