Why I can never switch from an iPhone

[Sedrick]

It's not a matter of convincing me. I'm not saying the iPhone is prettier, I made definitive statements, listed specific features and said the iPhone is the only phone on the market that can satisfy this list.

If you want to argue against that, convincing me has nothing to do with it, simply show me I'm wrong There is no "convincing" here anymore than there is "convincing" on 2+2=4. There is only one correct answer to the question.

I listed literally 100 apps/features, including many stories and photo examples that I believe are not possible on any other phone. To the people arguing against my statement, choosing one or two things out of a 100 that you personally think are silly, does not invalidate my statement. As I said:

I'm not saying that you live vicariously through your phone. Well, yes I am. And if that makes you happy, then that's great.

I can't imagine even attempting to do (on this small phone) half the things you do. Photo editing? Are you kidding me? You don't have a PC for those things? Sounds like you finding excuses to use your phone when there are many, more practical ways to do things, just so you can say how great and all powerful the iPhone from Steve Jobs is.

Anyway, I hope Apple's check arrives soon, because they couldn't find a better spokes person.

 

[iamthedudeman]

It has gotten to the point, where staying with the iPhone is no longer simply a preference. Every single day I do things on my phone that are either impossible on Android, or dramatically better on the iPhone. It has become part of what I expect from a phone. It's much more a quality of life issue than a feature-bullet-list issue to be honest.

At this point, I couldn't switch to Android if I wanted to...

I'll go through my last week of usage, and maybe someone here can tell me if my conclusions are off-base, and I would be just fine on a competitor's device.

I've made a list, and I think it makes the most sense to categorize the apps and go through them one by one:



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MORNING​

My mornings aren't fun, I'm not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. I use an app called MotionX Sleep to wake me up. Unlike other apps, MotionX Sleep does not need to be run in the foreground in order to track my sleep cycle. Here's an example of the output:

Image

The app is actually a full replacement of the Jawbone Up I used to use, which was iOS only, but without the hardware issues. It tracks my steps throughout the day, and can nudge me when it detects I've been sitting still for too long. While cool, I don't use those last two features.

The other morning app I use is Place Clock. I've configured this app to set off a series of alarms if it detects I'm oversleeping for work. The alarms will go off at the predetermined times, only if I am still at home. I've also programmed a few alarms to detect when I've taken my lunch break, and go off after I've been gone for 30 minutes, a reminder to get back to work



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WORK​

At work I use a few apps to help my productivity, most notably AudioNote. I constantly find myself in long meetings with 100 things to write down, and 15 tasks assigned to me. AudioNote records my meetings, and syncs them with my written notes. When going back through my notes, I click on something I wrote down, and the app plays back what was being said at that time. Makes it much easier to decipher my notes and remember exactly what I need to do.

For quick tasks I need to perform throughout the day, I use Clear. It's by far the easiest and quickest task application I've found, and the only one in the AppStore that satisfied my girlfriend's requirements in a task app. I have multiple projects, with multiple tasks within each project, and I can see the completed tasks crossed out at the bottom of each list.

For more long-term tasks, that require lots of notes, I use Pocket Informant. It syncs with my iPad and my online Toodledo account. This is the first app I open up at work, as it intelligently combines my tasks and my work-calendar. Oh yea, iOS seamlessly links with the work calendar system, VPN and Wifi. I remember some Android co-workers having trouble with that, don't think they were able to do it.

Lastly, I've programmed some Prowl integration with our ticketing system. Whenever something is assigned to me, or something is added to the case, I immediately get a pop-up on my iPhone and iPad, informing me of the update. I can either dismiss the pop-up, or click the OK button, which will automatically launch Safari and load the referring case. I can't tell you how cool it is to hear the phone ring in the other room, know it's for you, and a few seconds later see your phone and tablet alarm go off, automatically linking you to the case.

I am also an active trader of the financial markets, I use Prowl to alert me of certain conditions in the market. I've set different alerts for different situations, and have marked some as URGENT, so it wakes me up even if it's during a time I've scheduled the Prowl app to not give me alerts. This ability is invaluable for a trader who has a day-job.



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LUNCH​

On Monday I started watching a Youtube video of a Starcraft game-cast (Yes – I am a nerd) at work during the walk home for lunch. Upon arriving at home, I pushed one button and the video switched from my phone, to my HDTV via wireless Airplay. When my break ended, I pushed a button switching the feed back to my phone, and continued back to work.

On Tuesday I put my bluetooth headphones on, pushed a button and said “Play Iris”. Siri proceeded to look through my 64gig harddrive, looking for a song named Iris. When it didn't find it, it then searched through all of my songs from my home computer (matched by iTunes Match), to see if I've ever had that song. It found the song in my iCloud account and started streaming it to my headphones. Within a few seconds of saying “Play Iris”, it was playing.

