Why I recommend most people get iPhones over Android devices...
Background
I have a long history of using PDAs (including the original Palm Pilot, and then various incarnations of the Microsoft Pocket PC / Windows Mobile devices), but my first smart phone was a Motorola Droid X. A year and a half later I switched to an iPhone 4S, which I later upgraded to an iPhone 5 (I still have a Droid X2 as my work-issued phone). On the tablet front, I have an iPad (the "big" tablet) and a 2013 Nexus 7 (the "small tablet"). The Nexus 7 has the latest version of Android (4.3 "Jelly Bean").
So I basically use iOS and Android on a daily basis, and steer most friends and family members to iPhones. Why?
Reason #1: Very Little Preinstalled Crapware
Apple has strict control over iPhones, and they do not allow carriers to preinstall a bunch of crap software on phones. For phones manufactured by other companies (e.g., HTC, Motorola, etc.), carriers make money by charging third parties for the priviledge of putting their software on the phones. Many of these programs hog memory and resources and cannot be removed without rooting the phones and replacing the factory ROM, which violates the phone's warranty. My last android phone (a Motorola Droid X) included a Blockbuster app, an Amazon MP3 app, a Madden NFL game, a racing game, a Verizon navigator app, etc. Heck, every time I plugged that phone into my PC to sync files I get pop-up advertisements for an enhanced Verizon backup service!
By comparison, my iPhone is very clean - there are one or two programs I won't use (e.g., I have a bunch of Amazon Kindle books so I won't be using the Apple iBooks app), but nothing I find objectionable.
Reason #2: Better and/or Exclusive Apps
There are far more applications ("apps") available for iOS, and those apps are generally noticeably better than their Android Market counterparts. For example, I've been using eWallet for over ten years on various handheld devices, and the iOS version has more features (auto-sync with the cloud, better editing tools) and is easier to use. The iOS version of the game "Peggle" has optional add-on levels that are simply not available to the Android version. This is because there is a lot of fragmentation when it comes to Android devices, but there are millions of iPhones with the exact same hardware, so developers prioritize the Apple versions.
And then there are the apps that simply aren't available for other phones. I am a big fan of the Garmin navigation app, which uses downloaded offline map data and does not require a data connection. There are also many fun music applications that you can't get on Android. And there's no comparison when it comes to games!
Reason #3: iOS is More Stable
I have never had an iOS device lock up on me, ever - something I can't say about my Android devices.
Reason #4: iPhones get regular patches / updates
Apple consistently upgrades their software to provide new services and functionality, and provides these upgrades for free, even for older devices. Apple generally releases one major update a year (iOS 5.X, 6.X, 7.X, etc.), and they also push out minor updates as needed (e.g., iOS 6.1, which offers improved LTE performance and new iCloud features).
Android phone updates are typically managed by the carrier, and since there are costs associated with certifying an update for each unique model (remember my comments about fragmentation?), users are lucky to get updates. My work phone (Droid X2) is still running Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") even though Android 4.3 ("Jelly Bean") had been released. Because I had an older phone, and the manufacturer did not offer the upgrade, I was simply out of luck (unless I wanted to hack my phone, which I did not want to do).
Reason #5: Best in Class Device Upgrade Process
Upgrading an iDevice is ridiculously simple. You start off by backing up your old iPhone to your computer via iTunes. Then you plug in your new device and do a "restore from backup" (note that this step may take a while if you have a lot of content on your device - it takes me about an hour). That's it! Your new phone will have all your contacts, bookmarks, songs, movies, apps, etc. You can also do the backup and restore through iCloud, but it will likely take longer as you need to re-download everything.
Android users who are upgrading their devices should be able to re-download their contacts and applications from Google, but other files will need to be backed up and transferred manually. I also found the process glitchy when upgrading my Galaxy Tab 7 Plus to my first Nexus 7; some apps I had purchased were somehow locked to my old device, and did not transfer.
Reason #6: After-market Accessories
This one should be self-evident; there are millions of iPhones on the market, so there are simply more accessories (docking stations, speakers, cases, cables, etc.) available for iPhones than for any other phone models.
Reason #6: Customer Service
Apple has unparalleled customer service. They can't give you carrier discounts, but you owe it to yourself to go to an Apple store, tell them you are just looking, and have them sell you on the phone.
Reason #7: Better Resale Value
Apple phones hold their value much better than comparable Android phones. Heck, you can even sell for broken iPhones for a decent amount of money!
Cons
Sadly, iPhones do have room for improvement. Here are the main drawbacks I have noticed with iPhones:
Conclusion
I think most people will be happier with iPhones that with Android phones, and I encourage people looking to purchase/upgrade to a smart phone to thoroughly consider an iPhone before they make their decision...
