I think it should work like the pharmaceutical companies; there is a patent for a fixed amount of time to allow the company to reap the profits. After that it can be used by anyone after the patent expires.
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iPhone 14 Pro Max Why is the iPhone still seen as the holy grail of smartphones?
- Thread starter Retskrad
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You should reread the OP question. He's not talking about hardware. It's the OS. You are not buying a difference in OS throughout a price range. Yes some are more slightly advanced than others, but all are advanced. All lose support with Android after a few years. The newest iPhones arguably have a slightly higher build quality but both platforms are good. I own each updated to the most recent iteration.
It’s worth noting that pretty much every reason you gave for the pixel being better is subjective, not objective.
My preferences for iPhone include Continuity (copy and paste between Mac and iPhone, and switching app between the two), being able to answer calls on my Mac, the security and privacy features (which, misguided or not, I trust more), and integration with Apps I use on my Mac (Photos, Music, Notes, Reminders, Contacts, Keychain, etc) without having to use a third-party cloud like Google.
That, and I feel I don’t need the bleeding-edge gadget, so my iPhone XS is still going fine (but could do with a new battery soon).
My preferences for iPhone include Continuity (copy and paste between Mac and iPhone, and switching app between the two), being able to answer calls on my Mac, the security and privacy features (which, misguided or not, I trust more), and integration with Apps I use on my Mac (Photos, Music, Notes, Reminders, Contacts, Keychain, etc) without having to use a third-party cloud like Google.
That, and I feel I don’t need the bleeding-edge gadget, so my iPhone XS is still going fine (but could do with a new battery soon).
It’s subjective I think. I use iPhone because I have for 15 years and can’t be bothered to try anything else. A lot of my friends use Android or have switched to it from iPhone and would never come back.
I don’t get the impression the iPhone is seen as the outright best smartphone these days, just one of the best.
I don’t get the impression the iPhone is seen as the outright best smartphone these days, just one of the best.
For your average user, it’s this simple: people just use what they know. They have an iPhone now, and when upgrade time comes, they get another iPhone. That’s the extent of the thought process preceding the purchase. Your average user isn’t posting on Internet forums or reading tech news. I bet you they couldn’t even tell you what iPhone model they have.
If your average user knew about the features of other platforms, they’d probably give them a chance. But they just don’t know. I think it really is that simple.
An aside: it is interesting to see when marketing works. My father recently brought up at dinner, “Those Google phones let you circle and search what’s on your screen. I think that’d be so useful. I saw it on a commercial.”
I use both platforms, myself. I like them both. But if we’re talking strictly features, it’s Pixel (Android) advantage all day long. No question.
If your average user knew about the features of other platforms, they’d probably give them a chance. But they just don’t know. I think it really is that simple.
An aside: it is interesting to see when marketing works. My father recently brought up at dinner, “Those Google phones let you circle and search what’s on your screen. I think that’d be so useful. I saw it on a commercial.”
I use both platforms, myself. I like them both. But if we’re talking strictly features, it’s Pixel (Android) advantage all day long. No question.
Granted I haven't had an Android phone in a long time, but when I did I found it required too much of my attention and time to customize, set up functions, and troubleshoot. When I switched to iPhone, things were simpler, pre-thought out/automatic, and more fluid. It may not have had all the best specs, but the iPhone generally stayed out of my way while letting me get done what I wanted. It also seemed to have better quality and more apps and accessories, and generally better support. I understand Android has come a long way over the years, some claiming it to match the iPhone in some or all of these areas (I'm skeptical), but since I switched to iPhone I've also come to appreciate its level of privacy/security and all the ecosystem features, which I believe is still unique to iPhone.
I have used both iPhone and Android. At this point they all do the same thing. Just pick what you like.
I'm too lazy to switch at this time lol
I'm too lazy to switch at this time lol
It never worked reliably and got worse over time. Similarly I used a Raspberry PI to integrate it with HomeKit. It was frequently losing the connection to the heating system and was so badly engineered.
Never had an issue with the Resideo. On the rare occasion our WiFi won’t down it resolved itself without having to reset and repair like the Nest did.
That makes a lot of sense.
