Depends on where you go. I was recently in Denmark and i haven't seen an android or windows or any other phone. 6/s/ and above.
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iPhone 7's Lack of 'Compelling' Features Convinced Most Galaxy Note7 Owners to Stay With Samsung
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Having hung through several threads that debated the topic, I personally believe a lot of the perceived aggravation was hooked to the idea of the proprietary Lightning. Some arguing for it made passionate arguments about maintaining compatibility with various Lightning accessories and an almost complete expectation that new Macs would ship with Lightning connectors too so that one set of "new" buds could be used with both... but we see how that played out.
But I do believe the switch would have been more intellectually palatable had Apple gone ahead and embraced USB3C at the same time. Conceptually, that would have been a 1 for 1 change (1 3.5mm jack for 1 USB3C jack). Sure, there would still be transitional issues/pain/aggravation but we all know that Intel's push for USB3C is much more likely to end up the "everywhere" digital replacement vs. proprietary Lightning which I think none of us can argue is going to show up on Samsung phones, Dell computers, Airplane entertainment systems, etc.
My personal opinion is that the way to this "the future" was to roll this one out with 3.5mm jack but include either Lightning buds or Airpods in the box, get users accustomed to using either and then deprecate 3.5mm in a future iPhone. Instead, the jack was just shifted into the various hassles that come with dongles. And with USB3C being the digital choice for everything else- including presumably Apple's own Macs- we won't escape the need for 1+ dongles for years and years to come. Even if iPhone 8 switches to USB3C, 3.5mm on almost "everything else" (beyond the narrow world of Apple or just Intel-driven computing tech) will still require at least one dongle or similar accessory in the bag.
As you say- that's just my own opinion... as a consumer (who has tons of Apple stuff and been a long-term consumer of Apple offerings). I think the biggest thing missing from this move was the obvious consumer benefit in making it. Did "courage" transfer to us as consumers? Does audio sound obviously superior through Lightning or Airpods (ignoring that for anyone who would answer yes, those people ALREADY had both Bluetooth and Lightning options before this phone)? Is our "as is" options improved by one dongle in the box? The big missing answer on a fairly impactful tech change is what did the consumers get from this change? And- IMO- a stellar answer is still missing... or hopefully hidden (from me anyway).
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Apple didn't condemn anything...for a pocket device, the less infiltration, the less need for repair. The latest trend for portable devices is Bluetooth. For more stationary devices like PCs and laptops, most desktop speakers are still plug-in.
I had the same happen with the Lightning socket and woke up one morning wondering why my iPhone battery was flat and the alarm hadn't gone off even though it had been on charge all night.
It's shocking how much lint can accumulate. I clean my jack out every month or so, one time it looked like a baby squirrel had been inside.I had the same happen with the Lightning socket and woke up one morning wondering why my iPhone battery was flat and the alarm hadn't gone off even though it had been on charge all night.
Water proof? Force touch? Fastest ARM processor in history?
And the best feature of all... it doesn't catch fire.
And the best feature of all... it doesn't catch fire.
Oh I don't mean to knock Apple, I'm just going by the comapraison vids I've on YouTube comparing the Pixel to the 7 Plus. Apart from the zoom conditions, sadly the Pixel has it beat in every other area. This is coming from an Apple lover, by the way. I just can't deny how well the Pixel performs. Not just in the camera department but with the 60 fps smoothness of the OS. Those were the two areas where Apple excelled in and everyone else was behind. Sadly, now Apple is the one behind, and I hate admitting that.
The 7 is a solid phone and takes a really nice picture. Not much in the way of wow, but I'll take reliable and solid over wow. But to those contemplating switching I can see the lack of wow as an obstacle. I like the design of Sammy phones lately but I do not like Android, though I've been tempted to switch to shake things up.
Used every day. Now I connect my lightning headphones or old headphones with adapter and couldn't care less.
Thinking too much about what "millions of people use everyday" simply kills any innovation.
And besides this forum I know of nobody who cares if the design is new or last years as long as they get a better camera and a little speed bump.
It's not about features or hardware, it's about personal preference regarding the OS. Just because there is a chance of their phone blowing up, they're not going to switch platforms... If they liked Android enough to buy a Note 7, they're gonna stick with Android in the majority of cases, even if Apple brought out something revolutionary... and that's understandable.
I already have both Android (the Nexus 5x) and iOS phones - Android for work and the other for personal usage. I find that almost all my apps are compatible on both platforms and I can do with either one with no problem. It's not an insurmountable pain to transfer over, sure it is a little jarring like pulling out a rental car off the lot with buttons in slightly different places, but you will be fine with either option within a couple of hours.
