Top 10 Mobile Phone Stories Of 2009 – Omio Round Up
As journalists run out of steam across the land, it’s time for top 10 lists of everything!
Whilst we have stopped short of doing a top 10 list of the best top 10s from other sites (although it’s still top of our ‘ideas’ pile), we have rather decided to round up some of the best mobile phone tales from the last twelve months.
Some are funny, others heartwarming, but all are quite literally mobile phone related in some way, shape or form. Hold on for an exciting ride!
1. Nokia N97 mini leaked early…by Vodafone forum?!
We loves us some mobile phone leakage here on Omio, where grainy pictures of unannounced phones and whispers from anonymous tipsters get our hearts racing on a daily basis.
However, when the diminutive pseudo-sequel to the Nokia N97 was unwittingly revealed by a Vodafone Ireland forum moderator of all people, we were beside ourselves!
Loose-lipped ‘Ev from Vodafone’ claimed that the network was holding off on snapping up the N97, instead opting for the attractively priced Nokia N97 Mini…which was unannounced at the time. Uh-oh!
Not only that, but he also revealed that Vodafone was not getting the Palm Pre (which ended up an O2 exclusive), and the arrival of the equally nebulous (at the time) BlackBerry Storm 2. This was back in June, months before either handset had seen the light of day…
Overzealous official mouthpieces privy to sensitive information – more of them please!
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2. Palm Pre released in US and UK.
What many believed to be the first legitimate competition for the iPhone launched this year, with smart phone manufacturer Palm planning an ascension into the ranks with the sleek and sexy Pre, which went into stores this June.
Network spokesman Mark Elliott told The New York Times that neither Sprint nor Palm not only didn’t expect long lines for the Pre at its 1,100 stores, neither did they want them.
There may not have been queues round the block or tech geeks whipped into a frenzy by the Pre’s relatively muted launch, but critical acclaim was significant.
The Palm Pre sold steadily thanks to its appealing form factor, an intuitive user interface, and the addition of a full QWERTY keyboard offering the choice of touch and physical typing – one over the iPhone!
Arriving as an O2 exclusive in the UK might have done the curvaceous device as much harm and good, jostling for shelf space in the same shop that Apple’s iPhone was dominating made it a tough choice for consumers…
Still, it was a great phone, and a sign that iPhone’s lead was not unassailable. Sure, if you look at the facts then the Pre sold a mere 50,000 on it’s launch weekend against the 3GS’ one million plus – but what are you, the FBI?
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3. Google Phone becomes a reality.
Rumour has it that every time a mega-corporation does the exact opposite of what they state in official channels, a PR executive gets their wings.
With almost two years of constant chatter reinforcing the fact that Google would not be making a handset (given so many other manufacturers are on board with Android and are members of the Open Handset Alliance), the last thing we expected was a phone completely of their own.
Which they promptly went and did.
The Google Nexus One takes the Android name to a new level with a clever Blade Runner reference, tapping up HTC’s extensive mobile knowledge to build a handset that will showcase their operating system to its fullest.
Features are rumoured to include a super-fast processor, 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, 3D-graphics chip, Wi-Fi and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash.
One thing is clear – this iPhone botherer means business.
What of the other companies that adopted Android to their bosom? A freshly resurrected Motorola will be shaken when Google gets into the hardware game, as they are staunch supporters relying on the Android technology for the DEXT and Droid/Milestone.
If Google’s Nexus One outspecs and undercuts offerings from phone manufacturers that were friends just five minutes ago, the Android landscape in 2010 might not be as lush and verdant for everyone as first thought…
Still, we’re waiting on Google for an official word (apparently a January launch is likely) and the Nexus One looks pretty awesome, so let battle commence!
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4. Apple iPhone 3GS.
Apparently a new iPhone came out at some point this year. July, we think. It was pretty good.
It also sold a million units in three days.
Apple have changed the mobile phone hardware, software and developer landscape forever with the iPhone, and the 3GS simply continues to stretch the lead.
With more powerful performance, an improved camera, video recording capabilities and voice control, Apple got away with simply tweaking brilliance rather than reinventing the wheel.
If you think apps are silly and pointless, you may be right. But this advert for some of the winter warmers in the App Store will make non-iPhone owners mistletoe green with envy.
2009 also marked the end of 18 months of O2 exclusivity enabling Orange, Vodafone and Tesco Mobile owners to get in on the iPhone action. Even more customers than ever will get their chance to bow down at the Altar of Apple come January…
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5. Nokia N900 changes the game.
This device almost slipped by us due to the choice of an entirely different operating system – Linux-based Maemo as opposed to the stalwart Symbian platform – as well as frequent protestations from Nokia that it was a computer rather than a mobile phone, which is (sort of) true.
Nevertheless, the Nokia N900 is the most exciting device to come out of Espoo for years.
Leaving S60 behind and opting for Maemo for their flagship phones makes the N900 a marked departure, finally offering a real contender to the swipe-happy mobiles other manufacturers have been wheeling out for some time.
The Nokia N900’s design credentials are far more in line with their internet tablet range, an solidly built slider with a 3-row QWERTY keyboard and little by way of flash and glamour…at least on the surface.
The mechanism is simple, and the 5-megapixel camera is almost identical in both feature and form to their current offering on the Nokia N97, but a lot of the N900’s grunt is below the surface…
The N900 bears all of the hallmarks of a Nokia device dragged willingly into the 21st Century with a cool minimalist interface, and awesome visual flourishes like overlaying current menu options whilst ‘frosting’ the screen behind.