When I got home, I pushed one button and the song feed switched from my headphones, over to my surround sound system. Everything was seamless. I don't even have to think about when I left work and if I've been gone for too long, Place Clock handles that for me



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PHOTOGRAPHY​

This is one of those make-or-break categories. I can't always have my DSLR with me, so I need the camera that's always with me to be something I'd want to use. As a result, there are a few apps I cannot be without.

iCloud – All of my photos automatically backed up to the cloud, and my last 1000 photos syned to my computer and iPad is amazing.

HDR Photo Camera – This app takes three photos in under a second, each at different exposure levels. I can either choose the one I like best, or use an HDR processing app to merge them together. I like this app better than others, because it also takes a normally exposed photo. That way if the HDR photos are too extreme to be usable, you'll still have the normal photo to use All HDR apps I've tried on all platforms have been too slow, taking a long time to both process the scene, take the photos, then finish it up so I can take more shots. This app is in a class of it's own.

Make sure to click on the gear on the bottom right -> Advanced Settings -> Low Light Bracketing -> ON, for the best results.

Slow Shutter Cam – Low light photography almost isn't worth it without this app, it's that good. Last weekend I was at a romantic dim-lit restaurant with the girlfriend, and was able to hand-hold a long shutter-speed photo of us, without using the flash. If the flash is needed, we could have used it, but the natural-light scene really captured the mood of the restaurant. Even if one of us moved during the shot, the app gives you a slider so I can move to a point of the exposure where we weren't moving, and save the shot.

Pro HDR – iCameraHDR – The two best HDR apps I've seen anywhere. I've yet to see HDR processing done easier, or better than in these two apps.

AutoStitch – The same app I've been using for years on the Desktop, now has a mobile app. Autostitch can output your Panorama at up to 18 magapixels, more than enough for the 20x30 prints I've made

360 Panorama – Creates a 3D virtual photo that lets the user pan around the photo. Combined with the Gyroscope, it's errie how realistic it is. Definitely conveys the feeling that you're *in* the picture.

iPhoto – The best mobile photo editor. As if that weren't enough, it lets you create awesome online photo journals to share, here's a sample:

https://www.icloud.com/journals/sample/

BigLens – This is the app that really changed how I look at mobile photography. It lets you easily add Depth of Field to a photo, as if it were taken with an expensive DSLR.

645 PRO – The closest thing to RAW photography you're going to see on a mobile device (uncompressed TIFF)

FilterStorm – The best implementation of layers I've seen on a mobile device.

Other photography apps I couldn't do without – NightCap, Snapseed, PhotoForge2, ColorSplash, Photogene2, Retouch, LensLight, LensFlare, AntiCrop, Rays, Light, GroupShot, AutoPainter, Hipstamatic, Instagram, ChromaCam, PicFrame, Fast Camera, Mozaikr

Here are some of my shots...

Original (normal Camera app)

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Added DOF

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Cropped

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A friend sent me a photo:

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I removed the tree for fun (10 second job) and added DOF

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Another one I worked on:

Original

Image

I added DOF and some sunrays through the window:

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Here are some from well known iPhoneographer Souichi Furusho:

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Here are some links to his galleries:

http://www.eyeem.com/u/3725
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfurusho/

Are people this brainwashed?

Seriously. Do you really think there isn't the equivalent app for Android or the exact same app?

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slow-shutter-cam/id357404131?mt=8

My one X does this out of the box, no app needed. Also does slow motion video and can take pics while taking video at the same time. As a matter of fact, the built in features of the One X can do all of the above mentioned .

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alien-blue-reddit-client/id370144106?mt=8

Here you go. Used both and this one works better.

http://baconreader.com/

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/07/15/13-android-sleep-apps-for-quicker-better-sleep/

How many sleep apps do you want?

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/health_and_fitness/sleep-bot-tracker-log_ipsf.html

I have every exact app from my 4S on my new One X. The same ones. The same exact apps. I even have them in folders in the same exact arrangement called the same thing(folder) in the exact same order in the exact same arrangement(screen) on my One X.

Have any of you even tried ICS or know what it can do or not do? There is very little difference between iOS and ICS as far as useability. You can even mimic the way ICS behaves if you are used to iOS.

I never rooted or performed custom roms. Nor do I have a desire too.

 

[JAT]

I have every exact app from my 4S on my new One X. The same ones. The same exact apps. I even have them in folders in the same exact arrangement called the same thing(folder) in the exact same order in the exact same arrangement(screen) on my One X.

Have any of you even tried ICS or know what it can do or not do? There is very little difference between iOS and ICS as far as useability. You can even mimic the way ICS behaves if you are used to iOS.

