HTC has been building giant-touchscreen-type phones for years. Windows Mobile is not some kind of cheap Blackberry ripoff; it's a Palm ripoff, a lot closer to the iPhone when it came out than anything else. Moreover, the first Android phones didn't even have multitouch or capacitive screens.
Did Apple influence some design decisions? Sure. However, the design of the G1 and the first Android phones were also a logical extension from what was available at the time.
Did Apple influence some design decisions? Sure. However, the design of the G1 and the first Android phones were also a logical extension from what was available at the time.