iPhone, what's the big deal

[throAU]

I've thought long and hard about starting this thread as I know how quickly such threads descend into slanging matches.

However, here goes. My wife's got a new works iPhone and her company has let her keep her old 5c. Having owned an iPad I'm familiar with iOS so I thought I would pop my SIM in the 5c and try out an iPhone for a few weeks (I have owned one of the early iPhones for a short while).

Having lived with the iPhone for the last 3 weeks, hardware/design apart I really don't get why we have all this fierce tribal rhetoric between Android and iOS. For your average consumer I genuinely can't see there's much to choose between either systems. The basically both do the same things and with a similar level of sophistication.

I'm sure there will be posters telling me how iOS can turn water into wine or an Android owner telling me that Android can plait sawdust. As far as I can see whatever one can do so can the other with just the odd nuance in how they both achieve it.

Apart from the 5c is a bit short on storage capacity I could live with the 5c or my Xperia. Why anyone would want to spend days queuing for an iPhone though really is beyond me, or any phone for that matter.

For me:

- security updates
- not Google

I don't care how slick android is or gets, the attitude of the OEM's selling it is appalling, the security updates are lacking, and there are other features iOS has (iMessage, for one) that android does not have. It also seamlessly syncs with all my other Apple devices.
[doublepost=1465048026][/doublepost]

This thread is about Mr and Mrs Average and their smartphones - Mr and Mrs Average aren't much interested in the security that's obviously exorcising your mind. Sorry but you are simply trying to turn this thread into another dick waving exercise.

Sorry if you feel it is a "dick waving exercise". Fine, it's not important to you, buy android.

It is important to others, others consider it a big deal, and it is one of the reasons you asked for in this thread - why people think the iPhone is a big deal.

You won't find me queuing for electronics devices (that's just rabid fanboyism), but I'll certainly continue to buy Apple unless something changes drastically with their support and/or privacy policies.

 

[Qbnkelt]

Sorry but you are simply trying to turn this thread into another dick waving exercise.

For someone who wanted to have a civil discussion, you just contradicted your own stated goal with the use of this remark.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

...You will never see the FBI fighting with Google to unlock an Android phone, or to build a special version of Android with security holes. The holes and vulnerabilities are already there.

This is a very good point.
What concerns my preference. It is the iPhone. Used Android for years, tried it. Enjoyed some sides of it, especially its open OS, the file system etc. Nevertheless, in my case, iOS user experience was much better and reliability as well as security is a determining point for me.

P.S.: As throAU mentioned, no Google for me either. I avoid that shameless personal data-miner like the plague.

 

[tann]

5C is basically a phone from 2012 so it's not a good example of what they are today.

I do believe Android has now surpassed iOS in almost every way now though. Hardware, software, design etc.

 

[Retired Cat]

5C is basically a phone from 2012 so it's not a good example of what they are today.

I do believe Android has now surpassed iOS in almost every way now though. Hardware, software, design etc.

Apple's continued software support for older phones like the 5/5c is a point in their favor IMO. Not many phones from 2012 still get security and feature updates.

Something I forgot to mention in my other post is the Lightning cable. I know it gets criticized for durability here, but my cable is still perfect after 3 years. The Lightning connector itself is much nicer to use (reversible, clicks well) than the USB micro in most recent Android devices until Nexus 5X. Widespread USB-C may change the equation, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

 

[Dmaynard83]

I have both 6S plus and S7 edge

They both offer different type of things and there are advantages to both. IOS with imessage, syncing across everything, facetime all things I use daily.

Android with how you can make things how you want it is an advantage. I like my widgets so I like my edge but I also like the widgets in the notification center.

Not sure why so many put samsung down just to make people feel better about their iphone. Just stupid to me.

Samsung for one has brought out two great phones this year. Doesn't mean the iphone is any less great

I have an s7 edge and iPhone 6s Plus. The iPhone is a completely smooth experience and iMessage is 2nd to none in the texting department.

But the edge has the best camera and display. In the end I switched back to my iPhone for the smoothness and ease of use. I miss using google apps by default (chrome, google maps) and the display, camera.

