Why iPhone?

[nucks26]

Hello iMore community!

The majority of my traffic is involved on CrackBerry and Android Central but I thought I'd show some of the apple people some love and pick your brain in the process. I've used a wide variety of devices in my time, including iPhones. I always fell back to BlackBerry because of their awesome physical keyboards, but eventually they became Android devices, so I'm pretty familiar with Android also.

I've also used my fair share of iPhones throughout the years. My most recent was a 64gb iPhone 6 White/Gold. Anyways, I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on why an iPhone is your device of choice. After all, smartphones consume so much of our time these days, and they have a lot of personal information and memories stored. There has to be a lengthy process for decision making with today's consumer when deciding on their next smartphone. Sound away in the comments!! Why do you use an iPhone?

 

[doughmay]

I love using android however and have nothing against it. But I use iPhone in my day to day because I feel it's a little more efficient and optimized in my day to day. Plus I haven't had good android devices so most of the cheap ones I've had have almost burned me XD. But I do have spare android tablets and such, so I just use it in my day to day.

 

[Matty]

There are many positives to using an iPhone. The first, and maybe most importantly, is support. Apple releases software updates for devices that are sometimes 4 years old. When we look at Android, sometimes after 2 years it's all over.

Even my Macbook Pro which is 6 years old at this point is able to run the latest MacOS and it's so nice to not be left behind

The next would be speed and efficiency. Hands down the iPhone will beat any Android device when it comes to App loading times. I'm not sure what special sauce they put in their devices but it certainly makes everything really smooth

There are many other, but for me, those are the main 2 for me. Speed & Support. We pay a lot of money for these things are if they get supported for a long time, it make me feel like my investment is worth it.

 

[Hendri Hendri]

Long support for the update os, even for pld iphone), no lagging (even compare to expensive android phone), good battery (iphone 6s plus vs samsung note 5), love the simple interface

Love android for their flexible file management and Usable NFC

 

[ol_jackburton]

I have recently switched to Android after using only apple smart phones since 2011. All of my family still use iPhones. Honestly the best thing that iPhone has going for it is the ecosystem, update support and apples control of their device over the carriers. All the other stuff, lag, speed design, build quality is all about the same from a real world point of view (comparing flagship Android device to iPhone).

 

[nucks26]

I have recently switched to Android after using only apple smart phones since 2011. All of my family still use iPhones. Honestly the best thing that iPhone has going for it is the ecosystem, update support and apples control of their device over the carriers. All the other stuff, lag, speed design, build quality is all about the same from a real world point of view (comparing flagship Android device to iPhone).

I too am currently using an Android device. Biggest thing I liked about iPhones was iMessage. It truly is brilliant.

 

[ol_jackburton]

I too am currently using an Android device. Biggest thing I liked about iPhones was iMessage. It truly is brilliant.

i do hear a lot of love for iMessage, i guess i just do not use texting in such a way that what app i use matters to me.

It does seem to matter to a lot of folks though so if that is am important feature to to then iOS is best for you (you being the OP)

 

[Quis89]

Hello iMore community!

The majority of my traffic is involved on CrackBerry and Android Central but I thought I'd show some of the apple people some love and pick your brain in the process. I've used a wide variety of devices in my time, including iPhones. I always fell back to BlackBerry because of their awesome physical keyboards, but eventually they became Android devices, so I'm pretty familiar with Android also.

I've also used my fair share of iPhones throughout the years. My most recent was a 64gb iPhone 6 White/Gold. Anyways, I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on why an iPhone is your device of choice. After all, smartphones consume so much of our time these days, and they have a lot of personal information and memories stored. There has to be a lengthy process for decision making with today's consumer when deciding on their next smartphone. Sound away in the comments!! Why do you use an iPhone?

Because it does everything I need it to do and it does those things reliably. I also have a few other Apple products including an iPad Pro and MacBook. Those items plus the others talk very well together. So the integration is another piece and my phone is the glue that bonds it all together.

 

[anon(10210323)]

Hi @nucks26,

I use an iPhone SE, and the reason I've chosen this device over Android devices is

1. Build Quality. This is a little aluminum monster, and it's like a little jewel.
2. Support. Apple is by far and away the leader in support/warranty, especially with their Apple Stores available. One is mere walking distance from my house. Their AppleCare+ program -- $99 for two years -- is the best support and warranty program in the industry.
3. iOS updates are timely, extend to devices that are years old, and are not dependent on the whims of the carrier.
4. No carrier bloat.
5. Speed. Screen transitions, app loading, etc. are much better on iOS devices than their equal counterparts in the Android world.
6. Screen size. The SE is tiny by today's standards, but where else can you get a phone that has flagship level performance with such a pockatable one-handed form factor?
7. Cost. The top-of-the-line SE is under $500 usd. There is no Android device in this price bracket that even hints at performing at the SE's level.

:yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

 

[Lee_Bo]

Why iPhone?

Because it works. Period!

Let me elaborate. I loved my 8 years on Android. I had mostly Google / Nexus devices that were all rooted and running custom roms. I loved the freedom and customization. But then it became work to keep them running. I tweak here, a reboot there. It seemed the tweaks and reboots were becoming a several times a day thing and I just got tired of it. So I switched to iOS 13 months ago and I've noticed all the time I'm not fidgeting with my phone to keep it working.

