Deathmatch: Palm Pre versus iPhone

And the remote wipe capability on the Pre is instigated through SMS, so you can wipe a device even if you don’t use an Exchange Server -- the iPhone’s remote wipe is tied to Exchange.

And the Pre backs up its core profile data wirelessly to the service provider, while the iPhone backs up such data only to iTunes, which most large businesses would prefer not to have on corporate PCs.

The winner: The iPhone, especially for larger businesses. But individuals and small businesses will likely find the Pre’s security capabilities perfectly adequate and will not need the iPhone’s management functionality.

Where the Pre wins There’s no question that the Palm Pre shows the iPhone how multitasking should be done. Apple apologists may cite the safety and security of the iPhone’s one-app-at-a-time approach, but it died on desktops nearly two decades ago and has no place in the mobile world.

And the Pre’s activity card metaphor for navigating among apps is highly intuitive, more so than always having to go back to the Home screen to switch apps, as is the case with the iPhone.

We believe that the Pre’s ability to not only run multiple apps but let them work together is a significant leap forward that the iPhone must make for its long-term viability to be assured.

Where the iPhone wins The iPhone is a better device for business users, especially those in enterprise environments. Its ability to send calendar invites is one of those little things that make all the difference when you’re doing business on the road. And the iPhone has a bunch of better-thought-out capabilities. Plus, its management and security capabilities are much stronger than the Pre’s if you use the free iPhone Configuration Utility.

The iPhone’s device search is more capable, and its copy-and-paste functionality is both easier to use and more broadly usable. And the iPhone has a major leg up in the wealth of apps available for it.

The overall winner is ... The Pre is a surprisingly strong competitor to the groundbreaking iPhone. RIM’s efforts to compete with the iPhone have been uninspiring; the Google Android platform turned out to be a weak competitor, too wrapped up in Google’s offerings to the exclusion of the business world; and Microsoft has been AWOL.

For business users, the iPhone wins InfoWorld’s mobile deathmatch, but it was no knockout fight. Individual users will have a tougher decision to make and likely end up choosing based on device and UI aesthetics (Galen prefers the iPhone still, but Brandon is quite happy that he chose the Pre) and the appeal (or not) of the communication collaboration the Pre enables but the iPhone does not.

A year ago, the Pre could have derailed the iPhone. Today, the iPhone has moved enough ahead to stay in front. But the Pre is close on its heels, and its multitasking strength is what could ultimately let it blow past the iPhone in a next iteration.

[ See the Palm Pre versus iPhone side by side in InfoWorld's comparative slideshow | Also compare the BlackBerry Bold and iPhone 3G in our "BlackBerry vs. iPhone, side by side" slideshow. ]