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US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

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Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#411

Post by JohnFen »

bee_rider wrote: post #394
jnwatson wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn’t any different than buying Nike, Gucci, or Michael Kors. Many folks are extremely brand and status conscious. Appearing high status is more important than many other expenses.

My phone is in my pocket 99% of the time, why would I care what people think about it? Anyway, a base model iPhone is only in the $600 range, that is like a week of minimum wage work in my state. Where’s the status? No, it is just a basic functional smartphone for people who don’t like to configure these things (I’ll happily tinker all day with my Linux laptop, but smartphones are just like the worst form-factor, I w…

> only in the $600 range

"Only"? $600 is pretty steep. That it's not on the high end of modern phone prices is indicative of how crazy modern phone prices are.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#412

Post by mike00632 »

collinc777 wrote: post #94

In the US, having an Android is one of the biggest social status negative signals I can think of. I used to have an android and when I'd meet people the primary thing they'd remember about me was that I had an android. Their blinders were up after they had that information. I think phones like the Galaxy line might be better than iPhones, but the experience of owning an iPhone far exceeds owning a Galaxy.

I think this varies by groups of people and is very similar to everyone in the group having Nike shoes. It's a marketing ploy from Apple.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#413

Post by Aerroon »

TylerE wrote: post #353
zh3 wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm constantly amazed by how people spend so much of their income on Apple products; it's almost like their lives are ruled by the status they feel an iPhone brings (and the consequential sacrificial purchasing). It likely varies by area and average income, here it's almost an inverse correlation - the less-well off kids at school tend to have parents on iPhones and the comfortable parents are on whatever works for t…

You’re amazed that people pay a premium price for very premium products that they interact with constantly? Do you also question why people buy quality shoes or mattresses?

>Do you also question why people buy quality shoes or mattresses?

I do. I am 99% convinced that the majority of first world people waste way too much money on shoes that aren't any better or worse than cheaper options. Shoes don't really get all that much better than they were previously, but somehow they always change and the cost always goes up.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#414

Post by sofixa »

goosedragons wrote: post #372
sofixa wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> While the meme of "iPhone is better than Android because iPhone can do X" while Android has been able to do X for over 2 years no longer applies It applied as recently as 2020 with iOS 14 releasing picture in picture video, which Android has had since 8 in 2017.

Don't have to go back that far. iPhone 14 Pro is the first iPhone with always on display. Although I guess Android wasn't first with that either.

Ah true, I remember colleagues being in awe of it, me checking what the hell they're talking about, and being surprised this is a new feature.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#415

Post by JohnFen »

BossingAround wrote: post #298
JohnFen wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but Samsung is My current phone is a Samsung and I find it disappointing. Perhaps their good ones are limited to specific models?

The Galaxy models compete with iPhones. I've got an old Galaxy S10 that I got like 4 years ago and it still works great, even the battery is holding up so far.

My last two phones have been Galaxies. The first one was pretty great. The one I have now is not.

It's not about longevity, though. They all easily last 5+ years.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#416

Post by TylerE »

Aerroon wrote: post #413
TylerE wrote: post #353

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re amazed that people pay a premium price for very premium products that they interact with constantly? Do you also question why people buy quality shoes or mattresses?

> Do you also question why people buy quality shoes or mattresses? I do. I am 99% convinced that the majority of first world people waste way too much money on shoes that aren't any better or worse than cheaper options. Shoes don't really get all that much better than they were previously, but somehow they always change and the cost always goes up.

Shoes haven't changed? Do you wear nothing but Chuck Taylors?

As someone with a multitude of foot issues, my options have exploded in the last couple decades.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#417

Post by Tagbert »

kernal wrote: post #385
jnwatson wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn’t any different than buying Nike, Gucci, or Michael Kors. Many folks are extremely brand and status conscious. Appearing high status is more important than many other expenses.

You lost me at Nike and Kors.

Brand status is a continuum. Nike and Kors may not be “high status” but they are much higher than something like a Walmart house brand.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#418

Post by phpisthebest »

kube-system wrote: post #389
zh3 wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm constantly amazed by how people spend so much of their income on Apple products; it's almost like their lives are ruled by the status they feel an iPhone brings (and the consequential sacrificial purchasing). It likely varies by area and average income, here it's almost an inverse correlation - the less-well off kids at school tend to have parents on iPhones and the comfortable parents are on whatever works for t…

Time is valuable, and the ecosystem of Android phones is filled with time-wasting BS: bloatware, OEM specific UIs, varying device quality, lack of OEM support, confusing accessory compatibility, a marketplace full of malware, etc. For the type of people here that like to tinker with tech this might be a non-issue, but some other people just want to use the device to accomplish tasks with as little friction as possibl…

>>lack of OEM support

what does this even mean in this context?

>bloatware, OEM specific UIs

The problem here is calling in "ecosystem of Android", it is mainly Andriod vs Samsung. You are either in the Samsung Ecosystem (i.e Samsung UI) or in the Andriod world, Most of the other vendors, the few there are, run close to stock Andriod these days.

Then of-course there is Pixel's Pure Android.

Not really all that confusing, if you can not figure it out then I trust your better served by iPhone.... you likely have also given up on computers completely as windows or linux is far too complicated for you.

>> confusing accessory compatibility

what?

>>a marketplace full of malware

Yes, user freedom bad, must only have applications that Mr Tim approves.

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#419

Post by Xeamek »

AuthorizedCust wrote: post #200
rado wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Samsung's hardware is great and their One UI is a most impressive skin. Saying this as an iPhone user.

One UI is superfluous. Native Android is great. It’s fixing something that’s not broken just to say “not Google”, in the process creating bloat.

You can think of the extra options as unnecessary, but oneui objectively gives you more fine grain controll over styling your phone

Re: US smartphone shipments fall sharply, but Android more than iPhone

#420

Post by SapporoChris »

kernal wrote: post #382
nordsieck wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm constantly amazed by how people spend so much of their income on Apple products I don't know about other people, but I went iPhone specifically for the value/$. Got a used iPhone SE 2020 for $150 in late 2021, and expect to use it for 5+ years. I seriously doubt that there are any Androids out there that could get even close to that. It really helps that Apple's CPU/SoC is substantially superior to what everyon…

>I seriously doubt that there are any Androids out there that could get even close to that. It's probably because you didn't really do any research into it. A $100 or less Pixel 4a released in 2020 will easily last 5+ years if you take care of it.

2nd data point, I'm using Galaxy s8+ from 2017. I haven't taken great care of it so the back glass has many cracks in it. However the front glass has no cracks, minor scratches but is otherwise in great shape. I don't notice the scratches when I'm using it, but they're easily visible when the phone is off and held at an angle in the light. I'm still very pleased with the performance and the battery life. I did not expect it to last more than 5 years.
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