Contemplating to buy a iPhone, is it the right choice for me?

[meistervu]

1 big difference is the apple ecosystem, I know having an iMac, ATV, iMac, iPods and the like. They all play together so well. Another is the app store, there are just a lot more quality apps available for iOS.

Yes, I agree. I forgot about the Apple ecosystem. I have an Apple TV and AirPlay speakers around the house and they work really well. I have a friend who is a true Linux geek and he amass a huge collection of music and videos and is on top of the game when it comes to media encoding to get the highest quality for his content. He came over and left with the resignation look, admitting how much simpler it is to consume media with Apple ecosystem, and that while he went the extra mile to encode his content in the highest quality, in the end it doesn't make that much of a difference, and it takes a lot more work.

The Apple ecosystem is an important factor which I takes for granted. Other than that, is there that much of a difference between Android and iOS at this stage for a typical user, or are we splitting hair? I am talking about a consumer who looks at a phone as a tool, not some one who likes to debate the merit of a single or double swipe, a virtual or physical home button.

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

Yes, I agree. I forgot about the Apple ecosystem. I have an Apple TV and AirPlay speakers around the house and they work really well. I have a friend who is a true Linux geek and he amass a huge collection of music and videos and is on top of the game when it comes to media encoding to get the highest quality for his content. He came over and left with the resignation look, admitting how much simpler it is to consume media with Apple ecosystem, and that while he went the extra mile to encode his content in the highest quality, in the end it doesn't make that much of a difference, and it takes a lot more work.

The Apple ecosystem is an important factor which I takes for granted. Other than that, is there that much of a difference between Android and iOS at this stage for a typical user, or are we splitting hair? I am talking about a consumer who looks at a phone as a tool, not some one who likes to debate the merit of a single or double swipe, a virtual or physical home button.

The iPhone will drive you insane when trying to copy any files onto or off it. I know it practically did to me. I was ready to scream.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Thanks man! That's the main selling point for me: total integration of all my devices.

Then go with the iPhone 5.

 

[meistervu]

The iPhone will drive you insane when trying to copy any files onto or off it. I know it practically did to me. I was ready to scream.

I never had a need to do this. Just curious, what were you trying to do? Use it as a general storage device?

 

[From A Buick 8]

The iPhone will drive you insane when trying to copy any files onto or off it. I know it practically did to me. I was ready to scream.

I never had a need to do this. Just curious, what were you trying to do? Use it as a general storage device?

Yes I would like to know as well, has been easy for any music, pictures, movies or TV shows that I have tried

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

I never had a need to do this. Just curious, what were you trying to do? Use it as a general storage device?

I was trying to put a few hundred pictures and some videos I recorded back into the camera roll after wiping my iPhone. It was a horrendous experience that shows how iOS is definitely not fit for serious use.

 

[Mrbobb]

The iPhone will drive you insane when trying to copy any files onto or off it. I know it practically did to me. I was ready to scream.

People who used to treating their music players as memory dongles will be greatly annoy by how Apple forces u to do things.

OTOH, the Apple's way really forces u to think about organization, which at the end ends up to be a good thing.

I totally buy the Apple's way, after all I Dunn want to organize my stuff on a 3.5" screen. And after everything is organized, it's plug in and BAM!

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

People who used to treating their music players as memory dongles will be greatly annoy by how Apple forces u to do things.

OTOH, the Apple's way really forces u to think about organization, which at the end ends up to be a good thing.

I totally buy the Apple's way, after all I Dunn want to organize my stuff on a 3.5" screen. And after everything is organized, it's plug in and BAM!

Organizing what? I wasn't even trying to make folders (which you can't do any ways and is another big failing in iOS). I was just trying to dump back what was in my camera roll before I had to do a wipe of my iPhone.

And wasn't this suppose to be a post-PC era where you didn't have to use a PC to fix the shortcomings of an iPhone?

 

[jrasero]

Someone made a great point if you have an iPad there is little reason to get a iPhone. They are practically the same thing but one 4" and the other 10"

Realizing this now, go with an Android. You can have best of both worlds.

 

[Objector]

People who used to treating their music players as memory dongles will be greatly annoy by how Apple forces u to do things.

OTOH, the Apple's way really forces u to think about organization, which at the end ends up to be a good thing.

I totally buy the Apple's way, after all I Dunn want to organize my stuff on a 3.5" screen. And after everything is organized, it's plug in and BAM!

Since I use iTunes for all my music the way an iPhone has to be synced for the transfer of music, is actually a good thing indeed!

 

[paulbennett95]

Organizing what? I wasn't even trying to make folders (which you can't do any ways and is another big failing in iOS). I was just trying to dump back what was in my camera roll before I had to do a wipe of my iPhone.

And wasn't this suppose to be a post-PC era where you didn't have to use a PC to fix the shortcomings of an iPhone?

