44% of Verizon Android Users Intend To Go iPhone On Day One
Just when I thought Android was starting to get brand loyalty, a poll comes out and reports that 44% of Android users on Verizon are very or somewhat likely to switch to the iPhone when it’s released. That’s a pretty high number. Even more shocking (for me at least) is the reason to switch. Between Blackberry and Android users, the reasons those who intend to go iPhone gave were: interface (60 percent), web browser (58 percent), media (51 percent), memory (43 percent), and camera (41 percent). I know it’s muddied because of the BB users, but interface finishes first (an app launcher?), then a web browser without Flash comes next and it’s followed by things like non-swappable memory and a camera that’s a lower resolution than current devices. It seems like all of the high points of Android are dismissed. Well I’ll leave it to you to tell me why the cookie is crumbling this way…
You can read the polling details here.
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When those users said “user interface”, they mean consistence and uncluttered interface: something iPhone and Windows Phone 7 have and something Android lacks.
1 word…Sheep!
Those reasons are obvious indications that the 44% are the users that would lean Apple regardless (and no doubt have all of Apple’s other offerings) because none of them can honestly think the web experience is going to be better on Ios or that Ios is going to have a better Interface or even memory for that matter. News flash! IOS is a uncustomizable app launcher with a hobbled web browser and the Iphone has no expandable memory. The people polled are obviously in over their heads with Android or are (like are like previously mentioned) sheeple already. Brianna have you used Android? I doubt it if you don’t understand that Android can be as uncluttered as you want it to be. IOS on the other hand, you get what Apple says you get. I challenge anyone to compare my G2’s interface, web experience, and memory with the Iphone and argue the Iphone is better in any way. The Iphone is less customizable, more “cluttered”, far slower browser speeds and network speeds, doesn’t have full flash implimentation in browser, and has less memory (yes I had to upgrade my memory from stock but the point is I could). If the reasons would have been better screen or app market or sexier phone I could understand and this poll would mean something. As it is right now, it just shows a number of likely converts from a pool of Apple heads. I understand I’m not comparing Apples to Apples using the G2 (not a V phone) but aside from the network speed everything else should be a valid comparison.
@Cjc: I think that’s the Android issue here and in some respects it was the Windows Mobile issue. On paper it’s hard to compete with Android. It’s get the best specs, you can do waht you want with it, etc. But the iOS user experience is something that sets it apart. Some of it is Apple mentality. People like the uber simplicity even if that means less options and they like the Apple brand name. There are also people that don’t want to think about their phones. They are using ‘smart phones’ because the market moved their but these are non-tech users ultimately. Android still has to convert these people. I know they advertise that they can do everything and it’s a ‘mans’ commercial but the iPhone responds with a pretty song in the background with an all black/white type image that’s pretty and it’s working…
my HD2 had great specs at the time and did a lot. And yes, the OS was then abolished. It’s not about winning a war on paper about specs and capabilities any more.
Saying “Android” is not very precise. There are different versions of Android out there, including 1.5. I personally got a 2.1 device last year (Motorola Milestone XT720) and 3 months later I learned Motorola would not upgrade it to 2.2. At this point, I’m done with both Motorola and Android. I don’t want to be at mercy of my phone supplier. I prefer to lock into to Apple’s ecosystem with their regular updates that give my device a chance to be relevant for a couple of years.
So with my Android 2.1 phone I have cluttered UI, messy Marketplace, flat out bugs that will NEVER be fixed, protected firmware that can’t be replaced with anything from XDA-DEVELOPERS site etc. etc. What’s the compelling reason to stay with Android, again?
Now, think about the users of Android 1.5? 2.0? What are their compelling reasons to stay loyal to the platform that turned its back on them?
Polls are inherently inaccurate, this one especially. If you read the source, they only polled 727 people. I don’t know how many millions are on Verizon, but this seems like a very small portion of people to be able to determine anything other than what ” 44% of the people who where polled” will do and not what 44% of what all of the Verizons people will do.
A better indicator would be that that pre-sale only lasted such a short time and had to be suspended. So the poll may have “SOME” traction, but you can’t know until all is said and done.
