“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” If this old proverb is true, Apple should certainly be flattered; their groundbreaking iPhone has spawned dozens of imitators. In fact, it seems not a week goes by without some mobile technology company or other releasing “their version” of the iPhone.
Occasionally the blogosphere will buzz with early word of a so-called “iPhone killer,” the Holy Grail of smartphones: an “all singing, all dancing” mobile device that will dethrone the iPhone from its lofty position as the most coveted personal communication tool on the planet. And although there have been some strong contenders over the past year, so far no new mobile phone has been able to displace Apple’s revolutionary iPhone altogether.
Now Samsung is throwing their hat into the ring. The South Korean technology company has just released details of their new smart phone, the “Omnia.” The Omnia (also known as the SGH-i900) is strikingly similar in appearance to the iPhone, with a smooth, rounded interface and large graphic display. But the similarities between the Omnia and the iPhone go deeper than just appearances.
Samsung’s new “iPhone killer” raises the bar by cramming an enormous amount of technology under the phone’s sleek, thin façade. The Omnia features one of the most advanced cameras available in a mobile phone, with five megapixel resolution and Samsung’s patented anti-shake technology. The Apple iPhone, by way of contrast, features a basic two megapixel camera that is designed more for “cheap and cheerful” web photos than serious photography.
Like the iPhone, the Omnia also features an innovative touch-screen, as well as a redesigned user interface that is unlike anything Samsung has produced in the past. Technically, the Omnia runs Windows mobile 6.1, and uses Opera Mobile 9.5 for browsing the web. It also has built-in WiFi capability, visual voicemail, Bluetooth, 3G Internet access, FM radio and GPS. In short, everything but the kitchen sink.
And of course, like any self-respecting smartphone these days, the Omnia is also a media and MP3 player, with 16 GB of storage to hold as many as 4000 songs, or up to 100 minutes of video.
On paper the Omnia looks great. It has all the functionality of the iPhone, and then some. But is it actually an “iPhone killer?” That will all depend on how the public receives the Omnia, which is available now in Southeast Asia, and is expected to be released in North America by the third quarter of 2008. Of course, by that time the new 3G iPhone will also be available in the US, so the Omnia is sure to have some serious competition to contend with.
