How does everyone feel about iPhones?

Surprise.

Bet you didn’t see this one coming.

This week’s post has been pretty late. I’m a bit troubled by yesterday’s thread on Apple. So, a foreword: It’s OK to prefer something over another, it’s not OK to say people who like different phones than you are somehow more childish or less intelligent than you. Again, we are going for casual, yet intensely helpful here, so please don’t call people names over petty reasons, we have rules here.

Previously on Lemmy:

Past Discussions:

In this post, it’s not about saying how bad iPhones are, but I’d just like to hear the perspective on iPhones from Android users. I, for one, had an old iPhone 4 for a long time (call it nostalgia, or laziness, or just being cheap), and it was my general frustration with the device that ultimately led to my preference for Androids, (It was quite a while back though).

  • It was absolutely painful to transfer files from the phone to my computer (Ugh, iTunes).
  • I got it pre-jailbroken and didn’t realize you can’t just update the system casually, so it was really fun trying to find ways to downgrade the system until I realized that I can’t and have to pray for the next jailbreak to get half my things working again.
  • The 40-pin cable wears out so fast, and always in the same spot on the strain relief. I swear I’ve gone through 3 of these cables in one year just from normal use.
  • All the browsers are somehow flavors of Safari. To do anything, I will have the choice of ad-filled websites, or ad-filled apps.

It always just seemed like I’m fighting against the system. Never did I have that “it just works” moment, until I’ve got my first Android, and realize I have the freedom to do whatever I want with it, and I can install what I want, and if there’s a problem, I can look things up and fix it myself.

(Having a back button is also a game changer.)

Of course, there is a lot that Android manufacturers can learn from Apple as well, one of the most obvious one is the time for software support: I think my old iPhone has gone through like 3 version updates over the years, whereas currently I’m lucky to get 2 out of any Android manufacturer.

But it seems that Android manufacturers are more content on copying things that works for iOS, but doesn’t work for Android, like removing the headphone jack. Or big notches. (It makes no sense to do that because of Android’s notification system uses the full length of the bar.) It’s gotten to the point that I don’t think people who makes Android phones actually uses Android but are content to copy superficial features from Apple without understanding why Apple do them.

Like a bunch of lemmings. (Heh)

Again, these are my personal preferences, I have nothing against people who prefers iPhones, nor do I think they are lesser for it, but it’s just not for me.

I’d use a one as a work phone/for iMessages though.

jacktherippah, (edited )

Excellent hardware, mediocre software, too expensive. To elaborate on the software, long software update is good. And the iPhone is certainly smooth. However it requires too many workarounds for/straight up can’t do what I would consider basic features on Android. And it certainly isn’t bug free. For the average user though, I don’t think they care about any of that, they only care about the brand, which is why the iPhone still sells so well.

Shurimal,

Excellent hardware

More like excellent industrial design, good chip design and good software support*. The hardware itself is nothing special; having a badly engineered aspect has been the "standard feature" for many Apple devices (butterfly keyboard, soldered SSD-s, phone chassis prone to bending are some examples that come to mind).

For comparison, I had a Huawei P7 phone (back when Huawei was still in good graces everywhere) that was thinner, and had better screen than the contemporary iPhone while also having a strong, beautifully machined aluminium chassis. It proved a very durable and dependable tool, and cost ⅓ of the price of an iPhone. The weak point was update support—it was shipped with Android 4.4.2, updated to 4.4.4, and that was that. Android 5 was supposedly released, but never arrived via OTA and when I updated manually after spending some time searching for the new firmware, it proved to be buggy and half-baked.

*Caveat: when I tried to download KDE Connect for an older iPhone, I couldn't because the OS is no longer supported and Apple store doesn't offer older versions of the apps. On Android I can still dig up an old version from Github or some other source and install what I need—I was still able to install Kodi on my old 4.4.4 phone to use as a DLNA music streamer. On an old Apple device, you're shit outta luck.

lividhen,
@lividhen@kbin.social avatar

I have some nostalgia for when they introduced the appstore. Aaaand that's where the nice things I have to say end.