@BRYAN B: I know it’s rediculous but when you look at political polling, the numbers are typically in the same range of a few hundred to a thousand. I don’t get stats but it’s either they do or this is why polling is stupid;)
@Cjc you said to compare the iphone to YOUR android handset….what about comparing it to android out of the box? Most users prefer to have something they can buy and use without having to customize it, program it, worry about how to install this and that, going through the millions of customizable options etc….I’m an “IT guru” and I prefer Apple’s iPhone BECAUSE it is less customizable, less programmable….it just works, theres nothing to think about. I fix computers all the time and program and work on windows 99% of the time, but when it comes to my smartphone, I do want to worry about downloading programs to my phone from my computer, I do not want to hook it up to my computer to perform tweaks and registry hacks or anything of the sort, I just want it to be smooth and work. I had a windows phone before, the motorola MPX220, and I paid about the same for it, close to $200 a couple weeks before it came out (i think it was 2004?) And the only memories I have of that phone are hooking it up to a computer to do registry hacks and background changes and themes and figuring out how to install cabs that didn’t work half the time, then later on the phone would freeze randomly or if I was running too many applications….now I have the iPhone and I would never go back…the browser is plenty fast to me, i’ve never had a webpage take so long to load that it felt like “this is slow”…..my phone has 209 applications that were installed absolutely effortlessly (i mean, you click what u want, and u got it, its stupid easy), my phone has never frozen(2yrs), the 5MP camera and video quality are both pretty phenomenal, recording live concerts yields results that you actually want to watch, the interface, its just, so smooth….and regarding this, everytime i walk past a nokia booth I go up to their most advanced smart phone just to click around the menus to check the responsiveness, and its never even 10% as smooth as an iphone, this is a huge selling point, make it smooth then let it be known and it’ll sell!!! ive been to other stores to try mobiles from other companies as well as trying friends androids and windows phones, and no one is anywhere near as smooth as an iphone, they’re getting close, but its just not the same….and last point….expandable memory…..what do you want? a cardslot or something? in the past 7months i’ve taken 1900photos and a hundred videos and they float effortlessly from my iphone to my computer via this incredible invention, the USB cable….i’ve never felt the slightest desire to wish i had an expandable memory slot where i could pop in an extra micro sd to garner 8gb more space….if I need space maybe i’ll just delete the largest video i have or a block of old photos i never look at (if i really need it, which i dont)….having 32GB of space, its hard to desire more, i mean 2000photos, 100videos, 2000songs, 200apps, and i still have 1.7gb left….expandable memory? no thanks, by the time i take another 1.7gb of photos i’ll be backing up my device to sell it on eBay, put the funds towards the new iphone and put some profit in my pocket….thanks android for keeping the market open though, without competition advancement wouldn’t be as possible……hey…maybe someone can port the iOs interface to an android phone….maybe then i’ll switch……ehhh no thanks….
@greg Good point and highlights one of Android’s biggest problems although that is more on the phone manufacturer than on Google. However, if you look at it like most iphone people do, a phone is only viable until the new iphone is released the problem isn’t really all that crippling because most people are moving beyond a phone after a year or two and in that time android isn’t going to be changed that drastically. Frankly if anyone buys a phone with an outdated android build past 21 now they are asking for trouble. Believe it our not Android is getting better at this as well.
@DavidK Agreed. It just irritates me that most people equate the Apple brand with the best in every category which is so obviously not the case it gets tiring explaining it to them. The only thing you can equate with Apple is the highest price, great build and design quality and handcuffs.
@Cjc @DavidK Agreed it is irritating when people enable the stereo types of the big three (G,Aapl,Msft)…..and I agree apple is associated as being the best when it definitely is not….I use windows all my lift, since 3.1 after being on dos for years….and I will never purchase any machine that is not windows (when i’m not building them that is)….the only reason i would ever even consider mac os is when i’ve obtained a copy of it and i’m putting it on a homemade box….
regarding highest price though….i think the iPhone prices are comparable to others in the market and a fair price (considering the hardware costs to build them). its their international demand that puts them in the $800-$1000 range on ebay upon release, which is awesome for the buyer who can score a few and make a killing…but $299 for a 32GB device (with contract of course) is worth it everytime, even if the intention is to sell it a year later for $400 (search completed listings on eBay)
I’m definitely not against you Cjc and I understand your point, but the tweaker, the hacker and the IT guy are certainly the minority and the smartphone market is not geared towards us, its for the 99% who cant plugin a BluRay player…..unfortunately =/
@Tom I’m assuming you haven’t used Android 2.2 “out of the box”. The reason I point this out is because out of the box Android 2.2 is as simple to use as the IOS experience. In fact in my opinion it is a bit too close to the “App Launcher” OS than I care to let it remain to be.
