Separated at Birth?

HTC announced the highly anticipated iPhone competitor on Monday. If it hadn't been an HTC device, I would have assumed the pictures were of an iPhone knockoff.

HTC calls the Cover Flow-like feature, which is available for much more than music, TouchFLO 3D. It reminds me of Windows Vista's Flip 3D feature. It's an attractive user interface element.

Exhibit A: HTC Touch DIamond Menu Bar

I'm not calling the Diamond a ripoff or anything. There are plenty of design differences. But I found the use of a bottom-of-screen-placed menu bar and Cover Flow-like display of album art eerily similar to iPhone.

Exhibit B: iPhone Menu Bar

I haven't seen the HTC Touch Diamond up close, but I do wonder about other similarities to the iPhone. HTC, presumably working with Microsoft, has tried to extend the mobile motif, such as using photos to navigate through contacts. It's—ah, forgive the pun—a nice touch.

Exhibit C: HTC Touch Diamond Album Art

Other similarities aren't surprising. Like iPhone, the Diamond has a YouTube interface that also plays in landscape mode. Seeing as how Windows Mobile 6.1 supports Flash, unlike iPhone, the whole service's content would be available to Diamond users.

Exhibit D: iPhone Cover Flow

Apple got a head start with a multitouch-screen phone. But competitors are lining up; everyone from HTC to Sony Ericsson is prepping a touch-screen phone for 2008 release. Apple will find competing in mobiles more difficult than MP3 players. The nifty tricks used for iPod, such as smaller size, sleeker design and crisper display, will be tough gimmicks to bring to iPhone. With every new iPod, the features elicited Ooohs, Aaahs or Wows. The iPhone sequel needs to be better than the original. Will it be "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" or "Matrix Reloaded?"

The phone market already is crowded, and there are manufacturers with longer market experience that don't want to cede share to Apple. Additionally, the smart competitors realize that mobiles almost certainly will be the platform that replaces PCs. Everybody would like to be the next Microsoft, including the Big M.

Posted by Joe Wilcox on May 8, 2008 11:03 PM