Large-Screened iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Less Popular With Android Switchers Than Predicted

[symphara]

I've seen Lollipop running on a Nexus 5 last night. Played a bit with it. Super nice, the task/web page switcher is extremely cool. I thought that the "material design" thing looks much nicer than the iOS7+ flat look. The new notification system is even better than the old one, which was miles ahead of iOS, and the double slide down to access a "control-panel" thing is very well thought, since it gives such quick access. The animations were extremely fluid.

The only thing I didn't particularly like was the thing it draws when you try to scroll something past the end. The previous effects were better, not to mention Apple's "rubber band".

But overall I think this latest version of Android makes my iPad (with iOS8) look positively ancient and simplistic. iOS hasn't aged well, it's still too much an icon grid and nothing much else.

I wouldn't dream of buying an iPhone now, not if they were half price.

I don't think that Apple has much hope now of getting switchers. The opposite will probably happen, as to me clearly Android had overtaken iOS in functionality a while ago, and now it has overtaken it in looks and I think every aspect of usability.

 

[Baumi]

Even if we ignore the small sample size (Which I find very hard), there's another unknown here: I'd really like to know the distribution of those numbers for older iPhone models. The reason for that is that I seem to recall many iPhone users considering the 5S to be a bit of a meh upgrade. That might have made them hold out with their current phone for another year.

The 6 and 6 plus, on the other hand, are very different from their predecessors, so existing iPhone owners may just have had a better reason to upgrade, which – all other things being equal – would lead to the higher percentage seen in the statistic.

But, yeah: 300 out of 10 million seems like a joke.

 

[Xiroteus]

I'm still on the fence, I like both and have used each and since they now both have larger screens it just comes down to what they can do. I'm still a holdout when it comes to flash, I still need it at times and it's a lot easier to get going on Android and the pen can come in handy with the note. Things like a removable battery are nice yet not deal breakers, still on the fence about the sd card.

My battle will likely be with the Note 5 and the iPhone 6S. However the issue there is I prefer to wait until the non S models based on their history. (Aside from the iPhone 4S that would quite nice, still my favorite iPhone design)

 

[selfsilent]

300 people in a survey to represent actual figures for millions of people is ridiculous. The rounding error for the actual number of people would be in the mid to high tens of thousands.

 

[chagla]

....

I've don't have anything against anyone buying a Nexus, even a Mac owner, but I've got a beef about someone complaining that a 6+ is not as unrestricted as a Nexus 6. That makes no sense coming from anyone, and especially not from anyone who knows Apple and owns anything Apple.

in another post i think you claimed that a jailbroken iphone is just as open as android. now you are saying ip 6+ is just as open as nexus 6. what's apparent is that you might have used ios but certainly not android.

jailbroken (or not), iphone 1 or iphone 6+ (doesn't matter), the fact is you can't use ios device, plug in to any computer and use that storage for file management. please TRY it.

in ios, you can stuff *certain allowed* files INSIDE an app. which means if you delete that app, your files are gone too. on Android, files and apps are separate entities. your files will remain on the storage which can be used on any computer, without any special software. this allows you to share your files on android in ANY WAY you please, AND you can email attach any file on android.

 

[myxomatosis]

The Android kids will not come over to iPhones until they can have their own themes and icon packs...such as Pokemon, PowerRangers, Star Wars, Batman, Spiderman, etc...

And.... that's why iPhone owners are seen as idiots by many Android users

Grow up man

 

[Oletros]

300 people in a survey to represent actual figures for millions of people is ridiculous. The rounding error for the actual number of people would be in the mid to high tens of thousands.

You're not versed on statistics, are you?

 

[nia820]

I'm an android switcher. I had a Galaxy s4 prior to getting my iPhone 6.

Although I like my iPhone 6. There are quite a few things I miss about having an android phone. I sometimes feel iOS is too restrictive. Apple really should consider having a pro or custom mode in iOS where you can change fonts,icons and third party apps. I miss the customization options the most.

And being able to add music or videos to my phone without iTunes was a blessing. Sending and receiving files via Bluetooth was great as well.

But the App Store is making up up for my sorrows.

 

[burgman]

Thats because they are sheep that buy whatever Samsung tells them to. When it comes right down to it they want a phone, not a tablet.

Just wait until the next thing samsung comes up with like the thicker the better.

Using the word sheep is pretty retarded. Grow up

 

[bawbac]

Or they simply like buying devices that just work.

That is virtually the SAME device yearly(or ever other year).
They made it bigger this time around and added ApplePay.
INNOVATION AT ITS BEST!

 

[burgman]

You're not versed on statistics, are you?

I am and you really have to trust the methodology in such a small sample. 300 people standing in line one example. Small group analyses is how we get studies that conclude condictatory outcomes. Companies trying to sell you something love them.

 

[samcraig]

One of Android's current strengths (and there are many) is still the ability to set default apps.

 

[nia820]

One of Android's current strengths (and there are many) is still the ability to set default apps.

