[Clubber]

IIRC, all the Google/Samsung phones had keyboards because they copied the Blackberry. Once the iPhone was released with the screen keyboard, all the Google phones changed to that.

They didn't clone everything, but they cloned a lot in the early days. Rounded corners was another one. Now it seems like Apple is cloning Google/Samsung more.

[tmzt]

The first versions of Android that the public saw were very similar to the OS on a BlackBerry or Danger HipTop. The G1 even used the same mechanism to deploy the keyboard.

As far as the rounded corners, I remember seeing a reduced Google Reader view of Engadget later that year that had every device looking the same from the top third up. I really wish I had a screenshot.

There is now a lot of cross inspriation and features that are copied in both directions, as well as both implementing the same thing at around the same time (Intelligence and Gemini).

On the Android side, Pixel gets most new features first while Samsung offers their own take. Samsung is generally ahead of their direct competitors in terms of hardware.

[scosman]

Nit: the Danger mechanism was waaaaay cooler than the G1's. It did this amazing spin I've always missed. The G1 was a little 2-hinge flip-up that was satisfying, but didn't do the amazing 180 that the sidekick did.

[dexterdog]

There were no google phones until 2010 unless you count the HTCDream which was not designed to be used for anything but development.