Android or iOS

[mikedt]

Thanks optimus. I apologize as well for escalating the whole thing.

Let's just get back to bashing android and iOS

Oh I think it's funny that on my android device, the spell check automatically capitalizes iPhone and iOS but doesn't for android.

Likely because it's both a common and proper noun..."android", "Android". Something I heard about the iOS spell check, is that it would capitalise Linux but not Microsoft. LOL

 

[dan330]

because "android" is a normal word. and the name of a major OS.
"iPhone" and "iOS".. that is unique and a proper name.

 

[Shocky]

If Apple had the foresight to realize the Android threat and the huge demand in the market for something different before devices like the Galaxy S were released would they have done anything differently?

Imagine if Apple opened up iOS and made iTunes an optional feature and provided devices with larger displays back in 2010, things could be very different now.

 

[hiredgun]

I will say one thing in favor of Apple, even though I am much more inclined to use Android. What I thought was really nice is that once you purchase something from Apple it's yours "forever" as it were. I found this out when my iPod touch 2nd generation got trashed a while back and I was a few years without it. This summer I bought a 3rd generation one at a second hand store and was THRILLED to find out that I could just re-download all the games I had bought before and have them again. I don't know if this works the same for Android apps bought on the play store, but I do take my hat off to Apple for this!

 

[Hadron]

Imagine if Apple opened up iOS and made iTunes an optional feature and provided devices with larger displays back in 2010, things could be very different now.

Do you mean "open up" as in make more configurable, or as in licence to other manufacturers? I couldn't see them doing the latter - it wouldn't help their (profitable) hardware sales, and if you also made iTunes optional the only thing they'd get would be the licence fees, which wouldn't offset the other losses. I suspect they remember the time when they licenced Mac clones, which was not one of their more successful periods.

As for opening the software (including reducing iTunes dependency), I think that would not have happened for a couple of reasons. One is that they also make money from the apps and media they sell (of course you can do all that from the iPhone - I suspect many owners never connect it to iTunes, and many others only do so to back up). Plus you ensure that people get the experience you want by not giving them the choice. But the other is that I don't think that it's a big factor in the size of Android user base vs Apple. Sure, it matters to people here, but we are not typical. I would guess that price is the single biggest factor, above even the hardware features we've discussed above (because low-mid range androids will still be the majority of devices sold), and software flexibility will be third or fourth.

 

[jhawkkw]

I will say one thing in favor of Apple, even though I am much more inclined to use Android. What I thought was really nice is that once you purchase something from Apple it's yours "forever" as it were. I found this out when my iPod touch 2nd generation got trashed a while back and I was a few years without it. This summer I bought a 3rd generation one at a second hand store and was THRILLED to find out that I could just re-download all the games I had bought before and have them again. I don't know if this works the same for Android apps bought on the play store, but I do take my hat off to Apple for this!

Anything you buy from Google is forever tied to the Gmail account you bought it with. So you can re-download/sync any app or media purchase made with that account on any android device with access to Google Play.

 

[Shocky]

I would guess that price is the single biggest factor, above even the hardware features we've discussed above (because low-mid range androids will still be the majority of devices sold), and software flexibility will be third or fourth.

Interesting, I've never been that interested in the budget devices but I agree that's probably is a huge factor as-well.

I would really love to see a breakdown of Android marketshare per device, we know Samsung's high end models sell well but I've never seen any sales figures for the low end devices.

I will say one thing in favor of Apple, even though I am much more inclined to use Android. What I thought was really nice is that once you purchase something from Apple it's yours "forever" as it were. I found this out when my iPod touch 2nd generation got trashed a while back and I was a few years without it. This summer I bought a 3rd generation one at a second hand store and was THRILLED to find out that I could just re-download all the games I had bought before and have them again. I don't know if this works the same for Android apps bought on the play store, but I do take my hat off to Apple for this!

So long you know your account details you can download your apps and games as many times as you want, that's true for both platforms.

You can link a few devices to your Google Account and install on multiple devices also.

 

[jkmasi]

That makes sense and does show how carriers can afford to sell a $600 phone for $200 but it sounds like this is all phones and not specific to iPhones. So I'm still confused on how iPhones are more expensive.

IPhones definitely keep their value longer than most Android models. A mint used iPhone 5s 32GB will sell for over $600, whereas a similar condition 32GB Moto X is going for $300.

 

[mikedt]

IPhones definitely keep their value longer than most Android models. A mint used iPhone 5s 32GB will sell for over $600, whereas a similar condition 32GB Moto X is going for $300.

That's true for where I am, considering a new 5S 32GB is around $1,000 here. A second hand iPhone, even a 4 or 4S, is still a very desirable item just for the brand and perceived cachet. Second hand Android phones in China can't even give them away, apart from flagship Samsungs.

 

[dan330]

don't the moto X.. with out contract go for only $350 and have seen them for even less at times for band new

 

[dynomot]

I don't take many pictures, and the camera on my HTC One is adequate when I do. But, there isn't really an android phone that can compete with the iPhone's camera. I know people who have switched solely because they wanted to take better pictures.

The games thing is annoying. But, I was thinking of the camera more as a competitive disadvantage. Yes, most flagship have good cameras. They just aren't as good.

If you want a camera phone that will blow both these two out of the water and isn't either Android or iOS you'll have to use Windows 8 and get a Nokia Lumia 1020. Personally a 41Mp camera on a phone with a sensor so huge it can use those 41Mp properly, along with Carl Zeiss optics, a xenon flash, proper image stabilisation and the ability to use RAW files rather than always compressed .jpgs is not enough compensation for being forced to used Windows phone 8 (shudder), but I'd love the camera on an Android.

 

[marflo]

Android is my favorite. I had iPhone , Nokia for 12 years but the winner is android.:beer::banghead:

 

[nickanthony]

One thing I really miss about the iPhone is the switch to go from vibrate to ringer. I found some apps that do something similar but they don't quite work the way I hoped they would.

For instance I hate my game volume being on but I use the ok Google now and when my game volume is off so is the voice in Google now. I constantly have to manually hold the volume button to turn it back up.

Does anyone know of an app that separates the two?

 

[Rxpert83]

It depends on your device, but many rooted Roms (and even stock on some devices) will separate media from ringer volume.