I have sold my soul to Apple

Five years ago, I made the switch from an Android phone to an iPhone. As I explained at the time, it's not that I thought the iPhone was really any better than Android. I had been an Android user for several years and had very much enjoyed it. It was just that the rest of my family had iPhones, and at the time it seemed as if the world was catering more to the iPhone.

Which it mostly is.

What has really entrenched me in the Apple cult, however, is the ease of integrating various Apple devices.

On almost any given day, I actively use five different Apple devices:

• iPhone
• iPad
• MacBook
• Apple Watch
• AirPods

These are all good quality products. They serve my needs. And as I said, they are designed to play well with each other.

It's the little things about device integration that I like. For instance, whenever I'm away from my MacBook for any length of time and it goes to sleep, it will awaken instantly when I return because it senses my Apple Watch and knows it's me. I don't have to retype my password or anything.

Being a very simple (and ultimately lazy) man, I like that.

Chances are there are Android devices that will do the same, but I stopped following technological developments in that world after I ditched the Android phone, so I don't know for sure.

There are perhaps ethical reasons for shunning Apple products that I comprehend, yet (and here I freely admit I'm exercising privilege of the highest order) I choose to overlook them. I'm not sure the alternatives to Apple are all that morally superior anyway.

The point is, the Apple folks have me. And given the extent to which they have access to my personal data, they know they have me.

I'm OK with that. I mean, they give me those free Apple logo stickers every time I buy another one of their devices. How can I say no to that?

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.