The only difference in fact is the complete integration of all Google’s applications and tools which you need to experience before you understand just how awesome and instantaneous everything is, and the ability to make Android not a App Launcher experience.
I know because I have the unpleasant reality of being married to a Iphone lover and also being best friends with several Iphone users ;P. When my best friend’s dad is now sporting a Droid X you know things have changed drastically however.
My point is, we are far beyond the days where people can complain that Android is confusing or not smooth or not easy to use. Android has definitely made the vanilla experience one that highlights the phone before anything else which is what I think you are arguing is Apple’s main strength. 2.2 is on par with IOS when it comes to ease of use and applications “that just work”. And you get the added benefit of being able to install apps that are not from the market if you want, for example open source apps that are very specific to your needs and desires. Trying to argue that it is a bonus to be handcuffed to itunes and the app market is ridiculous.
As for your first post you are comparing the Iphone to everything but Android 2.2 running on a HTC device. Of course Apple is going to be smoother than any given Nokia but again have you used the G2? Have you used WP7? Apple is no longer the king here.
I’m not arguing that there are a TON of people who are more than happy to be enjoying the benefits of what Apple brings to the table and are not bothered by the negatives. I’m ok with that. I don’t blame them. I just get really bothered by the people trying to make Apple to be what they are not.
As far as comparable prices. Apple is hands down the most ridiculous pay-for-the-logo company in existence. The iphone on par with other smart phones?!? Really? 800 dollars vs 500 is a big difference when your talking under a thousand prices. You want to talk laptops? I bought my hp 18.4″ i7 core processor machine for 1700 dollars less than a 17″ core 2 duo/less memory/less hard drive space/laughable graphics card machine a year ago.
Their plastic series laptops are the biggest ripoffs around. Your not even getting the aluminum with half the specs and paying more than what I paid for the top of the line internals. The only area where it makes sense to buy an Apple is the desktop offerings which are only slightly higher in price but comparable specs with the added advantage of being well built and designed.
The only people who should ever buy an Apple laptop are the people who can afford to pay the ridiculous prices, need it for the programs (developers/musicians/designers) or who want their machine to last forever and don’t care it is obsolete in two years just like every other machine.
I just hate seeing my friends and family dropping a grand on a 15 inch plastic piece of crap that surprise surprise is broken in a year or two just like every other cheaply built laptop. They don’t even get the added benefit of having a fast computer for that price.
I digress massively. Forgive me. I will partly concede the storage argument to you though. Now that Apple provides 32 it is a far stretch to be unhappy with that. It was more of a big deal back when 8 was the norm but size has negated that advantage somewhat. It is really nice to be able to pop in a storage card and pull stuff off of it on the fly (which I’ve done several times) but not really crucial.
I guess the point of my long winded post (thanks for yours by the way, this is the kind of conversation I can’t have with my wife is Android 2.2 is on par with IOS out of the box as anyone would ever need to have a no brain happy experience with.
Whoa that last sentence got away from me. Sorry. I think my point is clear though. Forgive my early post click.
@Cjc
I enjoy argumentative yet constructive conversation because i’m learning from it and i’m sure any interested observers may get a thing or two out of it. While it is not the most pertinent point, I think i needed to clarify the prices iPhone is 199 or 299 with contract and obviously alittle more without……i meant the iphone minimum without contract ON eBay just after release time when demand is highest is min 800 and easily 1000….so that price is just situational and shouldnt reflect upon the iPhone because its purely the market.
Sir. I agree 100% regarding the RIDICULOUS prices of Apple products (hence I would never EVER ever buy an apple computer or laptop, I would hardly ever recommend one either, except to those who use benjamins to light their stoges. Every time I compare the specs of an apple machine with the comparable windows machine or even a newegg wishlist of mine, I realize….your paying approximately $800 for the “logo” which I put down to $800 for the Mac OS operating system. People who purchase windows machines pay for windows though right? I think we do, although when it comes to purchasing a system from Dell (when comparing the parts, even though theyre subpar compared to a custom build i know, especially RE feature sets), it feels like windows license is kind of just thrown in for the hell of it (until you select the +$97 +$197 for different versions of windows….anyways…..bottom line, Apple = $$$$$…..Apple’s logo probably costs $795 and their OSX whatev operating system costs about $5 (cause its rubbish)
Regarding whether or not I have tried Android 2.2 out of the box, honestly, I dont know if I have, my friends who have android are not the types to have any clue what versions they have. So if I pass by a place where I can check out 2.2 or the latest tonight, I’ll stop in and give it a whirl, because I am interested in something that is just as smooth as Apple’s iPhone. Afterall, that is why I love it, and if something else in this world is that smooth, and not chained down like closed source code, then i’m definitely interested.