I like how Elon Musk doesn’t believe in patents and open sources everything. I wish more companies had the courage to compete on merits than greed.
The iPhone is simpler and not a device that requires one to be a tech nerd in order to use it. The iPad more or less has that same utility. I'm pretty sure that, combined with extremely shiny looks and polish, is what lures people into its trap of an ecosystem. It's not intrinsically better than Android, nor is the opposite necessarily true.
Because it is 💅
A true believer! Nah, lol, just messing with you.
But, I do wonder sometimes. Because your statements and attitude seem to imply that only Apple's services have this same functionality. I've gotten the same impression from others as well. If I am misinterpreting that then I apologize.
Certainly though, Apple specific services are only going to work on Apple products. An example being iMessage. Although, I did use iMessage on my Pixel for several months. All I needed was AirServer and my own Mac Mini functioning as a server. In that regard, I could also use my Macs to send SMS from my Pixel because - PushBullet.
Apple has Photos. I use Dropbox and sometimes Google photos. This is better to me because the way Camera Uploads functions, all my photos taken with my iPhone automatically appear on all my devices. I don't have to open the Photos app. There are just there in the Dropbox folder. With the Photos app, my photos exist only inside the app. If I want them out because I want to do something with them I have to open the app and get them out from there. That's a hassle to me.
My calendars and contacts are in Google. And they work. I use Vivaldi and Opera on my Macs and PCs and my iDevices. You know, bookmarks and other stuff sync between all devices.
My point here is that just because Apple's services make integration great between Apple products it does not automatically mean that other third party services don't work or work poorly.
EDIT: Oh, I forgot one thing. You mentioned a new feature about controlling your iPhone from your Mac. I was doing that from about 2013 to 2020 from a PowerPC Mac. I could do that because my iPhone(s) and my iPad were jailbroken. So, great news from Apple and while a new feature for stock iOS, not a new concept.
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Because it was the first to take the market by storm. It got all the attention and became a must-have purchase for so many people. You can't ignore the value of that in the minds of consumers everywhere. It created a then-new market that is now central to many of our lives, and it did so for years.
So the smartphone market since the iPhone launched has been defined by this question in the mind of the consumer: "Is it an iPhone or is it something else?" That very question tells you a lot. The iPhone is seen as the default setting. Everything else, for a lot of shoppers, is seen as second class.
It's a consumer item, and it's made for consumers, not techies. The vast number of smartphone buyers will never ever look at phone specs, so it hardly matters to most shoppers. Once they know it works with their provider, the most they're concerned about is the camera and the size of the phone. And, since phones are fashion statements, how they look. I think most shoppers just assume that all the recent models of iPhones, Pixels, Androids, etc. are basically the same as far as their use is concerned, but the iPhone is seen as "better" so it still has that glow.
Well said. The name of the game is to use platform agnostic services. When it’s in a company’s best interest to offer their services on as many platforms as possible (e.g. Google), it’s best for you as the consumer.
Contrast that with Apple: it’s in their best interest to get you to buy more Apple hardware. They’re playing a different game.
For me it's because it simply works. It's been a very long time since my last android phone, but I remember all the fuss with apps and things that didn't work. I now have most thing apple and they communicate seamlessly. Also everyone, if you have a device that get upgrades, get the new iOS at the same time. Not like android, where you would be lucky if you got the new upgrade at all. Yes, I know this has been improved, or so I heard.
I used to love windows and said I never would switch, now I hate using a windows computer at work and love mye MacBook Air. The same with phones: I've had many android phones and never wanted to switch, now it's the opposite.
I used to love windows and said I never would switch, now I hate using a windows computer at work and love mye MacBook Air. The same with phones: I've had many android phones and never wanted to switch, now it's the opposite.
You had me with you right until this part. At the risk of sounding repetitious, most of these average consumers are going to throw their iPhones in a case. If they do care about the looks, they won't be thinking about it until it's time to resell or trade in. I'd argue that the bigger point is not how the iPhone looks but rather that it holds its resale value.
