Apple's Popularity With Gen Z Poses Challenges for Android

[dandyryan]

It's disgusting, it really is.

My favorite is when an iOS user calls someone using a Galaxy "poor" even if they are using a $1,200 Ultra.

The sad thing is these people are real. What a shallow way to go through life. Their social status is based off of what phone they choose to use?

i honestly dont get why android users think it's a flex to spend $1200+ to ruin everyone's group chats that regularly break up into 3+ different threads. and still have to nerve to claim elitism 🤣

your wallet may not be poor but your taste absolutely is. 🤢

 

[xxray]

As a member of Gen Z, I agree.

 

[votdfak]

I’m not even particularly young, but… I hate to say it, I get it. At this point using an Android is like a cultural red flag. iPhone is, for better or worse, the social phone, and if you want to be a social person, you have an iPhone. If you don’t have an iPhone, it indicates that you don’t particularly care to partake in society, it indicates that you are out of touch with the culture. How can you possibly relate? iMessage is the ecosystem’s greatest strength.


There are kids, young adults even, who only ever grew up in this world with the iOS ecosystem being an established thing… I can understand how they might be sketched out by green bubbles, which are equated with text message scammers, SMS marketing and automated bots - they’re usually not coming from actual veritable people you typically want to talk to. Or how those people can’t interact in group chats, or how basic interactivity features aren’t available to them or have backwards workarounds, or when they want you to download 500 other messaging apps as if you’re going to open a separate app and make a separate account to talk to the one person in the group who doesn’t have an iPhone… you can’t effectively send them pictures, you can’t effectively send them videos… you can’t interact with them like you interact with everyone else.


It’s not even a cost or financial status thing. There are low end iPhones, there are older and used iPhones… you can very easily get into the iOS ecosystem with a very competent smartphone for $100-200.


I guess the “old people” equivalent of this is the feeling you get when you talk to someone and they give you a Yahoo or AOL email address. Email addresses are usually free, and for the most part they work the same way but their choice of something that’s very out of vogue can still be offputting.

Cultural red flag? Wow. I 😂 at this sh*t. iMessage is king only in USA. There is social life outside USA too, where iMessage is like 5th string. 🤦‍♂️

 

[MacWiz_007]

Yes, sorry but the kids don’t want to go outside and play with sticks and rocks anymore. They want to interact with with their friends, they want to be able to send a picture without it being a pixelated mess when it shows up on the other end, or IF it ever shows up on the other end. They want to play games with eachother, they want to be able to send emojis that don’t show up as random squares that the other person can’t see, they want to be able to write a long message that doesn’t get broken up into 7 parts which are then all received out of order… all various things that have plagued iOS and Android interaction at one point or another.

Well, they can enjoy their false reality. More power to them! However, judging by the declining mental state of our youth, I'd say this approach isn't working out so well. I prefer to experience actual reality.

 

[spinedoc77]

i honestly dont get why android users think it's a flex to spend $1200+ to ruin everyone's group chats that regularly break up into 3+ different threads. and still have to nerve to claim elitism 🤣

your wallet may not be poor but your taste absolutely is. 🤢

I think you completely missed their point, they weren't claiming elitism, they were saying how hypocritical it is for Apple users to claim elitism because iPhones are expensive. But your comments sum up perfectly the juvenile outlook many on here mirror. So my taste is poor because I have an Android phone? Seriously, who are you to tell others their taste is poor? This is something I would expect a bully to tell my 10 year old, not an adult (although I'm assuming). In any case I don't want to harp on this and get the thread closed, it would be more productive to discuss how this can be resolved other than ostracizing Android users.

 

[genovelle]

That's a really immature comment, I'm assuming there is some sarcasm there or am I someone "who clearly can't be saved"? Android doesn't "suck," it's actually really great, but I also really love iOS.

It sucks because it is a pool of malware that allows regular people to get hacked. I’ve seen it more than once personally with coworkers because some wanna be “tech guy” they know put all these free apps on their phone for them and at least one turned out to be a Trojan horse and was recording their keystrokes. This one older person only had this device to access the internet and used it to access banking info. Her account got hacked and they took her paycheck hours after it was deposited. She closed the account and opened another at the same bank, next payday same thing. She switched to a credit union with different security and on payday she got a call asking if she was attempting to transfer all of the money from her account. She had not. She finally listened to me and her son who told her it was likely the phone and switch away from Android, The hacks stopped completely.

