Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Confessions of a former Android phone user and current iPhone sheep

A couple of months ago, I got my first-ever iPhone from my employer, ending a run of several years in which I had been an Android-only guy.

I made the switch to iPhone for two reasons, I guess:

(1) Because the rest of my family had iPhones
(2) Because I was curious

I am not anti-Android, nor am I anti-Apple. I'm pro-anything-that-will-make-my-life-easier. And there's no doubt that the iPhone has done that.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Android phones, particularly the Galaxy S4 I had for a couple of years. It always served me well.

But...well, Android people, I have a confession to make:

I like the iPhone better.

I'm sorry! Really! Don't get mad at me. This is in no way a poor reflection on you or your technological choices. I'm just saying that for ME, the iPhone is better. I know you think this makes me yet another victim of Apple's relentless hype machine. But really, I just happen to like the functionality of the iPhone better.

I hope you don't hate me.

Here, though, is what makes me doubt myself: It's difficult for me to say specifically what about the iPhone I like better. It's as if I really don't like the iPhone more, but Apple has put some sort of drug into iPhone handsets that convinces me to change my preference even though I have no reason to do so.

It doesn't help that one of the things I've come to really like about the iPhone is an exceedingly lame one: Siri.

Yes, I think Galaxy phones have a Siri-like function, but it isn't nearly as good as Apple's Siri. It just isn't.

My Siri speaks in the voice of an English woman. And she calls me "Mr. Tennant" because I told her to call me Mr. Tennant. She's very obedient that way.

Then there's simply the fact that so many useful apps are either written exclusively for the iPhone, or at least the iPhone version is, for whatever reason, way better than the Android version. I don't know why this seems to be the case so often, but it does.

I still think Android phones are great, but I liken them to being left-handed: You can get by in this world being left-handed (and owning an Android phone), but it just seems like everything is set up to cater to the right-handers (i.e., the iPhone users).

So I'm sticking with my iPhone. Or at least I am as long as my employer will pay for it. But even then I think I've probably permanently made the switch.

If it makes you feel any better, Android devotees, there's a small part of me that hates myself for making the switch and liking it. So there's that. I'll ask Siri how I can make myself feel better.

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