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Android used to have a niche. It did stuff that Apple didn't. Now all that stuff, minus only sideloading, has been eroded to nothing. You get subpar software.

Android used to have a niche. It did stuff that Apple didn't. Now all that stuff, minus only sideloading, has been eroded to nothing. You get subpar software. Subpar apps. Subpar privacy. Subpar hardware. For what? For nothing. Unless you're a software or control nerd (see: me) there is zero reason to even think about Android.

paulryanrogers 4y ago
Cost?
- Hellion 4y ago
  Yeah, you can get an android phone that will take pictures, send messages, play, music, run Uber/maps, and take calls for under $50. Those phones aren’t great, but they are usable. They can do everything that you “need” a smart phone to do.
  - eldaisfish 4y ago
    Those phones are not “usable” in any sense except the bare minimum. How many of these sub USD 200 phones have you used and for how long?
    - paulryanrogers 4y ago
      An older, once premium model can be a good middle ground. I usually buy used and had a Note4 for several years, then my SO used it, then I used it again, then we resold it in working condition. It also had a swappable battery and card slot. Both likely helped extend its life.
    - RobotToaster 4y ago
      My over two year old Xiaomi (mi max 3) cost just under that, it still works fine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    - abenga 4y ago
      How are they not usable? I use a Nokia 7.2 and I think it's a perfect phone. Good screen. Pure Android. Fast. Nice camera (though I really don't care about this). It has 64GB of internal storage, but adding an SD card was straightforward.
  - 2fast4you 4y ago
    It’s been a bit since I was in the cheap android phone market, but those phones don’t work as well as you say. Calling texting probably work fine, but I doubt Uber or maps will work great or at all. Anything internet heavy like that and you’re gonna be crazy frustrated
  - kaba0 4y ago
    I would rather buy a used iphone for slightly more then. Less need to manufacture shit that will barely make it a year, better support and better hardware.
- asdff 4y ago
  Non issue. People upgrade into 3 year old iphones (still performant ofc) for nothing.
  - paulryanrogers 4y ago
    Market share outside the US appears to indicate it's still more than 'nothing'
    - asdff 4y ago
      Outside the U.S. they don't have that sort of carrier upgrade system. The article is about younger americans though.
  - ask_b123 4y ago
    Recently upgraded into the 2020 SE for a bit less than $75.
- brewdad 4y ago
  I have never had an Android phone last more than 3 years. Most of them were sluggish or degrading after only 18 months. I'm 23 months in on my first iPhone and it feels as fast as the day I got it. I can't recall ever experiencing battery life anxiety either. I have friends that have used their iPhones for 5-6 years with no problems. The upfront cost is higher but you can expect a much longer service life and the resale value is higher if you still feel the need the newest model on shorter timeframes.
- bioemerl 4y ago
  I got an iphone for work recently. Year old. 180 dollars. Blows budget androids out of the water.
- welfare 4y ago
  Just upgraded to the iPhone 14 Plus, got it for "free" by extending my contract for another 3 years. Works for me, I was already paying the monthly fee anyway and had no plans of leaving my carrier.
theyknowitsxmas 4y ago
I know something they do Apple devices can't. Copy and paste without roadblocks by iTunes.
- jitl 4y ago
  What is "roadblocked by iTunes"? I don't even have an app called iTunes on my computer (or phone?).
  - eptcyka 4y ago
    Since apple fought hard to destroy the concept of files when it first introduced iOS (some might argue it started with the iPod), iTunes never allowed drag/drop or copy/paste foles onto your iDevice.
    - mcphage 4y ago
      > iTunes never allowed drag/drop or copy/paste foles onto your iDevice iTunes doesn't exist anymore, though.
- shrugthug 4y ago
  Your copy/paste is blocked by iTunes on iOS? I've never heard of such a thing.
  - bioemerl 4y ago
    Probably copy paste from computer to phone?
- 2fast4you 4y ago
  Copy and paste works great on my apple device. I can even copy and paste between devices. What are you talking about?
- trinix912 4y ago
  Until you try to copy & paste across multiple devices. Apart from certain OEM-specific solutions, there's still no reliable equivalent of AirDrop on Android. Bluetooth file transfer is awfully behind (both speed and UX-wise). "Film me skate & airdrop me the clip" isn't that straightforward on Android (and no, I'm not going to email it to you & use up my and your mobile plan).
Kiro 4y ago
Try playing web games on iOS. It's so bad that it's not worth supporting.
- 2fast4you 4y ago
  Are there a lot of mobile web games?
- akmarinov 4y ago
  Web games, lol
  - Kiro 4y ago
    What is your problem with them? I play a lot of web games. It's a good platform for games outside iOS.
deelowe 4y ago
(as an IOS user) IOS doesn't support emulators. The photo functions on the latest pixel phones are pretty slick (e.g. deleting unwanted objects in the scene). Nightsight is better on Android. File management makes sense on Android where as on IOS, it can be difficult or impossible to get access to files without going through the app. Local backups to file storage are basically impossible on IOS. I could go on, but IOS is an appliance where as android feel more like a PC. IOS is what happens when apple is allowed to take the "mice only need one button" idea to it's most extreme.
akkartik 4y ago
My wife has been iPhone only and is now going to switch to Android for her next phone. The reason: she doesn't like Airpods, and any other Bluetooth headset is unreliable. (Apple just works only as long as they control all the hardware.) She wants to go back to a regular headphone jack because Bluetooth is horrible across the board. As the Android in the house I'm happy to see her defect. Mostly I like having raw access to the file system, it'll make handling her backups much simpler.
- akmarinov 4y ago
  Well, too bad pretty much no recent high-end Android phone has a headphone jack now
  - akkartik 4y ago
    Oh?! I've been out of it. There's a few options: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-phones-with-a-headphone-jack https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-phones-with-a-headphone... But yes, it does seem like a sad trend.
- taylodl 4y ago
  I don't like AirPods either, that's why I use Beats Flex. They're super comfortable, they come with multiple silicone cups to fit perfectly inside your ear, and they connect to your phone without any hassle.

