A cellphone being "ahead of the competition" doesn't mean that the cellphone is the best phone for everyone on the planet -- I don't think anyone is seriously trying to assert that point, you're just making up a straw man.
The argument that the iPhone is still ahead of the competition - including even the Evo - would be based on 1) iOS's superiority over Android and other mobile phone OSes, particularly with the amount of apps available, 2) the sheer popularity of the iPhone, even the current model that is now competing with the Evo, 3) the speed and power of the iPhone while not sacrificing as much in terms of size and battery power, 4) the superiority of design, look, feel, etc. of the iPhone. It is difficult to make the argument that the Evo is "more capable" than the iPhone because of 4G when 4G isn't broadly available, and the capabilities of a phone are dependent on much more than speed, including the software that is available and ease of use.
I'll cover your points as you numbered them:
1) It's your personal opinion that iOS is superior - there is no way to quantify such a statement, period. It might be the best smartphone OS
for you, but certainly not the best
for everyone which is still my point - your statement is subjective based on your personal experience and an opinion based on that, it's not a quantifiable end-all-be-all indisputable fact.
2) Has nothing to do with the iPhone 4 being "best" - it just means it's more popular, and iPhones in general have a 4 year lead on the EVO since that's what you've decided to compare it with.
3) You might have something there but, as I noted, I know of no one personally that's complained about battery life on the EVO so far. I've seen a few reports out there with people in various situations making claims, but never seen any hard evidence to support it so far. Some folks want bigger screens, more capabilities, etc. "Different strokes for different folks..." as the saying goes, something that keeps getting missed by so many people.
I never said the EVO was the best smartphone on the market -
I simply said it has technical superiority because of one aspect that I pointed out: 4G capability. That's it. Doesn't matter that not everyone has 4G capability in their area, the phone supports it and that's all that matters.
Never said the iPhone 4 is the best or even better either, because I know "better" than to make such broad claims when no such thing can possibly exist.
4) It's your personal opinion that those aspects you mentioned make a phone "superior" - it's really that simple. So far, the design of the iPhone 4 - most notably the antennas exposed to skin contact - is turning out to be a major design
flaw for many people, including myself. It's a bad idea, period, but you and others won't ever be open to seeing that so, whatever.
As far as that last tidbit about the capabilities of a phone - which is what these things are primarily designed to do: make phone calls - considering all the problems that many people (and please make sure you note that I'm saying
many people, I'm not saying
everyone) are suffering with the iPhone 4 because it won't work as a cellular phone as any other cellular phone does, in the palm of someone's hand.
If any other phone from any other manufacturer was having these same types of problems/issues, I'd be all over it just as I am with the issues the iPhone 4 is having, and I can speak from firsthand experience about it, and so can many others.
But you folks have fun with this one... I'm moving on to better discussions that don't involve brick walls doused in Kool-Aid...