I never rooted or performed custom roms. Nor do I have a desire too.

Sounds like you are trying to convince people that Google has copied Apple.

 

[DodgeV83]

I'm absolutely certain that the iPhone is indeed the only phone that can satisfy your list...because you created that list from features you use on your iPhone. Anybody could do that with any device they use.

For example:

I like to have to quick access to a torch. My android phone turns on the camera flash if I keep hold of the power/screen on button from the screen off state. I don't have to unlock the phone to do this.

Such obscure features are likely to be met by only the one device/OS, so challenging people to find the same feature on another os is ridiculous.

As for your other points, I've addressed the sat nav one, and another user here said that there are light sleep alarms for Android. I'm not going to painstakingly go through each and every one because quite simply a lot of your apps bore me to tears.

I agree with your first point, as I said earlier:

If you prefer BBM, you could easily start a thread explaining "Why I can never switch from my Blackberry".

Just so I understand, I made a thread titled, "Why I can never switch from an iPhone." and gave 100 reasons. You guys agree that if those are the features I want, the iPhone is the only phone on the market that can do it, but you came here to argue that anyone can make a similar thread about their phones?

I'm fine with that

Getting back on topic, you did not address the GPS navigation point, you simply said, "Google Navigation is really good". You made no attempt to address the benefits I referred to with TomTom, and made no claim that Google Navigation can fit those shoes.

The only TomTom feature I talked about is IQ Routes, and Google Navigation does not have a similar feature.

I want a phone that can take and create amazing photos, for the times I leave my DSLR at home. I want a phone with the best quality video, in 60fps, that can either automatically edit my movies (so I don't have to bothered with it), or allow me to do it manually.

I trade from my phone, so security is of the utmost importance. I want a phone where I don't have to worry about security, or have to replace my whole OS with something I download from a random post on a message forum to stay up to date.

I want my audio and video to integrate seamlessly with my hardware. I want my photos, documents, media and game-saves to sync with my computers and iPad.

I want the best GPS app on the market, that integrates historical traffic data to give me the best routes when I'm behind the wheel. I want a phone that reliably tracks my long distance runs, even when the GPS signal is unreliable. I want an app that helps keep me on top of my workouts, and doesn't let me coast through the workout with the same weight and reps I did last week.

I want to have all the most advanced mobile games available, with the best graphics, smoothest frame rate, and without having to do a hack just to get the game to install, or manually modify files on the file system to get it to not error out.

I want a phone that lets me say things like, "Remind me to take out the trash when I get home." or "Tell my girlfriend I'm going to be 15 minutes late." without having to take the phone out of my pocket. I want a phone that plays any song I own simply by saying it, even if the song hasn't been transferred to my phone yet. I want a phone that reliably lets me listen to Spotify with a 320k bitrate (only available on iOS) and with out crashing. I want a phone that lets me quickly search facts relevant to a conversation I'm having at a BBQ, then pull up a video of what I'm talking about:

I like to stay productive and learn new things when I can, so I want a phone that easily lets me keep up with the Yale course lectures on Financial Markets I'm following. I want a phone that shows itself on a map if lost, and let's me remotely wipe it if stolen. Reddit is my favorite site, and after using Alien Blue I can't go back. I like surprising my girlfriend at work with flowers, giving her a ride home so she doesn't have to take the subway, Find My Friends makes this significantly easier.

I need the ability to send custom alerts from a script on my desktop to my phone, that can perform a task with a click (open a link to the case, show me a screenshot of the market, open a specific iPhone app like LogMeIn...etc) and update me with what's going on, no matter where I am. The possibilities here are endless.

The strawman argument, claiming that I'm referring to niche features which less than 1% of the population can benefit from, clearly falls apart when reading my posts...but even if it didn't, I'm happy you all agree that the iPhone is the only place where all of this is possible

 

[DodgeV83]

Are people this brainwashed?

Seriously. Do you really think there isn't the equivalent app for Android or the exact same app?

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slow-shutter-cam/id357404131?mt=8

My one X does this out of the box, no app needed. Also does slow motion video and can take pics while taking video at the same time. As a matter of fact, the built in features of the One X can do all of the above mentioned .

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alien-blue-reddit-client/id370144106?mt=8

Here you go. Used both and this one works better.

http://baconreader.com/

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/07/15/13-android-sleep-apps-for-quicker-better-sleep/

How many sleep apps do you want?

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/health_and_fitness/sleep-bot-tracker-log_ipsf.html

I have every exact app from my 4S on my new One X. The same ones. The same exact apps. I even have them in folders in the same exact arrangement called the same thing(folder) in the exact same order in the exact same arrangement(screen) on my One X.

