07-18-2011, 12:49 PM

Hello!

I'm looking to buying a new phone, but it's really hard to decide which one to go for. A lot of people are telling me that the Galaxy S2 is the best on the market, but I have been more keen on getting an iPhone.
Since this is a Mac-forum, I was hoping that someone in here could present some good arguments in favour of the iPhone.
I also have a MacBook Pro already, should this play any role in my choise?

I'm kinda lost to be honest.

Thanks for the help.

(Sorry if the english isn't top-notch)

07-18-2011, 02:56 PM

1.) Integrates well with all your other Mac products.
2.) Most apps available for a phone currently (looks to stay that way)
3.) Can call and surf at the same time.
4.)Seems to have a better battery life compared to the competition.
5.) No worries about fragmentation.
6.) IOS 5 is around the corner.

07-18-2011, 09:51 PM

If you already have a Mac, you'll probably like the simplicity if the iPhone.

If you are into customizing, go Android.

I say iPhone, but my opinion is biased.

07-18-2011, 09:59 PM

I did the Android thing for awhile, but found it unsatisfying. I would say that if you enjoy tweaking and tuning your gadgets, then an Android phone might be fun (although it gets old eventually). If you want something that works consistently and doesn't require a lot of babysitting, get an iPhone.

The final straw for me was when HTC's UI would crash when I went to answer the phone, necessitating a wait for the UI to 'reboot' before I could answer the call (which I usually missed by the time it did its thing).

Another big problem with Android is the one thing they like to tout as a feature over the iPhone: Multitasking. Yes, it multitasks like a banshee... the trouble is, Google never bothered to apply any user control to it. So, basically all apps run all the time (very few offer you the option to close them) and there's no way built-in to terminate them. So your already terrible battery life is reduced even further until you get an "App Killer" and religiously terminate apps that you've run. And pray that your particular brand of Android doesn't have any firmware-launched apps (like Skype or CityID) that are launched by the OS - because if you don't root the phone, you'll never be able to kill them - they just launch over and over.

And then there's the apps - the whole point of a Smartphone.... let's just say that the best Android apps are not as good as the worst iPhone apps. Between bad UIs, poorly made apps, games that will only run on certain screen sizes and minor OS revisions, and the fact that NO ONE polices the app stores (you have to actually run an anti-malware product), apps are a nightmare to manage on Android.

Whew, that was a mouthful. I could write more on Android's deficiencies, but suffice it to say that like most Google products, it's a very appealing 'work in progress'.

07-19-2011, 06:34 AM

I doubt I could make a more persuasive argument than cwa on this point, but while I know for a fact that there are some very nice Android phones out there (particularly if you're not going to get into apps beyond what came with the phone), there's just nothing like the iPhone 4.

ChangeWave: iPhone demand in US growing past Android | Electronista

Android, in addition to having some security and malware issues, also has some legal problems. People in the industry are paying a LOT of attention to Apple's recent win over HTC in ITC court, as the implications are fairly serious for Android.

But nevermind that, it's about the apps and the integrated OS, man. I used my iPhone as a personal hotspot today, what a lifesaver -- and so simple!! I was dumbstruck, even as a long time Apple fan, at how elegantly that whole experience went. I get that feeling a lot using the iPhone, it's just a remarkable piece of technology.

My main "argument" against Android is also my main argument against Windows: the OS is made by one party (who takes very little responsibility for any issues), the overlay of the OS is made by another party; the phone itself is made by yet another party; and the software available for it isn't really controlled by anyone, so low-quality and problematic apps prevail.

As I say -- I have a couple of friends that got an Android phone for various reasons (most of them budget-related), use them primarily as "phones with benefits" or "feature phones with Facebook" as I like to call them, and are perfectly satisfied with them. Android has a place in the market, an important place I'd actually say. Other friends of mine who've tried Android mostly gave up on it and went with what they really wanted: an iPhone.

But when you're in the "serious" leagues, there's really only one brand in the smartphone space. Apple.