Here is a mistake that I’ve seen companies competing with the iPhone make more than once. Comparing the currently shipping version of the iPhone with their not-quite-shipping-yet phone.

Palm did it. They put out a kick-ass product that would’ve blown the original iPhone out of the water or at least given it a run for its money. Unfortunately they did it about a year and a half too late. The world had moved on and the reaction was “meh”. Then they ran out of money.

Google is doing it right now. They announced Froyo running on the Nexus One and it kicks the iPhone 3GS sorry little ass. Except the 3GS has been shipping for over a year. Do they think Apple has spent a year doing nothing? Of course not, we’ve seen the leaks of the new iPhone. The new iPhone will be based on the A4 CPU and my prediction is that it will be faster than the Nexus One.

If you want to compete with Apple, don’t copy last years products. Look AHEAD, to what’s coming.

P.S. I’m no longer reading any articles that have the phrase “iPhone Killer” in them (including this one ;)