So, while there was sarcasm and a bit of fun poking in my post saying Android sucks, it is also very true, especially if you are unlucky enough to happen to download the wrong app.

Thanks for the childish comment too. I had been feeling ancient lately and taking myself and everything else way to seriously, so peace to you.

 

[MrRom92]

Cultural red flag? Wow. I 😂 at this sh*t. iMessage is king only in USA. There is social life outside USA too, where iMessage is like 5th string. 🤦‍♂️

I can only comment on American culture as that’s where I live, but yes I can confirm people I’ve met from Europe and Asia are VERY into WhatsApp, which is more or less unused here in the states.

I think it grew in popularity there because of the predatory cell service providers who would regularly charge exorbitant fees for international SMS, which isn’t so much of a problem for us. So WhatsApp got a very strong foothold early on, and it’s an established thing there now. It’s a shame Google dropped the ball on making their own non-SMS messaging service, at this point it might be too little too late for it to gain any popularity in the US when iMessage has been around for well over a decade.

 

[dandyryan]

I think you completely missed their point, they weren't claiming elitism, they were saying how hypocritical it is for Apple users to claim elitism because iPhones are expensive. But your comments sum up perfectly the juvenile outlook many on here mirror. So my taste is poor because I have an Android phone? Seriously, who are you to tell others their taste is poor? This is something I would expect a bully to tell my 10 year old, not an adult (although I'm assuming). In any case I don't want to harp on this and get the thread closed, it would be more productive to discuss how this can be resolved other than ostracizing Android users.

pridefully paying $1200+ (what most people can't afford) to ruin everyone's group chats seems pretty poor taste to me
but of course if you're in 0 group chats then that shouldn't be a problem

 

[laptech]

Gen Z is also the generation that is into social media so they can become influencers and not have to work. What keeps an influencer going?, the quality of their social media video's and pictures and at the moment Apple is king in this area because they have a superior mobile phone camera than the majority of android phones do BUT all it will take in my opinion is for one of the android phone manufacturers to make a far superior camera in their phone that blows the iphone camera out of the water, not only in hardware and software too and at a price that is affordable to the masses and then again in my opinion the iphone will be close to dead because everyone would be raving about the quality of video's and pictures they are seeing and thus asking what device produced them and where can they get one. Until that day occurs Gen Z will still carry on purchasing iphones.

 

[Menel]

Apple has an issue. Eventually, this mentatlity, will backfire and swap, and Apple will be seen as an enemy.

According to the report, younger consumers are concerned about being socially ostracised for not having an iPhon

Android has to stop being shiiity before then, there has to be real alternatives.

 

[bradman83]

...and this is where Apple's trojan horse strategy is and will really pay off for computing. Apple has always targeted younger audiences in the hopes it would create a lifetime user, in part by catering to the needs of primary education--getting Macs (and the Apple II) into the schools. This often translated to kids wanting Macs at home, which was great. The problem is, these kids then entered the workforce, where their employers required them to use Windows computers. With Apple's new strategy, there's a tighter bond between their young user base and the computing equipment they use, so they will be far less compliant with prospective employers, and insist on using Macs, iPads, and iPhones even after entering the workforce. I am sure there are metrics that already solidify this.

What's ironic is that I know a fair number of people who were turned off of Apple products specifically because their school computer labs were equipped with Macs that were often poorly maintained and which they didn't have the same familiarity as they did with the Windows PCs that their parents had purchased for their home (to say nothing about Classic Mac OS's notoriety for system crashing bomb messages). I suppose that's one advantage of the macOS UI being so similar to the iPad UI now with key apps - kids today are more likely to use an iPad as their first computing device than an actual computer so the familiarity translates.

 

[the future]

Android still rules in Germany (and Europe) in general though: market share is 67,8% Android and 32,2% Apple.

