HTC growing challenge to iPhone
November 27, 2010
HTC are currently getting more hits online than Apple’s iPhone suggests the Telegraph today. Web searches for HTC phones outstrip iPhone – consumers’ online habits reveal that they realise Apples are not the only fruit to pick. Apparently, we are more likely to search for HTC’s handsets when researching new phones than Apple’s flagship handset, the research reveals.
The research comparison site Good Mobile Phones recently confirmed that HTC’s Wildfire, Desire and Desire HD were the three most searched-for phones on the site, with Apple’s iPhone 4 in sixth place. If you too are checking out the competition then you need to read our blog on ‘Is iPhone your best buy?‘ published last week. Although HTC appear to be breaking new ground it could be a while yet before their brand can match Apple’s brilliant marketing with impressive products.
The mobile phone market is now more diverse than ever, with interesting offerings from BlackBerry, Android and Windows. But iPhone 4 remains the strongest proposition. The reason? IPhone 4’s battery lasts longer than the top HTC Android phones, the iOS operating system is slicker than anything yet offered by a Google-powered handset, and it provides music and video options that Windows Phone, though improving, has yet to match.
“For some time now, HTC has been knocking at the door and trying to overtake the Apple iPhone’s dominance of the handset market,” said Mark Owen, managing director of the comparison site that carried out the survey. “Our results clearly show that HTC have taken the lead in terms of consumer demand for their smartphones.”
The co
st of purchasing an iPhone 4 – starts from around £499 PAYG, and costs as much as £329 on some network and tariffs. However, limited availability is off-putting for some consumers. There is a growing conviction in the smartphone market that the HTC range of handsets offer an exciting competitive technological edge in terms of features and functionality. Many HTC handsets run Google’s Android operating system. The platform is now the second most popular smartphone OS in the world, with a 25.5 per cent share of the market. Apple’s IOS platform, found on the iPhone, accounts for 16.7 per cent, according to research from Gartner.
HTC’s Mozart is gaining ground on Apple iPhone but that may not be a bad thing for consumers as competition brings innovation. Apple will probably came back with something better. For example, one of the niftiest new features for iPhone 4 is the Find My iPhone which helps you locate your device if you have misplaced it. It actually lets you remotely lock your iPhone, wipe it, display a message or play a sound on it. This service is available on PAYG – add a MobileMe account by tapping Mail, then tapping MobileMe. Enter the Apple ID and password you use with the iTunes store. That will set up a MobileMe account for you. This is a great new feature for the smart, security-minded mobile user. It may even swing your decision to buy an Apple iPhone.
Further resources.
Visit our buy online webpage for more choice.
Or Visit the Orange website for HTC handset information as the HTC 7 Mozart is available now for £399 PAYG or consider a free handset with monthly deal.
Visit the Vodafone website where the HTC Desire Z can be found with several different options for pricing and plans. For a £25 a month plan you’ll pay £199 for the phone, whereas a £35 plan which features 900 minutes and 750MB of mobile data will get you a free phone.
Visit the three website for iPhone 4 PAYG and reconditioned handsets at competitive prices.
visit the t mobile website to buy PAYG iPhone 4 handsets
IPhone tops smartphone survey
November 24, 2010
A recently released survey by ChangeWave Research of 1,212 smartphone owners showed that iPhone 4 continues to “outperform the industry in terms of customer satisfaction.”
Results were percentage ratings – by maker – with Apple iPhone receiving (77%); Motorola (71%), HTC (63%); Samsung (45%) and RIM (44%). Paul Carlton, Vice President of research for ChangeWave said:
“The iPhone 4’s exceptionally high Very Satisfied rating of 84% for 32GB model and 78% for the 16GB confirms that despite the controversy surrounding its initial launch, the iPhone 4 has been extraordininarily well received by its owners.”
This research also found that a third of people who had purchased other smartphones said they would have bought an iPhone if they had been available at the time they wanted to purchase. Almost 40% of people owning Motorola phones said they wished they had an iPhone.
Such demand for Apple iPhones mean consumers are going to have to hurry whilst stocks last. O2 still have iPhones available visit our buy online webpage or visit the o2 website
It is possible to buy refurbished iPhones at more competitive prices. Refurbished handsets have been checked out to make sure they meet factory specifications. Buyer Beware as the checking follows a point system, the better the product on offer, the higher points are awarded. They can range from a 10 point system to a 100 point system and if the handset has been checked and ‘certified’ it means it is in a ‘like new’ condition. The phone is then tested before repackaging it and offering it for sale.
Visit the Carphone warehouse website for current deals and information.
Please let us know your experience of reconditioned iPhones.
iPhone 4 still in stock
November 23, 2010
As the iPhone sales continue to outstrip supply (Tesco online are currently out of stock) it is good to know that a few online retailers still have stock. The iPhone 4 is still in stock on the Vodafone network so take our advice and get in there while stocks last. If you are looking to buy someone an iPhone for Christmas – “Please don’t leave your shopping until the last minute” – because stock levels are really tight.
iPhone stock update
(current @ 23rd November 2010)
Vodafone
- Vodafone have pay as you go iPhone 4s – in stock. Visit the Vodafone website for more information.