One point though regarding Apple not being the king…..regarding the product….no the iPhone is definitely not superior to the latest and greatest android phones….however, in a world of vanity, where looks rule, and interface is what applies to the bottom of the pyramid, the average masses, Apple is king of the slugs who are more then 90% of the cellphone market.
And the storage point, I definitely understand, Apple was “king” with only 8gb mobiles, like really? 8gb is nothing, thats $5 SD right? lol and honestly 32GB yes holds a lot as i tried to list as much of my inventory as i could above, but in the end, I have less then 5% remaining and am looking forward to a 64GB iPhone in june(july?)….
I’m signing off for tonight, i’ll let you know if i find that android to test drive tonight, cause if its just as smooth, the inner tweaker inside will want to tweak, and it will satisfy the desire of having apps that don’t have to be Steve store approved (fkn hate that…)
All the best,
Tom
@Brianna:
Agree.
I’m a technical guy, and I like the strength of Android but when looking at it, it misses the charm. As David mentioned: too many customizations, too many widgets, different homescreen, look & feel, bottom line is a complete mess.
Windows Phone 7, BTW, has this special charm and big time. I’m using it for 3 weeks now, and ignoring the first week which was traumatic – the UI is amazing and feels even better than the iPhone.
“too many customizations, too many widgets, different homescreen, look & feel, bottom line is a complete mess”
Let’s take these one by one, shall we? While we are at it why don’t we throw in an analogy.
“Too many customizations”. – “The United States sucks because I have too many freedoms”.
“Too many widgets”. – The United States sucks because I have too many choices.
“Different home screen”. – The United States sucks because it’s different than France.
“Look & feel”. – The United States sucks because it doesn’t look and feel like France.
Can anyone spot the irony above? YOU DON’T HAVE TO CUSTOMIZE! YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE WIDGETS! Nothing is forced on you. The great thing about Android is you can make it a complete mess if you want to!!!! If you don’t, well just leave it alone. If you don’t like the look and feel fine, go lock yourself to iTunes but please stop criticizing Android because you can’t handle its strengths. Sheesh.
@cjc: agreed, a technical guy who says theres “too many” options on an android is probably the technical assistant on the geek squad….cause they’re experts…..
I did not get a chance to stop by a cell shop or rendevous with any 2.2 users last night. But what I did do was purchase an HTC Touch Diamond off eBay (Windows Mobile 6.x, $40)…
My girlfriend is using a crapberry so I’m hoping she’ll like the diamond and make the switch. I started browsing websites for free software for the phone and looking up information about it so I can customize it before I give it to her. That is one thing I like about non-iOs phones. The customization is honestly fun. discovering different software (cabs) that i’ll be able to drop into an Install express program and have the phone filled with goodies just after I open it (and before I even put service on it) is intriguing to me. It reminds me of my moto mpx220 back in the day.
Regarding the iPhone in this respect, if I wanted to, I could jailbreak it, then go surfing the newsgroups grabbing all the software I want and adding value to the handset. But i’ve seen jailbroken versions and they actually run slightly slower and lose that perfect smoothness that the non jbroken iPhone 4 has. Yeah theyre customized and u can put all the expensive apps on for free and make it do anything you want, but I havent seen a big advantage to it at all.
Regarding the article above however, whether the 44% is real or not we wont know until we see the Verizon sales and official numbers. But people who do switch from Droid to iPhone, probably only bought the Droid in the first place since it was the closest thing to an iPhone on their carrier. Now that they’re jumping ship is probably either because they want an iPhone because its “cool” cause everyone and their mother has an iPhone and two, because they just aren’t that good with android and are not using it to its full potential. but 44% sounds a bit high honestly, if nearly half the Verizon android userbase has the money to jumpship to go for the iPhone on day one, then shouldnt they be able to afford AT&T? I mean aren’t they going to have to extend their contracts now? I’m sure it lowers the barriers of entry having the iPhone released for Verizon, but i dont want to make this a carrier discussion, lets keep it at iOs v Android
has anyone tried gingerbread yet?
