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Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

blog.louisgray.com

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Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#11

Post by ThomPete »

QE2 wrote: post #7
nnutter wrote: post #4

Something along the lines of, "Choice only matters if your choice is one of the choices," applies. Apple wasn't offering him his choice so he bought an Android. Yet he still acknowledges that the iPhone 4 may be a better phone. His four main points are: openness, momentum, cloud, and capability. Android is definitely more open than iOS but Android's power depends on non-open software/services (Google). Android defini…

>His four main points are: openness... Actually, openness is not one of his points. He mentions it in passing only. >Android definitely has momentum but at their current rate it will still take years to match the iPhone's share of the market. From February to May of this year, Android went from 9% to 13% of the market. In that same time, the iPhone went from 25.4% to 24.4%. At that rate, it will take about six months…

The big difference of course is that apple actually makes money and not only on the phone, but their app store.

Marketshare matters little in this context, what matters is how good a business it is for you.

And in that respect android is a shitty business as it,s not even close to opening up the revenue stream of advertising which is the real reason google is even in the phone business.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#12

Post by eli »

mikecane wrote: post #10

The big problem Android has is leaving people behind. It turns out v1.6 is required just to use Kobo's eBook reading software. What of all those v1.5 devices still out there? SOL! Some people can say, eh, this is the early adopter problem, except these are phones being sold to everyday people, not techies.

There are still 1.5 devices out there? Like what?

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#13

Post by ThomPete »

barrkel wrote: post #9
ThomPete wrote: post #3

I know a few people who did that primarily on principle. They all regret it today, android just isn't anywhere close in the long run( their words not mine) I have both iPhone and android before you go all fanboy on me.

Count me in the opposite camp, then. I don't regret my Nexus One at all - it's far superior to iPhone for my use case.

In what perspective is it superior? I have a nexus one too I really fail to see what is better about it.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#14

Post by [deleted] »

barrkel wrote: post #8
eli wrote: post #5

Maybe this is unfair, but it reminds me of the people who boycott buying gas from local BP stations to protest the oil spill.

I think you really need to explain that. There is simultaneously nothing wrong with boycotting BP (even though it should lead to lower gas prices for those who don't boycott, those who do boycott may sleep better at night) - and similarly nothing wrong with believing that Android has more momentum than Apple presently, so that it's worth betting on. And even with nothing wrong with either actions, I don't see the con…

[deleted]

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#15

Post by ErrantX »

The one thing that still keeps me from Android is that the iPhone, in my experience (and I have used both extensively), is a better phone. As in for actual calls and texts :)

I predominately use my phone for that (calls, texts, email, internet) and apps are only a minor benefit (I use them infrequently).

At some time in the next 2 or 3 years I will change to an Android handset - the OS is improving no end and once the phone functionality is better it will be a no brainer.

EDIT: just to reiterate (for the downvoter...) I think the iPhone is a better phone functionality. I know others prefer Android - it's a personal thing.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#16

Post by mikecane »

eli wrote: post #12
mikecane wrote: post #10

The big problem Android has is leaving people behind. It turns out v1.6 is required just to use Kobo's eBook reading software. What of all those v1.5 devices still out there? SOL! Some people can say, eh, this is the early adopter problem, except these are phones being sold to everyday people, not techies.

There are still 1.5 devices out there? Like what?

I don't keep track of Android, so I can only cite the two I've come across in my own experience. First, the Archos 7 Home Tablet. Second -- and this is a major hurt -- the Motorola i1 phone, which is on Sprint and prepay Boost Mobile. That's a phone being pushed hard to everyday people and can disappoint them if they want Kobo, for example.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#17

Post by mikecane »

nnutter wrote: post #4

Something along the lines of, "Choice only matters if your choice is one of the choices," applies. Apple wasn't offering him his choice so he bought an Android. Yet he still acknowledges that the iPhone 4 may be a better phone. His four main points are: openness, momentum, cloud, and capability. Android is definitely more open than iOS but Android's power depends on non-open software/services (Google). Android defini…

The thing about Android momentum is forgetting it's not all due to phones. There's Archos pushing it on tablets, there's the Barnes & Noble Nook which is Android-based too. Developers need to keep in mind that not every device is going to have a wee screen or every hardware button. This should be obvious, but it's often forgotten.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#18

Post by ErrantX »

QE2 wrote: post #7
nnutter wrote: post #4

Something along the lines of, "Choice only matters if your choice is one of the choices," applies. Apple wasn't offering him his choice so he bought an Android. Yet he still acknowledges that the iPhone 4 may be a better phone. His four main points are: openness, momentum, cloud, and capability. Android is definitely more open than iOS but Android's power depends on non-open software/services (Google). Android defini…

>His four main points are: openness... Actually, openness is not one of his points. He mentions it in passing only. >Android definitely has momentum but at their current rate it will still take years to match the iPhone's share of the market. From February to May of this year, Android went from 9% to 13% of the market. In that same time, the iPhone went from 25.4% to 24.4%. At that rate, it will take about six months…

This is why statistics are always dangerous in the hands of, well, anyone :)

Don't forget that Feb-May is the maximum time from a new iPhone release. This quarter saw an actual release so I wouldn't be surprised to see them snatch back the 1%. More importantly you can't extrapolate from just the one quarters figures :) Android sales could trail off or people could end up sending them back in high numbers after a few months etc.

Also, Android is offered on a wider array of phones; so it is reasonable that as it gains popularity it will enroach into the smartphone market. It will be interesting to see this quarters figures; I suspect Android will grow but so will Apple.

As pointed out, the more important metric is profitability; and currently Apple have that in bucket loads.

(not that Android is doing badly, but it is a bit further behind, say 18 months, than people tend to suggest)

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#19

Post by cageface »

ErrantX wrote: post #15

The one thing that still keeps me from Android is that the iPhone, in my experience (and I have used both extensively), is a better phone. As in for actual calls and texts :) I predominately use my phone for that (calls, texts, email, internet) and apps are only a minor benefit (I use them infrequently). At some time in the next 2 or 3 years I will change to an Android handset - the OS is improving no end and once th…

I'd say just for the network alone the Android is a better phone. Texting capabilities seem about the same with my old iPhone and my Droid. I haven't tried iOS4.

Re: Why I Turned In My iPhone and Went Android

#20

Post by AndrewDucker »

ThomPete wrote: post #13
barrkel wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Count me in the opposite camp, then. I don't regret my Nexus One at all - it's far superior to iPhone for my use case.

In what perspective is it superior? I have a nexus one too I really fail to see what is better about it.

Notifications - I can see that I have 2 emails, a text and an SMS waiting for me. Can't do that on an iPhone.
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