I think this is largely true, but the converse is that the only big reason people buy iPhones IS the 'cool factor' (ie. marketing). That's why HTC want to chall

I think this is largely true, but the converse is that the only big reason people buy iPhones IS the 'cool factor' (ie. marketing). That's why HTC want to challenge that. In the UK at least, I see a lot of people with iPhones and also a lot with android phones (mostly HTCs). However, when people see my Nexus One, they often say 'Oh is that an iPhone?' because the word iPhone is synonymous with touchscreen phones. The iPhone has the brand and the public awareness which is what helps it sell. If HTC or other Android partners manage to erode that, they could stand to gain heavily. A huge portion of smartphone customers really don't know or care about the differences (good or bad) between one smartphone and another.