I’ve owned WM6.5, WP7 and Android phones (currently carrying Android). I think Apple was the trend setter a few years ago with the first well done touch GUI. Google started out slow, but has gained steam and now is pulling ahead. Google is iterating so quickly and will continue to out-innovate other phone OS’s and hardware due to a large group of OEMs competing on hardware designs. What if I like my phone with a keyboard? Why should Apple tell me I can’t have one?
Ever since the early days, I’ve disliked Apple. My main gripe with them is that they charge too much for their hardware and want you to become a permanent consumer and hold your credit card hostage.
This is a broad generalization, but I’ve always been a “function over form” kind of person and Apple customers tend to be “form over function” people. I think the whole argument about tiles, widgets, icons and so on is mostly silly. You customize your phone to make it easier to use your most frequently used features. Everything else about the GUI is fluff.
Apple is very creative and usually is first to come up with new ideas, but then they punish you by kicking you with high prices and locking you into restrictive agreements.
To me, iTunes is the worst part of Apple’s offerings. They control how you buy/consume your media/apps and I don’t appreciate that. If I want to listen to my music in the car, why shouldn’t I be able to burn it to a CD? If I want to load an app from outside the marketplace. etc.
If Motorola or HTC created the iPhone I might have considered buying it, but anything Apple makes comes with the curse of Steve Jobs and his inflated ego+price+restrictions.
@Larry:
(i figured i’d write this at the top, the tone of which i wrote this is not angry, or mean, its slightly sarcastic but mostly argumentative/debate tone)
I dont think Google is pulling ahead ultimately, because the contest ultimately share price, stock, profit, money…..if their hardware is faster, good for them, if their functionality is better, good for them, none of this matters because Apple is selling more phones there android based phones….so once Android based handsets (all of em put together, why not..) OUTSELL Apple’s iPhone (all of em? lol)….then I’d say Google’s Android is pulling ahead….until then, i’d hold ya horses dude….i dont think they’re out innovating yet, otherwise they would know, the one thing they should be working on more then any fix, patch, ice cream sandwich, update, gingerbread, green man, screensize, processor, battery life, functionality, etc…..is MARKETING…..Apple is the king of marketing and until that is matched, google’s android will not outsell the iPhone no matter if it can install programs from outside markets, put any music u want, play any video, run flash, cook dinner, attract girls, drive cars, or combine all the best hardware designs from all the great OEMs, nothing matters until they learn some marketing and educate the public on what android instead of confusing the average consumer with all the different android 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.0, marketing is key, look at Apple, they call it the iPhone 4, give u size option 16gb, 32gb and what happens? they sell 1.7million of em in three days….
oh and before you say there is data showing android surpassing apple….those figures did not include iPhone 4…..and incase anyone is wondering….Verizon iPhone orders passed 500K on day one….and Verizon (not including AT&T) will sell more then 10 million iPhones this year alone….(including the iPhone 5, ooo simple name, i think i’ll sell my iphone 4 in june, order the iphone 5, and go to a four star restaurant with the change)
KB
You can have a keyboard, there are bluetooth ones, and whatnot, but the iPhone onscreen keyboard is leagues beyond any other onscreen keyboard, after five minutes of use anyone is a master of it (i’m above 75words per minute….on a friggin cellphone thanks to the iPhone)…so thats why they dont have a hardkeyboard…so you dont have to carry a brick in your pocket, its elegant and functional, for most i guess. so why should Apple tell you that you can’t have one? Because if a hardKB was better then their onscreen KB it would’ve been included or atleast optional. Without having to waste friction and time on keys the iphone is definitely the fastest keyboard i’ve ever tried for a smartphone
$$
So…they charge too much? I agree…for their computers, who wants to pay what..like $800 for an OS? Screw that. But for their phones? $199 with contract gets you in the game with the latest and greatest iPhone, how can you go wrong? $199? thats awesome! I remember looking at Nokia smartphones years ago, maybe even just before the iphone came out and they were ridiculous prices (>$500) so my brother got the E62 at a reasonable price and the reliability was horrible and it would freeze and it was a piece of crap, a $50 used crapberry was more reliable in every aspect. Hold the credit card hostage? What do you want them to do? Ask you for your credit card everytime you want to make a purchase? you’re going to have a hard time in the age of the digital wallet…which isnt too far off (i had the nokia 8801 and it had a virtual wallet, was sooo sic, i could program in my amex card and use it at places where they have the RFID pads next to the cardswipes, so cool, apple needs this lol)
GUI-bs
Customization is key and Android is highly customizable and more functional. But hold on….GUI is fluff? ~gives you a minute to think about it or google it…..~
One of Apple’s main USP’s is amazing GUI. Functional GUI, easy to master GUI.