As an aside (and this does not necessarily include you because I am unaware of what you do with your phone), I find it interesting that for a lot of people who use cases, the look of iPhone is an argument for buying it. How does that make sense? Most case users that I have observed are obsessed about the look of the CASE and not the device itself. It's just an interesting little sidebar for me.
I would simply just point out to you here that I have an iPhone and because of Google and Dropbox and the fact that I use IMAP for email and a do a few other things differently, my Apple devices AND my PC devices all communicate seamlessly.
While I use Apple devices for the most part, it's not necessary that I use Apple's services for my devices to communicate seamlessly.
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if you are referring to the seven years of updates that Google has recently promised, then let me paint you a picture. In about five years most cell phones will have a depleted battery, so the user will be presented with a choice: buy a new battery for a five-year-old phone or buy a new phone that has a new battery, better materials, better camera and guaranteed to have the latest version of the operating system.
Google knows which phones are running which versions of android, you can’t convince me they don’t track that kind of thing. So, in four or five years Google is going to map out which devices are still being used and likely come to the conclusion that very few people are still using five-year-old phones. With that information in hand, Google will make a decision that it is no longer cost-effective to continue developing updates for a five or six year-old version of android. Now they have justification to break the promise of providing seven years of updates.
To be honest, as soon as Google made that seven years of updates promise, I put that promise in the same category as political campaign promises.. “things that are said for the sole purpose of reaping immediate benefits, but with no intention of ever keeping the promise”. I bet that “seven years of updates promise” sold a lot of phones.
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For me Android is cheap and tacky like Windows, whereas iOS is far more refined and reliable.
Certain features and even hardware on some top Android phones like Pixels are great, but they are not great enough to overcome the negative that is Android imho.
I have friends who use Android phones, and they do so because the first smartphone they bought was Android. The reason the first smartphone they bought was Android was 1) because they hate Apple and 2) because they wouldn’t pay the “extortionate” price Apple charged.
Certain features and even hardware on some top Android phones like Pixels are great, but they are not great enough to overcome the negative that is Android imho.
I have friends who use Android phones, and they do so because the first smartphone they bought was Android. The reason the first smartphone they bought was Android was 1) because they hate Apple and 2) because they wouldn’t pay the “extortionate” price Apple charged.
Platform agnostic is better for the consumer if all else is equal (or evens out), which is a big if. For one thing, if it's an important service, then the company you choose should be one that you know is around for the long haul. Google is such a company, but my main problem with Google is their business model does not prioritize privacy--the opposite. I much prefer Apple's business model of selling services as standalone or packaging it along with their hardware--as long as I am the customer, not the product. If Google made me their main customer and sold me their services as such, then I would probably choose their services to have the option to switch around platforms.
But the other downside of platform agnostic services and switching around platforms is the inferior integration both within the platform and within the ecosystem. First party is always going to be better integrated because everything is under their control and vision.
Between the two, yes. Apple is better at privacy. I will continue to use Google's services however because it's convenient. There are some things I have done to limit Google abusing my privacy and of course it's never going to be as Apple is. But, for myself, I am willing to sacrifice a small amount of my privacy for convenience. Others are not.
I would just follow that up by saying that if you (or anyone else) truly trust Apple, realize that they are a business. While privacy is a marketing point for Apple (and security) if you truly believe that they are not collecting data on you and keeping it for themselves you might want to rethink that. Yes, they are unlikely to use it against you - but it doesn't mean they aren't data-mining you.
This is an assumption.
I use Dropbox for photos. I take a photo on my phone and it appears in the Camera Uploads folder inside my Dropbox folder. This occurs on all my Macs and all my PCs and all my devices that are running Dropbox. For those devices not capable of running Dropbox I can access Dropbox via a browser.
This is one example.
I sync my contacts and calendars with Google. This is no different than iCloud.
This is another example.
You can't tell me that just because it's an Apple service it's better than the two examples I just cited. It may be DIFFERENT and because your workflow integrates with it you perceive it as better. But I completely disagree that simply because it's not an Apple service it's automatically inferior.
No. Could be comparing technical specs of the device, OS, or apps. That would be objective.
Phone cases are fashion statements. Phones haven't been for years.
I very rarely see anyone without a case on their phone.