Reviewers are mostly bashers!!!!

Opinions differ. There is no such thing as "the best phone" without knowing the requirements of the user.

Reviewers have a hard time attempting to be neutral (impossible) while trying to take into account what the "typical" user probably wants to do with a phone. Personally I wouldn't even consider an iPhone but for many people - perhaps even the majority - the iPhone is the obvious choice.

 

I don't find that, but it may depend where you go for reviews.

That said, "better in all specs" is problematic for 2 reasons. One is that specs aren't really important: how well the device performs is what matters, and that's not always the same thing. The second is that different people have different definitions of "better", e.g. I'm not interested in large screens or insane megapixel counts in tiny sensors - both of those are demerits in my book, but may spell "better" to someone else.

 

It depends on you. I

 

Everyone has a different opinion and their own biases. You just have to get to know which reviewers review phones in a way that matters to you. It's like movie critics. I know certain movie critics just like certain genras of movies more than others and that is how they review movies. If they gave a bad rating to a movie, sometimes they just don't like that type of movie and not necessarily bad for people who do like that type of movie.

 

it is also funny to read in the past how they hate big screens..
but once apple release a 5.6 inch phone.. it is amazing!!!

 

It's maybe nothing to Android users accustomed to large displays, but the move from a 4" to a 4.7" or 5.5" display is a big deal to Apple users.

There are also plenty of examples of this sort of hyperbole from Android review sites. Just about every newly-released handset is hailed as "the best ever" based purely on it's paper specs and a few rushed hands-on minutes in a demo booth with a pre-release device.

 

I'll agree with this. Tech Radar are really bad for it, they have an iPhone 6 Plus sized hard on for 'premium phones' like it's the defining factor. Personally I've hated the feel of metal phones since the Nokia N8.

Also they'll contradict themselves between different phones and in their "Top 20 phones" lists. For example they'll heavily criticize a HTC phone for not being able to swap the battery out, but make barely a mention of it in an iPhone review.

 

Usually reviews for new ROMS go the other way. Everyone drools over what they can do and what's included.

The same for some apps. I've seen apps that get glowing reviews, but when you install it and read the TOS, you realize you don't want it on the phone.

I'd rather see pros and cons for everything. And updates of said pros and cons.

If there was a hard or software flaw and it was fixed - update the notices and reviews!

 

Your not alone, this happens a lot. Some reviewers are more obvious about it though.

 

I don't tend to take comparison viedeos (like the Dog Fights on PhoneDog) seriously because the only way to seriously compare the devices are to basically do a full review side-by-side using both devices, and most of the tech press do not want to devote the time and energy to doing that.

 

That's because most reviewers are trying to get the most clicks on their site ASAP.

It really should take a good two weeks to do a decent review of a device, because with less time it's hard to really get a feel for how the device performs, feels, handles, etc. in day to day use.

This is precicely why more carriers have a 14 Day return policy. Playing with it in a store is one thing. Using it as a daily driver is a completely different ordeal.

Some of the 30 day switch review/diary type gigs are useful, but the hands on and release day reviews I typically don't take as seriously.

I also think some things are better left to people who are more informed in those fields. Camera reviews are best left to photography sites, IMO. Screen reviews, there are people who are much better at that then the general tech blog or review site. However, most people don't want to jump from place to place to get the best info. They want it all now, and on one page.

 

Most reviews I read actually said the new iPhones were nice but overpriced and they have good but not the best camera.

However, to my opinion, the real reason is this:
iOs is *designed* to look good at first impression. That it may feel limited on long term use, is just something that flies below the average reviewer's superficial radar. And below the radar of users who got an iPhone as their first smartphone.

Two examples:
- the interface looks nice and clean, but to someone who knows better the lack of widgets feels limited. As did the lack of a notification centre and many other features in which iOs is playing catch up.
- the hardware looks nice, having just a home button, but after a while, someone who knows better will miss additional buttons like a back button.

There's many more examples of first impression versus functional, but you get the point.


Also there's a psychological phenomenon called cognitive dissonance. If it's *that* expensive, people will unconsciously think it must be better.

 

Actually "cognitive dissonance" refers to the tension or discomfort caused by holding 2 contradictory beliefs. If a phone makes you experience that then you won't be feeling good about your purchase .

 

In this case the belief that the phone is overpriced would *dissonate* with the idea that people wouldn't throw away money. So you'll try to convince yourself that the phone is apparently worth it.

 

At the risk of nit picking, if you are trying to convince yourself then it's not unconscious.

Yes, using a high price to create an impression of quality is a well known marketing tool, and works in other fields too. But I'm not convinced that this is cognitive dissonance: that would better describe a situation where you genuinely felt that it was overpriced and simultaneously good value for money, and we're struggling yourself to rationalise the contradiction. But I doubt there are many people who believe strongly that other people won't pay over the odds for something, and strongly enough to produce a real dissonance - most people who think something isn't worth what others pay for it will just pat themselves on the back.

 

The theory behind cognitive dissonance, which is scientifically proven and generally accepted, is that it's usually a subconscious or semi-conscious process.

The dissonance is stronger in persons who actually bought something overpriced. But it can also be quite potent if many people around you show a certain irrational behaviour. We tend to be very influential that way and what's more we tend to drastically underestimate this when asked.

Note that dissonance can be between two beliefs or values but also between a belief and an action, such as buying an overpriced product. One belief many people have is that it's not a good thing to throw away money. In case of peer influence the belief would be that others wouldn't do that.

"I doubt there are many people who believe strongly that other people won't pay over the odds for something" No one will admit to pay over the odds for something without justifying it. A justification is (per definition) the attempt to resolve (cognitive) dissonance.

 

Nah. Professional Photographers with a lot more knowledge have given lengthy reviews of those cameras, and reviewers refer to them. All of them gave glowing reviews of those cameras and basically stated they were amazing.

Most Reviewers know iOS pretty well so the assumption of it looking good at first glance also doesn't pass. The OS isn't limited, it's just what it is and I think the fact that reviewers may look at it that way is what confuses some people.

I think Apple just has a better strategy for releasing their phones (new phone = new iOS), and they focus on the software and features that matter most to the average user which makes their phones compare well to a reviewer who isn't trying to geek out about specs and numbers in the video or article.

Samsung and HTC seem to be moving in that direction, but the software still is a bit complicated compared to Apple. It will interesting to see how TW and Sense evolve to compare with iOS in usability and polish over the next year or two.

 

example: airplane seats and price... 1st class.. on a 3 hr flight.
normal seat = $200
1st Class = $1200 sometimes more.

$1000 for a better .. more comfortable seat.. better food.. better service.. for 3 hours.. then it is gone.

 

As a matter of fact, the iPhone 6 is no more expensive handset-only than other flagship handsets, at least in the UK. Even on contract the tariffs are comparable. Some network carriers may gouge their iPhone customers but that's no fault of Apple.

There's no doubt that the iP6 is a beautifully-crafted piece of kit, with a superb "hand feel" that instantly impresses. The OS and its UI may not be to the liking of Android aficionados, but there's no denying the underlying power and functionality. It's a very capable smartphone.