Competitors conspire with Google Android against Apple's iPhone

Apple is currently king of the smartphone world. The iconic iPhone has doubled in market share since 2008, rising to 10.8 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from 5.3 percent in 2008, according to Gartner.

But Apple may be in for a Microsoft moment. Just as a steady stream of well-heeled competitors like IBM, Red Hat, and Oracle are aligning themselves with Linux as a way to undermine Windows in servers and desktops, so, too, are crowds starting to form around Google's open-source Android in the smartphone market.

Linux: the bete-noir of proprietary operating system vendors.

Samsung, LG, Motorola, and others are placing increasing stakes on Android. Indeed, BusinessWeek reports that Motorola has "one bullet left in its gun" and this bullet is Android. It can't afford to let the "iPhone killer" draw blanks. "Motorola's handset business depends on Android," as ZDNet's Larry Dignan suggests.

Importantly, Android is growing in the area that defines the iPhone's success more than anything else: applications. BusinessWeek's Stephen Wildstrom says that "Android is now a contender" in large part due to its growing array of third-party applications:

The Android Market is surprisingly well-stocked, considering the relatively small number of Android phones in use....[W]ith support from Google and from handset makers desperate to come up with something that can mount a serious challenge to the iPhone, Android could become a major player.

And not a moment too soon. With Apple iPhone margins as high as 60 percent by some estimates, the market already seems ripe for an open-source competitor to bring prices down while improving choice. I love my iPhone, but as Android-based phones become smarter and slicker, I just might change camps. As with Linux in the server market, the smartphone industry is filled with second-place competitors. Most of these have a strong interest in banding together behind a Linux-based solution, in this case Android. It may take a soup-to-nuts, integrated solution like the iPhone to create a market, but it takes an open-source solution like Android to foster choice and lower costs.
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iPhone SDK, OS 3.1 beta updates available

Apple has released the second beta versions of both the iPhone SDK 3.1 and iPhone OS 3.1 to registered iPhone developers. Notes for the new beta of iPhone OS 3.1 do not show any apparent changes from the first beta release, which included non-destructive video editing, support for Voice Control over Bluetooth, and new modem firmware and AT&T profiles. The first 3.1 beta release of the iPhone SDK offered updated OpenGL and Quartz APIs; no major changes are indicated in the release notes for the updated SDK. iPhone OS 3.1 and iPhone SDK 3.1 beta 2 are now available
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Best iPhone Apps for Dad

Dads may be sweet and uncomplaining, but they're also impossible to buy presents for. But if your dad has an iPhone, we've got you covered with our guide to the perfect apps for fathers of all ages. Some are even free. Not that you need to tell him that.

GolfCard


Does your dad hit the links? Maybe with his socks pulled up to the knee? His fashion sense may be irredeemable, but teeing off with GolfCard can up the cool factor a bit. This app keeps track of scores and analyzes trends in a player's game by comparing it to previous rounds. Find local greens with the GPS range finder and track ball distance too. When the round is over, he can email his scores to everyone he just played with or upload them to the golf social networking site, Oobgolf.com. (GolfCard, $7.99)

iHandyCarpenter


There's no need to wear a bulky tool belt anymore since this app comes complete with five different tools that fit in the palm of your hand. Use the bubble level to verify if your floor tile installations are flat or recently hung pictures are remotely even, and try out the protractor for planning bathroom renovations and roofing projects. There's no Allen wrench, so don't expect any help setting up that IKEA bedroom set. (iHandyCarpenter, $1.99)

GasCubby


Download GasCubby to track gas mileage and vehicle upkeep. Dad can enter in the price he pays per gallon, total gallons used and overall cost. Then the app calculates the trip's MPGs and overall efficiency. Chart this information over time to see where money is being wasted or saved and email the data to your home computer to set up reminders for regular maintenance appointments. (Gas Cubby, $9.99)

Grill Guide


All dads think they're masters of the grill, but most need help—help that they will never ever ask for. Download the iPhone's Grill Guide and your dad can quietly measure the thickness of a chicken breast or rib eye steak with the digital ruler, and then look up how long the meat should be grilled for and at what temperature. There are ninety-five foods on file including ground lamb, salmon and even fennel and pumpkin. (Grill Guide, $.99)
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