Wow I guess the 10 folders on my homescreen and the different folders in my stock Photos app aren't real then, since you can't make folders on iOS.

And you don't NEED a PC to backup your phone, try iCloud? Save your pictures, videos, documents, etc to Dropbox or some other app and you're PC free, unless:
1) you want to add music to your phone that you didn't get from the iTunes Store (CD rips and pirated/free music
2) You need to jailbreak your phone
3) You need to restore your phone

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

Wow I guess the 10 folders on my homescreen and the different folders in my stock Photos app aren't real then, since you can't make folders on iOS.

And you don't NEED a PC to backup your phone, try iCloud? Save your pictures, videos, documents, etc to Dropbox or some other app and you're PC free, unless:
1) you want to add music to your phone that you didn't get from the iTunes Store (CD rips and pirated/free music
2) You need to jailbreak your phone
3) You need to restore your phone

Don't be pedantic, I was talking about real folders that stay put when you copy files so you don't lose all your organization.

iCloud is not good if you have serious amounts of data.

 

[jer04]

Thanks man, glad to read that you prefer the iPhone of both. I really don't feel like rooting and flashing again.

Maybe I'll just wait a little longer for the 5s, so I have more time to think. I've seen iPhones bend, chipped and scratched on this forum. And as the phone is always going into and out of my front pocket, I think it won't be long before mine gets bend aswel.

Apple should've used stainless steel like the 4 and maybe even a bigger battery. Giving some wait to such a sleek design gives a very robust feel.

yea, there r some flaws. i use my phone a lot and always carry it in my front pocket as well, but i hvn't experienced any of those other than scratches straight out of the box (but got exchanged for a new one in a retail box) and i hv been using my 5 just like how i used my 4s around uni. probably because i hv a case n most importantly i'm not a fan of sitting on my phone.

anyway, if you r not in a hurry to upgrade ur phone, probably wait for the 5s then. tho imo, this kinda gadget gets updated every year regardless, i will go for it if i think it fulfills my current needs. otherwise, it's just going to be an endless cycle of waiting as none of those products r 100% perfect in every aspect.

 

[meistervu]

I was trying to put a few hundred pictures and some videos I recorded back into the camera roll after wiping my iPhone. It was a horrendous experience that shows how iOS is definitely not fit for serious use.

Oh, I guess Photostream doesn't work for your purpose? I remembered having to do that once, and using iTune for it. I did remember having a puzzling moment until I googled it. All I can remember was that I was able to do it without that much trouble.

I agree. Apple tends to have a particular way of getting things done, and sometime it baffled me because coming from a Windows user since the day of DOS 3.1, direct file management is ingrained.

 

[paulbennett95]

Don't be pedantic, I was talking about real folders that stay put when you copy files so you don't lose all your organization.

iCloud is not good if you have serious amounts of data.

I'm not a peasant (just googled pedantic since I've only heard it used twice before)
And I now see where you're coming from with the folders I guess.
And you can upgrade iCloud's storage, as well as other cloud options.

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

I'm not a peasant (just googled pedantic since I've only heard it used twice before)
And I now see where you're coming from with the folders I guess.
And you can upgrade iCloud's storage, as well as other cloud options.

You better change dictionaries or read the definitions more carefully, or are you being pedantic again?

 

[nickchallis92]

You mention the idea of iOS devices getting continued updates as something which appeals to you. I think it's worth pointing out that iOS updates are annual events and you'd get more features from the custom development sector on an annual basis with android than you would officially from iOS.

Irrespective of that, Samsung update their phones officially on a very regular basis. Like I said, true updates on iOS happen annually. Take the S3 for example, and the software experience has been magnificently improved since its release last April over the course of 2 or 3 updates.

It's clear you probably know something about phones. Anyone who is aware that a phone contains a CPU will find iOS skullbashingly dull. If you spend 1 minute on an iOS device, you'll never find any new features for it over the 2 year course and you're stuck with it.

In my opinion, the S3 is leagues above the iphone 5 experience and you're better off ignoring the rather bizarre iOS hype.

p.s don't forget the S3's sound quality is phenomenal!

 

[meistervu]

If you spend 1 minute on an iOS device, you'll never find any new features for it over the 2 year course and you're stuck with it.

There is the difference between you and a typical user I think. I understand where you are coming from because I used to be more like you. I loved to explore any gadget I owned and pushed them beyond what a typical user would. I spent hours trying to make thing works the way I think it should to accomplish a task that otherwise would take me 5 minutes doing it the boring way: like walking over and pick up a normal remote for my DVR. It was fun.

But to a typical user, a phone is more like a tool. It's like buying a socket wrench and a bunch of sockets. They like to master all the features they have in mind at the time of purchase, and they are happy with that and with the knowledge that if they need a new socket, like a deep one to remove spark plugs, they could buy it in the future. They don't care if there is an attachment to turn the thing into a flashlight, or a hammer.