I have a long history of using PDAs (including the original Palm Pilot, and then various incarnations of the Microsoft Pocket PC / Windows Mobile devices), but my first smart phone was a Motorola Droid X. A year and a half later I switched to an iPhone 4S, which I later upgraded to an iPhone 5 (I still have a Droid X2 as my work-issued phone). On the tablet front, I have an iPad (the "big" tablet) and a 2013 Nexus 7 (the "small tablet"). The Nexus 7 has the latest version of Android (4.3 "Jelly Bean").
So I basically use iOS and Android on a daily basis, and steer most friends and family members to iPhones. Why?
Reason #1: Very Little Preinstalled Crapware
Apple has strict control over iPhones, and they do not allow carriers to preinstall a bunch of crap software on phones. For phones manufactured by other companies (e.g., HTC, Motorola, etc.), carriers make money by charging third parties for the priviledge of putting their software on the phones. Many of these programs hog memory and resources and cannot be removed without rooting the phones and replacing the factory ROM, which violates the phone's warranty. My last android phone (a Motorola Droid X) included a Blockbuster app, an Amazon MP3 app, a Madden NFL game, a racing game, a Verizon navigator app, etc. Heck, every time I plugged that phone into my PC to sync files I get pop-up advertisements for an enhanced Verizon backup service!
By comparison, my iPhone is very clean - there are one or two programs I won't use (e.g., I have a bunch of Amazon Kindle books so I won't be using the Apple iBooks app), but nothing I find objectionable.
Reason #2: Better and/or Exclusive Apps
There are far more applications ("apps") available for iOS, and those apps are generally noticeably better than their Android Market counterparts. For example, I've been using eWallet for over ten years on various handheld devices, and the iOS version has more features (auto-sync with the cloud, better editing tools) and is easier to use. The iOS version of the game "Peggle" has optional add-on levels that are simply not available to the Android version. This is because there is a lot of fragmentation when it comes to Android devices, but there are millions of iPhones with the exact same hardware, so developers prioritize the Apple versions.
And then there are the apps that simply aren't available for other phones. I am a big fan of the Garmin navigation app, which uses downloaded offline map data and does not require a data connection. There are also many fun music applications that you can't get on Android. And there's no comparison when it comes to games!
Reason #3: iOS is More Stable
I have never had an iOS device lock up on me, ever - something I can't say about my Android devices.
Reason #4: iPhones get regular patches / updates
Apple consistently upgrades their software to provide new services and functionality, and provides these upgrades for free, even for older devices. Apple generally releases one major update a year (iOS 5.X, 6.X, 7.X, etc.), and they also push out minor updates as needed (e.g., iOS 6.1, which offers improved LTE performance and new iCloud features).
Android phone updates are typically managed by the carrier, and since there are costs associated with certifying an update for each unique model (remember my comments about fragmentation?), users are lucky to get updates. My work phone (Droid X2) is still running Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") even though Android 4.3 ("Jelly Bean") had been released. Because I had an older phone, and the manufacturer did not offer the upgrade, I was simply out of luck (unless I wanted to hack my phone, which I did not want to do).
Reason #5: Best in Class Device Upgrade Process
Upgrading an iDevice is ridiculously simple. You start off by backing up your old iPhone to your computer via iTunes. Then you plug in your new device and do a "restore from backup" (note that this step may take a while if you have a lot of content on your device - it takes me about an hour). That's it! Your new phone will have all your contacts, bookmarks, songs, movies, apps, etc. You can also do the backup and restore through iCloud, but it will likely take longer as you need to re-download everything.
Android users who are upgrading their devices should be able to re-download their contacts and applications from Google, but other files will need to be backed up and transferred manually. I also found the process glitchy when upgrading my Galaxy Tab 7 Plus to my first Nexus 7; some apps I had purchased were somehow locked to my old device, and did not transfer.
Reason #6: After-market Accessories
This one should be self-evident; there are millions of iPhones on the market, so there are simply more accessories (docking stations, speakers, cases, cables, etc.) available for iPhones than for any other phone models.
Reason #6: Customer Service
Apple has unparalleled customer service. They can't give you carrier discounts, but you owe it to yourself to go to an Apple store, tell them you are just looking, and have them sell you on the phone.
Reason #7: Better Resale Value
Apple phones hold their value much better than comparable Android phones. Heck, you can even sell for broken iPhones for a decent amount of money!
Cons
Sadly, iPhones do have room for improvement. Here are the main drawbacks I have noticed with iPhones:
- No user-replaceable battery (this can be mitigated by purchasing a battery case)
- No memory card slot (a 64GB memory card is a heck of a lot cheaper than the price difference between a 16GB iPhone and a 64GB iPhone)
- Desktop widgets
- Small screen sizes (the largest iPhone currently has a 4" screen)
Conclusion
I think most people will be happier with iPhones that with Android phones, and I encourage people looking to purchase/upgrade to a smart phone to thoroughly consider an iPhone before they make their decision...
posted by Kevin E. Knapp at 8:32 AM
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