The Apple iPhone (with its so few buttons) can be picked up by someone who has never used a smartphone and they will be able to use it. They will push the button the front, be told to “slide” then virtual “buttons” appear on the screen and they choose what to do. It is the easiest smartphone to use. I’m a techie and when I first picked up any android based phone, I had to ask its owner how do i do this? what did i push? crap i lost it, can you bring it back up? because the learning curve is steep with the android and not with the iphone, the iphone will sell more, because face it, 95% of the smartphone buyers aren’t very smart.
Larry compliments Apple, thank you Larry! You’re not so bad afterall =P
Thank you for admitting to Apple’s creativity and innovativeness, but punishment follows? you were doing good, high prices yes on computers, on smartphones no (you know you can have an iPhone 3GS for like $99? and the iPhone 4 will be $99 in like 6 months)
Restrictive agreements? Is this regarding jailbreaking? or App store app screening before being able to go to market? restrictive agreements? i think these restrictions just prevent people from illegal activities. We’re restricted from doing alot of things in society (um drinking n driving) and its for our own safety and because there’s consequences. Restrictions with apple in the app store prevent young kids from accessing explicit apps, restrictions prevent people from stealing (jailbreaking to get that $10 app you cant afford or aren’t willing to pay for), restrictions prevent people from tethering (stealing internet access? thats why they sell tethering), these restrictions are simply law enforcing to prevent users from literal theft. I can’t think of any other restrictions at the moment, I never run into anything that “oh i wish i could do that but i’m restricted”
iTunes
iTunes is required for activation yes, but beyond that, you can use an alternative, I use CopyTrans and i put all the music tv shows and movies on there I want. Out of the 209 apps I have only about 200 of them were free…..there hasn’t been an app that i couldnt find a free version of in the store that i wanted so far. Even when I needed a GPS program to track my altitude changes while snowboarding or to record my distance and vertical drop and average and max speeds, yep i found not only one free app for that but a few. Out of all the music i have (and theres a hella lot of it), only one song in my life have i purchased on iTunes (and that was because i had an iTunes giftcard for $10 and i wanted to support my friends band). All the illegal music I have however, is in iTunes, and when I want to make a cd…..i can….i prefer nero though (and since its just mp3s on the computer, i dont see what itunes has to do with burning….) and if you buy the music and your talking about that…i’m 99% sure you have a right to burn and iTunes allows you to make a mix cd….
Larry loves the iPhone but hates the curse of Steve Jobs
so basically you love the iPhone, would support it by buying it and use it….but since its Apple, you can’t…..do you have Jobs envy or something? I think his ego hardly affects the phone…..the price is awesome (especially when you consider the fact that when you buy one….you can resell it a year later, get the next version and still have money in your pocket to go drinking….i love this fact….iphone resale value is beyond awesome)…..and restrictions? well i dont get that, as above, there hasn’t been anything that i wanted to do that i cant do…..and even if i found one, i’m not that restricted since jailbreaking only takes a 1mb download and a couple clicks….which iTunes helps you with by backing up your entire phone incase you screw it up….so that when you want to, you can undo it and your not bricked….gotta love the iPhone….
Durability of the iPhone 4
oh and two more cents…..regarding Durability….i believe the iPhone is one of a kind….i drop the phone all the time…but one horrifying situation occurred this past winter….I was at Snowbird in Utah and after a long day, went up to the rooftop hot tub with some friends, when the bubbles turned off, i went to go flip the switch but in doing so, my iPhone flew out of my hoodie pocket and to the bottom of the hot tub….i thought it was a goner so i continued walking to the switch, flipped it, went back to the tub and grabbed my iPhone. I took the case off (one of the free plastic ones available thru the free case program, basically a bumper) and turned the phone off as fast as possible (it was completely submerged atleast 3feet down for a minimum of 25seconds)….i put it in a towel and hung out for another half hour……really pist off tho cause my phone was soaked(assumed dead). Afterwards, I went to the sushi restaurant, asked for some dry white rice, to which they gave me a containers worth large enough to completely surround my phone. I put the phone in and put it on the heat for about 8 hours. The next morning the phone felt dry and i put it to charge….the charging symbol appeared on the screen and it sooned turned on, i read some texts, sent a few, made a call and tested the speakers with music and the headphone jack, absolutely nothing was wrong with the phone, i couldnt tell it had been submerged. its now two months later and the phone has no signs of its devasting dive in the hottub.