Apple iOS is like that. All the features are simple to access, and you can buy new apps to extend its functionality, but at the core the OS is simple. To a typical user it is comforting, and to a person like you it's boring.

I have other things that interests me, and tinkering with a phone is not high on my list. I focus more on whether a phone help me accomplish what I actually want to do, rather than how many features it has. It's like when buying a car, I don't care if it is an amphibian. As a matter of fact I would count that feature against it because it means unnecessary components that detract from driving performance. In that sense, iOS appeals to me.

 

[Amplelink]

Very hard to answer this question, OP, since we're all so different so I can only speak for myself: I love both iOS and Android and have always had a hard time deciding between the two because of their respective pros and cons - so much so that I have a Galaxy Note 2 and iPhone 5, which I use interchangeably (ie: via my Verizon online account, I deactivate the Note 2 and use the iPhone 5 as my "phone" one day and visa versa on another day - depending on whether I'm in an "Android mood" or an "iOS mood).

I think my Note 2 has all the cutting edge features that push the limits of tech (and yes...seeing my weather, Calendar, and Alarm widgets all on one page is pretty cool) but somehow I always find myself drifting back to my iPhone 5; it's still easier, more simple, and faster for me to use. Take that for what it's worth. If I get bored one day, am feeling daring and want to mix it up a little, I go with Android. On other days when I just need to get things done fast and easy with no fuss, I prefer iOS.

So even for me, I really could never choose just one. I think if you don't mind spending some extra cash, get both devices and change it up when you feel like it - the best of both Android and iOS worlds.

I'm not as quite as schizo as you, but I agree that iOS is a more reliable OS and my go to devices are always iOS devices. I used to be a tinkerer back in the day, but these days I see my phone as a tool and not a toy in and of itself. I don't want to waste my time customizing it to no end. I just want well-developed, good-looking apps to do whatever it is I need to do. That's iOS for you. Android still cannot compete in the app realm, partially because they don't put the resources into curating their App Store the same way Apple does. And the difference is striking, to me anyway.

 

[paulbennett95]

You better change dictionaries or read the definitions more carefully, or are you being pedantic again?

Whoops I guess I'm not a *pedant* then, misread it. I only knew that word existed from a family guy episode anyway, oh well.

 

[sulpfiction]

Organizing what? I wasn't even trying to make folders (which you can't do any ways and is another big failing in iOS). I was just trying to dump back what was in my camera roll before I had to do a wipe of my iPhone.

And wasn't this suppose to be a post-PC era where you didn't have to use a PC to fix the shortcomings of an iPhone?

I don't know why u had such a problem putting pics and vids back on the phone. Pretty simple stuff.

 

[almallah]

I constantly change my mind on what I 'want' from my phone - after a few years with Mac and OSX/iOS I continually feel the need to jump ship. In fact, in June I went and got another contract out with an S3. 2 months later and the iPhone 5 was announced and I was just drawn to the design. Sold the S3, put that money towards the 5 and awaited delivery...

Yes I had 2 with scratches and marks on to begin with but I went and got a white instead which was fine.

However, another 2 months later and I find myself browsing Android once more. There are so many choices, designs, manufacturers etc but I still have this niggle that I'll regret selling the 5.

So alas, I am now stuck with 2 phone contracts and 1 phone cos I can't decide.

Such is life - the grass is always greener

Everything is good to begin with, just depends what you will find more useful in the long run. I think now I'm kinda stuck within Apple's lustful ecosystem purely because I feel dependent on it..

Sir. Your reply is amazing. Well put !!

 

[itjw]

Mine as well (except for the 3 month old part) plus more then 98% of all iPhone 5's.

Do not make you decision based of the scare tactics of the few who had issues.

Also there will be a JB for the iPhone 5 , so if you feel the need to tweak you will have plenty opportunity to do so.

This. There are a handful of people with severe OCD and a few that refuse to believe their own carelessness was the reason they sat on and bent their phones, but the VAST majority of the normals have NO cosmetic problems whatsoever (myself included, and I use no case 99% of the time).

You CAN damage it. I must have missed when Android plastic became indestructible, but the cosmetic angle as far as not buying a 5 is 100% BS invented by people who hold Apple to a completely different standard than even an SGS3. It's ok for plastic to scratch and crack evidently, just not if it was made by Apple. Then it'd be a "gate"...

Just FYI: if you drop it it will have damage and if you sit on it it might bend. The people who honestly expect you to believe it looks terrible after they've babied it for 3 months are liars. Period. I'm not afraid to say that because I have seen FAR more 5's in great, unbent condition than otherwise.

If you're careless and can't take responsibility for your own actions a big plastic phone isn't going to help...

 

[chrisrosemusic1]

Sir. Your reply is amazing. Well put !!

Thanks. Many years of buying and selling my tech like a **** brings some wisdom I suppose

 

[darster]

OP, give it a try. You have 30 days to return for a full refund.