With Google’s presentation of the highly-anticipated Android phone came the momentum everyone expected, and some remarks that suggest the iPhone is not the smartest smartphone there is anymore, and that on October 22 real competition will begin.

The first thing that strikes you when trying out a G1 is something that Apple isn’t too keen on offering: the freedom of choice! While Apple leaves very little or no choice on how to "touch" your iPhone, G1 comes with both a keyboard and a touchscreen, making it a double dear for Apple.

Furthermore, although it may not be as sleek and shiny as the iPhone, the G1 comes with more functionality and familiarity at the same time, so if you miss having your desktop choices on your phone, G1 offers just that.

I believe that the QWERTY keyboard will make users forget about the extra weight, because first and foremost, that’s what a smartphone is all about. You cannot compare typing a text message on a physical keyboard with typing a text message on a touchscreen keyboard.

Android may be a bit more complicated than the iPhone, but to be honest, it’s much more useful, and it’s more user oriented that Apple’s phone will ever be. And that includes the apps that Apple “generously” offers on its App Store, after “generously” rejecting developer apps that users really want.

And if a smartphone vs. smartphone competition weren’t enough, Google also challenges Apple on another level: the Android Market vs. the App Store. I guess the winner in this competition will be Google, for one simple, previously mentioned reason: offering choice!

Apple clearly stated that they reserve the right to reject the apps they do not want on the App Store, but Google’s version of the App Store will be the complete opposite of that, with developers adding the apps they want, and users choosing to personalize their G1s as they wish.

The T-Mobile vs. the AT&T fight will also be a tough one, and even though T-Mobile might still be lacking 3G coverage in some areas, its offer sounds better than AT&T’s. We basically have a cheaper smartphone, cheaper plans, more options, more freedom of choice, why wouldn’t we choose G1 over the iPhone?

Another aspect that makes me believe G1 has much more potential than the iPhone is that it offers a bundle of applications that we are accustomed to, and that we usually enjoy on our PCs, such as Google Maps Street View, Gmail or YouTube.

Not only that, but the G1 also combines mobile technology with Internet services, a sign that the two are now key elements in our lives. As Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer at T-Mobile, pointed out, this is the best opportunity to accelerate the mass adoption of the mobile Web.

Users now want more than just a phone, and although Apple and its iPhone have had their share of success, it’s time for a powerful rival to take the spotlight. The G1 will be available in US starting October 22, for $170 and a two-year agreement with T-Mobile. In November, G1 will reach UK, while other European countries will receive the G1 in the first quarter of 2009.