Have any of you even tried ICS or know what it can do or not do? There is very little difference between iOS and ICS as far as useability. You can even mimic the way ICS behaves if you are used to iOS.

I never rooted or performed custom roms. Nor do I have a desire too.

The HTC One X is actually quite bad at taking photos. This is the best comparison of the HTC One X camera vs the iPhone 4S camera. It simply shows you the results and lets you form your own conclusions:

http://www.techradar.com/videos/htc-one-x-vs-iphone-4s-camera-test-aJ2D7rM1i3OVz

 

[mrbutters]

I agree with your first point, as I said earlier:



Just so I understand, I made a thread titled, "Why I can never switch from an iPhone." and gave 100 reasons. You guys agree that if those are the features I want, the iPhone is the only phone on the market that can do it, but you came here to argue that anyone can make a similar thread about their phones?

I'm fine with that

Getting back on topic, you did not address the GPS navigation point, you simply said, "Google Navigation is really good". You made no attempt to address the benefits I referred to with TomTom, and made no claim that Google Navigation can fit those shoes.

The only TomTom feature I talked about is IQ Routes, and Google Navigation does not have a similar feature.

I want a phone that can take and create amazing photos, for the times I leave my DSLR at home. I want a phone with the best quality video, in 60fps, that can either automatically edit my movies (so I don't have to bothered with it), or allow me to do it manually.

I trade from my phone, so security is of the utmost importance. I want a phone where I don't have to worry about security, or have to replace my whole OS with something I download from a random post on a message forum to stay up to date.

I want my audio and video to integrate seamlessly with my hardware. I want my photos, documents, media and game-saves to sync with my computers and iPad.

I want the best GPS app on the market, that integrates historical traffic data to give me the best routes when I'm behind the wheel. I want a phone that reliably tracks my long distance runs, even when the GPS signal is unreliable. I want an app that helps keep me on top of my workouts, and doesn't let me coast through the workout with the same weight and reps I did last week.

I want to have all the most advanced mobile games available, with the best graphics, smoothest frame rate, and without having to do a hack just to get the game to install, or manually modify files on the file system to get it to not error out.

I want a phone that lets me say things like, "Remind me to take out the trash when I get home." or "Tell my girlfriend I'm going to be 15 minutes late." without having to take the phone out of my pocket. I want a phone that plays any song I own simply by saying it, even if the song hasn't been transferred to my phone yet. I want a phone that reliably lets me listen to Spotify with a 320k bitrate (only available on iOS) and with out crashing. I want a phone that lets me quickly search facts relevant to a conversation I'm having at a BBQ, then pull up a video of what I'm talking about:

Image

Image

Image

I like to stay productive and learn new things when I can, so I want a phone that easily lets me keep up with the Yale course lectures on Financial Markets I'm following. I want a phone that shows itself on a map if lost, and let's me remotely wipe it if stolen. Reddit is my favorite site, and after using Alien Blue I can't go back. I like surprising my girlfriend at work with flowers, giving her a ride home so she doesn't have to take the subway, Find My Friends makes this significantly easier.

I need the ability to send custom alerts from a script on my desktop to my phone, that can perform a task with a click (open a link to the case, show me a screenshot of the market, open a specific iPhone app like LogMeIn...etc) and update me with what's going on, no matter where I am. The possibilities here are endless.

The strawman argument, claiming that I'm referring to niche features which less than 1% of the population can benefit from, clearly falls apart when reading my posts...but even if it didn't, I'm happy you all agree that the iPhone is the only place where all of this is possible

Most Android phones can do everything you just listed. Myself and others have listed dozens of things you can't do with an iPhone that you can with an Android. So lets do this, list something that your iPhone can do an Android phone can't....

 

[Vegastouch]

Most Android phones can do everything you just listed. Myself and others have listed dozens of things you can't do with an iPhone that you can with an Android. So lets do this, list something that your iPhone can do an Android phone can't....

Kinda funny. Hey i have no qualms if somebody likes the iPhone better. Its all good and again, to each their own. If you want a small screen, great. That isnt what i want. What he does with his phone and what i do are two completely different things.
I couldnt care less about first spending $49 on a GPS app. Having IQ routes isnt anything worth spending $49 on. I dont need a babysitter to tell me how much weight i lifted the last time i worked out or when to take out my trash or 29 different camera apps.
If i want quality pictures, i use a actual camera. I dont really play many games at all on my phone, just a few to pass time if im stuck someplace. It is great that these phones can do so many different things but asside from a few things here and there, the same apps can be had on the Android market as they are on iTunes and vice versa.

I havent used an iPhone for a couple years now so i dont know if their twitter apps are improved or not. Twitterific used to cost money(im sure it still does) but i have two i use on Android that are free and are better.

