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Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

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Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#111

Post by zuhsetaqi »

londons_explore wrote: post #7

I attribute most of this to iMessage and the associated lock-in effect. You don't see the same trend in the rest of the world where 3rd party messengers (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, snapchat, etc) are mostly used for comms. The inability of iPhones to easily host 'cracked' apps also acts as an anchor to adoption - theres a lot of people hooked on their cracked ad-free spotify or youtube apps, or games with 'everything fre…

> You don't see the same trend in the rest of the world where 3rd party messengers (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, snapchat, etc) are mostly used for comms.

Doesn't mean that there is a correlation. In the EU iPhones are way more expensive than competitors. The difference is bigger than in the US.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#112

Post by parsimo2010 »

jrm4 wrote: post #31

Are there any "real" (come on, techy people, you know what I mean) reasons for going Apple besides I suppose the genuine convenience of fully interoperable phone/messaging across devices (which I fully concede is probably a big one for a good number of people?) The price differences between Android and Apple still strike me as absurd. On the other side, I went from "picking an Android very carefully for rooting" grad…

For general consumers, the Apple ecosystem beyond just messaging is a legitimate reason. It’s not just messaging, it’s handoff of your browser from your phone to your tablet to your laptop so you can easily keep reading a website even if you swap devices. It’s Apple Pay. It’s Apple Music. Sure, there are Android apps for all of those things, but you have to spend time picking each app and setting it up. Starting a new Apple product is an entirely different experience.

It’s decent hardware and a consistent experience- sure, there have been misses, and sometimes there are non-Apple products that are better. But there is no other single company that offers a competitive watch, tablet, laptop, and phone. Not everyone needs this, which is why basically 50% of people aren’t in the Apple ecosystem. But it’s a legitimate draw for many people. And make sure that you don’t fall in the trap of thinking “just because Apple products aren’t right for me, then everyone that uses them must be an idiot.” You pay for the convenience, but for many people that is worth it, and the fact that not every Apple product is #1 is okay. Basically every Apple product line has something in the top 3.

Apple is like the Disney of the tech world- there are other companies that make good movies, and there are other companies with cruise lines and theme parks, but nobody else that does all that. They stand alone in terms of their breadth and consistency.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#113

Post by whynaut »

chrisseaton wrote: post #49
TakeBlaster16 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure about this one. You can get both kinds of phones for $0 with a monthly payment.

The monthly price is exactly the same price as paying upfront - doesn't make any difference to affordability.

This seems incredibly blind to the realities of poor people.

$30/month (for a maxed out phone; you could be looking at $12/mo) is much more palatable to a lot of people than paying the full sticker price today.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#114

Post by bko »

bloqs wrote: post #66
bko wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are cracked apps really that popular? I'm pretty in touch with tech and piracy but I haven't thought of cracked mobile apps especially for something like YouTube and Spotify

Youtube Vanced (even in its now dying form) and Spotify from APKMody or similar are the main reason I dont move. Its two extra monthly subscriptions.

Do you find it reliable or is it whack-a-mole with constants updates required as the main service providers close exploits?

Spotify surprises me because I would think the API is locked down and requests are authenticated. I guess it's abusing the free tier and spoofing the request to avoid rate limits?

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#115

Post by everdrive »

jrm4 wrote: post #31

Are there any "real" (come on, techy people, you know what I mean) reasons for going Apple besides I suppose the genuine convenience of fully interoperable phone/messaging across devices (which I fully concede is probably a big one for a good number of people?) The price differences between Android and Apple still strike me as absurd. On the other side, I went from "picking an Android very carefully for rooting" grad…

Android locks you in as well. We had a hell of a time when switching from Android. My wife's new iPhone wasn't receiving any messages, and we had never heard of "RCS (Rich Communications Services)" prior to this problem. It's incredibly stupid.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#116

Post by rthomas6 »

hamaluik wrote: post #63
leokennis wrote: post #27

I feel like many people love iOS, but many also hate it (not open enough, lock in etc.) but they hate the cheapishness and crappiness of Android even more. Is there any development ongoing for a mobile OS that is not full of crap like Android, but not as restrictive as iOS? Not sure if Windows Phone or PalmOS were like that, but those are both gone…

I fall exactly here.. I used Android for a long time, until I got tired of my phone becoming non-functional after just a year or two. Switched to iPhones, and now they’re lasting 4+ years. I miss the flexibility of Android and iOS is full of bugs and design-based papercuts, yet it still manages to beat Android in just about all the areas that truly matter to me.

You might want to check out Pixel phones. I'm still rocking a Pixel 2 and it still works great.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#117

Post by whynaut »

rjh29 wrote: post #104
hamaluik wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I fall exactly here.. I used Android for a long time, until I got tired of my phone becoming non-functional after just a year or two. Switched to iPhones, and now they’re lasting 4+ years. I miss the flexibility of Android and iOS is full of bugs and design-based papercuts, yet it still manages to beat Android in just about all the areas that truly matter to me.

What do you mean by non-functional? The phone still works even if you don't get Android updates, but presumably there are some negative effects?

not having security updates is a big deal, but apps also target minimum OS versions, and oftentimes the “minimum” is a year-old OS

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#118

Post by hsn915 »

criddell wrote: post #100
hsn915 wrote: post #58

Switched from Android to iPhone a few months ago. Hard to believe the difference. Android is really bad at many things, and I had a good brand (One Plus 6). Taking a picture on Android is an awful experience. The Camera app takes about 3 seconds to open, and freezes for a second when taking a picture. The Camera app on iPhone opens instantly and takes photos instantly. The quality of the pictures taken on the iPhone…

I switched a few months ago and I can't believe the lack of difference. They are very similar. If I want to see the weather, I tap the square with a cloud on it. If I want to start Spotify, I tap that icon. I turn it on and off with a button on the side and turn the volume up and down with the other buttons. The camera takes pictures and I can use the map to navigate in my car. Maybe the Apple camera is better this y…

I don't know if this is supposed to be a serious comment.

Everyone I know who uses an Android is frustrated with it all the time.

I'm sure the people who make Android also think it's fine. You just tap the button and then an app opens. Who cares if it's janky and freezes half the time? Certainly Android developers don't seem to care.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#119

Post by s1k3s »

londons_explore wrote: post #7

I attribute most of this to iMessage and the associated lock-in effect. You don't see the same trend in the rest of the world where 3rd party messengers (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, snapchat, etc) are mostly used for comms. The inability of iPhones to easily host 'cracked' apps also acts as an anchor to adoption - theres a lot of people hooked on their cracked ad-free spotify or youtube apps, or games with 'everything fre…

Wait, you use iMessage instead of Whatsapp in the US? I tried iMessage with some friends and I feel like the experience is so much worse, not to mention not having my entire contact list there.

Re: Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US

#120

Post by whynaut »

coldpie wrote: post #79
seydor wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i think more people like apple's hardware than their software (myself included) android is not full of crap if it doesnt come preloaded with it. the google apps , which you can download are pretty great and the interface can be replaced with another launcher. The app selection in the stores seems identical to me

Yeah. I switched to iPhone late last year, since Apple is the only manufacturer that builds a phone that fits in the human hand. I'm pretty blown away by how bad iOS is compared to Android. Way fewer features, many more bugs, less customizable. Android is a far better software experience, but Apple is my only choice for a reasonably sized phone. Sucks.

I always found Android buggier, even when I wanted to love it. Even just opening the camera could crash my phones pretty often.
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