- Vodafone do not currently have iPhone 3GS on pay as you go – out of stock
T-mobile
- You can not currently get the iPhone 4 on pay as you go on the T-mobile
- T-mobile have the iPhone 3GS (8GB and 16GB) in black and white. Visit the T-mobile website for more information.
Orange
- Orange do not currently have iPhone 4 on pay as you go – out of stock
- Orange have the iPhone 3GS (8GB) in black and white. Visit the Orange website for more information.
O2
- O2 have pay as you go iPhone 4s (16GB and 32GB) – in stock. Visit the o2 website for more information.
- O2 have the iPhone 3GS (8GB) in stock. Visit the o2 website for more information.
Also try the following websites – they also sell iPhone stock:
- Visit the Amazon UK website, Ebay UK website, mobiles.co.uk website, Dialaphone website and Phones4U website
Is iPhone 4 your best buy?
November 16, 2010
The iphone 4 is being challenged by the HTC Mozart. How do the phones compare?
The iPhone 4 is an elegant handset with stunning technology. It is easy to use (no need to read the manual) and it has a long lasting battery much improved from the iPhone 3GS. However, there is a new smartphone, the HTC 7 Mozart, that appears to be impressing the marketplace and challenging the iPhone’s fanbase. The HTC 7 Mozart is slim, lightweight (130g), with triangular rubberized top and bottom segments, brushed aluminium smartness and a serious feel compared to the slightly heavier (137g) iPhone 4.
The HTC Mozart is based on the Microsoft Windows phone 7 operating system and it has only just recently been launched in the UK. This smartphone from HTC has a number of excellent features and specs to its advantage, but can it really match the lure of iPhone 4? This article aims to objectively compare the two handsets in five areas: making a call, sending an email, taking a photo, internet browsing and downloading apps.
Making a call
Your Apple iPhone 4 has an impressive talktime of 372 minutes (much improved from their earlier models) with excellent sound quality, the handset contains a noise-cancelling microphone making it easy to hear your call even during loud background noise. A swipe of the home screen lets you search for contacts, select and tap to choose a landline, mobile or FaceTime video chat. However, when Apple placed the antenna around the edge of the phone it causes reception problems when the phone is held in a certain way. This means we cannot give the iPhone 4 full marks for its basic task of making and receiving calls.
The HTC 7 Mozart processing and performance speeds match the iPhone 4. the screen display of 480 x 800 pixels 3.7-inches S-LCD capacitive touch-screen compares well with the iPhone’s 640 x 960 pixels 3.5-inches LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen. Mozart offers up to 360 h (2G)/ up to 435 h (3G) of stand-by time and iPhone 4 gives up to 300 h (2G)/ up to 300 h (3G) stand-by time – Mozart wins. This number of pixels per inch provides a ‘retinal display’ as it surpasses the point at which the eye can detect individual pixels. But, if we consider talk-time, iPhone 4 is ahead – Mozart giving 6h 40 min (2G)/ up to 5h 30 min (3G); whereas Iphone 4 gives a chatter availability of 14 h (2G)/ up to 7 h (3G). When making a call with Mozart, you find contacts in the People app called ‘hub’. Profiles include a photo and updates from social networks. A plus, you can ‘pin’ favourite contacts to your home screen.
Sending an email
With an iPhone 4 you open the email app and tap an icon to bring up a blank message. A chunky querty keyboard fills half the screen available and leaves limited space to write your message. Some users find the spelling checker over helpful which is a minus. Mozart uses a Windows phones email app which has a clean, business-like interface. The touchscreen keyboard was the best – this new smartphone has obviously learnt from its rival’s failings.
Taking a photo
The iPhone 4 has a 5Mp camera while the Mozart has an impressive 8 Mp. The iPhone 4 camera has an LED flash, a backlit sensor, and an integrated 5x zoom. The lack of a dedicated shutter button makes the phone slow to snap but the photos, once achieved, look terrific. You also have a second front-facing camera. The video calling ‘FaceTime’ feature is an interesting option that only works on wi-fi. One-touch keys will send your photos as emails or picture images but there is no quick way to post them to Facebook or Twitter.
The Mozart 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash, autofocus, and 720HD video recording should more than satisfy the keen photographer with a resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels. Hit the shutter button and the phone moves swiftly into camera mode. Look at your ‘Pictures hub’ to admire your photos and then share them on Facebook and enjoy automatic uploads to your free online account.
Internet browsing
The iPhone 4’s Safari browser has a Google searchbar built in. Pages load quickly and the phone is wi-fi capable for when you are in a wireless hotspot. There are useful tabs for News and Image searches. The phone runs on Apple’s impressive operating system iOS4 which will ultimately allow a host of new capabilities, not least the ability to multi-task by running several applications at once.
Mozart does not use Google but Microsoft’s Bing search engine – you hit the magnifier icon and the results are similar to Google’s. Hold the Windows button down for voice-activated searches.