Im happy for this guy if his phone is a marvel to him. Seems he is very anal with the phone itself which is kinda weird to me but whatever. Not everybody feels the same way so why he keeps trying to convince us or wants us to try and refute apps he has and Android may not...who cares?
He isnt going to buy an Android phone so i have no interest to try and convince him to switch.
I dont try to convince anybody to do that. Use WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY. Just dont try and tell us that Android is inferior when Apple is now behind and is trying to catch up. Thats what happens when you release one new phone per year and they take their time giving you even the simpliest things like MMS, notifications, etc.

I think there are a lot of good apps in iTunes, i just dont need 20 of the same type and i dont like iTunes itself.

 

[iamthedudeman]

The HTC One X is actually quite bad at taking photos. This is the best comparison of the HTC One X camera vs the iPhone 4S camera. It simply shows you the results and lets you form your own conclusions:

http://www.techradar.com/videos/htc-one-x-vs-iphone-4s-camera-test-aJ2D7rM1i3OVz

Image

Image

Image

Image

Really. I can do the same. Depends on who is taking the test.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5779/htc-one-x-for-att-review/5

Lol. I can post shots saying differently. Or find others on the web portraying the one x over the iphone.

i own both phones actually I'm holding both of my hand as we speak the photos you posted are just not true. I don't care where you got those photos from doesn't mean that's the exact truth, maybe someone got a bad One X who knows.

you're speaking to the choir since I own both phones and you don't. Photo quality is about the same. Features the One X has the the iphone beat. Shutter speed on the one x is three times as fast. Processing is night and day.

Try taking HDR photo on the iPhone you're going to be waiting quite a while. do the same as the one x and it processes almost instantly.

The title of the thread should be what I like about my iPhone, not what my iPhone can do and others can't, you simply are clueless of what ICS can do or other phones for that matter.

Which photo is the iphone 4S and which is the One X? You should be able to pick it out since the camera on the One X is so bad. Right?

 

[jman240]

I'd like to interject that while I am an avid iOS user, there are things on android that I feel put the "smart" in smart phone and I wish Apple would copy them. I stay with my iPhone for personal reason's and I refuse to add fuel to this fire but here are just a few observations.

I'll do the pro android first from this side of the fence. Keep in mind I am an iPhone user and that is the only device I have. I have used android before but it didn't mesh well with me. I fully believe that both operating systems are very important and I want to see each get better and better because we all stand to benefit from that... Fanboyism aside...

There is/was an app called taskr on android that let you set up custom "macros" or events that would trigger things. For instance, if you turned your phone upside down on a table taskr could mute everything, or put it in airplane mode. ETC. It let you pair actions with events like that for all kinds of cool things.

Android has amazing support for 3rd party apps within other apps. For instance if you have lots of photo apps installed you can usually access them from the gallery kind of like a share this menu. Win7 phone does something very similar. iPhone lets you tweet or email.. yay... I wish apple would expand on this.

Android can install custom roms. I don't think you should have to to make the phone usable as it should work out of the box (like iPhones do) but I love that it is possible to do this. Basically I would really like it if Apple allowed us to go back a version in software. Once you update that's all she wrote. If the update breaks something or has bugs or slows the phone down to a crawl (3G iPhone with 4.2.1) you can't go back. So there is definitely some flexibility there on the Android side.

I don't give a crap about flash on my mobile device but I would love to set a default browser other than safari. Chrome on android looks neat and since I use chrome exclusively everywhere else it would be nice to extent that experience to my device. With Mountain Lion and Safari it will be a better experience but I really don't like Safari on windows (I do use both windows and Mac) and much prefer the desktop chrome browser.

I both hate and love the dock connector. It's expensive and proprietary and I feel that micro usb is superior in a few ways. The only problem I have is that I use a few peripherals that rely on the dock connector to work like boomboxes or my car stereo from Sony that lets me control the device from the deck. I'm not sure if this is possible through micro usb. I'm hoping it is because it would be nice for these things to work no matter what device you have.

Speaking of hardware I really like some of the Samsung phone designs. I also really like the Lumia 900. I wish the next iPhone takes some cues from these. Mostly screen, very small physical buttons, very thin and rounded edges. I find it appealing. The sheer number of options with android is amazing and is also very daunting when on the other side all you have to really chose is black/white and what size you want... and now what carrier of course.

That being said I'm going to switch gears and talk about iOS and the iPhone platform.

First and foremost. The camera on the 4S is just awesome. I love the results and I have yet to see better on the android side. There are close ones but even reviewers have acknowledged the 4S camera as being really really good.

