iPhone 3G vs. Storm: 8 reasons to pick the iPhone

With the new BlackBerry Storm hitting US shelves next week, many smartphone enthusiasts looking to go the touch screen route will soon have to make a decision between RIM's first touch device and Apple's popular iPhone. Here are eight reasons to pick the iPhone.

The iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3G.

3) Wi-Fi support

The iPhone currently has Wi-Fi, but the BlackBerry Storm doesn't. That could be a deal breaker for some folks, especially those who don't have great wireless coverage in their homes but want to utilize a personal wireless network.

iPhone users also get free Wi-Fi hot spot access at more than 17,000 AT&T Hot Spot locations, including various Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and McDonald's restaurants. AT&T already offers free Wi-Fi to BlackBerry Bold users with unlimited data plans--though whether or not it's actually available is another story--and the carrier says it will soon extend the offer to more of its RIM smartphone users. But Storm owners are out of luck, as the Verizon 9530 doesn't support Wi-Fi--just like all the other BlackBerrys Verizon sells.

2) iPod media player

Apple's iPod is the number one digital media player in the world, and that's for good reason: The iPod is remarkably simple to employ, its user interface is beautiful and intuitive, and thanks to Apple's impressive marketing blitz, the device is perceived as "cool" by teenagers and baby boomers alike.

The iPhone is both a mobile phone and iPod--hence the creative name--and, though RIM has drastically improved the media player found in BlackBerry handheld OS versions 4.5, 4.6 and with the Storm release, v4.7, the BlackBerry still has nothing on the iPhone's media player. (To be fair, I haven't spent any time with the Storm's media player and it could be vastly improved over both the BlackBerry OS v4.5 and 4.6 media players, with which I'm very familiar. However, I feel comfortable in saying that the iPhone will still have a leg up over the Storm when it comes to media.)

1) iPhone's Safari browser

My favorite thing about the iPhone is its Safari Web browser. In fact, I have trouble calling the iPhone's Safari a mobile browser at all, since it comes so close to a real desktop browsing experience. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for any current BlackBerry device. (Again, I've only had a few minutes with the Storm's BlackBerry browser, but the currently available versions are light-years behind the iPhone, so I'm not hesitant to predict that the Storm will still be lacking in this regard.)

One of the best things about the iPhone browser is how it integrates with the iPhone's touch screen to allow for easy, touch-gesture based, scrolling, zooming and other basic navigation. The Storm has a variety of touch-based navigational gestures, as well, so it will no doubt improve upon earlier versions of the BlackBerry browser. But if I had to base my purchasing decision on mobile Web browsing, I'd pick the iPhone every time.

Now that you've read my argument for choosing the iPhone, check out "BlackBerry Storm v iPhone 3G: 8 Reasons to Pick the Storm."

Join the newsletter!

Or

Sign up to gain exclusive access to email subscriptions, event invitations, competitions, giveaways, and much more.

Membership is free, and your security and privacy remain protected. View our privacy policy before signing up.

Error: Please check your email address.

Tags smartphonesBlackberryApplemobile phonesiPhoneiphone appsiphone 3gresearch in motionblackberry storm

Show Comments
[]