With the forthcoming launch of Storm on Verizon (as Versizon’s answer to iPhone with many additional features such as background processing), the most experienced 3G network in the U.S., and Bold at AT&T (if they can sort out their 3G network issues – now rumored for next week as AT&T held a Bold launch party in SFO this week) and a large installed based (especially in the enterprise market) they are not going away. In fact, RIM has finally announced they are ready to do business under the new playing rules.

Finally, any developer who is serious about being a business, will develop for both Apple and Blackberry (and even maybe even Android if it can take off). One point made in a presentation yesterday was “develop for one Blackberry and you’ve developed for their entire current line”.

And, having had six weeks’ experience with a Bold, it is a work pattern game changer in terms of when you can use a mobile devices. Suffice it to say that when I am truly mobile I have lost that “urgency” to get back to my laptop to keep current not only on email but also Twitter, reading blogs – such as MarkEvansTech, using Google Maps (where one can use Street View – not available on the iPhone but also available on Android) and many other applications that are not available on iPhone. Having a 480 x 320 stunningly crisp display (with over 20% greater dpi than iPhone) is a major contributor to this impact.

Perhaps the best example, when I am “mobile” I can make Skype calls via iSkoot, all the time also keeping up with my Skype chat messages in background while doing other activities.

It will be an interesting November and December for the smartphone market.

True, I do use “cool” far too often. That said, I do recognize the iPhone is a multi-function device, and I think that’s what makes it so compelling.

Mark

You have a recurring theme about the iPhone and Apple in general…that their success is based on the fact that Apple and their devices are cool. I think you are missing the point. They do not sell so many devices because they are cool, they sell so many because they provide more value than other options…easy to use, effective and intuitive interfaces, compatible, and simply they do what they are supposed to do. Apple gets it. Their advertising reflects that they get it. As long as they continue with this philosophy and invest in the infrastructure to support their expanding business, they will continue to be successful…not just because they are cool.