Robotic test reconfirms Apple's iPhone touchscreen superiority
A new test of touchscreen smartphones with a precise laboratory robot has confirmed what a human test already concluded: Apple's iPhone touchscreen is far and away the most accurate touch panel on the market.
The test, conducted by MOTO Labs, compared an iPhone using the SimpleDraw application with a number of other touchscreen smartphones: Google Nexus One, Motorola Droid, Palm Pre, HTC Droid Eris, and BlackBerry Storm 2. As the company, which has no relation to Motorola, discovered earlier this year, the iPhone is in first, followed by the Google Nexus One in a distant second place.
The test was done with both a 7mm robotic "finger," for a "medium touch," and a 4mm robotic finger to represent a "very light" touch. In both tests, the iPhone was found to have straight and accurate lines, with some weaknesses at the edge of the panel with the light touch.
In second was the Nexus One, which MOTO said had "solid performance" much like the Droid Eris, also manufactured by HTC. Both handsets were also specifically named in Apple's patent lawsuit against HTC filed early this month. Apple has accused HTC of "stealing" its patented iPhone technologies, which include touchscreen capabilities.
Both the Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm 2 performed well in the medium test, but produced significant signal loss when the very light touch was employed.
The poorest performer of the bunch was the Motorola Droid, which featured "significant waviness and stair-stepping," even with the medium touch test. In the light touch, signal drops were extremely common.
MOTO noted that the touch panel alone does not make a good phone -- it must perform well in combination with the phone's operating system to ensure responsiveness for the user. With that, the labs said they do not expect such a high level of variation to exist in future smartphones.
"We know for a fact that the solutions in these phones (other than the iPhone) are all last-generation silicon and touch panel components -- the other touch screen makers are hard at work perfecting their new solutions, and they may just leapfrog Apple in some areas when they arrive on the market over the next year," the report said.
The test, conducted by MOTO Labs, compared an iPhone using the SimpleDraw application with a number of other touchscreen smartphones: Google Nexus One, Motorola Droid, Palm Pre, HTC Droid Eris, and BlackBerry Storm 2. As the company, which has no relation to Motorola, discovered earlier this year, the iPhone is in first, followed by the Google Nexus One in a distant second place.
The test was done with both a 7mm robotic "finger," for a "medium touch," and a 4mm robotic finger to represent a "very light" touch. In both tests, the iPhone was found to have straight and accurate lines, with some weaknesses at the edge of the panel with the light touch.
In second was the Nexus One, which MOTO said had "solid performance" much like the Droid Eris, also manufactured by HTC. Both handsets were also specifically named in Apple's patent lawsuit against HTC filed early this month. Apple has accused HTC of "stealing" its patented iPhone technologies, which include touchscreen capabilities.
Both the Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm 2 performed well in the medium test, but produced significant signal loss when the very light touch was employed.
The poorest performer of the bunch was the Motorola Droid, which featured "significant waviness and stair-stepping," even with the medium touch test. In the light touch, signal drops were extremely common.
MOTO noted that the touch panel alone does not make a good phone -- it must perform well in combination with the phone's operating system to ensure responsiveness for the user. With that, the labs said they do not expect such a high level of variation to exist in future smartphones.
"We know for a fact that the solutions in these phones (other than the iPhone) are all last-generation silicon and touch panel components -- the other touch screen makers are hard at work perfecting their new solutions, and they may just leapfrog Apple in some areas when they arrive on the market over the next year," the report said.
Comments
And with my Power Support non- glare film cover, as applied by an Apple store employee himself, it's even better.
"We know for a fact that the solutions in these phones (other than the iPhone) are all last-generation silicon and touch panel components -- the other touch screen makers are hard at work perfecting their new solutions, and they may just leapfrog Apple in some areas when they arrive on the market over the next year," the report said.
Except Apple isn't stopping iPhone development. Oops.
They will never leapfrog over Apple, because Apple has at least 2yrs advancement and refinement over all of them. It will only get better with time.
iPhone rules. Time will come when will take over 50% of the smartphone market. It will take time, but it sure will happen.
A new test of touchscreen smartphones with a precise laboratory robot has confirmed what a human test already concluded: Apple's iPhone touchscreen is far and away the most accurate touch panel on the market.