BlazingFlames6073,
@BlazingFlames6073@lemdro.id avatar

Sideloading:

  1. I’d be restricted to the apps on the app store that have to restrict themselves to the app store policies.
  2. I wouldn’t have an alternative way to download an app if it gets banned from the app store for any reason. I remember hearing about Fortnite getting banned from both app store and play store but android users can still play it.
  3. I couldn’t use modified apps like revanced.
  4. I think you’d be restricted to region locks in app store which you can circumvent on play store by running a vpn, force stopping play store and then clearing data on it.
  5. Being restricted to app store only means some extraordinary apps wouldn’t be developed like the cool apps on android that aren’t on play store.
  6. Sometimes developers make different versions of the same apps. One is a bit restricted and is for play store. It’s restricted because it has to follow play store policies. The other version ends up having more features. I don’t see this happening on iOS. I heard about EU asking them to make a way to sideload, but I also heard that that might be restricted to EU only which means it wouldn’t pick up as much as it could.

Aesthetics:

Nothing much to say except I don’t like the iOS ui. I even fine it ugly. I much prefer the material you thing android is doing.

Lack of your own choice:

  1. Apple decides for its users. They removed headphone jacks and then the sim card thing in US for no reason. Since they only have flagships, that’s all the users are restricted to.

Android flagships sadly seem to follow their example soon enough

  1. All the browsers on iOS are just reskinned safari.

General bias:

I don’t like apple handles their things and many of their users. That affects my decision so I think I should put it here as a reason. I don’t think I have to mention what apple does but for their users, I live in Asia and a lot of people see iphones as a status thing which I find annoying. Feels like a matter of shoving cash in your face to flex. There’s also the bubble thing I hear in US which I find ridiculous.

Other points:

  1. No back button
  2. No revanced.
  3. Ecosystem locked.
  4. Only expensive phones.
smileyhead,

Design: best Advertisment: best User experience: best Reliability: best Privacy from propietary crap in app store: best Privacy from Apple: non existing User freedom: worst

kratoz29,

I like them, but I like Android more, I was an iPhone user since the 4 model up to 6s, my girlfriend still is, she currently has an iPhone 13 and I am amazed of how well iOS feels and behaves, we also share an iPad it’s so good to use and with Apple you get a shit ton of versions support as well.

The iOS apps also have its charm, I think many of them are better crafted on iOS than Android…

I like Android for everything that has been discussed here already, but who knows if I go back someday to iOS, still need to improve, for now I think it is that good that jailbreak does not feels like a necessity like back in the days…

Zerfallen,

I’m considering moving to Apple just for a “mini” phone, and i know it would be supported for a good few years yet. Android has no comparable phone.

But I prefer pretty much everything else about Android. Not just prefer, actually I really dislike iOS, the way it’s organised, the way it handles “Back” gesture, etc.

echodot,

the way it handles “Back” gesture, etc.

Literally they put it in the worst possible place for 95% of the population. The top left hand corner is the hardest part of the screen to touch if you are a right-handed. Such a bizarre decision.

hellishharlot,

You can just swipe off from the left hand side of the screen

Supercharger,

It’s got better recently, but it used to be that you can only do that sometimes, and it wasn’t clear when the gesture would work and when it wouldn’t. Fortunately, it seems that most apps have added support for that recently, so it’s closer to the Android back gestures.

Zerfallen,

Not sure how recently you mean “recently”, but i last tried (for 6 months) iOS last year, and it was still exactly as you described.

signs23,

I have an iphone 13pro as second phone because of work. A lot of times i cant use the back gesture and then i need to hit a small button in the app. Its super annoying…even after a year it is not consistent

Zerfallen,

I want to swipe in from the right edge of the screen though, where my thumb already is…

Plus it doesn’t even work consistently, some apps use different “back” swipe direction, depending on where in the app you came from to the screen you’re on. I hate it.

root,

I ended up using my Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact for 4 years, waiting for Sony (or any other manufacturer) to release another phone of the exact same size. No, the Xperia 10 is not compact at all. I ended up with an Asus Zenfone 8. I still miss the dedicated shutter button the thw Sony.

dingus,

The Asus Zenphone line seems to get great reviews in terms of small Android phones

Zerfallen,

Yes, but it’s not small imo, it’s the same size as the iPhone 14 (regular/Pro, not Mini) or S23, etc.

echodot,

I would consider getting an iPhone if they went back to making cheap plastic phones again like the 5C.

Otherwise they’re just too fragile and expensive. That’s the real problem I have with iPhones, you either pay a lot of money for a fragile phone or you don’t have an iPhone. They don’t provide another option anymore.

