Don't be fooled by Apple's cunning knavery!

Don't get me wrong - getting a new and improved iPhone for about half the price it originally launched at isn't a bad deal. Especially when this particular mobile device has been described by a number of positive adjectives such as 'revolutionary' and so on. It is indeed an amazing piece of kit, no doubt made massively better with 3G access etc.

But - I'm pretty certain the timing of its release, and the farce that has surrounded it (i.e. leaving mobile shops around the world without stock for many weeks) is in some way related to the threat posed to Apple's dominance by Google's Android mobile platform. As the aware of you might know, this is due for release later this year.

"Hold on Ramzi... The iPhone isn't just software though, its the beauty of the software and hardware combined that makes it such a fantastic product"

Ok ok... I realise this, and I also realise that Mr Jobs has done a great job at combining exclusive software with exclusive hardware in the past. This is illustrated very nicely by the small fact that ipods make up 71% of the entire MP3 playing market. But there's a couple of massive differences between Apple's domination of the music playing industry, and the mobile phone industry.

1. MP3 players generally have their own software i.e. they don't use a commonly shared OS.

2. Although Apple wasn't first in the MP3 game, it did get to market before said market was anywhere near mature.

"But Dr. Nick! Why does any of this matter?"

Well Billy...

1. Because a large number of handset manufacturers will be producing handsets using the Google Android OS - its' just a matter of time before they figure out how to get the software/hardware combo right.

"But PC's have been around for years and PC manufacturers still don't get it right with Windows!"

Quiet down lad... Windows is a clunky piece of sh*t - and don't forget that even though it doesn't feel right even now - windows based PC's still account for about 92% of the market share of personal computers. For the moment, it looks as if Apple is planning on keeping the number of apps and games for the iphone relatively limited, and none of them look like they're going to be free any time soon. Android has the advantage of a large number of developers all able to access the code and bring many things to Android in much quicker time than Apple is able to (Flash player anyone?). Also bear in mind that Android is open-source - the code is freely available for any software developers in the world to see to allow them to produce applications for it at no cost. This also means that the mobile phone manufacturers won't have to pay for it - which ultimately should make your handsets even free-er than they are now.

2. There have been at least half a dozen established mobile handset producers in the world for some time now and so have a slight edge (even if it seems they've been blown out of the water by Apple's first product which puts them all to shame). We've already seen them try to break through into this millenium with handsets like the Viewty etc - and although none of them are great at the moment - there's no doubt the consumer choice will be flooded when Android is released with about 4 different manufacturers bringing out beautiful new phones using it at the same time.

So my advice to you is ... WAIT. With Android's release, at the very least you'll see big cuts in the iPhone/tariff pricing - and at the very most - you'll see free (with contract) handsets which better the iPhone, and will have a huge amount of potential with access to 3rd party apps and such like at no doubt much lower prices (if not free for the most part).

I know iPhones are shiny and whatnot.. but unless you have the kinda money that lets you cancel contracts and pay £100+ cancellation fees just because you fancy a new handset - then you really should wait. If you do have that kind of money though... go nuts and buy them all if you're that way inclined.

-tobeconfirmed-