Munich - There's never been as much to-do about a mobile phone as surrounds the iPhone. If you believe the hype, Apple's iPhone must be the end-all be-all of mobile telecommunication. In truth, the iPhone, which goes on sale on November 9 under exclusive contract with T-Mobile, has its weaknesses. Moreover, there mobile phones that have long been available in Germany are just as good, if not better.
T-Mobile will offer the iPhone with a two-year contract for 399 euros. Before shelling out that much money, consumers should take a close look at this phone.
Apple argues the iPhone is actually three devices in one: a mobile phone, an MP3 player and a mobile internet connection.
"If you are just looking at the range of functions, the iPhone does not have anything other mobile phones don't have," says Bernd Theiss of "connect," a Stuttgart-based magazine. Nor is its 2 megapixel camera much by present standards.
However, the iPhone's user interface is noticeably different from other mobiles. With its touch sensitive screen controlled at the touch of a finger, it's really easy to use.
"The touch screen is a clear advantage," says Peter Zec, who heads the North Rhine Westphalia Design Centre in Essen. The touch- sensitive panel lets a user make a phone call just by running a finger over a person's name in the address book.
But the iPhone does not have a monopoly on touch screens. There's also the HTC Touch, which uses the Windows Mobile operating system. However, users need a stylus to enter information and commands.
Nonetheless, its lower price and the fact that it is not limited to one mobile provider, might make the HTC an attractive iPhone alternative. Vodafone offers the WLAN ready device for 99 euros with contract. It is also available as the MDA Touch at T-Mobile. O2 also has its O2 Xda Nova, based on the Touch. The HTC Touch can also be purchased, without a contract, for 450 euros.
Samsung will also present a touchscreen competitor - the F700 - in November. The F700 includes a 2.78 inch colour display and a 5 megapixel camera. Unlike the iPhone and the HTC touch, which use the EDGE standard for data transfer, the F700 offers faster data transfer speeds via UMTS.
Anyone who plans to use their mobile as a multimedia device for playing music and viewing photos needs a lot of memory. Here, the iPhone is a standout. T-Mobile's iPhone will come with 8 GB of memory. The F700, which will be available exclusively through Vodafone, will come with a 4GB Micro-SD card. Meanwhile, the HTC Touch comes with a 1 GB memory card.
If design is important, the Prada phone can keep up with the iPhone. The Prada phone, made by Korean manufacturer LG Electronics, even looks a bit like the iPhone. The Prada phone has been on the market for months. "And it's easy to use, " says Zec. The Prada phone is available from O2 with prices starting at 119 euros, depending on the kind of contract. Without a contract, the phone can be bought online for about 450 euros.
Apple's iPhone does not reinvent the wheel. Apple has actually put a lot of good technical details together into an easy to use entity. "The iPhone is just fun to use," says Theiss of connect.
One interesting feature is its built-in proximity sensor. Whenever the phone senses that it is about to be used for conversations, it turns its display off to save energy and avoid accidental data input. Another plus is "visual voicemail," which lets users listen to any message without having to listen to earlier ones.
Apple has built up a true fan base. "For Apple fans, there's obviously no alternative to the iPhone," says Zec. But when Apple head Steve Jobs says the iPhone is "a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone," consumers should take that as simply a good sales pitch.
It remains to be seen whether the iPhone is as good as the manufacturer claims. The true test of good design, according to Zec, comes after five years, if the user still cannot bear to be parted from his gadget.
