Why is the iPhone 4 still selling well?

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

...not that I'm complaining. I sold my 32GB iPhone 4 just now to get a Samsung Galaxy S II. I just love how high the iPhone 4 fetches despite the hardware being mediocre, at best.

Seriously, the Galaxy S II beat it in every way. It's got a ARM-v9 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, which is better than the A5. It's got 1GB RAM and it decodes 1080p h.264 MKV like butter without the need for conversion. It's thinner. It has a better battery. It has a better camera. Even with all this, it's barely more expensive than a used iPhone 4.

It's a no brainer for me to upgrade when I saw the SGS II. It's the first Android phone that actually appealed to me after using iOS since 2007. I've done a lot of research, and Android is definitely not the immature platform with no apps that many iPhone users still assume. I can't find anything I currently do on my iPhone that I can't do on Android. But vice versa, nope. I can't wirelessly sync my music, can I?

Oh well. I guess it's because of ignorance that my iPhone 4 can fetch such a good price on eBay. The SGS II is going to be my new baby until Steve pulls out the iPhone 5 this September. That thing will have to be really magical for me to switch back now. If the iPhone 5 is just going to run the A5, it's not going to match the SGS II, and with the closed nature of iOS, I hardly think I'll be able to play my anime unconverted.

Well, I'll wait and see.

Small White Car · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
Seriously, the Galaxy S II beat it in every way.

It doesn't run all the iOS apps people have paid for.

So no, not "in every way."

sou1 so1di3r · May 12, 2011

Until android phones start running iOS they will always be inferior

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

Small White Car said:
It doesn't run all the iOS apps people have paid for.

I've spent ~$100 on iOS apps, but they're not getting in the way of the purchase with the iPhone 4 having such a high resale value.

sou1 so1di3r said:
Until android phones start running iOS they will always be inferior

I would have agreed with you if it was a year ago, but have you seen their ecosystem now? Sure, their apps aren't as polished but in terms of usability, iOS has no advantage.

heisenberg123 · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
...not that I'm complaining. I sold my 32GB iPhone 4 just now to get a Samsung Galaxy S II. I just love how high the iPhone 4 fetches despite the hardware being mediocre, at best.

Seriously, the Galaxy S II beat it in every way. It's got a ARM-v9 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, which is better than the A5. It's got 1GB RAM and it decodes 1080p h.264 MKV like butter without the need for conversion. Even with all this, it's barely more expensive than a used iPhone 4.

It's a no brainer for me to upgrade when I saw the SGS II. It's the first Android phone that actually appealed to me after using iOS since 2007. I've done a lot of research, and Android is definitely not the immature platform with no apps that many iPhone users still assume.

Oh well. I guess it's because of ignorance that my iPhone 4 can fetch such a good price on eBay. The SGS II is going to be my new baby until Steve pulls out the iPhone 5 this September. That thing will have to be really magical for me to switch back now. If the iPhone 5 is just going to run the A5, it's not going to match the SGS II, and with the closed nature of iOS, I hardly think I'll be able to play my anime unconverted.

Well, I'll wait and see.

im guessing the average joe doesnt know doesnt know and doesnt care about processor speeds, or RAM they want what they like, its a given there is better specs on phones out there but im guessing people like iphone for the same reason i do, i like my ipod touch and I need a cell phone so why not combine them into 1 device

im guessing a huge majority of iphone users where ipod users first and have just wanted that familiarity

Small White Car · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
I've spent ~$100 on iOS apps, but they're not getting in the way of the purchase with the iPhone 4 having such a high resale value.

I thought your question was about why OTHER people were buying iPhones. The answer I gave is a big, big part of it.

So you're saying you started a thread to ask us why you're buying what you're buying? I can't answer that.

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

Small White Car said:
I thought your question was about why OTHER people were buying iPhones. The answer I gave is a big, big part of it.

So you're saying you started a thread to ask us why you're buying what you're buying? I can't answer that.

I don't think you answered my question before quite well, to be honest. A lot of the white iPhones are being sold to people who have never owned an iPhone, and yes, they're going for a lot of eBay right now.

These people don't even have to worry about having already paid for a lot of apps. Why would these people choose something that's almost one year old with such mediocre hardware over something like the SGSII which completely destroy it, while not being more expensive (but actually cheaper?)

Small White Car · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
I don't think you answered my question before quite well, to be honest. A lot of the white iPhones are being sold to people who have never owned an iPhone, and yes, they're going for a lot of eBay right now.

These people don't even have to worry about having already paid for a lot of apps. Why would these people choose something that's almost one year old with such mediocre hardware over something like the SGSII which completely destroy it, while not being more expensive (but actually cheaper?)