Maybe more then who has the newest features; Switching systems exponentially more complicated today. The delta between product features much less then just a few years ago. Content now driving switching decisions more then ever before. Example, photos on the Cloud. Eco system and learning curve. Many switching decisions in the current environment, path of least resistance.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Bluetooth is fine but is weakest alternative in my opinion. Why? Sound quality. Latency with video. It is far from ubiquitous beyond mostly computing devices that play audio. Etc.
If I could get all of my audio-listening pleasure out of just Apple devices or perhaps just computing devices and if...
I could rationalize the convenience of lack of wires vs. sound quality and/or latency issues and if...
I could rationalize the need to charge another thing vs. never needing to charge wired phones/buds and if...
Clients and others in the world beyond Apple had all of their stuff Bluetooth-ready so I really didn't need to be ready with some kind of wired options too.
...I could personally be more excited about it as an alternative. As is, it's interesting and seems to make some happy... but doesn't seem ready for my own prime time yet. I just have too much stuff and/or want or need to connect to too many things that aren't Bluetooth capable. For example, just had several long flights around the country and wanted to use their in-flight entertainment options for some live TV, sports, etc. No Bluetooth option at all. And no Lightning or USB3C option at all either. But every plane had a 3.5mm jack that "just works."
Even if the planes would have had:
- Bluetooth, some of those flights were longer than rated battery lives, so bluetooth buds would conk before the movie or show was over.
- USB3C, I don't have any buds/phones to connect to that yet because I'm an Apple product user without much need for that yet
If one can get everything they want to hear out of Apple hardware or maybe computing hardware, bluetooth probably suffices. If they can limit it to just Apple iDevices, Lightning suffices. But step just a bit beyond the Applesphere or Computersphere and both introduce issues typical when we embrace fragmentation by choice over a thorough ubiquity option... for no very tangible consumer gain.
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As someone who switched from Samsung around the time the S7 and Note 7 received criticism for battery heating issues, I can say "compelling" is a vague term because it's open to interpretation.
What compels me as "features" are: iMessaging, built in wi-fi calling in the OS, best app support, fastest processor on the market, good camera hardware and software, a clean OS, 3D Touch, no-frill software, strong standby battery life, dual speakers, water resistance.
Compared to the S7 and S7E: I won't get a good iMessage competitor, no built in wi-fi calling into the OS meaning that I have to rely on T-Mobile variants, apps are a bit behind on Android, the Snapdragon 820 is worse than the A9 processor, no 3D Touch, some Touchwiz frills, inadequate standby battery life, no dual speakers.
Is that worth going for a QHD Screen, 4GB RAM, better cameras, Samsung Pay, AMOLED tech, 5.1/5.5" screen, a beefier battery, multi-window, Samsung Touchwiz features, Micro SD Slot, VR experience, wireless charging, quick charge, Android OS, and cheaper pricing?
To me, it is not because my iPhone gives me less headaches. I don't need a spec sheet like the OP3, Google Pixel XL, or S7 Edge. Until I see otherwise, I don't think Samsung will match the experience because they don't support their products as well as Apple nor do they offer seamless warranty support. Not to mention, the bloat Touchwiz has? Such horrible waste of storage space. And why do Samsungs bog down so quick after several months?
When I went to Canada, I took my old S7 Edge and iPhone 6S Plus with me. I used my iPhone 6S Plus more because the experience is so much better for me.
Objectively speaking: yes, the S7 can do more than the iPhone, therefore it CAN be seen as the better phone.
What compels me as "features" are: iMessaging, built in wi-fi calling in the OS, best app support, fastest processor on the market, good camera hardware and software, a clean OS, 3D Touch, no-frill software, strong standby battery life, dual speakers, water resistance.
Compared to the S7 and S7E: I won't get a good iMessage competitor, no built in wi-fi calling into the OS meaning that I have to rely on T-Mobile variants, apps are a bit behind on Android, the Snapdragon 820 is worse than the A9 processor, no 3D Touch, some Touchwiz frills, inadequate standby battery life, no dual speakers.
Is that worth going for a QHD Screen, 4GB RAM, better cameras, Samsung Pay, AMOLED tech, 5.1/5.5" screen, a beefier battery, multi-window, Samsung Touchwiz features, Micro SD Slot, VR experience, wireless charging, quick charge, Android OS, and cheaper pricing?
To me, it is not because my iPhone gives me less headaches. I don't need a spec sheet like the OP3, Google Pixel XL, or S7 Edge. Until I see otherwise, I don't think Samsung will match the experience because they don't support their products as well as Apple nor do they offer seamless warranty support. Not to mention, the bloat Touchwiz has? Such horrible waste of storage space. And why do Samsungs bog down so quick after several months?
When I went to Canada, I took my old S7 Edge and iPhone 6S Plus with me. I used my iPhone 6S Plus more because the experience is so much better for me.
