lol @ even trying to compare iPhone to other smartphones when iPhone revolutionized the category so dramatically it carved out an entirely new category.
Check the timeline. People who make this claim usually weren't paying very close attention to mobile technology trends until after smartphones ousted feature phones as the default consumer purchase. If you're considering the brilliance of their branding and marketing as part of that "revolutionary" equation, then yes, I suppose I agree.
While I prefer Android, I'm definitely a big fan of what Apple has done. Huge fan. They have indeed played a huge roll in moving the entire industry forward. But they are too often given the sole credit for "inventing" a category that already existed long before Apple and Google even entered the market. They certainly played a primary role in popularizing it... but Palm, Blackberry, and Microsoft had been making smartphones for quite some time.
Remember the T-Mobile Sidekick? I'd say that was pretty notable in terms of the early smartphone days from a consumer success standpoint. The Sidekick was made by a company called Danger. The Co-Founder of Danger was Andy Rubin. He left that company in 2003 to start Android which was later purchased by Google in 2005. The first iPhone came out in 2007. The first Android phone launched in 2008, but as part of a bigger picture "Open Handset Alliance", Android required much more cooperation among dozens of companies.
A lot of this was part of a natural evolution. Apple didn't invent the concept of a smartphone and grace the universe with its presence. They nailed the timing for the technology, built the best one the world had seen to date, leveraged their brand to maximize the product's value, and created an unstoppable amount of momentum that has further propelled Apple to the top of the tech world. But if you step back and look at the bigger picture... Apple gets a little too much credit for "carving out an entirely new category" when the industry was already headed in that direction. In reality, much of the position they've built and the mindset advantages they've earned should be considered a lesson in first mover advantage (among other things).
When discussing "revolutionary", I'd also consider the key difference of Android vs. Apple in terms of business model and their respective levels of industry disruption. In all honesty, I think the competition has been incredibly beneficial for the companies and consumers alike. It's Jordan vs. Bird, Ali vs. Frazier, ... and this storm has been brewing for a LONG time:
Google Exec: Android Will Outsell iPhone - - - Informationweek
Just to clarify, don't get me wrong: Apple still deserves an absurd amount of credit. Amazing company with an amazing product. And yes, a revolutionary product all things considered. But Apple did not invent the smartphone. Not even close. There is a LOT more to that story.