Yes we all knew this, but what remains to be seen is how accurate the iPad's touchscreen will be.
A problem with touchscreens is the stylus is a big, fat, greasy, gets in the way, finger, lacking the fine pixel level control a cursor point provides.
What would be very interesting to see if the iPad will respond to the detail a stylus provides, and if very positive, then the iPad would make a very interesting device for sketch artists.
If it accepts very detailed and multiple input, then perhaps a whole new breed of paint brushes will appear to mimic real ones and one can just naturally paint too.
Also to see if a mouse/cursor/walcom will work with the iPad, it already has a optional physical keyboard.
Talk about trying to turn the iPad back into a real computer.
No wonder the DROID hype has turned cold like a stale bread. Storm of course went out more like a drizzle. The rest are just copycats.
They will never leapfrog over Apple, because Apple has at least 2yrs advancement and refinement over all of them. It will only get better with time.
iPhone rules. Time will come when will take over 50% of the smartphone market. It will take time, but it sure will happen.
You are soooo right!! They just won't match them!
have once they go to verion?The landfills will be full of DROIDS!lol
Yes we all knew this, but what remains to be seen is how accurate the iPad's touchscreen will be.
It's using Apple's touchscreen technology. How the hell accurate do you THINK it will be?
LOL, dollars-to-donuts it'll be pretty damn accurate.
To the best of my knowledge, there have been some minor 'under the hood' changes in processor/dram, but not a lot of change on the touch hardware itself.
So... the companies that are playing catch-up will 'leap frog' the iPhone while Apple obligingly does nothing.
As I don't intend to do any complex drafting on my smart phone, I fail to see how these companies can 'leap frog' the iPhone? I mean, the 'stylus' isn't going to get any more percise (damn fat fingers anyway). So, how much 'better' can the touch experience get?
Yes the iPhone misses my taps some times, and I mis-tap. But a more accurate touchscreen can't shrink the target size, or the gutter size much because my greasy finger won't get more accurate.
We know for a fact that the solutions in these phones (other than the iPhone) are all last-generation silicon and touch panel components
Palm Pre released June 6, 2009
iPhone 3GS released June 19, 2009
Motorola Droid released October 17, 2009
Blackberry Storm 2 released October 28, 2009
HTC Droid Eris released November 6, 2009
Google Nexus One released January 5, 2010
Why is it that phones that were released after the last iPhone update are using last-gen silicon and touch panel components while an older iPhone isn't?
That seems like as much of a black eye to these phones as their test results.
What would be very interesting to see if the iPad will respond to the detail a stylus provides, and if very positive, then the iPad would make a very interesting device for sketch artists.
I've been thinking the same.
I've been thinking the same.
I must say that I was pretty blown away by the sensitivity of the newer iPhones. In fact, the last item I purchased at the local Apple Store required me to "sign" on the screen, just using my finger. It was odd at first, but my signature showed up crisp and clear, as if I had used a pen.
Very impressive indeed.
Palm Pre released June 6, 2009
iPhone 3GS released June 19, 2009
Motorola Droid released October 17, 2009
Blackberry Storm 2 released October 28, 2009
HTC Droid Eris released November 6, 2009
Google Nexus One released January 5, 2010
Why is it that phones that were released after the last iPhone update are using last-gen silicon and touch panel components while an older iPhone isn't?
Because you can't put it on a spec sheet, so they focused on the display resolution, OLED, CPU clockrate, etc. while ignoring anything to do with the user experience.
Yes the iPhone misses my taps some times, and I mis-tap. But a more accurate touchscreen can't shrink the target size, or the gutter size much because my greasy finger won't get more accurate.
Likely a cold finger doesn't register as well as a warm one.
I have to tell my older clients to stick their finger under their arm or in their mouths to warm it up before using touch devices.
It's using Apple's touchscreen technology. How the hell accurate do you THINK it will be?
LOL, dollars-to-donuts it'll be pretty damn accurate.
Are the iPhone's LCD panel and touch sensors designed by Apple?
I have to tell my older clients to stick their finger under their arm or in their mouths to warm it up before using touch devices.
WOAH!! Too much information, dude!