Smartphones have become increasingly personal devices. You check and use them countless times a day. By some standards, they’ve become an indispensable extension to our own bodies! It is then no wonder that when one is looking for a new smartphone, there’s a long and sometimes confusing decision making process that takes place. No one wants to pay hundreds of dollars on something they are not comfortable using.
Those who know me know that I’m a die-hard Android fan. I get asked a lot about my opinion of which device one should buy, what is the best smartphone in the market today, which is better, Android or iOS, and my answer is almost always: it depends, followed up by an Android recommendation.
A few days ago I did what many considered unthinkable. I bought an iPhone 6!
For someone who has been preaching something for years to suddenly “switch” churches was considered blasphemous by some, betrayal by others. To the smug Apple fan boys and girls; it was considered inevitable and a massive win.
“YES!” They shouted, “We finally converted the highest of their priests!”.
I’m here to tell you that both of these sentiments are false and baseless.
Since I declared my purchase of the iPhone 6, many were very curious to know what changed? What happened? What’s so special about the iPhone 6 that made me abandon the ever superior Android ship?
Here’s my answer
While I favored Android, I never fully dismissed iOS and the iPhone. Once upon a time, I had the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 4s. I also had an iPad since the first iPad came out up till the first Mini. I currently have 2 iPods (Classic and Touch), and I have the Macbook Air, not an iOS device, but an Apple gadget nonetheless.
I’ve been falsely accused many times for being an “Apple hater”; this has never been true. It’s the iPhone that I disliked, not Apple products in general.
I always tell my beloved wife that when I buy a smartphone, I go for the best. The iPhone hasn’t been the best for at least the past 2 years in my opinion. This is a personal opinion based on personal preferences.
However, recently, finding the best smartphone has become very difficult. Not because there aren’t any good phones out there, on the contrary, it’s because there are too many great ones!
I’ve had the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 since last November. Being a super geek who likes to always stay ahead of the curve with technology, I decided it’s time to give my Note 3 a rest and look for the next big thing.
I tested the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5. I tested the LG G3 and the OnePlus One. And I waited till the Note 4 and iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to be announced before making my judgment.
The decision was extremely difficult. My favorites were the LG G3, OnePlus One and Note 4. I also never completely dismissed the iPhone 6.
At this point, and in light of the presence of so much awesomeness, I decided I needed to rewire my approach. My search shouldn’t be about the best, but what will work best for me. Which, ironically, is the advice I give anyone who asks me which smartphone to buy.
The Android OS isn’t perfect. Android devices aren’t perfect. They can do beautiful things, and the flexibility and customizability of the platform makes it precious. There’s never a dull moment with Android, truly.
However, the same applies to the iPhone. It’s not perfect either. It has its advantages and disadvantages. Yet, there are things that the iPhone kicks most Android phones’ butts in, and vice versa (more on this in another post).
Once you’re in this mindset, things start slightly leveling out even further.
When the iPod Touch came out 2 years back, I fell in love with it. I pre-ordered one and received it before it hit the shelves. I told my fellow Absolute Geek, Kinan, back then that if Apple makes the iPhone look like this, I’m buying one. He echoed that sentiment.
And then, Apple decided to take cues from Android and added the Notification Center and Control Center as well as enhanced sharing options.
But on top of that, Apple decided to do two things that sealed the deal for me: they released an iPhone that looks like the iPod Touch AND they made the screen bigger. TOUCH DOWN!
For the first time in many years, I felt that I could comfortably purchase the iPhone without pulling my hair out from frustration. It’s sexy, it’s bigger, it has plenty of useful features AND it works quite well with my Macbook Air, which I already love.
I’m not an Apple die-hard fan. I won’t pledge my allegiance to everything Apple or everything iPhone, just as much as I kept my mind and eyes open when I was considered to be the ultimate Android evangelist. The flavor of this year happens to be the iPhone 6 for me, what the future holds depends on what Apple and other OEM’s decide to bless us with next.
