If you didn’t guess by the title of this post, I am an iPhone user. And before you accuse me of being an out of control fanboy let me set the record straight that I think Apple gets a lot of things wrong. If you want some examples here are a few: The price of the Cube was too high, the response to antenna-gate was too slow, the battle with Adobe over Flash was too public, the way Spotlight has evolved probably doesn’t suit most people and the list goes on. On the other hand they get the majority of things right including iOS and associated hardware.
However, this isn’t an article on what Apple does or doesn’t do well. It is about why I like the iPhone over Android devices.
Number one is the recycle factor. I have had three iPhones. A first generation, a 3GS and a four. The first generation has been recycled into a playpod for my kids. I removed the SIM, filled it with games and let my kids use it to occupy them on long road trips or visits to a crowded pediatrician’s office. My eldest son now has my 3GS. I have been able to lock it down using the parental controls which helps me keep him out of trouble.
I also really like the eco-system. There is one manufacturer of both the hardware and operating system software. I am not the biggest fan of closed proprietary systems but Apple has made it work and has made it work well. When I built a wallpaper to give away I really only had to build two sizes for iOS devices. I stopped counting the number of different screen sizes I needed to build for Android-based devices.
The software. I am not referring to all the great apps available but the operating system. It just seems to make sense to me. Admittedly, my experience with Android is not as deep as my experience with iOS but every time I have used the Android system I seem to get lost or get the feeling I am driving a 20-gear car. Maybe that just boils down to how I see each company. Apple makes things for people to use and always has, Google makes things smarter by using numbers and algorithms. Both directions have their pluses and minuses.
Again, this is about why I like the iPhone over Android. The argument is as old as any when it comes to choice, Chevy or Ford, Coke or Pepsi, Ginger or Maryanne. Whatever works for you is what you should use. I would love to hear what does work for you and why, so feel free to leave a comment.