Downloading Apps
No-one can beat Apple Store for games and apps – the choice is mind-blowing with about 300,000. After crediting your iTunes account, downloading and installation is really easy – just enter your password. The iPhone 4 is available with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, this gives you room to save all your favourite music tracks but it lacks an FM radio.
Windows Phone Marketplace currently only offers about 1,000 apps – they work smoothly and you are able to try out games before buying.The large display is perfect for those of you who like to be entertained (Xbox Live Gaming) especially when coupled with the handset’s Dolby Digital surround sound.
Conclusion
This article has attempted an unbiased review of the merits of Apple iPhone 4 when compared with the latest HTC Mozart handset. Iphone 4 has much to recommend it to seasoned smartphone users and apart from its camera’s capabilities it tips the scales in its favour – no surprise there then! However, the word is spreading among the techie’s that the Mozart is a serious contender with a great fresh new user interface, great camera and fantastic web browser. Perhaps that accounts for the Sunday Times Ingear Tech & Net journalists Mark Harris and Matt Bingham opting for HTC 7 Mozart in their Xmas stockings?
Let us know what you think?
Apple iPhone 4 PAYG can be bought from Apple for £499.
Visit the three website for iPhone 4 PAYG and reconditioned handsets at competitive prices.
visit the t mobile website to buy PAYG iPhone 4 handsets
Visit the Orange website as the HTC 7 Mozart is available now for £399 PAYG or consider a free handset with monthly deal.
Apple iPhone tops Xmas list
November 12, 2010
It is not only adults who yern for the latest Apple iPhone in their Xmas stocking. Last week the annual Duracell toy report in a survey of more than two thousand children aged between 5-16 found that in the UK the iPhone 4 was at the top of most children’s Christmas lists too, toppling Barbie the doll. The appeal of the Apple iPhone appears to be universal- across both genders and all ages in the UK.
The Telegraph this week announced that the iPhone, originally released in November 2007, was now the third-biggest selling mobile brand in the UK. Apple sold 1.5m iPhones including the new iPhone4 model in the three months to the end of September 2010, a rise of 43% on the previous quarter. Apple have stated that they would have sold even more iPhones if it had not struggled with supply issues. When you consider that the cheapest pay-as-you-go iPhone4 mobile sells for around £480, it is not an inexpensive asset- yet demand still outstretches supply. In the UK users own 71.2m mobile phones, that is 10m more than our current population!
It appears that functionality is not the guiding reason for wanting to own an iPhone 4. Its greatest appeal is sensory; “Just cradling it in your hand is a delight, while sliding your finger across the screen to unlock it prompts a little gasp of pleasure” cited by David Edwards in The Times newspaper. When faced with the state of the art screen (read our article on Screen technology of the iPhone4), text, picture or map, by placing your fingers on the screen and dragging then apart the screen zooms in on the detail -move your fingers together again and you zoom back out – its a great trick to show envious family and friends.
It’s that time of year when you need to move now if you want to buy an iPhone4 for your own use or as a great Xmas gift. At present the iPhone4 is available on 3 after all stocks sold out last month. You can get a handset from 3 for £30 a month with £149 upfront charge on 3’s Internet Texter 500 plan. This will give you 500 any-network minutes per month plus 5,000 3-to-3 minutes and a monthly allowance of 1GB of internet use for downloading a fantastic range of apps and viewing media, plus 5,000 text messages. 3 are also stocking the 16GB iPhone4 in a refurbished condition.
Find out more, visit the Three website
T-mobile have iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G in stock too.
Check out the T-mobile website or visit our Buy Online webpage.
iPhone pay as you go in-stock on T-mobile
November 11, 2010
As unbelievable as it may sound the iPhone is so popular that the big stores keep on running out of stock. The tesco website is showing very little iPhone stock at the moment. So it is great news to hear today that T-mobile have iPhones back in stock and are therefore able to sell iPhone 3G and iPhone 4 handsets on pay as you go contracts.
If you are looking to buy an iPhone before Xmas you better get cracking and buy one now because it won’t be long before the online stocks of phones will soon be depleted again.
Visit the T-mobile website to get hold of a phone before the Xmas rush sees them sold out again. Good luck!
Changes in pricing of iPhone on Three
November 5, 2010
Here is a snippet from the new product pricing of the iPhone on the Three mobile phone network…
“Three would like to inform you of changes to the iPhone pricing structure, the following changes will come into effect today Friday the 5th November.
iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 3GS 8GB – Internet Texter 500 £30 a month – £49 upfront charge
iPhone 4
- iPhone 4 32GB – Internet Texter 500 £30 a month – £239 upfront charge
- iPhone 4 32GB – Internet Texter 500 £35 a month – £159 upfront charge
- iPhone 4 32GB – Internet Texter 900 £35 a month – £209 upfront charge
Refurbished iPhone 4
- iPhone 4 16GB Refreshed – Internet Texter 500 £30 – £149 upfront charge
- iPhone 4 16GB Refreshed – Internet Texter 500 £35 – £69 upfront charge
- iPhone 4 16GB Refreshed – Internet Texter 900 £35 – £119 upfront charge”
For more information or to purchase the iPhone on Three visit the Three website.