paulryanrogers 4y ago

Cost?

Hellion 4y ago
Yeah, you can get an android phone that will take pictures, send messages, play, music, run Uber/maps, and take calls for under $50. Those phones aren’t great, but they are usable. They can do everything that you “need” a smart phone to do.
- eldaisfish 4y ago
  Those phones are not “usable” in any sense except the bare minimum. How many of these sub USD 200 phones have you used and for how long?
  - paulryanrogers 4y ago
    An older, once premium model can be a good middle ground. I usually buy used and had a Note4 for several years, then my SO used it, then I used it again, then we resold it in working condition. It also had a swappable battery and card slot. Both likely helped extend its life.
  - RobotToaster 4y ago
    My over two year old Xiaomi (mi max 3) cost just under that, it still works fine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  - abenga 4y ago
    How are they not usable? I use a Nokia 7.2 and I think it's a perfect phone. Good screen. Pure Android. Fast. Nice camera (though I really don't care about this). It has 64GB of internal storage, but adding an SD card was straightforward.
- 2fast4you 4y ago
  It’s been a bit since I was in the cheap android phone market, but those phones don’t work as well as you say. Calling texting probably work fine, but I doubt Uber or maps will work great or at all. Anything internet heavy like that and you’re gonna be crazy frustrated
- kaba0 4y ago
  I would rather buy a used iphone for slightly more then. Less need to manufacture shit that will barely make it a year, better support and better hardware.
asdff 4y ago
Non issue. People upgrade into 3 year old iphones (still performant ofc) for nothing.
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  Market share outside the US appears to indicate it's still more than 'nothing'
  - asdff 4y ago
    Outside the U.S. they don't have that sort of carrier upgrade system. The article is about younger americans though.
- ask_b123 4y ago
  Recently upgraded into the 2020 SE for a bit less than $75.
brewdad 4y ago
I have never had an Android phone last more than 3 years. Most of them were sluggish or degrading after only 18 months. I'm 23 months in on my first iPhone and it feels as fast as the day I got it. I can't recall ever experiencing battery life anxiety either. I have friends that have used their iPhones for 5-6 years with no problems. The upfront cost is higher but you can expect a much longer service life and the resale value is higher if you still feel the need the newest model on shorter timeframes.
bioemerl 4y ago
I got an iphone for work recently. Year old. 180 dollars. Blows budget androids out of the water.
welfare 4y ago
Just upgraded to the iPhone 14 Plus, got it for "free" by extending my contract for another 3 years. Works for me, I was already paying the monthly fee anyway and had no plans of leaving my carrier.

