Still undecided on your next phone? The smartphone dilemma continues

My last phone was an iPhone 3GS. I had queued over an hour at the Singtel office, alongside thousand others. This was July 2009.

Back then, the choice was almost too simple.

iPhone was the best touch phone money could buy. The first wave of Android devices were underwhelming (Remember HTC Hero and Magic!). Nokia was struggling to innovate. And Blackberries were (and still are) just dull and uninspiring.





Fast forward 2 years, my contract has ended, and I am on the lookout for a new phone. And the decision is not that simple anymore. As Techies like to quote, it's not just a phone you choose, it's a way of life.

I could take the Android route, after all the market is flooded with Gingerbread devices. The Samsung Galaxy S-II looks enticing. Or I could just wait for the rumored Nexus Prime and Ice Cream Sandwich.

My first computer was a 40MHz intel 386 with 8MB Ram. The newer Android phones are dual-cored 1200MHz Arm with 1 GB Ram!




But then, every now and then, titles like Contre Jour are released by publishers like Chillingo, which makes it so hard to leave the iOS universe. I can still hear the game's music buzzing in my ear. It's not just the svelte marketing that sells iPhones. It's also the top notch quality of the apps. What do I do with a dual-core super phone if I have nothing exciting to run on it?

The new iPhone is rumored to be unveiled in late September/Early October and should hit the shores of Singapore (hopefully) by November.


Now the last big twist. I had always hated the previous iteration of this OS. But Windows Phone 7 brings a fresh new perspective to the smartphone market. I had a chance to try out the new 7.5 mango release, and man does it seem polished. Mango should have been Microsoft's first release, and not a year and half late update.

Microsoft is all set to flood the market with new phone partners like Nokia, Fujitsu and Toshiba.

Don't discount the Redmond Giants. Not yet. They could be cooking something exciting in this week's Build Conference.



I hate the thought of being locked up for a year with an obscure phone (and an expensive plan) when exciting device launches are right around the corner. It's definitely a 3-headed race for the smartphone supremacy. And I guess I will just have to sit this one out for a few more months. Till then, my trusty ol' iPhone, don't die on me... just yet.



*All views expressed here are the author's own, and do not represent any company or an organization. All information shared are public.