The sparks of the rebellion

Since the release of the first iPhone in June 2007, there have been many attempts to dislodge the current ruler of the mobile world from its throne.The end of the Summer seems to mark a new upsurge in "Touch" phones seemingly intent on securing a section of market share for themselves. However can any of these contenders really pose a significant threat to the supremacy of Apple. Indeed, with its stylish looks and smooth operating system, the iPod has all but gained a monopoly in the Mp3 market and with the sales of the Iphone further stimulated by the Iphone 3Gs, the mobile looks set to follow in the footsteps of its brother. Big names such as Android and "Google Phone" have been whispered in the corridors of Apple but these rebels have failed to gain momentum. A lack of advertising and perceived inefficient operating systems lie at the very heart of the problems to Apple's competitors.

Indeed, the only true significant threat to the iPhone was perhaps at the very moment of its launch, revealed to be the N95. Possessing superior hardware the N95 managed to secure a section of the market for itself and whilst the launch of the iPhone was nevertheless a huge success, the competition that was offered by the N95 surely put a bitter taste in Apple's mouth. The launch of the "AppStore" and the monumental 2.0 firmware along with the massive opportunities offered by "Jailbreaking" have however ensured that the competition offered by Nokia has all but been eradicated. Iconic games such as Super Monkey Ball and Crash Bandicoot racing revealed the phenomenal gaming opportunity that the iPhone could offer and all competition seemed backward by comparison. No longer was the iPhone merely a sublimely designed piece of technology, the huge increase in possible software meant that the high cost of the device seemed more justified. Now with Appleslowly working out the kinks and delivering video recording, MMS, Voice control to its ever eager customers, it seems that the iPhone is all but consolidated.

However, perhaps Apple's incredible success has slightly started to manifest itself into arrogance. Indeed, the shocking removal of Google Voice from the AppStore, has perhaps revealed that Apple are rotting "to the core". Google Voice was one of the most exciting and marketable applications on the Appstore as it allowed free text messages and cheaper long distance calls. This Appstore prodigy was one of the up and coming stars of the technology market and significantly improved the life of any iPhone user. To remove this shining beacon from the Appstore was a seemingly suicidal move in terms of PR. Chat rooms and forums exploded with rage at the news and the other firms in the technology market became aware of a rare opportunity. Although much of this anger was diverted at Apple, the rage faded as the real culprit behind the debacle became apparent. The Carriers. Incensed and nervous at the huge success of Google Voice, the carriers decided to exert their power over Apple to lock down their most prized asset. This revealed the actual vulnerability of Apple's position, with AT&T still pulling the strings behind the show. However, the damage had been done and the golden 2 years of Apple dominance looked set to become a good memory. Combined with an upsurge in the amount of competition it looked almost certain that Apple's rule would come to a sudden end. Indeed, notable figures from the technology world such as Cali Lewis from Geek-brief TV started to go on strike from the iPhone and indeed look for alternatives.

This "Google Incident" stimulated a huge rise in awareness for new competitors and it seemed that the revolution was gathering pace. With Apple desperately attempting to recover their tarnished brand image, the stage is now set for a high quality competitor such as the HTC Hero to come in and take control. Apple autocracy is coming under threat and as Isaac Newton discovered, no matter how high the climb is, the fall will always come...

Sparks of the Rebellion - TGW