The Touch Diamond handset was announced on Tuesday by HTC, and as expected, every blog and newspaper is calling it the first real 'iPhone killer'. And here was me thinking we'd expired that term!
Obviously, the Diamond and iPhone have some similarities (even hired similar hand-models!), but the main difference which is dividing everyone's affections boils down to the original format wars - Mac vs. PC. Want a concise break-down of the pros and cons of each mobile? Whoomp, there it is - below the jump.
Dimensions
The Diamond measures 102mm in height, is 51mm wide and 11.5mm thick, whereas the iPhone comes in at 115mm high, is 61mm wide and 11.6mm thick, weighing 135g. The Diamond is a shade lighter, at 110g.
Display
HTC has put a 480 x 640, 2.8" TFT LCD touch-sensitive screen on the Diamond, and as you probably know by now, the iPhone has an impressive 480 x 320 3.5" multi-touch display.
Operating System
The former runs on the new Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the first HTC phone to do so. However similar it may be to WM 6.0, HTC has actually layered their own software on over the phone, giving it a more user-friendly navigational system, and TouchFLO 3D technology, which we first saw in the Touch last year.
You can draw a huge comparison between the Diamond and iPhone due to the TouchFLO 3D, with users able to browse through photos and songs sliding their finger along the screen, much as you would on the iPhone.
The iPhone runs on OS X, which is Apple's very own operating system, and as we learned recently with Psystar, very much exclusive to them.
Memory
Buried within the Diamond, HTC has planted 4GB of internal flash storage, plus given the handset 192 MB DDR SDRAM, and a 256 MB ROM. A microSD card slot is supported, for additional storage.
Meanwhile, the iPhone comes in two options, an 8GB or 16GB flash drive, and has 128MB of RAM.
Camera
The camera on the Diamond is quite impressive, with a 3.2-megapixel sensor, and auto focus. The internal accelerometer means the Diamond acts like the iPhone, so photos can be viewed in landscape-stylee and be browsed through with a flick of the finger. The Diamond also has a second camera on the front, a VGA CMOS colour camera, for video-calling.
The camera on the iPhone isn't quite as impressive, with just a 2.0-megapixel sensor, and no auto focus, flash or any editing software.
Media Player
An integrated speaker and FM radio feature in the Diamond, with the iPhone lacking both - well, you can play tunes through the tiny inbuilt one, but we wouldn't suggest it. However, the iPhone's main thrill is indeed the iPod functionality, and with 8GB or 16GB options, that's a lot of AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 1, 2, and 3), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. Meanwhile, the Diamond supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, WAV and AMR-NB.
Connectivity
Rumours have abounded since the first generation of iPhones came out, that the next model would have 3G connectivity. We're now hoping for a June announcement and release date, but nothing has been confirmed as yet. The Diamond has managed to pip it to the post, with HSDPA connectivity, and 384 kbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds.
The iPhone, meanwhile, has, err, Wi-Fi, and, uh...Bluetooth...
GPS
The Diamond has GPS and A-GPS, however not much else is known about it than that. The iPhone, on the other hand, has Google Maps, which is a pleasure to use, particularly in conjunction with the multi-touchscreen.
Battery Life
You'll get a fair bit out of the Diamond, with 270 minutes' talktime for WCDMA and up to 330 minutes on GSM networks, whereas standby is 396 hours and 285 hours respectively. When video-calling, users will get up to 145 minutes on WCDMA.
The iPhone is advertised as having up to eight hours of talk time, up to 250 hours of standby, 6 hours of internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and up to 24 hours of audio playback.
Availability and Pricing
The HTC Diamond will be out in June, with pricing not yet confirmed. The iPhone is already out, and available on 18 month contracts for either £35, £45 or £55 a month, plus of course the upfront fee. Apple's third party retailers (O2, Carphone Warehouse) recently cut the price of the 8GB model, to £169, however they appear to not be selling them anymore. The 16GB model is £329 upfront.
Apple
HTC
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Related posts: HTC announces Diamond mobile | Video preview of HTC Diamond
Cool comparison. Pity about the 4GB storage, but otherwise a very worthy competitor, and more pocketable to boot.
There's a quick at-a-glance chart comparing the Diamond, iPhone, and Instinct here: http://www.pocketables.net/2008/05/htc-touch-diamo.html
It isn't as in-depth as this comparison but it's good to view the major differences quickly.
The Diamond doesn't have a microSD slot (or memory card slot of any kind).
This is the worst comparison I've read thus far. You can't even get Diamond features right. It's obvious you are an iPhone fanboy.
The Diamond looks good but the main put off for me is the size of the screen. Would prefer a larger screen. Otherwise its a definately a great contender.