Define „rules“. First of all the iPhone market share in Germany has steadily climbed (see graph), and most importantly most of those Androids sold are low-/mid-end devices. The iPhone market share where it matters, i.e. in the high-end devices where all the profit is made, must be way over 50% in Germany as well.

WhatsApp (…) is more secure

LOL

 

[James H Jackson Jr]

"According to the report, younger consumers are concerned about being socially ostracized for not having an iPhone". What a sad, sad world we live in.

Sad sad sad

 

[spinedoc77]

It sucks because it is a pool of malware that allows regular people to get hacked. I’ve seen it more than once personally with coworkers because some wanna be “tech guy” they know put all these free apps on their phone for them and at least one turned out to be a Trojan horse and was recording their keystrokes. This one older person only had this device to access the internet and used it to access banking info. Her account got hacked and they took her paycheck hours after it was deposited. She closed the account and opened another at the same bank, next payday same thing. She switched to a credit union with different security and on payday she got a call asking if she was attempting to transfer all of the money from her account. She had not. She finally listened to me and her son who told her it was likely the phone and switch away from Android, The hacks stopped completely.

So, while there was sarcasm and a bit of fun poking in my post saying Android sucks, it is also very true, especially if you are unlucky enough to happen to download the wrong app.

Thanks for the childish comment too. I had been feeling ancient lately and taking myself and everything else way to seriously, so peace to you.

Sounds like those users circumvented the system Google has in place for securing apps, similar to how a jailbroken iPhone can be compromised. It also sounds very similar to Apple users proclaiming how unsafe Windows PC's are. Maybe both are true to a certain extent, but in reality it's much less of an issue. Certainly in my 15+ years of using Android and close to 30 years using Windows I've never had any issues, but take that with a grain of salt as an anecdotal experience only. My point is that saying Android sucks because your third cousin on your wife's sides co-workers dog walker's hairdresser got a virus on their Android device doesn't really pan out in the real world.

 

[Iconoclysm]

No I'm not upset personally, but I do feel it's something that should be universal. I get that Apple is a for profit company so it doesn't behoove them to open it up. But at the same time it's a shame that this has to be an issue because of profits.

The alternative you're asking for Apple is to route all texts through Google's own servers. When RCS truly opens up, Apple will support it.

 

[genovelle]

I think you completely missed their point, they weren't claiming elitism, they were saying how hypocritical it is for Apple users to claim elitism because iPhones are expensive. But your comments sum up perfectly the juvenile outlook many on here mirror. So my taste is poor because I have an Android phone? Seriously, who are you to tell others their taste is poor? This is something I would expect a bully to tell my 10 year old, not an adult (although I'm assuming). In any case I don't want to harp on this and get the thread closed, it would be more productive to discuss how this can be resolved other than ostracizing Android users.

It’s like windows users to me. I use to feel sorry for them. Especially after I used to be a never Apple guy and was responsible for pushing hundreds of people including musicians away from macs for years working in music stores and setting up early digital studios, before I woke up. I felt a bit guilty and wanted to atone for my sins and allow others to be free from the pain. Now I’m cynical I guess because I don’t care to bang my head against the wall for those that don’t want to know the truth. Let ‘em suffer. At the same time. I’m just not interested in interacting via sms texting with no indication of communication, text length limitations, and having to remember I can’t send many of the files I send to the majority of my contacts that have I phones.

Oh and wondering if they will have the proper app do open standard document types. It’s better than 3-4 years ago, but still not ideal.

 

[spinedoc77]

pridefully paying $1200+ (what most people can't afford) to ruin everyone's group chats seems pretty poor taste to me
but of course if you're in 0 group chats then that shouldn't be a problem

Ok I can see this won't be a productive conversation, thanks for your time.

 

[cutlub]

That's a really immature comment, I'm assuming there is some sarcasm there or am I someone "who clearly can't be saved"? Android doesn't "suck," it's actually really great, but I also really love iOS.

I agree. I think both have their equal strengths and weaknesses. I‘ve never used Android, but I would grab a Pixel or S23 in a minute if I switched. It’s good for us all as consumers to have competition. I just can’t stand the elitism of either group. This is a Mac site, so the quoted comment is ridiculous.I have noticed youtube comments tend to have more Android elitism, but it’s Google site. Show some class around here, MR. Both are fine. Take your pick. Nothing to lose at this point, really.

