Apple iPhone vs. Google Nexus One

If you know anything about mobile phones, even remotely, chances are that you’ve probably heard of the Apple iPhone and probably been unable to escape the buzz surrounding the first Google phone, the Nexus One. Google’s foray into the mobile market was bound to cause a splash, but it has also set up a true clash of the titans between two of the world’s most powerful and recognisable brands. So how do they fare head to head? Read on to find out.

Apple iPhone

When the Apple iPhone first hit stores it brought with it a revolution in the mobile phone industry that set the scene for the highly competitive tussle that now exists in the market.

Let’s look at some of the most noticeable iPhone characteristics:

It’s very easy to use
It looks ultra sexy and sleek
The music and video features are first rate
The touch screen is one of the easiest to use
The menus are easy to navigate
The web browser is excellent

Impressive isn’t it? Very – however, there have been some teething issues for the iPhone that Apple seems to be still trying to iron out. To begin with, the network is fairly sluggish. Actually, sometimes it’s downright difficult to get a good enough signal to make a phone call, and this is not very helpful when you consider that Apple markets its iPhone to business people who really need to be in touch without complications.

The keyboard is also a little annoying for most – this has a lot to do with the keyboard only being displayed when the phone is held vertically. We sense that the one-finger texting will annoy a few.

All in all the iPhone offers just about every functionality you could wish for from a handheld mobile device, but network issues have caused many to shy away and try out Google’s own super phone – the Nexus One.

Google Nexus One

Google’s entry into the world of Smartphones has been met with both excitement and curiosity. Google combines the Android platform with a handset built by HTC, in itself a move that has set chins wagging. HTC is generally considered a manufacturer of solid, quality handsets, however the fact that Google has outsourced build is a talking point.

To begin with, however, as would be expected from Google, the design is incredibly attractive and aids functionality – two things that greatly please most mobile users. This handsome phone often wins over a lot of punters simply because of its appearance (not unlike the iPhone before it).

Let’s look at some of the other noticeable Nexus One characteristics:

It’s thin! The phone is only 11.5mm in width
The phone has heaps of memory and storage on offer for serious users
The touch screen is long and large enough to be suitable for media functionalities
The phone is fast - a major win for Google (but not unexpected)
The resolution is high and pleasing
The camera is fast and takes clear pictures

The Nexus One certainly looks nice, but lacks a little in terms of functionality – many complain that there is no separate camera key to enable the taking of a picture quickly. Gaming is not really an option on the Nexus One too, whereas most find they can game quite comfortably on the Apple iPhone.

Smart choices

All in all there are enough differences in the Google and Apple products to set them apart in terms of target market and interest groups. The Nexus One is probably the best “corporate” option, whereas the iPhone would most likely suit the everyday punters. Try them both out and see for yourself – either way you would be opting for one of the market’s hottest handsets.