(Specifically my iPhone X)
Historically, I am a big BlackBerry fan. In fact, I'm quite active in the CrackBerry forums. I've used pretty much every BlackBerry device that has come out since my time in high school, which is basically the bold 9700 and after.
Recently, I've been juggling many different phones. I definitely change phones way more often than the average person. For the better part of 2017, I was using a BlackBerry KEYone in my pocket. I eventually got a good deal on a Google Pixel 2XL, which I used for the first several months of 2018. I actually really enjoyed the Pixel. It was a great feeling knowing that whenever I wanted to capture a moment of my life with its camera, it wouldn't let me down.
However, I traded the Pixel straight up for a brand new Galaxy S9+. The trade made absolute sense for me due to the higher value the S9+ holds (I was planning on just selling it and returning to my KEYone.) However, I received another offer for a straight trade for an iPhone X. This one intrigued me because I hadn't used iOS in two years, and I didn't want to spend the money on a brand new one. The iPhone X was the only iPhone I would have considered at the time because I felt Apple's biggest flaw in recent years was their inability to change the hardware design. Many android devices were simply better (and more often than not, cheaper).
Because I used a KEYone for the most of 2017 and really enjoyed it, I was looking forward to this year's KEY2. However, after using a Google Pixel 2XL, the camera for me has become an absolute priority; the KEY2 simply didn't cut it for me. I briefly used a Galaxy Note 9, but again, I didn't want to drop $1,400 CAD on the thing, so I returned it. I already had an iPhone X.
So, after all of that, here is why I keep going back to iOS, and specifically the iPhone X:
1) iMessage: I cannot stress enough how important iMessage is. I still cannot believe how long it has been on the market and how Google has failed to offer an alternative still in 2018. I understand how much more challenging it is to have this on android because of all the different vendors, but it's still mind boggling that they haven't found a solution. RCS is slowly being implemented via carriers; that is a step in the right direction.
The reason I used BlackBerry products in the past was because they kept me connected the best. BlackBerries always seemed to have cell service when other devices didn't, BBM kept me connected in real time, and the batteries lasted all day.
Today, with BlackBerry android devices, the battery still lasts all day, but BBM is no longer relevant. iMessage, to me, is a necessity. I live in a border town in Canada, and I frequently cross the border into the U.S. Rather than pay for my roaming charges, I know that I can send a message to anyone who has an iPhone when I connect to wifi. Not all of my contacts have WhatsApp, not all of them have Facebook, not all of them have Snapchat or Instagram; however, most of them do have iPhones.
2) Reliability
Although iOS isn't nearly as customizable as Android, I've always wanted a reliable smartphone that just works whenever I need it. That's Apple in a nutshell really; it just works. Android has gotten way better in recent years, but the Apple ecosystem can always be relied on.
3) Airdrop
Being a student, I'm constantly sending files to all my different devices. On my android phones, I would have to send something to my Google Drive or Dropbox, and then sign on to it on my mac, locate the file... it was just tedious. AirDrop works so well.
4) Camera
My Pixel 2XL had the better camera; however, the iPhone X is now slouch. It's camera mixed with an unmatched messaging and social media experience is why I've stuck with the iPhone.
5) Display
Finally an OLED display on an iPhone, right? I also really enjoy the large screen in a smaller footprint. I missed being able to navigate a phone with one hand but still being able to have a large screen for media consumption. It is amazing that the iPhone X has a larger display than previous Plus models.
Now for the negatives:
1) FaceID
Straight up, I do not like FaceID. I do not see how it is any faster or more secure than TouchID. It works decently well for me, but it's not nearly as successful as TouchID was. I used to be able to pull out my phone and immediately find the home button with my thumb without even looking at it. I think Apple opted for FaceID with the X because they thought a fingerprint sensor on the back would be ugly. I'm not even kidding, I think that was their only reason.
Overall, I will be sticking with iOS for now. The Pixel 3 and 3XL is extremely disappointing for me, and the Note 9 is too expensive. The only thing right now that would lure me back to Android would be a killer black friday deal on a Note 9 (maybe with a free Galaxy Watch?).