The iOS ecosystem is very vibrant. What I mean is there are a ton of very specific hard to find apps on there that I don't see anywhere on the Play store. For instance, a friend of mine is very into astronomy and he bought a telescope that can position itself. It has a companion iOS app that lets him completely control the telescope from his phone. Just one example but I see a lot of the apps like this at least appear on iOS first if they ever make it to android. On the flip side there are a few examples of the same thing the other way around. There is a CrossLoop app on android and nothing for iOS so this is pretty subjective anyway.

Backup/Restore. I really like the way Apple handles this. I can buy a new device and within a day (sometimes hours) it can be an exact clone of the device I am replacing. Some people call this boring but I like it since I can just grab it and it will work as expected and all my stuff is in the same place.

Airplay is a big deal to me. Granted this is a one time $100 charge for the Apple TV to use it but that device has a lot of advantages and nice little features as well. I use airplay a lot. Great way to let people show you things when you hang out (granted you all have iPhones or a compatible app on android. I know its out there.). Also a great way to show off photos / videos or share some content using mirroring. Play a 4 player game of RealRacing 2 maybe...

Games seem to be more plentiful and higher quality on iOS. Epic even reworked their Unreal engine for it. This is coming for android but only for the latest hardware I think. It worked as far back as the 3GS on the iPhone side. Again, this is purely my opinion from small observations. I notice that I spend more time in games on my iPhone than friends do on their droids as well but that could just be because we are different people entirely...

I think ultimately both platforms have their place and arguing about who's is better is stupid and pointless. We shouldn't put one down over the other but offer up what cool things each can do. It seems like there are tons of really nice customization options available for android but I really wonder how many people care intimately about that. I think its the same people who spend time customizing their desktops/laptops with windows 7 trying to make everything look cool. It's neat but I just don't have the time or need to change that sort of thing. I don't spend hours trying to change the task bar in windows 7 and I treat my phone the same way. I like to spend time in apps, doing something with the phone, not doing something to the phone. I stick with iOS for the stability, the upgrade cycle, and mostly because it's where I started. I have time and money invested in the platform and they make that very hard to switch. iTunes content isn't 3rd party device friendly so it keeps me locked in. As long as I keep playing in their garden though I find that all my devices work very well together. A purchase on my phone shows up on my iPad and Apple TV and is available for download on my computers through iTunes. I have little to complain about.

 

[matttye]

I agree with your first point, as I said earlier:



Just so I understand, I made a thread titled, "Why I can never switch from an iPhone." and gave 100 reasons. You guys agree that if those are the features I want, the iPhone is the only phone on the market that can do it, but you came here to argue that anyone can make a similar thread about their phones?

I'm fine with that

What we agree on is that the iPhone is the only phone that can satisfy all 100 of your "needs" (and I use the term loosely). I'm sure that there are some of your individual "needs" that can be done on Android, but not all 100. I don't think you've research all 100 of your "needs" to see if they can be done on Android, because if you did, you wouldn't have enough time for a girlfriend.

The reason people are posting arguing with your reasons are because you posted this on a discussion forum and not your blog. You clearly posted it here because you have an agenda. If you didn't have an agenda, you wouldn't have mentioned Android. You would have just said "this is why I like my iPhone and that's that."

Getting back on topic, you did not address the GPS navigation point, you simply said, "Google Navigation is really good". You made no attempt to address the benefits I referred to with TomTom, and made no claim that Google Navigation can fit those shoes.

The only TomTom feature I talked about is IQ Routes, and Google Navigation does not have a similar feature.

I have a TomTom dedicated Sat Nav with IQ Routes and it's not anything special. You are gullible if you think it is. It's clever advertising. IQ routes apparently gives you the quickest way to get somewhere, by giving you routes which uses roads with the fastest speed limits, however, sometimes the roads it sends you on are absolutely rubbish. It sent me on a winding country road with a 60mph speed limit, however, I couldn't travel at 60mph on hardly any of it because of the tight, blind corners. I came home from where I was going along the main road and cut about 25 minutes off my journey.

I don't know too much about Google Navigation as I've only used it a handful of times, but the routes it uses appear reasonable. There are layers that you can use to display things such as live traffic, which I would submit is infinitely more useful than IQ routes.

I want a phone that can take and create amazing photos, for the times I leave my DSLR at home. I want a phone with the best quality video, in 60fps, that can either automatically edit my movies (so I don't have to bothered with it), or allow me to do it manually.

iPhone fits the bill.

I trade from my phone, so security is of the utmost importance. I want a phone where I don't have to worry about security, or have to replace my whole OS with something I download from a random post on a message forum to stay up to date.

What you really want is for your device to think for you. Android is not a security risk for me because I'm not stupid. I've used computers for a long time and have hardly ever had problems with viruses, etc. Having a little technical know how and some common sense goes a long way.