Objectively speaking: yes, the S7 can do more than the iPhone, therefore it CAN be seen as the better phone.
Here's the thing...Apple should be wiping the mat with the likes of Samsung and its bloatware over android pieces of garbage. But they're not. We're talking about the sole maker of iOS devices vs one OEM android maker. Apple has so many advantages over samsung, I could write a book but here's the top ones: Apple has Macs and can tie in MacOS, Samsung has nothing. Apple makes the software, samsung makes bloatware. Apple can control its marketing, samsung is still reliant on google and carrier. Apple can control its ecosystem of apps, media store, etc. You would think Apple would be moving much faster along then Samsung could ever hope to keep up with.
Apple's biggest weakness is iOS's limitations with the big one being it was at fixed aspect ratios and resolution in prior years. Android was more flexible which allowed the use of bigger screens much more quickly. And of course, Apple demands a premium margin with every iphone although we see iphones discounted quite often but not at the extent that Samsung or other androids are sold.
I'll say it again. Apple's marketing stinks. Convince that buyer why they should have an iphone. Talk about ecosystem. Dump these tired commercials you keep pumping out.
Apple's greed knows no bounds (or at least that's how they come across at times). The screen on the iphone plus is still a joke IMO. The sources used for things like Maps just shows Apple has no intention of competing with google here.
Apple's focus on software is an afterthought it seems. Apple still can't get photos right. Music is a mess as the UI seems to get worse. This TV app has been nothing but a PIA when all I want to do is pull up the library of videos on device and I sit and stare at a blank screen.
Cloud? I hate paying a premium for icloud that is limited but feel forced to.
TV? No 4k. No 4k media in itunes. They introduce 4k video on iphone that the average consumer has no way of viewing in 4k except if they happen to have an imac which not many do. AppleTV OS still feels beta. No amazon.
I would argue that it's not hardware that is holding Apple back in iphone sales. It's software and price. While I don't expect Apple to compete on price any time soon, they could definitely improve software, ecosystem, and services. And learn to market it.
But then when you're about ready to hang it all up, Apple comes out with something like airpods. These are really cool. They just work. That's the Apple I know. The experience of using Macs, apple tv, iphone, ipad, apple watch altogether is a really cool experience. But this IMO is lost on most buyers. Apple doesn't market it much at all. This is why, despite my criticisms, I'm not switching to windows/android anytime soon. With a Mac, I can have windows. With an iphone, i can put the best of MS or Google on it. It's up to Apple to let people know that as well..
Apple's biggest weakness is iOS's limitations with the big one being it was at fixed aspect ratios and resolution in prior years. Android was more flexible which allowed the use of bigger screens much more quickly. And of course, Apple demands a premium margin with every iphone although we see iphones discounted quite often but not at the extent that Samsung or other androids are sold.
I'll say it again. Apple's marketing stinks. Convince that buyer why they should have an iphone. Talk about ecosystem. Dump these tired commercials you keep pumping out.
Apple's greed knows no bounds (or at least that's how they come across at times). The screen on the iphone plus is still a joke IMO. The sources used for things like Maps just shows Apple has no intention of competing with google here.
Apple's focus on software is an afterthought it seems. Apple still can't get photos right. Music is a mess as the UI seems to get worse. This TV app has been nothing but a PIA when all I want to do is pull up the library of videos on device and I sit and stare at a blank screen.
Cloud? I hate paying a premium for icloud that is limited but feel forced to.
TV? No 4k. No 4k media in itunes. They introduce 4k video on iphone that the average consumer has no way of viewing in 4k except if they happen to have an imac which not many do. AppleTV OS still feels beta. No amazon.
I would argue that it's not hardware that is holding Apple back in iphone sales. It's software and price. While I don't expect Apple to compete on price any time soon, they could definitely improve software, ecosystem, and services. And learn to market it.
But then when you're about ready to hang it all up, Apple comes out with something like airpods. These are really cool. They just work. That's the Apple I know. The experience of using Macs, apple tv, iphone, ipad, apple watch altogether is a really cool experience. But this IMO is lost on most buyers. Apple doesn't market it much at all. This is why, despite my criticisms, I'm not switching to windows/android anytime soon. With a Mac, I can have windows. With an iphone, i can put the best of MS or Google on it. It's up to Apple to let people know that as well..
I didn't "think" I had to upgrade, I just wanted to. I enjoyed having the newest phone to play with. But I guess looking back each yearly iPhone release had pretty simple changes from the year before. The 2 year cycle makes much more sense. So maybe I finally realized that I don't need every updated iPhone.
iMessage is the killer when I switch. It's so used in my important circles that I keep having to come back to it...