Well, who did they ask? If someone without a smart phone asks me what apps I have I can only tell them about iPhone apps. If they're not good with computers and ask me for help I can only explain what I know.

Those people buy what their tech-savy friends own. So if they know iPhone owners they're going to buy iPhones.

So the same reason as I said before, really. They want iPhone apps because I have iPhone apps.

So even if they don't own an iPhone they're still buying one because iPhones run iOS and that's all their friend talks about. Whether it's because they own iOS apps or because their tech-head friend knows iOS best, it boils down to the same reason: Because it has iOS.

Which is the same reason I have an iPhone, really.

What Android app can control my AppleTV? What Android app will sync with my Aperture photo library? What Android app plays real nice with my iTunes music and videos and respects all the tags and smart folders I have set up?

So it's the same thing for me: I have an iPhone because of what iOS can do. Processor specs really don't matter much to me. I mean, they matter a little, but an Android phone would have to be 5 or 10 times faster before that would really start to sway me. Twice as fast? Not good enough to worry about.

Cod3rror · May 12, 2011

Because the iPhone still offers a better experience overall.

Galaxy S II is an amazing piece of hardware however it's very hampered by software.

Android IMO is nowhere near iOS in terms of usability, consistency and design.

It's all over the place, does not have hardware UI acceleration or multicore support and as a result, a powerful hardware like Galaxy S II is nowhere as smooth as the iPhone... in fact Samsung had to do their own coding to add hardware acceleration to the browser, HTC phones don't have a hardware accelerated browser as I know, that's how scattered Android is.

Google tried to fix things with Honeycomb but I don't like that either, all the tacky hologram nonsense...

They need strict UI policies and guidelines, animation framework and guidelines, hardware UI acceleration, strict update and support policies too.

Hopefully with Ice Cream Sandwich they'll sort out all this out.

As of right now, Android is far from "there" yet.

dryja123 · May 12, 2011

Since when did Samsung make a reliable handset?

heisenberg123 · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
You do realize I have a MacBook Air and an iPad, right?

I don't think you answered my question before quite well, to be honest. A lot of the white iPhones are being sold to people who have never owned an iPhone, and yes, they're going for a lot of eBay right now.

These people don't even have to worry about having already paid for a lot of apps. Why would these people choose something that's almost one year old with such mediocre hardware over something like the SGSII which completely destroy it, while not being more expensive (but actually cheaper?)

i think the poster was saying even though MAC is a "Better" computer, PC has better "Specs"

as for first time iphone buyers, going back to my post maybe they have an iPod touch and wanted a phone that can use those apps and games they had bought for that

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

Small White Car said:
Well, who did they ask? If someone without a smart phone asks me what apps I have I can only tell them about iPhone apps. If they're not good with computers and ask me for help I can only explain what I know.

Those people buy what their tech-savy friends own. So if they know iPhone owners they're going to buy iPhones.

So the same reason as I said before, really. They want iPhone apps because I have iPhone apps.

So even if they don't own an iPhone they're still buying one because iPhones run iOS and that's all their friend talks about. Whether it's because they own iOS apps or because their tech-head friend knows iOS best, it boils down to the same reason: Because it has iOS.

Which is the same reason I have an iPhone, really.

Fair enough. I'll accept this answer. I know just how easy it is to use an iPhone - I've had every iteration since the original. I wouldn't recommend an Android to my mum anyway - the widgets on the homescreen would get too confusing for her.

The only thing that makes me tilt my head a bit is why the tech-savvie people still have iPhones. It would make sense for them to have it last year, but now? =/

Small White Car said:
What Android app can control my AppleTV?

AirSync. Not only does it enable your music and movies to be wirelessly synced to the Android device, it will stream content to any AirPlay device too, including the Apple TV.

Small White Car said:
What Android app will sync with my Aperture photo library?

Small White Car said:
What Android app plays real nice with my iTunes music and videos and respects all the tags and smart folders I have set up?

DoubleTwist does that. Funnily enough, it's from the same developer. It will sync with anything on your Mac flawlessly. If it syncs to an iPhone, it will sync to an Android device. Simple as that.

I use a Mac as my primary computer. If Android doesn't handle compatibility issues as well as iPhone, I wouldn't switch.

Small White Car said:
So it's the same thing for me: I have an iPhone because of what iOS can do. Processor specs really don't matter much to me.

If Android can do everything iOS can do, while having better specs and even cheaper, which would you buy?

Vitruviux said:
Because the iPhone still offers a better experience overall.

Galaxy S II is an amazing piece of hardware however it's very hampered by software.

