A few weeks ago I got my hands on a Google Nexus for a few weeks and used it as my primary phone. I have no intentions of doing a Nexus product review as lots people have done that by now. I can critique a few user experience issues but overall it is a good device, and for anybody upgrading from a Motorola Razr device it is an awesome device.
But for me, the iPhone has become like those pair of jeans that grow so comfortable you just don’t want to give them up. Given the hundreds if not thousands of weekly interactions one has with their iPhone it becomes part of your muscle memory and switching to a new mobile platform (i.e. new experience) becomes a significant investment in time and energy. This is experience lock-in. This lock-in is likely stronger then PC experience lock-in because your mobile phone is an extension of your body in a way that a PC is not.
I know people who can barely use a PC to send email but would never give up their Blackberry or iPhone. Apple has a significant experience lock-in. Can it capitalize on this quickly enough in some of its key markets (North America, Western Europe, and Australia). The $99 iPhone is a good start.