 

[ggibson913]

I would agree that either phone os is fine for most users, it really depends on what makes you more comfortable. Let's be honest about price though. A new Galaxy S7 costs just as much as a new iPhone 6S. So when comparing flagships to flagships, you aren't going to save much. I had the S5 and I didn't like it so I went back to iPhone. One of the things that I like is that when the OS updates on Apple with cool new features and the like, all of us iPhone users regardless of carrier, get the update at the same time and I really hated all the carrier bloatware on my S5. But to each his/ her own. Both phones will do the job these days.

 

[Lankyman]

I would be equally comfortable using either platform. What keeps me on iPhone is iMessage, Facetime, and my whole family uses iPhones. I am not loyal to any one brand. For now the iPhone covers all our needs.

Absolutely right too. If your family were using other devices then no doubt you would probably be using those instead.

 

[bufffilm]

Something I forgot to mention in my other post is the Lightning cable. I know it gets criticized for durability here, but my cable is still perfect after 3 years. The Lightning connector itself is much nicer to use (reversible, clicks well) than the USB micro in most recent Android devices until Nexus 5X. Widespread USB-C may change the equation, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

The Lightning connector is way better than the USB micro in terms of ease of use (particularly if you are disabled,etc), no wrong way to plug in, super robustness (due to it being a female connector), small form factor, etc.

USB-c may even the odds somewhat (I don't have any devices that use it yet), but the lightning connector was genius on Apple's part.

 

[lyceumHQ]

People like to moan about things. And people struggle to accept others have a differing opinion to their own.

I have had iPhones since the 3G. I have tried android twice in that time and just personally prefer iOS. I don't see it as better than android. Nor do I see android as better than iOS. I just personally prefer iOS. As you've said OP they all do the exact same thing now.

 

[joeblow7777]

It's human nature to be tribal, and to insist that your own tribe is superior. It's hard wired into us from thousands of years of evolution. It's why we fight over religions, over race, over flags, over sports teams, over game consoles, and over smartphones.

It's completely irrational, but it's our nature to create "us vs. them" scenarios, even over the most arbitrary and superficial things.

 

[M. Gustave]

"9 out of 10 Android phones are insecure"

http://m.smh.com.au/digital-life/co...nufacturers-are-to-blame-20151014-gk8kp5.html

 

[Lankyman]

"9 out of 10 Android phones are insecure"

http://m.smh.com.au/digital-life/co...nufacturers-are-to-blame-20151014-gk8kp5.html

And for balance -http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35070853

 

[Q-Dog]

The reason for me is I want nothing whatsoever to do with google. And I'm quite happy to pay for the priveledge of not using google. Oh, and Apple stuff just works for me.

 

[aKansasKid]

If you have other Apple devices the iPhone is a no-brainer. Among those of us that don't, both modern Android phones and iPhones work well. Choice then comes down to price, attraction or aversion to Google, updates (latest features, but slows the phone down after a couple of iterations), and security (can the government crack it) .

Personally, I prefer using Android day-to-day, but as the only non-iPhone user in my extended family, I force everyone else to send group messages and photos via data instead of WiFi. If I change, that'll be why.

 

[M. Gustave]

And for balance -http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35070853

Did you even read that? It barely qualifies as an "article". The whole thing is "might", "could be"... then about ten paragraphs in, we get the real truth:

"Symantec also found seven new threats aimed at Apple's mobile iOS platform, with jailbroken devices - those that have been unlocked - being particularly vulnerable."

So yeah, jailbreaking makes iPhones vulnerable. This is news?

 

[Armen]

I've thought long and hard about starting this thread as I know how quickly such threads descend into slanging matches.

However, here goes. My wife's got a new works iPhone and her company has let her keep her old 5c. Having owned an iPad I'm familiar with iOS so I thought I would pop my SIM in the 5c and try out an iPhone for a few weeks (I have owned one of the early iPhones for a short while).