 

[I7guy]

The last thing apple needs is to become the dominant smartphone vendor. The regulators will rip it apart. Popularity can be bad.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Yeah, this is one of the problems with Google as a company.

They fail to keep up a consistent brand.

Google can't just come up with a product and continue to maintain and improve it incrementally. They have to tear everything down every few years and start from scratch with a new name and completely different interface. PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE THIS.

Look at iMessage. It's still called iMessage, and has had incremental improvements since it came out. No rename, no big makeovers.

Same deal with the various iCloud services.

There's one exception, "Music", which I think was a huge mistake; everyone knew what iTunes was and it was a beloved brand, I think it would have made more sense to rename Music on the iPhone to iTunes, rather than rename iTunes on the desktop to Music. BUT STILL, it was only a name change, the underlying service stayed exactly the same and you didn't have to uproot everything to migrate.

Google needs to knock it off and maintain consistent services and start building the trust they lost by behaving the way they have. Nobody likes to have their world shuffled around every few years.

Frankly, I have often wondered how Google is even considered a true software company. 92% of their revenue comes from search. Their most used "software" is Gmail. Virtually everything else are cool ideas that never get off the ground. All of their eggs are in one basket and nothing will be left if they lose that.

 

[jamcgahey]

I deployed to Latvia recently for a year. I will say that 90% of communication there is done via WhatsApp and Signal app. So the blue bubble phenomena and social pressure isn't present.

 

[spinedoc77]

The alternative you're asking for Apple is to route all texts through Google's own servers. When RCS truly opens up, Apple will support it.

No I'm not asking for that at all, and if you look at my other comments I note that Google's crappy proprietary solution isn't really a solution and don't blame Apple for not taking that route. Apple is by far not the only company which should take the blame for the sorry state of inter-device messaging.

True RCS will NEVER open up, the carriers abandoned it years ago. But Apple is uniquely positioned with iMessage, and opening it up would do the world a huge amount of good in my opinion. Of course they have a more binding fiduciary duty to their shareholders than to the "world," so that's most likely never going to happen short of mandates.

 

[spinedoc77]

It’s like windows users to me. I use to feel sorry for them. Especially after I used to be a never Apple guy and was responsible for pushing hundreds of people including musicians away from macs for years working in music stores and setting up early digital studios, before I woke up. I felt a bit guilty and wanted to atone for my sins and allow others to be free from the pain. Now I’m cynical I guess because I don’t care to bang my head against the wall for those that don’t want to know the truth. Let ‘em suffer. At the same time. I’m just not interested in interacting via sms texting with no indication of communication, text length limitations, and having to remember I can’t send many of the files I send to the majority of my contacts that have I phones.

Oh and wondering if they will have the proper app do open standard document types. It’s better than 3-4 years ago, but still not ideal.

Sorry I couldn't wrap my head around what you were trying to say. All I got was Windows users suffer, you used to feel bad for them but now you are atoning for your sins which... I suppose is a good thing?

 

[Iconoclysm]

No I'm not asking for that at all, and if you look at my other comments I note that Google's crappy proprietary solution isn't really a solution and don't blame Apple for not taking that route. Apple is by far not the only company which should take the blame for the sorry state of inter-device messaging.

True RCS will NEVER open up, the carriers abandoned it years ago. But Apple is uniquely positioned with iMessage, and opening it up would do the world a huge amount of good in my opinion. Of course they have a more binding fiduciary duty to their shareholders than to the "world," so that's most likely never going to happen short of mandates.

If there were a revenue incentive, Apple would likely go for it. Google's own incentive is brand, brand, brand. They don't make ad revenue off of apps they put on iOS, they keep you coming back to Google's services and keep that name in your head when you want to search. If you flipped Apple on its head and it were a services company, this would make sense - and that day is surely going to come in the near future when revenue stalls on hardware sales.

 

[anthogag]

iPhone is better than Android. The latest Samsung device is 20% slower. Open Podcast app and adjust voice speed to 0.75x…that’s Android