Android IMO is nowhere near iOS in terms of usability, consistency and design.

It's all over the place, does not have hardware UI acceleration or multicore support and as a result, a powerful hardware like Galaxy S II is nowhere as smooth as the iPhone... in fact Samsung had to do their own coding to add hardware acceleration to the browser, HTC phones don't have a hardware accelerated browser as I know, that's how scattered Android is.

How the heck does the SGS II playback 1080p MKV without conversion if it doesn't have hardware acceleration? Even the iPad 2 can't do it. It can't even playback 720 h.264 MKV without stuttering.

I know Android lacks polish, and that's something I admit to, and something that's kept me from switching for all these years. But now the technological difference between iPhone and the leading Android handsets has become too large for me to care about this polish.

Vitruviux said:
Google tried to fix things with Honeycomb but I don't like that either, all the tacky hologram nonsense...

Hence why I have an iPad instead of a Xoom.

Vitruviux said:
They need strict UI policies and guidelines, animation framework and guidelines, hardware UI acceleration, strict update and support policies too.

Windows Phone 7.

iisforiphone said:
i think the poster was saying even though MAC is a "Better" computer, PC has better "Specs"

Yup. I have a MacBook Air because it is a better computer even with less 'specs', but the difference between Android and iOS isn't as large as Windows to Mac OS X now. Android is more than usable and presents a lot of interesting and great new features. Also, the hardware difference is just too vast. Don't you wish you don't need to convert any of your movies to play on your phone?

Darth.Titan · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
Seriously, the Galaxy S II beat it in every way. It's got a ARM-v9 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, which is better than the A5. It's got 1GB RAM and it decodes 1080p h.264 MKV like butter without the need for conversion.

Be that as it may, most people have no idea what the specs you just rattled off mean. They know what works, and they know what they know how to use. Specs are meaningless to the majority of consumers.

My fiancee's eyes glaze over when I talk about device specs. She says, "I swear I hear Charlie Brown's teacher talking! wa wa wa wa wa wa waahhh..."

err404 · May 12, 2011

A big part of it for me is the phone subsidy model. Apple releases a phone roughly at the point that I am eligible for an upgrade. As a result, I continuously have the top handset for the platform. This means every app is running on my phone at it's peak potential.
Due to the pace at which Android handsets are released, they appear to 'age' faster. As manufactures move on to a new model, the prior version languishes with late updates, largely forgotten. I see Android users looking longingly at the latest hot handset just months after they bought a top of the line phone.
I just don't see myself being satisfied with a given model Android phone after 6 months, let along a year.

heisenberg123 · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
Don't you wish you don't need to convert any of your movies to play on your phone?

I got VLC player before appled pulled it so i can do that

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

err404 said:
A big part of it for me is the phone subsidy model. Apple releases a phone roughly at the point that I am eligible for an upgrade. As a result, I continuously have the top handset for the platform. This means every app is running on my phone at it's peak potential.

Due to the pace at which Android handsets are released, they appear to 'age' faster. As manufactures move on to a new model, the prior version languishes with late updates, largely forgotten. I see Android users looking longingly at the latest hot handset just months after they bought a top of the line phone.

That is absolutely true. It's one of the main advantages of Apple's closed platform. I've been buying an iPhone every year up to this year, so I understand what you mean. I took this into serious consideration when I jumped ship, but I didn't really think Apple was going to let third party developers get access to Hardware Acceleration to decode MKV containers even in the iPhone 5. Just look at the iPad 2. This led me to the conclusion that the SGS II will be a more useful handset, regardless of what Apple shows off at WWDC and later this year with the iPhone 5.

Of course I'll always be more than happy to switch back when Apple offers something more tempting than Android.

iisforiphone said:
I got VLC player before appled pulled it so i can do that

I have it too on the iPad 2. As I said above, no hardware accleration. Stutters even with 720p h.264 MKV. You know it's true. If iPhone 5 uses the A5, it'll have the same result.

ahfu25 · May 12, 2011

I've had every version of the iPhone. Before the original iPhone came out I was a blackberry lover and till this day I still love blackberry's. Only android devices I've had are the G1 and the Evo. Since copy and paste along with mms was added to iOS there hasn't been any other phone or software, like android, that I can compare to the iPhone. Forget specs, apple does a great job of making polished software combined with great looking hardware. Nothing comes close IMO! I don't think I can allow myself to jump ship to any other platform. Apple wins hands down!!