theyknowitsxmas 4y ago

I know something they do Apple devices can't. Copy and paste without roadblocks by iTunes.

jitl 4y ago
What is "roadblocked by iTunes"? I don't even have an app called iTunes on my computer (or phone?).
- eptcyka 4y ago
  Since apple fought hard to destroy the concept of files when it first introduced iOS (some might argue it started with the iPod), iTunes never allowed drag/drop or copy/paste foles onto your iDevice.
  - mcphage 4y ago
    > iTunes never allowed drag/drop or copy/paste foles onto your iDevice iTunes doesn't exist anymore, though.
shrugthug 4y ago
Your copy/paste is blocked by iTunes on iOS? I've never heard of such a thing.
- bioemerl 4y ago
  Probably copy paste from computer to phone?
2fast4you 4y ago
Copy and paste works great on my apple device. I can even copy and paste between devices. What are you talking about?
trinix912 4y ago
Until you try to copy & paste across multiple devices. Apart from certain OEM-specific solutions, there's still no reliable equivalent of AirDrop on Android. Bluetooth file transfer is awfully behind (both speed and UX-wise). "Film me skate & airdrop me the clip" isn't that straightforward on Android (and no, I'm not going to email it to you & use up my and your mobile plan).

Kiro 4y ago

Try playing web games on iOS. It's so bad that it's not worth supporting.

2fast4you 4y ago
Are there a lot of mobile web games?
akmarinov 4y ago
Web games, lol
- Kiro 4y ago
  What is your problem with them? I play a lot of web games. It's a good platform for games outside iOS.

deelowe 4y ago

(as an IOS user) IOS doesn't support emulators. The photo functions on the latest pixel phones are pretty slick (e.g. deleting unwanted objects in the scene). Nightsight is better on Android. File management makes sense on Android where as on IOS, it can be difficult or impossible to get access to files without going through the app. Local backups to file storage are basically impossible on IOS. I could go on, but IOS is an appliance where as android feel more like a PC. IOS is what happens when apple is allowed to take the "mice only need one button" idea to it's most extreme.

akkartik 4y ago

My wife has been iPhone only and is now going to switch to Android for her next phone. The reason: she doesn't like Airpods, and any other Bluetooth headset is unreliable. (Apple just works only as long as they control all the hardware.) She wants to go back to a regular headphone jack because Bluetooth is horrible across the board. As the Android in the house I'm happy to see her defect. Mostly I like having raw access to the file system, it'll make handling her backups much simpler.

akmarinov 4y ago
Well, too bad pretty much no recent high-end Android phone has a headphone jack now
- akkartik 4y ago
  Oh?! I've been out of it. There's a few options: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-phones-with-a-headphone-jack https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-phones-with-a-headphone... But yes, it does seem like a sad trend.
taylodl 4y ago
I don't like AirPods either, that's why I use Beats Flex. They're super comfortable, they come with multiple silicone cups to fit perfectly inside your ear, and they connect to your phone without any hassle.