Having lived with the iPhone for the last 3 weeks, hardware/design apart I really don't get why we have all this fierce tribal rhetoric between Android and iOS. For your average consumer I genuinely can't see there's much to choose between either systems. The basically both do the same things and with a similar level of sophistication.

I'm sure there will be posters telling me how iOS can turn water into wine or an Android owner telling me that Android can plait sawdust. As far as I can see whatever one can do so can the other with just the odd nuance in how they both achieve it.

Apart from the 5c is a bit short on storage capacity I could live with the 5c or my Xperia. Why anyone would want to spend days queuing for an iPhone though really is beyond me, or any phone for that matter.

Try teaching someone over 60 how to use an Android phone if they've never had a smartphone or a computer. Do the same with an iPhone. That should answer your question I believe.

 

[lordofthereef]

[

For me:

- security updates
- not Google

I don't care how slick android is or gets, the attitude of the OEM's selling it is appalling, the security updates are lacking, and there are other features iOS has (iMessage, for one) that android does not have. It also seamlessly syncs with all my other Apple devices.

This isn't a sales pitch for Android, but you're no longer really stuck deciding on which OEM is the fastest to roll out updates since you can buy vanilla straight from Google. Anyone concerned about updates simply needs to view google the same way they view Apple. Buy the device come "straight from the source".

Tp be clear, it makes no difference to me what any one person uses. It's just worth noting that there are options out there where the end user isn;t at the mercy of the OEM, or worse, the carrier.

 

[cousintim]

"9 out of 10 Android phones are insecure"

And the 10th has some doubts.

 

[got556]

There are very real differences, that have to do with unsexy under-the-hood stuff like security that doesn't get as much attention. It's certainly not something you'll notice playing with an old iPhone for a couple days.

You will never see the FBI fighting with Google to unlock an Android phone, or to build a special version of Android with security holes. The holes and vulnerabilities are already there.

No one has successfully rooted a current Knox Samsung phone on Verizon/ATT (Note 5, GS7, etc)

 

[pixel_junkie]

[

This isn't a sales pitch for Android, but you're no longer really stuck deciding on which OEM is the fastest since you can buy vanilla straight from Google. Anyone concerned about updates simply needs to view google the same way they view Apple. Buy the device come "straight from the source".

If they ever offer hardware as solid and well designed as an iPhone, I'd definitely consider it. Love vanilla Android, hate ugly design and bloatware.

 

[got556]

If they ever offer hardware as solid and well designed as an iPhone, I'd definitely consider it. Love vanilla Android, hate ugly design and bloatware.

Samsung current design/hardware with Google Nexus experience (like the old developer phones) is what OEM's should be offering. Touchwiz sucks, even if it is much better today than the Note 1 and 2 days. HTC sense isn't bad but honestly, nothing beats stock Android in the Android world of things and OEM/carrier bloat.

I get bored with one OS and go back to the other every 6 months or so. W/ that said, I will retain my SE, get the Note 6, and then wait for the iPhone 7S/8 2017 whatever they are gonna call it to come out. I would love to have a smaller bezeled Note 5 size iPhone Pro w/ small Apple pen support (not that humongous pen), and run a Note 6 side by side.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

No one has successfully rooted a current Knox Samsung phone on Verizon/ATT (Note 5, GS7, etc)

Actually there have been some recent developments involving a leaked eng kernel. Tethered root on the AT&T Note 5 (requires an adb script to reboot), which is enough to mod system files and then unroot. Does not even trip Knox.

 

[pixel_junkie]

Actually there have been some recent developments involving a leaked eng kernel. Tethered root on the AT&T Note 5 (requires an adb script to reboot), which is enough to mod system files and then unroot. Does not even trip Knox.

If I didn't have a life, would have been all over that!

 

[LovingTeddy]

Try teaching someone over 60 how to use an Android phone if they've never had a smartphone or a computer. Do the same with an iPhone. That should answer your question I believe.

Funny thing is that teaching Android to old people around me is very easy. Probably harder with iOS.

Both my mother, my aunt, my dad used Android. My mom carriee Xiaomi phone all the time, my dad carries Nexus 5. My aunt carries Xiaomi Redmi note 2