While some of the difference could be explained by different demographics and flat-rate data plans, the difference even between iPhones and smartphones (where demographics are very similar according to M:Metrics) clearly indicates that the iPhone is a giant leap for mobile Internet. Mark Donovan, senior analyst at M:Metrics concludes on the usage of iPhones:
Beyond a doubt, this device is compelling consumers to interact with the mobile Web, delivering off-the-charts usage from everything to text messaging to mobile video.
That Google was taken back by the fact that they've seen 5o times more searches on Iphones than any other handset also supports this thesis. As Vic Gundotra, head of Google’s mobile operations told the Financial Times:
We thought it was a mistake and made our engineers check the logs again.
So, how could this be explained? Of course, the 3,5'' screen, a computer-grade browser that enables actual layouts of web sites, the smooth zooming and navigating through the touch screen are some key benefits of browsing the web on a iPhone compared to other handsets. In addition, there's this seamless feeling of interacting with the iPhone through the touch screen, an almost haptic functionality (watch the list of songs roll and bounce at the end, like spinning a rolodex).
Also, the iPhones web capabilites are quite interesting as Apple's recently announced iPhone 2.0, including SDK, have the potential to change the game plan for mobile services. And should Apple decide to forgo the carrier lock, iPhone and the services its enables are really a disruptive force to the mobile services industry.
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