 

[Annie_M]

When considering the question, reliability is the word that comes to mind, followed by security and support. The ecosystem is outstanding!

 

[anon(5630457)]

I love my iPhone because I have the peace of mind knowing that if something happens to it (screen breaks, etc.), I can go into an Apple Store and have it serviced that same day. If I had an Android phone, I'd have to go into a carrier store and see if they could help me out (which they wouldn't be able to with a broken screen) or I'd have to go through Asurion and be without a phone for a week or so. Who wants that?

I also love Apple because it's not fragmented like Android. There's many different styles of Android software on many different devices. It's no wonder updates are lacking and apps aren't as readily available.

The timely updates to iOS also keep me hooked to iPhone. I am comforted knowing that I have the latest security updates on my device. I can't say the same for any of my Android devices.

I also like that most of my family members use iPhones. That means I can keep in touch with them through iMessage and FaceTime if I go out of town. There are no equivalents of those running on Android.

Sure, Android has things that makes it great (better hardware; new hardware features [iris scanning, facial recognition]; customization; etc.), but Apple is more reliable and more secure. That is why I stick with iPhone.

 

[anon(5630457)]

Double post of doom.

 

[pkcable]

Ok this is going to make me sound absolutely NUTS, BUT I got my iPhone so I could use it with the Apple Watch! True story! I've always had multiple phones, usually a BlackBerry and an Android, but since I had a BlackBerry, Android (The Priv) at the time, and I was already familar with iOS having an iPad and iPod touch devices, I said why not! I was given the opportunity to get an original Apple Watch for 200 dollars off and it was an offer I just could not refuse. Only problem? No iPhone! So I bought an iPhone 6!

Fell in love with it! While the OS operates well on a tablet and on an iPod it's REALLY nice on a phone! I really get it now the "it just works" thing people say. lol And there IS an app for everything. Being a BlackBerry 10 survivor I know what it's like to be disappointed when the app you want just isn't there! This is NEVER an issue with iOS!

 

[mogelijk]

I'm personally a long time Android user, mostly with the Nexus devices. I had a Nexus 6P that I really liked, but after it got about a year old it had these long delays if I tried pressing on a notification. I could seriously press the notification, and it would take 5 seconds before it started to load whatever app. At that point, I was just fed up of the various Android issues I'd had through the years, with frequently needing to reload Android on a device because of whatever issue I was having.

I'd previously tried an iPhone 5S, before I bought my Nexus 5, but didn't care for it -- there were features on Android that were missing on the iPhone that I just wasn't willing to give up (including being limited to the 4" screen on the iPhone). This time, I tried the iPhone 7 Plus and have had no issues. I appreciate the stability of the OS and, if for some odd reason I need to reload, it actually restores pretty much everything including app data. To use the old tag line, "It just works."

 

[spantch101]

I used to think iPhone was best for stability, but with that comes limitations . And with the newer versions of Android I have seen great strides toward the reliability and stability of iOS. I have been running a g5 since last spring and running stock 7.0. Runs very well with no hicups . Battery is good and freedom is key. I have a iPhone 6s but never have the desire to switch back. Anyone wanna give me some reasons

 

[SprSynJn]

Android is too complicated and insecure for my tastes.  products are easier to use and the ecosystem is very convenient. They are constantly updated and their trade in value is rather high.

 

[jmr1015]

I was a long time BlackBerry user and Windows Mobile user, but the original iPhone changed our expectations of what a smartphone could be. Even after the first iPhone, I switched back to BlackBerry a few times (Storm, Bold) feeling like I was missing something. But I always came back to iOS. I dabbled with Android a few times as well... and again, I always come back to iOS. The ecosystem and UI feels much more polished and refined. Customer service is second to none. Build quality is stellar. Apps in the App Store seem better made (Android apps on my Nexus 7 never felt like they were made specifically for a tablet experience, for example. I find the same is not true of iPad apps) longer term support, stability, and updates. Continuity between iOS/Mac devices, end to end encrypted communication built in (iMessage, FaceTime Video and Audio calls)

Keeping an iPhone 3 to 4 years is not only possible, but the phone is actually better than new after a couple years, with added features and more refined updates to iOS. Kept my iPhone 4 for 3 years, then kept my iPhone 5S for 3 and a half. My Nexus 4 only got more and more problems with updates... which led me to chase custom ROMs and Kernels... and then I spent more time reading up on those things and updating software and testing, than actually just using my device.

Android has always offered earlier access to bleeding edge technology, in terms of features like quick charging, wireless charging, 3G and 4G adoption, higher resolution screens, curved edge display, contactless payments, dual camera lenses... hell even camera flash! Remember when the iPhone didn't have a camera flash? Haha but the iPhone, while late to the party, usually gets these things in time... and usually feels very polished.

In summary, I like Android, BlackBerry, and iOS, all for different reasons. But I find for my needs and usage, and what I expect from my ownership experience, iOS and Apple tend to keep me the happiest. Though I'll likely pick up a BlackBerry KEYone once the price comes down... Android + BlackBerry WITH that physical keyboard? Gotta do it. At least to play around with.