That’s a good one. I think there’s a lot that would be interesting to explore in both. For example, was the IBM Simon a smartphone? It had a touchscreen, apps, and network access way back in 1992. So what are the material vs. cosmetic differences between it and the iPhone? (Don’t worry, I’m not arguing that the iPhone isn’t both innovative and inventive in comparison, it’s just that there’s more gray area than people tend to realize.)
I guess what I’d most like to think about is three things:
The difference between invention and innovation.
The difference (if any) between innovation and cosmetics. (Not That I’m knocking cosmetics! They’re an important part of UX!)
Where you perceive the original iPhone as being ahead in each area (innovations, inventions, and cosmetics)
Hey, also wanted to say I’m glad we’ve hammered this out.