I want my audio and video to integrate seamlessly with my hardware. I want my photos, documents, media and game-saves to sync with my computers and iPad.

Audio/video/photos/documents/media can all be synced using Dropbox, even between Android and iOS devices.

I want the best GPS app on the market, that integrates historical traffic data to give me the best routes when I'm behind the wheel. I want a phone that reliably tracks my long distance runs, even when the GPS signal is unreliable. I want an app that helps keep me on top of my workouts, and doesn't let me coast through the workout with the same weight and reps I did last week.

Not even the iPhone can track your runs reliably when GPS is sketchy. The other sensors cannot reliably track you because that's not their job. That's what GPS is for.

I want a phone that lets me say things like, "Remind me to take out the trash when I get home." or "Tell my girlfriend I'm going to be 15 minutes late." without having to take the phone out of my pocket. I want a phone that plays any song I own simply by saying it, even if the song hasn't been transferred to my phone yet. I want a phone that reliably lets me listen to Spotify with a 320k bitrate (only available on iOS) and with out crashing. I want a phone that lets me quickly search facts relevant to a conversation I'm having at a BBQ, then pull up a video of what I'm talking about:

You can say "Text (girlfriend's name) mobile I'm going to be 15 minutes late." on Android. You only have to specify "mobile" if there's more than one number and her mobile isn't set to default. You can do that without taking the phone out of your pocket.

320kbps for Spotify is an iOS exclusive, but only for now. It's listed as a feature for all premium users on the website, so it's only a matter of time until other devices are updated to support that bitrate. I do prefer Spotify on iOS because I can see what my friends are listening to. There is an Android feature that I like too that iOS doesn't have though, and that's the ability to to add your own tracks to your Spotify playlists. I can rip a CD, put it on my phone and add that track to my Spotify playlists. Spotify doesn't have everything so sometimes this is handy. My Spotify crashes occasionally when I'm deleted songs, but it doesn't crash when I'm adding or listening. Overall it's pretty stable.

I want a phone that shows itself on a map if lost, and let's me remotely wipe it if stolen.

https://www.wavesecure.com/

I like surprising my girlfriend at work with flowers, giving her a ride home so she doesn't have to take the subway, Find My Friends makes this significantly easier.

You're taking all of the human-ness out of your relationship. What's wrong with a phone call? "Hi (hunny/baby/whatever you call her), want a lift home?"

You seem to want your smartphone to replace.... well, you. You can't remember to do simple things like take out the trash and need your phone to remind you?

 

[matttye]

Btw, seeing as you've clearly researched Android very carefully, can I ask what you wish your iPhone could do, that can be done on Android?

 

[iamthedudeman]

Now this being a iphone forum. I am not bashing the phone. As I am still using both the One X and the 4S for now. I still like the 4S and iOS but I am not blind to what else is out there and what it can do. If the next iPhone has a bigger screen and the iphone is not the best at everything if it fits the bill for you that is great.

 

[jman240]

I'd like to add a good app suggestion. I saw a lot of buzz about the new feature coming with BlackBerry OS 10 built into the camera app that allows you get snap the perfect photo by changing peoples faces to other points in time so that they're all looking at you etc. Anyway, there is an app that does this on iOS called Group Shot

Definitely a cool one to check out. There is a similar thing on certain android phones I think the HTC ones. I honestly can't remember but it allowed people to smartly remove elements from a scene in a photo.

Just noticed this app is already mentioned by the OP. Oh well. Thought I found something new =(

 

[xAnthony]

Most Android phones can do everything you just listed. Myself and others have listed dozens of things you can't do with an iPhone that you can with an Android. So lets do this, list something that your iPhone can do an Android phone can't....

Last a full day. Such a simple thing like this cannot be done by most android phones. (Especially as a heavy user)

 

[matttye]

Last a full day. Such a simple thing like this cannot be done by most android phones. (Especially as a heavy user)

Everyone who hasn't yet done so should root and undervolt the processor/GPU and use a decent CPU governor, because the difference it makes to the battery life is night and day.

My battery was off charge for 17 hours yesterday and the screen had been on for two hours, and I had 35% remaining.

 

[mrbutters]

Last a full day. Such a simple thing like this cannot be done by most android phones. (Especially as a heavy user)

My Razr Maxx lasts 2-3 times longer than my 4s...and thats running on LTE

 

[cynics]

Last a full day. Such a simple thing like this cannot be done by most android phones. (Especially as a heavy user)

I'll admit my 4S has better battery life then any android device I've own (except my original droid 3G it felt about the same). However it still can't get me through a full day so FOR ME that argument is irrelevant since I need to be by a charger anyway. I know you weren't quoting me just saying.