"HTC has GPS and A-GPS. iPhone has...google maps". Why kind of reviewer equates GPS hardware with having a browser? You're either to stupid to be allowed to post reviews or are a hopeless Apple fanboy. Or perhaps one is the same as the other?
Joe, the clue is in the title: "HTC Diamond Vs. Apple iPhone - the ultimate specs comparison"
When you compare something, you contrast its differences. If a specification is the same on both units, then the article will say so, otherwise it is obviously highlighting the differences.
There are real clues in how the article is written — "The iPhone on the other hand..." for example, implies that these are differences. Nowhere does the article imply that GPS / A-GPS is anything like the same as the current iPhone's navigation system.
@iPhone fanboy accusers: if only you knew the irony of that.
By the way, before anyone gets confused, I am not the author of this article, okay?
Too bad you didn't bother to make the pics true to scale comparing the Iphone to the Diamond. In some pics the Iphone is even bigger than the Diamond.
Keeping them in scale would make the comparison much more interesting, as the main thing with the Diamond is that it's no bigger than the usual pocketable cellphone, whereas the Iphone is on the (too?) big side for a device you carry with you all the time.
Just my 2 cents. :)
Well, You need large screen - GO for LCD TV - don't seek it in phones. HTC disappears in pockets where as IPhone - Wow - a brick in your wears.
Does Iphone've a BLUETOOTH or Beaming tech - never heard of it - why the comparisons all over internet forget this cute lil tech-facility that IPHONE never had. and Does Iphone play all formats, I don't think So, Same problems and old same age old discussions like Mac v/s Windows - neverending - sigh.
The comparision is awful. That's how ignorant people makes up their mind using those misconception articles.
Sadly, the world is going astray by listening to authors, leaders like that. Deformation of the news invade our everyday lives.
Sorry to be crude and a bit out of context...
people it's JUST a comparison.the author is not GOD.its just a bit of info to add with all the OTHER info on the web to help us make an INFORMED decision. GEEZ!!!! don't shoot the messenger...
Very cool informations and very adequate comparison without ant bias.
I have both, and honestly PocketPC's needs a revamp, with HTC's layering, the Diamond is a sleepy phone, you'd getter better 'user experience' with a Treo 650. Problem is, 'software layers'. Nobody likes a middle-person in business, hence should devices. When HTC's makes their own OS, then maybe.
You forgot a lot of things:
1. Does iphone have a video camera? NO
2. Does iphone support MMS? NO
3. Does iphone support copy paste?? NO!!
4. Does iphone support SMS forwarding? NO
5. Does iphone allow file trasnfer via bluetooth? NO
6. Can iphone be used as a modem, connecting to laptop for internet? NO
iphone is simply a useless device, much hype and no features. I dont understand why even a specs comparison fails to point out the same. For me, touch diamond any day!
I am going to buy one tomorrow
Why would you want expandable memory?... when the HTC has 4bg and an 8gb integrated!
well , HTC is much better than Iphone !
all what mac is trying to do is attracting ppl with its designs but never support it with useful featuers !
iphone doesnt have video cam ! and its cam is only only 2 pixels !
it doesnt have Blutooth , doesnt support MMS , and cannot forward sms !!
the point here , is iphone is cooler ! but the diamond one is WOW !
hi,
htc diamond is not having front camera.
i like nokie 3310. i love it ! :)
Bought the HTC Diamond, the phone has amazing features, well the customer service is the worst. The GPS Maps are not available and no one to guide you for technical support. Any clue????
The phone does not have expandable memory!!!
A very poor relation...
Too fiddly, too complicated and too unresponsive. Had one for long enough to realise I didn't want it!
I would recommend pretty much any other touch phone but this. Sorry guys but the iPhone is the one. It's absolutely rapid in comparison and it's got that lovely big screen! You soon learn to live without the bells and whistles that it doesn't have and fall in love with what it does.
HTC just does not come close...
no ... Htc Is COOL:X:X:X
my htc had an issue with the internal storage. my phone is new i only have couple of photos and family videos and hava been displaying a message telling that the internal storage is too low and that i have to go to fiile explorer to delete unusable files. does anybody knows how to deal with that?
HTC DIAMOND IS KILLER IPHONE
I got a Diamond and i feel rich, LOLz, its should be compared to samsung Omnia, not the FLappy , old, rubbish IPHONE.@#*%*%!#$...
I have a HTC Diamond. Its the worst shit stinking phone ever made!!!
The display gets full of stripes for nothing, the menu is hard to handle, its slow, just plain and simple a bad phone.. Try rolling down the phone list forexample.
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