Yup worlds apart. The N95 was an 8gb model and had bluetooth that worked. It allowed full file sharing and even communication with the parrot car kit. These were things that EVERY bluetooth equiped phone had done until the iphone With the iphone I had a device that I couldn't use in the car without breaking the law I could no longer send files via bluetooth and couldn't even tether to the netbook. Bluetooth was there but was useless.

Initially it was also impossible to have a personal ringtone or message tone on the iphone, nor could it be used on any other network than O2. Jailbreaking the thing allowed some greater degree of functionality but it also invalidated the Warranty.

I know you love the Apple products Nick and I can honestly understand why. They look smart and, if you subscribe to the whole product range & software, perform really well.

I though am a Techie and we folks love to play with our devices. I used the old N95 to access the factory settings meunu of an LG display and unlock all the locked USB functions.

Some good points Bob. However it's important to note that, there really is only currently two eras of Smartphones.
before iPhone and after iPhone.

The way it shaped phone design. the interface, the look and the way you could use the internet were game changers. Almost every smart phone since has to some extent copied or been influenced by the iPhone.

They say that Motorola's dire collaboration with Apple convinced Steve Jobs that apple could innovate the phone market, anyone remember this? http://www.engadget.com/2005/07/03/say-hello-to-the-motorola-e790-apple-itunes-phone/

It's important to remember that Apple went from being not even in the market to dominating it (in terms of influence if nothing else). Hell the iPhone business alone is valued as bigger than Microsoft and only 12 years ago apple was a company seemingly struggling from one crisis to another.

The N95 led Nokia down a dead end alley from which it hasn't yet escaped. While technically the more advanced phone at that time, it's form factor, look and design were already becoming obsolete. Similar to the way that the last Battleships were the most advanced ever produced, but were already obsolete against the aircraft carrier.

Most people aren't "Techies" they want a phone that can do all they want to do. That's simple to use, looks good and aren't interested in sending files via Bluetooth or unlocking USB functions on an LG display. For those that want those functions there will always be a way.

As for the Bluetooth on iPhone, that now works well for all but file transfer.
I have tethering enabled on mine.

I hope someone else comes along and innovates/drives forward a new phone, competition improves the breed.

I'm kinda looking forward to one that you pick up, dial a number, and just talk...

And i hope they patent the nuts off it and leave Apple ruing their effect on the industry.

If you have been following the news about patent trolls, you will know this is the tip of an iceberg http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303292204577514782932390996.html
http://gigaom.com/2012/08/05/apple-and-m...one-innovation/



But, I think apple were correct in their actions, google already ripped off java in their quest to create android. And if you look at the original Google phone it had ripped off blackberry it only gained a touch sensitive screen post iPhone .

if google/Samsung et al can beat apple, then why not just do that? Why slavishly copy apple? Why not innovate themselves?

The issue isnt necessarily coming first to the market with a new 'idea' as much as a new technology.

If you come up with a truely innovative solution to an existing problem, then damn right, patent it. But as has already been said, Apple were just the first to bring a full touch screen phone to market, they didnt innovate it, Nokia had been showing off tech demos of full touch screen phones for years before the iPhone, it was just a case of bringing it to market cheaply.

Apple, being their first foray into the phone market, could do this without worrying about product lifecycles et al. Meanwhile the likes of Nokia, Sony etc, had to fold the technology into their currently product timeline. Full touch screen phones would have been plentiful without the iphone existing, they would just have hit the market 6-12 months later.

Actually apple weren't first to market with a touch screen in that particular form factor (no stylus, capacitive touch screen), the LG Prada phone was available for about six months before http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Prada

It wasn't a smart phone though, I had one and while it was ok the iPhone did far more. And when the App Store launched then the whole game changed.