WWDC And Pre Launch - Has Anything Changed?

E3 in Los Angeles last week.  This was followed by the Pre launch last saturday (50k-100k sold, depending on who you listen to) and Apple's WWDC today where Apple unloaded a plethora of news and new technology for its mobile and Mac platform.


It's been a busy week and this isn't over by any means.  iPhone 3.0 and the new iPhone 3G S will be available on June 17th and 19th respectively.  Following that, we have T-Mobile's second Android device, G2, and Verizon's Storm 2 on deck.


But even after that, it is prudent to ask if anything has changed in the mobile landscape.  Since only Pre and the iPhone 3G S are available or will be soon, this is where we'll focus for now.  At Onxo, we like put the spotlight on issues that a increasingly mobile computing society.  Since the Apple joined the mobile device and smartphone market, there has been an increase in smartphone sales.  Just ask RIM and it's record Blackberry sales.  In fact, a few competitors thanked Apple's iPhone for bring to attention of millions of mobile users the benefits of smartphones and mobile devices.


That was two years ago.  Last year, the iPhone 3G's launch put an exclamation on that focus.  That was followed by the Blackberry Storm and the G1, the first ever Android device.


And this year, Palm wowed the tech crowd with the Pre and it was immediately billed as the closest competitor to the iPhone.  In some ways, that's true.  Multi-touch.  App store with SDK kits.  3G Internet access with push mail, Google maps.  Merely catching up to the iPhone some might say.  Others might even say that these are features Blackberries and G1s have had for months or years.


Now let's look at the iPhone 3.0 that will grace 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch users next week.  Cut, Copy, and Paste.  Push notification instead of applications running in the background.  Video and camera functionalities.  Pretty good but it is arguable that the iPhone has finally caught up with things that the mobile market has had for years.  MMS, anyone?  ATT will make that available later this summer, not even when the iPhone G S ships.  Oh, and the iPhone still will not allow apps to run in the background.


As pleasing as Apple and Palm has made millions of mobile users, both companies merely bulked up on features.  Granted though, Palm has done some pretty cool stuff with its WebOS.  Apple, on the other hand, has done well with the App store, ease of use, provided unique user experience only Apple can offer.  And the iPhone design is simply unmatched.  At the end of the day, features-wise, there is nothing new to the market.


Is the mobile future bleak then?  Certainly not?  I'm only stating that in the short-term, there seems to be technological consolidation as device and smartphone makers focus on shoring up its base and improve on their technology.  After that, what then?


There is no telling since even by today's standard as the mobile market is still in its infancy.  Hundreds of millions, if not billions of users are using traditional wireless phones with no Internet access.  And only through innovation and competition will the device developers be able to move the mobile market in any meaningful direction.


For instance, should battery technology improve and nullify the constant need to charge the iPhone or a smartphone, new and more powerful features will be available to the mobile users.


For now, it's fine to get excited about the iPhone 3G S.  Heck, I'm very excited.  Just keep in mind adding the ability to copy and paste to a modern device when the mobile market has had it for years does not make it innovative or new.