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Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

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Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#31

Post by smoldesu »

srk_hn wrote: post #24
Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

This is a lie that often gets repeated over and over, but I have firsthand anecdotal experience of how this is not true. My mother has no formal education and when she was given an Android she struggled to do basic things. Once she got an iPhone it was night and day and an entire world was opened to her and she was able to use and discover her phone with almost no handholding. That has still not changed with the late…

You're moving the goalpost of quality, which is arguably why this entire thread is such a loaded question that will never be adequately answered. Everyone has different definitions of quality, and both of us could tell anecdotes about people loving/hating iOS/Android until our lips bleed. Overall, the best we can do as a society is acknowledge the different things each product gets right and petition the respective companies to do better. There is no "lie" here, just a difference of perspective.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#32

Post by jonathanyc »

Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

OP, this reply to your question ought to give you some insight: many people simply can't tell the difference.

And if you can't tell the difference, you certainly won't budget resources towards making Apple-quality products. Then you'll spend years wondering why Apple has such ridiculous profit margins before coming to the erroneous conclusion that it must just be everyone else that's wrong.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#33

Post by _-david-_ »

scarface74 wrote: post #10
Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

For the first two years until Google and Samsung stop updating it.

Both Google and Samsung have extended the support. I don't think it is at the same number of years as Apple though.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#34

Post by izacus »

pb7 wrote: post #18
Huh1337 wrote: post #4

Because most people buy Androids that are much cheaper than iPhones. Buy an Android phone that's priced similarly as iPhone (e.g. Samsung Galaxy S series) and the quality is just as good.

Comparing Samsung to Apple is laughable. Samsung is clueless when it comes to product design. Their strategy can be best described as “throwing shit at the wall and see what sticks”. Latest attempt: foldable phones. Foldable phones will never be a thing again and their desperate marketing campaign is embarrassing. The only thing keeping them in the ring is their inarguably impressive manufacturing capabilities that a…

What are you talking about? Foldable phone sales have been shaprly rising every year and they're a massive success for Samsung.

Did you actually look at any real facts before you spewed your crock?

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#35

Post by Ancapistani »

pb7 wrote: post #18
Huh1337 wrote: post #4

Because most people buy Androids that are much cheaper than iPhones. Buy an Android phone that's priced similarly as iPhone (e.g. Samsung Galaxy S series) and the quality is just as good.

Comparing Samsung to Apple is laughable. Samsung is clueless when it comes to product design. Their strategy can be best described as “throwing shit at the wall and see what sticks”. Latest attempt: foldable phones. Foldable phones will never be a thing again and their desperate marketing campaign is embarrassing. The only thing keeping them in the ring is their inarguably impressive manufacturing capabilities that a…

> Foldable phones will never be a thing again

While I agree w/r/tv their current incarnation, eventually “rollable” screens will be perfected and a shape-shifting phone will be popular. Either that, or AR will be thoroughly developed and the “phones as a concept will go away entirely.

That’s a long way from today, but it’s not “never”.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#36

Post by wildmanx »

srk_hn wrote: post #24
Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

This is a lie that often gets repeated over and over, but I have firsthand anecdotal experience of how this is not true. My mother has no formal education and when she was given an Android she struggled to do basic things. Once she got an iPhone it was night and day and an entire world was opened to her and she was able to use and discover her phone with almost no handholding. That has still not changed with the late…

> This is a lie

Please check out what the word "lie" means and until then stop using the word.

Hint: The post you replied to did not claim something of which they know that it's not true.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#37

Post by malermeister »

srk_hn wrote: post #24
Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

This is a lie that often gets repeated over and over, but I have firsthand anecdotal experience of how this is not true. My mother has no formal education and when she was given an Android she struggled to do basic things. Once she got an iPhone it was night and day and an entire world was opened to her and she was able to use and discover her phone with almost no handholding. That has still not changed with the late…

Counterpoint: The way that every single screen on iOS has a separate "back" button you need to look for vs just having it unified by the OS is an incredibly frustrating UX.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#38

Post by Test0129 »

I'm not being facetious here but I have no idea what you mean by "apple quality".

I've been using Macbook Pros for a long time. In my opinion "Apple Quality" died way back in 2013, possibly 2015. After that, they started introducing user-hostile phones, laptops, etc. The touchbar is a travesty and now you have to pay more money to have a normal experience.

The feeling of the laptops and aesthetics are nice but the parts are garbage. When (not if) your mainboard finally goes out you may as well buy a new laptop. 2018 model Macbook Pros had horrendous keyboard issues that they finally were forced to issue a warranty (however, there are big caveats). Darwin is an abomination with all sorts of edges to cut yourself on. It's unix enough on the surface but the second you need to do anything really unix-y it's not there. OS X itself is a very cleverly disguised walled garden you cant break out of.

Let's not even talk about the phones. Every phone just simply adds more gadgets. The operating system's only benefit is it is more "privacy first" than Android. However, in exchange for that you get the most walled of gardens. You can't even get a decent browser installed and it still sends all your data home. They are also far more fragile than androids and infinitely less serviceable. I have an iPhone from 5 years ago. I refuse to buy another one. I also will not buy an android. They're all terrible. Unless, I guess, you like handing over your entire life to a faceless corporation for some real neat-o gadgetry. The spying seems to get worse with every iteration.

Apple produces garbage products. The reason companies prefer them is the consistency across models. If you want actual quality there is better for far, far cheaper.

Re: Ask HN: Why are there not more Apple-quality products?

#39

Post by smoldesu »

jonathanyc wrote: post #32
Siddarth1977 wrote: post #9

Maybe try... a good Android phone? This question is silly. The Pixel or any top-end Samsung is equivalent or better than the iPhone in hardware. The Android and iOS user interfaces are similar enough that it's mostly personal preference and familiarity.

OP, this reply to your question ought to give you some insight: many people simply can't tell the difference. And if you can't tell the difference, you certainly won't budget resources towards making Apple-quality products. Then you'll spend years wondering why Apple has such ridiculous profit margins before coming to the erroneous conclusion that it must just be everyone else that's wrong.

Uhh... Apple goes to every length to make sure people know the difference. You don't buy a smartphone, you buy an iPhone. Your phone doesn't have a punch-hole camera, it has a Dynamic Island. They market every product like it's a Disney amusement park ride and throw product announcement festivals, everyone knows there's a difference. Apple's job is convincing customers that they're special for enjoying Rich Corinthian Leather or lickable UI elements.

Apple has huge profit margins because their software margins are literally larger than their hardware ones. If you're familiar with the history of Microsoft/Google products, that should be a big flashing light telling you to leave ASAP.

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