You know for the life of me I don't know why apple doesn't allow this. It would be nice to be able to open a link and it automatically opens in chrome or open an email attachment and it open automatically in word.

 

[samcraig]

You know for the life of me I don't know why apple doesn't allow this. It would be nice to be able to open a link and it automatically opens in safari or open an email attachment and it only automatically in word.

Because they want control over the user experience. And they want their apps to be the "the one"

 

[nia820]

Because they want control over the user experience. And they want their apps to be the "the one"

Yeah I guess it's about trying to push their own apps. But we already brought your product. Let's us choose our own apps.

 

[Michael Goff]

Yeah I guess it's about trying to push their own apps. But we already brought your product. Let's us choose our own apps.

Except that isn't their MO. The iOS Experience has always been a controlled one.

 

[Digital Skunk]

That's because they're just too ****ing big for any reasonable person.

Um. . . . no.

I'm an android switcher. I had a Galaxy s4 prior to getting my iPhone 6.

Although I like my iPhone 6. There are quite a few things I miss about having an android phone. I sometimes feel iOS is too restrictive.

I don't mind the restrictions, or should I say I wouldn't mind them as much if the phone would stop crashing and freezing on me.

It's not often enough to bring it back, but enough to know that's it's just a software bug that can be fixed. With all of the negative slants going toward Android's code, iOS should NEVER crash and freeze more than my Note 2.

Worse yet, it's not like my iPhone 6+ is doing MORE than my Note 2 would on a normal day.

I'll leave the browser problems out of this.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

This is expected. The iPhone is a great device in its own right, but owning an Android phone isn't just about the screen (at least not in 2014). It's about freedom, variety and value. You get to choose from a great number of OEMs and features in terms of hardware (water proofing, removable battery/storage, unrestricted NFC etc). On the software front, it's like a playground---you can fundamentally change the way you interact with your home screen and the color schemes, hands free voice commands without being tethered to a charger, etc. Also you have way more integration across 3rd party apps. Just try sharing something on the iphone vs android. Then of course, in this economy, it's nice to pay significantly less for equal or better quality. In additional to all the great low cost/high quality options out there (Moto Gs, One Plus One, Nexus 5) you can also get deep discounts on the Android side ($1 on two year contract for 2014 Moto X, $75 on two year contract for GS5).

Larger screens was one the major things that Android users have always enjoyed, but fundamentally the Android path has evolved beyond that. After all, the larger iphone 6 Plus is still 99.9 % the same phone as the iPhone 6 Non-Plus. Take away the screen and it doesn't offer anything that an Android user may be missing.

P.S..Touch ID is crazy cool and GS5' fingerprint scanner totally blows.

 

[chimpboy74]

There are two big groups of Android users. The people who don't want to spend $$$ for a flagship phone. And the ones who care about functionality/toys/customizations/etc. Both groups have good reasons to be uninterested in iPhones.

I sit in both camps. I jumped because of price. I've stayed for the features

 

[Digital Skunk]

I sit in both camps. I jumped because of price. I've stayed for the features

There were only yo four reasons for me to go back to e iPhone.

Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iTunes.

Everything else I can get on Android and at times much better with more features.

I do miss saying ok Google and being able to use a stylus that's not reminiscent of a husky pencil.

 

[manu chao]

True. $299 for a 16GB 5.5" phone is a bit to expensive. Why they didn't just shift the 32GB into the 16GB price point is beyond me.. Well it saves them a nickel to two, but thats about it.

It's not saving a nickel on those, I don't know, 50% who get the 16 GB version. It is about gaining $100 from those maybe 30% that get the 64 GB but would not have gotten it if the base model had been 32 GB.

 

[baryon]

It's obvious! Apple needs to make even bigger iPhones. I suggest the iPhone 6+++, it should be the same size as the iPad Air. With a simple gesture, it would shrink back to the size of the iPhone 5, so you can actually fit it into your pocket.

 

[seecoolguy]

It's the OS.

You're not going to get most of them to give up functionality once they've gotten used to having it.

I love my functional motox with push bullet. It was the best continuity device I had been using, though ever since iOS Continuity and Yosemite It admittedly falls short :-/ My current daily driver is now the iPhone 5S.

 

[k995]

Coming from an iphone 3g & 5 the oneplus one 64GB for 350 was a no brainer to me. 6+ would have been 900 and I still would have the incredibly annoying tab & book reloads I have with my iphone 5 .

 

[melendezest]

This is worth mentioning again. ios is too limiting. having a bigger screen is not enough to entice android users to switch to ios.

automation, access to file system, ability to attach any file, use the storage in any way one pleases, not being tied to special software etc are just few of many reasons power users will not switch platform.

This + 1000.

I just got tired of waiting for Apple to give me what I want.

I got tired of needing Apple to let me do what I want with my device.

I've tasted the freedom Android provides; there is literally no reason whatsoever for me to go back, now that ecosystem integration is not an issue for me (I HATE Yosemite's design as much as iOS's).