The iPhone has been a phenomenon for a better part of the last six years, but has recently lost some of its sheen. Its stock price is far off its record high seen a few months ago and analysts expect volumes to decline in the near future for the company. The reason? Android flagships are usually far better than the iPhone in recent times, at least in terms of specifications.
Bigger and better Android smartphones are available in the market these days, like the Galaxy S IV and the HTC One. The standard 4-inch screen is being pushed up to 5 and even 6 inches (in case of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, Samsung’s largest phone to date). Size doesn’t seem to have proved as big a hindrance as many thought it would as effective screen utilization features have been developed. With impressive HD screens having razor thin bezels, the much admired Retina display has a lot of competition.
Most iPhone fans claim that Apple’s products have a premium feel not found with any other manufacturer. However, the Android market is evolving and so are materials used to make smartphones. Android manufacturers are exploring high-end materials for their phones. For example, the Sony Xperia Z is encased in a unified body of glass on both sides with flamboyant aluminum features. Nokia is also driving innovation in terms of handset design and premium unibody materials like polycarbonate.
OEM customizations on top of Android were once the bane of the industry (some still are), but they have their advantages when done right. For example, the Samsung’s Touchwiz UI has evolved into a clean, lightweight and functional skin offering many enhancements over the stock Android UI. The Samsung Galaxy S IV also features customized vibrations to notify the user of different events. Even manufacturers like HTC have put major effort into UI and design. The latest version of the HTC skin Sense features a completely revamped home screen experience, and the company has also now decided to release only one flagship device a year to focus on coming out with one stellar device rather than many mediocre ones.
With no iPhone release expected till September, Apple has a lot on its plate to ensure success for the iPhone 5S or 6, as competitors from the Android field have now consistently outpaced the company in terms of innovation. If Apple wants to convince users its products are still ‘revolutionary’, something special is certainly needed.