 

[mrbutters]

Btw, seeing as you've clearly researched Android very carefully, can I ask what you wish your iPhone could do, that can be done on Android?

You want the long list or the short list? Lets see....

I would like to have the option of texting or adding a contact from a phone number in an email rather than only to call it.

I would like to be able to click a link in an email and have it launch in a browser other than Safari.

I would like to be able to download MP3's with one press and not have to sync with iTunes just to add a ringtone.

I would like a smart dialer than shows my contacts as I start entering numbers. Before you say there is an app for that, I know. There are several but none of them do everything my dialer on my Android does all in one.

I would like to be able to use a file manager.

I would like to be able to swap in memory cards.

I would like the ability to run on 4G

I would like to download apps not from the App store.

I would like to have automation apps

I would like widgets to toggle on/off Wifi, BT, GPS etc...

This is just the short list by the way. I could go on for hours with things my Android can do my 4s can't.

 

[DodgeV83]

Really. I can do the same. Depends on who is taking the test.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5779/htc-one-x-for-att-review/5

Lol. I can post shots saying differently. Or find others on the web portraying the one x over the iphone.

i own both phones actually I'm holding both of my hand as we speak the photos you posted are just not true. I don't care where you got those photos from doesn't mean that's the exact truth, maybe someone got a bad One X who knows.

you're speaking to the choir since I own both phones and you don't. Photo quality is about the same. Features the One X has the the iphone beat. Shutter speed on the one x is three times as fast. Processing is night and day.

Try taking HDR photo on the iPhone you're going to be waiting quite a while. do the same as the one x and it processes almost instantly.

The title of the thread should be what I like about my iPhone, not what my iPhone can do and others can't, you simply are clueless of what ICS can do or other phones for that matter.

Which photo is the iphone 4S and which is the One X? You should be able to pick it out since the camera on the One X is so bad. Right?

I'd say the HTC One X is on the left, while the iPhone 4S is on the right. The highlights on the left photo are significantly overblown, and there is very noticeable chromatic aberration on the blinds. Take these pictures outside with a large contrast between the bright areas and the shadows (like in the example video/photos I showed), and it will be even more pronounced.

Try taking comparison shots similar to the examples I posted, and I'm guessing we would see the same results. Actually, after seeing your shots, I'm convinced they would, as the same deficiencies are shown.

 

[saberahul]

You, my friend, have a lot of time on your hands.

 

[DodgeV83]

Really. I can do the same. Depends on who is taking the test.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5779/...ot look good at all (unusable in my opinion).

 

[CyBeRino]

Ok, here are some things you can't do on your iPhone but you can on an Android, and these are very simple things.

Go into an email someone has sent you a phone number. Click it and try to add it as a contact or text that person.

You're Doing It Wrong.

Don't click (tap!) that number, but tap and hold it. If you simply tap, it'll pop up a quick dialog with a call button. If you hold, a bunch more options show up. One of which is to send a text message and the next is to add it as a contact.

Try to swap between all keyboards on your phone while in any typing field just by sliding down the notification bar and selecting one

What the hell is something like that doing in the notification bar? That makes absolutely no sense.


Edit: Oh crap, I may not have noticed the other seven pages of replies…

 

[lilo777]

The HTC One X is actually quite bad at taking photos. This is the best comparison of the HTC One X camera vs the iPhone 4S camera. It simply shows you the results and lets you form your own conclusions:

http://www.techradar.com/videos/htc-one-x-vs-iphone-4s-camera-test-aJ2D7rM1i3OVz

Image

Image

Image

Image

This comparison demonstrates a known problem of iPhone camera software. Apple produces oversaturated pictures (trying to make them look prettier). Anyways, if you really are that bent on phone photography (which is a strange thing in itself), you'd be much better off with Nokia's PureView phone (41MP) or Sony's phone that has 12MP Exmor sensor.

 

[DodgeV83]

This comparison demonstrates a known problem of iPhone camera software. Apple produces oversaturated pictures (trying to make them look prettier). Anyways, if you really are that bent on phone photography (which is a strange thing in itself), you'd be much better off with Nokia's PureView phone (41MP) or Sony's phone that has 12MP Exmor sensor.

Looking at those two shots, it's clearly not a saturation issue. That's simply not how over saturated photos look. To test, I increased the saturation only on the left side (Filterstorm), yet could not match the color reproduction on the right side. Increasing saturation made the left side look incredibly fake.

 

[mrbutters]

You're Doing It Wrong.

Don't click (tap!) that number, but tap and hold it. If you simply tap, it'll pop up a quick dialog with a call button. If you hold, a bunch more options show up. One of which is to send a text message and the next is to add it as a contact

Thanks. If you have suggestions for everything else on my list, please let me know.