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

ahfu25 said:
I've had every version of the iPhone. Before the original iPhone came out I was a blackberry lover and till this day I still love blackberry's. Only android devices I've had are the G1 and the Evo. Since copy and paste along with mms was added to iOS there hasn't been any other phone or software, like android, that I can compare to the iPhone. Forget specs, apple does a great job of making polished software combined with great looking hardware. Nothing comes close IMO! I don't think I can allow myself to jump ship to any other platform. Apple wins hands down!!

Well, high five! I've had every iPhone as well.

As for the polish, I talked about that in my above post.

ImperialX said:
I know Android lacks polish, and that's something I admit to, and something that's kept me from switching for all these years. But now the technological difference between iPhone and the leading Android handsets has become too large for me to care about this polish.

TheBigKing · May 12, 2011

i really like the samsung galaxy s2 thinking to sell the iphone to buy it lol its really amazing phone but i really love the iphone

err404 · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
...I didn't really think Apple was going to let third party developers get access to Hardware Acceleration to decode MKV containers even in the iPhone 5...

I agree.
BTW - Have you seen the beta XBMC iPhone port? It's using a private API, so it requires JB, but it shows how much hardware acceleration can improve playback.

ImperialX · May 12, 2011

err404 said:
I agree.
BTW - Have you seen the beta XBMC iPhone port? It's using a private API, so it requires JB, but it shows how much hardware acceleration can improve playback.

Yup. The iPad 2 is totally capable of doing some amazing things with video decoding, but Apple's just keeping it locked down.

As someone who lives off anime, the SGS II is just too tempting with hardware acceleration on that 1.2GHz ARM-v9 chip.

Pez555 · May 12, 2011

why? because its a great phone and people want it.

jfyrfytr25 · May 12, 2011

ImperialX said:
...not that I'm complaining. I sold my 32GB iPhone 4 just now to get a Samsung Galaxy S II. I just love how high the iPhone 4 fetches despite the hardware being mediocre, at best.

Seriously, the Galaxy S II beat it in every way. It's got a ARM-v9 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, which is better than the A5. It's got 1GB RAM and it decodes 1080p h.264 MKV like butter without the need for conversion. It's thinner. It has a better battery. It has a better camera. Even with all this, it's barely more expensive than a used iPhone 4.

It's a no brainer for me to upgrade when I saw the SGS II. It's the first Android phone that actually appealed to me after using iOS since 2007. I've done a lot of research, and Android is definitely not the immature platform with no apps that many iPhone users still assume. I can't find anything I currently do on my iPhone that I can't do on Android. But vice versa, nope. I can't wirelessly sync my music, can I?

Oh well. I guess it's because of ignorance that my iPhone 4 can fetch such a good price on eBay. The SGS II is going to be my new baby until Steve pulls out the iPhone 5 this September. That thing will have to be really magical for me to switch back now. If the iPhone 5 is just going to run the A5, it's not going to match the SGS II, and with the closed nature of iOS, I hardly think I'll be able to play my anime unconverted.

Well, I'll wait and see.

You do realize that not everything is specs. You want to know why so many people want iPhones? Because they Work and work well. Probably only 5% of smartphone users care what kind of processor is under their phones hood. They dont care about 1GB RAM. What they care about is having a phone that is going to work when they need and be easy to use.

Say what you want about apple's closed UI but it does deliver a solid user experience that works. Androids fragmented platform leads to things like Multiple freezes and crashes daily. (I know, I tried android to see what it was all about) also there are not as many apps as android claims. since there is no regulation there can be 10 different versions of one app and non of them that work!!!!

In the end, worry about you and what you like and what you want. Dont worry about what the rest of the world wants. Personally, I think you are unsure about your deceision and are looking for some reassurance.

nefan65 · May 12, 2011

Pez555 said:
why? because its a great phone and people want it.

+1

I had a 3G, and before getting the 4 I picked up an Inspire to try, knowing I had 14 days to return/swap. I know it's not a Samsung, but still Android. Totally underwhelmed. I've have apps on the iPhone close, but no big deal; just restart and all is well. Android, yikes...app crashes, won't restart without a phone reset. Can't count how many times in that short period that Exchange Sync would quit, and wouldn't pull down mail. Only solution was to reconfigure...

dthmtlgod · May 12, 2011

I had an iPhone since the first iDay. I bought my wife an Android phone for her birthday and I felt the need to get my own, so I gave my iPhone 4 to my daughter and I got the HTC Inspire 4G. The Inspire is a great little device, but over the past few days, I really started to miss my iPhone, so today, I posted on Craiglist and traded my HTC Inspire 4G with some cash for a one month old iPhone 4. Needless to say, I don't care about specs, my life is finally back to normal that I have an iPhone.

Why is the iPhone 4 still selling well?

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