With Android you can run the gambit from a plastic phone that is $50, it’ll be slow but it will run apps, right up to $5,000 phones with folding screens. Admittedly most of them are made by Samsung.

hellishharlot,

I had an iPhone 12 Pro Max before my pixel fold. I love carplay compared to Android auto, the UI personally looks prettier except for the home screen layout, I like how seamless the experience can be between Apple devices, and it’s nice to be on the platform that gets more attention from app devs.

But all was not perfectThe past 6 months that I’d had it, it would overheat anytime you had to charge it which led to issues with carplay and such. The charger itself was a pain to have be different from my USBC devices like the MacBook, iPad, keyboard, mouse, work laptop, monitor, anyone else’s phones, headphones, and literally everything else. Lastly, the lack of call screener like I’d had on my pixel 4 before it and now on my pixel fold. It’s so nice having a virtual secretary

wccrawford,

As a developer, the experience is so much better on Android for me. And I oppose the walled garden on a ideological level.

But I have to admit some of the features are compelling. Some of them aren’t even really Apple’s doing, such as Genshin Impact supporting wireless controllers on IOS14+, but not Android at all. Others are built in, such as the lidar scanning.

They haven’t yet tempted me over, though, because phones are incredibly expensive and even if I weren’t opposed to the walled garden, I’m pretty invested in the Android ecosystem now.

At some point I plan to borrow someone’s iPhone and try Genshin on it, and if that works well… Well, I might just switch anyhow. Or maybe I get sick of that game before that. ;)

baubt,

I think that Apple makes a quality product, but I can't stand the company and their mindset towards consumers. I don't like that they tell me what my user experience will be and demand that I enjoy it. Their products remind me of America Online (AOL), where they put the internet into a can and fenced off the user experience. It's great for the most basic of users, but frustrating if you want to have control and do things your way.

I'm forced to use iphones for work, so I'm not unfamiliar with ios, but I prefer my S23 much more.

Aux,

I don’t care.

NiTRo_SvK,

I prefer Android, but use iPhone 12 Mini instead. The thing is, more than two years ago I was looking for a new phone to replace my aging Oneplus 6, I wanted something more compact. One that really caught my attention was Pixel 4A (Zenfone 8 wasn’t released yet, neither was Pixel 5A and I wasn’t really looking for Galaxy A or S series full of bloat either).

Out of nowhere a friend of mine offered me barely used iPhone 12 Mini for 400€ so I got that one instead and it serves me well. I still don’t like the iOS (apart from the fact that it just works), but other than that the phone itself is still very relevant, camera is good enough, it’s got plenty of power for what I need from it, only the battery will need to be replaced in a couple of months. I don’t really plan on getting something else yet, this pocket rocket ticks most of the boxes for me, even tough I can’t really tinker with OS itself and I’m fairly limited in regard to what apps do I get to use.

thedeadwalking4242,

If apple allowed you to open up the software and increased ease of hardware repair they’d be my choice. The products are high quality but you have no choice in anything. I enjoy being able to install custom roms on my android. That being said Samsung is getting just as bad as apple. Can’t even put a custom roms on my zfold cause unlocking the bootloader disables the cameras. Google is also pushing more and more to make android less open and more like apple and Samsung is really trying to do the same thing. I’d like to see another OS enter the market. Linux for Android is looking promising but I’m afraid there will never be a market ready model. Pine phones are close and libre is nearly there but phosh is disgusting and not a viable replacement.

knobbysideup,

I would never own one. I don’t like closed systems that try to lock my data away. Also, the inflexible UI sucks.

I didn’t really care much about other people’s preferences until this past weekend at my Aunt’s celebration of life gathering. My cousin insisted on sending photos taken there via iMessages (translation: group mms) instead of posting somewhere or using email. Blurry is an understatement. Those photos are useless.

MargotRobbie, (edited )
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

Ask them to set an iCloud album and share the link. Those work on Android too.

knobbysideup,

Thanks, I’ll try that!

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

You can tell I have a lot of friends with iPhones.

knobbysideup,

Me too, but worse all of my whitewater and mountain bike buddies only coordinate through Facebook, so I’m stuck using that too.

GingeyBook,

I’ve luckily been able to convince all my family members to use Google Photos

Makes picture sharing way better

Porcupine,

My work phone is an iPhone. It’s fine. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The camera is great, even compared to my pixel. The thing that drives me nutty is all of the ads. I love having ReVanced and xManager on my personal phone.

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