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It is no secret that Apple has had great success in the mobile technology and computing tablet markets with their popular smart phone and i-pad devices.  It was only a matter of time before rival companies returned fire in this highly competitive industry.  Respected companies like Research in Motion (RIM), GOOGLE and Microsoft have all developed their own products so as to claim a portion of the market that Apple has managed to revolutionize.  Here is some of the most promising competition that has been created to pick the apple from the top of the tree.

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GOOGLE Android

The Android operating system (OS) was originally created by Android, Inc. who based it on a modified version of the Linux kernel.  In 2005 this company was purchased by GOOGLE who worked with fellow members of the Open Handset Alliance in order to develop the Android.  Now the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is in charge of maintaining and improving the OS.  Within this community there is a large population of developers and programmers who are constantly working on creating application programs (apps).  Similar to the apps for the iPhone, these apps are meant to increase the mobile device’s functionality.  The development of these apps for Android became open to programmers of all level in 2010 when GOOGLE provided access to Android devices through App Inventor for Android.

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Is there really any doubt that eventually GOOGLE’s Android will become the most powerful smartphone OS on the market?  There are hundreds of different mobile devices located in countries around the world that use this OS.  Compare this to Apple who has a much smaller group of global carriers and it is apparent that once Android becomes strong enough to pass Apple in terms of worldwide usage it will be unlikely that Apple will ever be able to catch up to them again.  According to Garter, during the second quarter of 2010 sales for the amount of mobile devices using Android were stronger than those using the iPhone.

Does Apple really care about being surpassed by GOOGLE?  It is doubtful that Steve Jobs is losing sleep over this.  After all, Apple has been playing second fiddle to Windows OS for years in the laptop and desktop industry.  Yet Apple has remained a force in this industry.  It will more than likely be the same for the smartphone market.

Research in Motion (RIM) PlayBook

Research in Motion (RIM) made a major impact in the smartphone industry when it came out with the Blackberry.  Now it has decided to join Apple in the computing tablet realm by releasing the Playbook.  RIM’s Playbook includes certain features that should attract a fair amount of people to it.   The Playbook is equipped with dual HD cameras, is capable of HD video recording, can handle flash content with Flash 10.1 and has double the computing capacity of competing tablets.  It also quadruples the available memory of the iPad with 1GB of RAM.

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While there are many pluses to the Playbook for businessmen such as the ability to video conference, the superior memory and computing capacity and a reasonable price tag of under $500; there are also some negatives.  To begin with, the name Playbook is not the most professional label; and bragging about its flash capabilities does not improve this image in the eyes of the business community.  Another potential problem is that the Playbook will not be able to access PIM functions without the aid of a smartphone connection. Nor is the Playbook capable of connecting to cell networks,  in place of this it is able to tether to a compatible Blackberry through Bluetooth.   While it may be interesting to view the data stored on your Blackberry on a larger screen, this does limit the Playbook to individuals who own a Blackberry.   The lack of native apps may also be a deterrent for potential buyers.  Users tend to enjoy the option of extending the capability of their devices via third party apps; this is apparent when studying the Apple user experience.

Windows Phone 7

Microsoft has long dominated the desktop and laptop computing operating system market; however, when it comes to smartphones it only captures 3% of the American market (according to research from Canalys).  With the release of the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 it aims to increase that percentage by offering an OS that is more certain than the open-source software for the Android but more flexible than Apple’s  iOS.

The Windows Phone 7 is equipped with the minimum hardware requirements that are constructed around Qualcomm processors.  It has a minimum of 8 GB flash memory, a compass, GPS, accelerometer and FM radios.  One of the standout features of this device is the start screen which is built around tiles that allow you to quickly access websites, launch apps, direct you to hubs, Bing search or speed dial your contacts.  Because of their ties to Facebook these devices have access to various picture and people hubs.  The gaming hub is associated with the popular Xbox Live gaming consul; and Zune is connected to video and music hubs.  The Office hub has versions of popular office place software like PowerPoint, Excel, Word and OneNote all in mobile versions.

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Some of the problems associated with the device so far have been the inability to simultaneously run an app from 3rd party developers while performing another action.  This is bad news for anyone who might want to surf the web while listening to the radio via an outside internet radio app.  The mobile internet browser is quite satisfactory except for the inability to handle HTML5 video or Adobe Flash Video.   The lack of a second front-facing camera will disappoint businessmen who would like the ability to use their device to conduct a video conference; this is possible on certain Android devices and the iPhone 4.  Other noticeable omissions include custom ring tones and visual voicemail.

James Choi admitted in an interview for the blog, Pocket Lint, that the launch of Windows Phone 7 was underwhelming.  It appears as though the mobile device has not sold as many units as the company expected.   Perhaps these lower sales numbers will inspire the company to quickly release an updated and superior model in the near future.

The devices that have been released as competition for Apple’s immensely successful iPhone and iPad will attract some of the market.  However, it seems apparent that Apple will not be going anywhere anytime soon.   Even if a rival device like the Android does eventually surpass the iPhone, Apple will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the mobile technology market.