The Life and Times of Chris Carson

As someone who owns an iPhone, the iPhone v. Android debate is a fascinating one. Now, I haven’t touched the G1 and probably won’t for quite some time, but I’ve read plenty about it and watched some videos so I suppose I’m just as qualified to talk about this as most people who weren’t in NYC the other day. Anyway, the interesting part for me is what features the iPhone needs now to make sure that people don’t start switching devices. My friend wrote a piece the other day about apps that he would turn his iPhone in for, which is a good list. And just now I read a crappy list about what new features the iPhone needs for it beat or stay ahead of Android.

So… now it’s my turn. I think Google has brought some seriously good features to the mobile platform, but here’s what I think Apple needs to churn out to make sure Android is like Linux instead of Windows.

1. Chat: The fact that the iPhone still doesn’t have a built in that app that runs in the background is sad. My brother-in-law’s Blackberry Curve has that, and so does Android. I’m not going to say much more though because I think this one is a given need for the iPhone.

2. Push Notification, ASAP: I understand the fear of letting people run all kinds of crazy apps in the background because it could kill the phone’s performance. I disagree with the conclusion of just making it off limits, but I understand the concern. Apple came up with a seemingly great response in their idea of Push Notification, but the problem is that it’s still not out yet. I thought it was suppose to be out in September, and while that still leaves it, it doesn’t leave much. Releasing this now could quell some of the Android hype as well. The day I can get push twitter notifications will be a good day.

3. Copy and Paste: Seriously. Get copy and paste and get it sooner rather than later. I thought this was a petty request before I got my phone, but now I recognize my ignorance. Just get it on the phone.

4. Walking Directions: I guess this isn’t so much Apple’s fault as Google’s and Google may not be all that interested in helping the big A now that it has it’s own platform, but let’s just hope that isn’t the case. I phone with GPS is great, but when you’re in a place like downtown NYC with lots of one way streets, driving directions are the opposite of helpful.

5. Push Gmail: While we’re on what Google can do for Apple, let’s talk about email. I think it’s safe to assume that Gmail is at least one of the best if not the best web-based email programs - especially with the ability to use Google Apps for your domain. However, the fact that my girlfriend gets crappy Yahoo! email pushed to her phone and I can’t get Gmail is terrible. It’s so bad that every once and a while I think about getting a new Yahoo! address - and then I back away from the ledge.

6. Get Rid of the NDA: Ok, so this isn’t really a feature, but it could help with the addition of better looking and smoother running apps, which is basically a feature. Whatever the reasons for the non-disclosure agreement, they need to be overlooked. This should make developers happy, and make better apps which makes customers and Apple happy. Happy-ness is a good thing. I guess Apple read my post. The NDA is O-U-T out.

7. Hulu: Stealing this one from Jon’s post, Apple needs to partner with Hulu to make all of Hulu’s content available on the phone. This would be a killer app. 

8. Turn by Turn Directions: I’ve heard rumours of turn by turn coming in the next big update, but who knows if that’s even remotely turn. I do know that turn by turn would appeal to a lot of people when they think about getting phone, because they could think of it as one great purchase that would cover two things (i.e. Phone and GPS).

9. Landscape Mode for Everything: For some weird reason a lot of Apple’s included apps don’t have landscape mode. I’ve gotten used to no slide out keyboard on the phone, but typing an email or SMS is so much easier and more comfortable in landscape mode than in normal portrait mode. You built the feature in on some stuff, why not everything?

10. MMS: I actually like sending pictures as emails better than sending them as MMS, but the problem comes when people try to send them to you. This should be simple. Just like copy and paste. Do it.

11. Video: Again. Just do it.

All of these (I think) could be done without needing to change any of the hardware on the phone. The only changes that I know of in that realm would be a better camera, and a better or at least replaceable battery.

Ok. Those are my thoughts. You got any?