Eschewing the shortcomings whilst evoking the spirit of S60, Maemo offers menu options in a structured fashion without the need for scrolling through a myriad of options, all selections are visible in a clear and concise fashion.
The ’secret’ weapon in the N900’s armoury, however, is the Mozilla browser. For the those unfamiliar with the sub-category of internet tablets, the slickest mobile browsing experience they would have had is likely to be Safari on the iPhone. We certainly can’t knock it as the kinetic scrolling, the functionality and rendering speed on Apple’s device are all top notch.
This, however, is on another level. The size of the screen and speed of connectivity thanks to both Wi-Fi and HSDPA 3G means the Nokia N900 deals with this capably, but the full Flash 9.4 support and smooth scrolling on that native landscape display quickly reminds that you have never seen desktop-quality browsing on a mobile, until now.
If the Nokia N900 is any indication of the Finnish manufacturer’s intentions to recapture market share in 2010, we are on board.
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6. March of the Androids.
Android completed its transition from smart phone operating system to, well, any phone operating system this year, with a bevy of low-cost handsets that made the most of the online connectivity Google’s platform has to offer.
The HTC Tattoo went all old-school Nokia with changeable covers and extreme customisation, whilst the T-Mobile Pulse gave Android a once-over and came up with a novel user interface.
The Samsung Galaxy proved the Korean manufacturer was making its first tentative steps into the fray, whilst Motorola (see below) jumped in with both feet into Android’s open (source) waters.
With Sony Ericsson pinning their smartphone hopes on the XPERIA X10 next year, a host of new handsets from favourite son HTC and Google throwing their own hat into the ring with the Nexus One, it’s safe to say that Android has forced the competition to up their operating system game.
Thankfully they are doing, as Nokia promises a revamped Symbian interface and Samsung are showing off their new app-friendly ‘bada’ platform. As consumers expect more from their phones at every price point, manufacturers are being forced to meet those demands.
Arguably, it was Android’s availablility in the prepay sector and in the sub-£100 mobile phone category that has forced this.
Kudos to Google, but we are yet to see what their end-game is…sink Windows Mobile, perhaps?
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7. Hello again, Moto!
Just as we thought we’d seen the end of the American phone maker, Motorola bounces back with two great handsets powered by Google’s Android operating system.
Flying headlong into this new platform with great aplomb paid off handsomely as the Motorola Dext became part of the social networking zeitgeist, with the ability to tweet and update to your heart’s content, directly from the phone’s home screen.
The DROID (known to answer to ‘Milestone‘ in Europe, depending on who’s asking…) was the heavy hitter in Moto’s ‘09 arsenal, a hulking monolith of black, gold and touchscreen testosterone.
Combined with a refreshingly aggressive anti-iPhone stance and the latest build of Google’s OS under the hood, the DROID turned heads, was well received by the press and sold pretty handsomely.
As an aside, check out the difference in adverts for the DROID in the US compared to those for our refined European sensibilities…
Whilst currently available SIM-free in the UK from eXpansys, we wait with baited breath to see what the carriers make of Moto’s phone with a cardiac muscle hewn from Fort Knox bullion…
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8. T-Mobile merges with Orange to create mobile network super group.
A few months on, and we still cannot fathom the enormity of the merger between T-Mobile and Orange.
With German firm Deutsche Telekom effectively offloading their UK arm to Orange’s owner France Telecom, this is set to create a carrier with almost 29 million customers and generating over £8 billion in sales.
This is a big deal.
Imagine Nintendo buying Sega (well, the old Sega), and you get some idea of the scale of what’s going on between the two corporations. Although, seeing Mario and Sonic on the same game box today still turns my stomach.
With changes remaining superficial at present, the ramifications of the shift will become apparent when the merger’s ‘efficiencies’ come into play…
More Orange stores popping up, price changes due to decreased competition – the UK mobile phone landscape is bound to change significantly as time goes on.
How it affects consumers currently residing on these networks remains to be seen.
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9. HTC Hero takes home the silverware.
Winner of Phone of the Year awards from both Mobile Choice and Pocket-Lint, Gadget of the Year according to Stuff Magazine and an Editor’s Choice plaudit from CNET UK.
The HTC Hero took the Android operating system, buffed it up to a sheen, performing hardware miracles all the while.
Presenting itself as a customisable, connected and indie alternative to the white earbud brigade, the HTC Hero was the perfect handset to epitomise the iPhone backlash.
Distinctive without aping Apple’s operating system at every turn, fun and functional with both Microsoft Exchange and Twitter support, and with a host of applications to download from the Android Market, the Hero was the perfect antidote to the touchscreen ennui that was beginning to pervade the market.
Unique in terms of design too, the Hero managed to be cool, and build its own niche in HTC’s soon-to-be burgeoning range of successful handsets.
All eyes are now on the ‘HTC Bravo,’ a smartphone sequel rumoured for a Q2 2010 launch, said to continue the Hero’s Google alliance but married to the HD2’s expansive display and minimalist looks.
A recipe for a winner we say. Time to clear the mantlepiece for some ‘10 awards, perhaps?
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10. Omio tariff comparison.
Had to sneak in some Omio product placement somewhere!
If you haven’t noticed, Omio now has tariff data for all 500,000 + deals, meaning if you’re looking for unlimited data, text deals or some decent cross-network minute offers, you’re now able to sort through and find them easier than ever before.
It’s small, but significant changes like these that make us the number one mobile phone comparison website!
Round show, Pachter paints a bleak picture for mobile games on a dedicated device.