Thanks for reading my rant!
Historically, I am a big BlackBerry fan. In fact, I'm quite active in the CrackBerry forums. I've used pretty much every BlackBerry device that has come out since my time in high school, which is basically the bold 9700 and after.
Recently, I've been juggling many different phones. I definitely change phones way more often than the average person. For the better part of 2017, I was using a BlackBerry KEYone in my pocket. I eventually got a good deal on a Google Pixel 2XL, which I used for the first several months of 2018. I actually really enjoyed the Pixel. It was a great feeling knowing that whenever I wanted to capture a moment of my life with its camera, it wouldn't let me down.
However, I traded the Pixel straight up for a brand new Galaxy S9+. The trade made absolute sense for me due to the higher value the S9+ holds (I was planning on just selling it and returning to my KEYone.) However, I received another offer for a straight trade for an iPhone X. This one intrigued me because I hadn't used iOS in two years, and I didn't want to spend the money on a brand new one. The iPhone X was the only iPhone I would have considered at the time because I felt Apple's biggest flaw in recent years was their inability to change the hardware design. Many android devices were simply better (and more often than not, cheaper).
Because I used a KEYone for the most of 2017 and really enjoyed it, I was looking forward to this year's KEY2. However, after using a Google Pixel 2XL, the camera for me has become an absolute priority; the KEY2 simply didn't cut it for me. I briefly used a Galaxy Note 9, but again, I didn't want to drop $1,400 CAD on the thing, so I returned it. I already had an iPhone X.
So, after all of that, here is why I keep going back to iOS, and specifically the iPhone X:
1) iMessage: I cannot stress enough how important iMessage is. I still cannot believe how long it has been on the market and how Google has failed to offer an alternative still in 2018. I understand how much more challenging it is to have this on android because of all the different vendors, but it's still mind boggling that they haven't found a solution. RCS is slowly being implemented via carriers; that is a step in the right direction.
The reason I used BlackBerry products in the past was because they kept me connected the best. BlackBerries always seemed to have cell service when other devices didn't, BBM kept me connected in real time, and the batteries lasted all day.
Today, with BlackBerry android devices, the battery still lasts all day, but BBM is no longer relevant. iMessage, to me, is a necessity. I live in a border town in Canada, and I frequently cross the border into the U.S. Rather than pay for my roaming charges, I know that I can send a message to anyone who has an iPhone when I connect to wifi. Not all of my contacts have WhatsApp, not all of them have Facebook, not all of them have Snapchat or Instagram; however, most of them do have iPhones.
2) Reliability
Although iOS isn't nearly as customizable as Android, I've always wanted a reliable smartphone that just works whenever I need it. That's Apple in a nutshell really; it just works. Android has gotten way better in recent years, but the Apple ecosystem can always be relied on.
3) Airdrop
Being a student, I'm constantly sending files to all my different devices. On my android phones, I would have to send something to my Google Drive or Dropbox, and then sign on to it on my mac, locate the file... it was just tedious. AirDrop works so well.
4) Camera
My Pixel 2XL had the better camera; however, the iPhone X is now slouch. It's camera mixed with an unmatched messaging and social media experience is why I've stuck with the iPhone.
5) Display
Finally an OLED display on an iPhone, right? I also really enjoy the large screen in a smaller footprint. I missed being able to navigate a phone with one hand but still being able to have a large screen for media consumption. It is amazing that the iPhone X has a larger display than previous Plus models.
Now for the negatives:
1) FaceID
Straight up, I do not like FaceID. I do not see how it is any faster or more secure than TouchID. It works decently well for me, but it's not nearly as successful as TouchID was. I used to be able to pull out my phone and immediately find the home button with my thumb without even looking at it. I think Apple opted for FaceID with the X because they thought a fingerprint sensor on the back would be ugly. I'm not even kidding, I think that was their only reason.
Overall, I will be sticking with iOS for now. The Pixel 3 and 3XL is extremely disappointing for me, and the Note 9 is too expensive. The only thing right now that would lure me back to Android would be a killer black friday deal on a Note 9 (maybe with a free Galaxy Watch?).
Thanks for reading my rant!