All the best,
Tom
Where to begin Tom, you closet Jobs worshipper. Haha. I think I’m just going to bulletpoint cause I’m using my phone and I’m lying in bed and I’m getting tired. Why not start there.
1) Apple most definitely does not have the best on screen keyboard anymore. At one time yes, now forget about it. Ever heard of Swype? I doubt you have because Apple doesn’t allow their users to replace the official Apple keyboard. (Sucks to be in a walled garden doesn’t it)
How good is swype? Let’s just say world record fast, far superior brains than the pathetic Apple word completer oh and Apple tried to buy the entire company because they wanted only Apple owners to be able to use it as an official Apple product.
By the way I am so sick of you Apple heads bragging about how fast you can manage to finger peck out words in a minute (best friend included:). What a bunch of trash. Try writing professional documents and emails nearly as quickly and effectively as if you were using a regular keyboard without random massive word fails. You cannot possibly hope to without a physical keyboard and why most professionally geared phones have a qwerty physical keyboard (I am happily and quickly typing this on my G2).
Now I’m not saying you aren’t good at typing on that Apple screen, you no doubt are, I’m just saying your using obsolete software which doesn’t measue up anymore and is a long shot from a physical keyboard. Let me just ask you this, did you type your post out on your phone? I didn’t think so.
2) Stop repeating that the iPhone isn’t expensive. You may have only paid 200 for the phone up front but you overpaid for it over two years of excessive at&t prices. For their crappy 3g service no less. You want to know how much it is from at&t without a two year agreement? Same as it is in the Apple store. Good luck finding it for less.
It is a overpriced phone considering you can buy any other phone you want new and unlocked for 300 bones less if not more. I got my G2 for free on a two year agreement that costs 20 bucks less a month than what you pay with unlimited messaging and oh yeah, a little something called 4G. You do the math, is the iPhone worth that much more? Which brings me to my next point.
3) Android will crush the iPhone just like microsoft crushes osx and for the same reasons. Enough said there. I’m growing weary. I’ll let someone else argue numbers with you, but if I were you I would do some fact checking and find out just where everything falls into place.
I could continue but I’m tired and want sleep more. 😉 I really am glad you like your phone and the story about the hottub is cool. I just wouldn’t tempt fate if I were you, two slabs of glass may be beautiful but I know too many people who are proud owners of shattered iphone screens. Glass is glass after all. Gone are the days when one could drop their phone and not worry about anything more than scratches. Excellent marketing strategy indeed.
Please forgive any mistakes I’m too tired to care.
@Cjc:
Yes I’ve heard of Swype and seen the videos and know about the speed record….have i ever seen anyone on the streets of manhattan or any bar or restaurant or friend using it…or anyone at work or school….no….so while thats all fine and dandy, again it comes down to marketing….you can have the best attribute in the world, but if you show it on tv ads and no one cares…..then i guess it falls into the category of best keyboard ever that less than 1% will use…..have you switched over to swype on your android?
One of my closest work friends is a writer of short stories, and while they do not use their iPhone to write their 10K to 50K word works, they use their iPod Touch….me personally….i’ve written multi-page emails and homework on my iPhone because its accessible on the train and bus and so easy to just copy and paste into the text box on blackboard to submit for grading….so yeah I use the keyboard to write long documents, and i’m not sure what the massive word fails are, when i said 75wpm i wasn’t talking about 75% efficiency, i meant more like 99% correct (maybe one backspace use per 300words for me. If I were to include these “massive word fails” e.g. bring my error rate down from near perfection, i could probably bang out 90wpm…..but this aint a pissin contest…so i digress….
I apologize….but I do not understand how a physical keyboard still trumps apple’s onscreen keyboard….you cant swype with a physical keyboard….you can’t change it out…..atleast apple’s may be updated in the future if they buy the swype license…a physical keyboard like blackberry, htc’s big boards, anything with the actual physical buttons, IS SLOW….i dont understand how pushing a button and releasing said button is faster than the iphones capacitive touchscreen frictionfree no moving parts keyboard….?
(i’ll be standing by to learn how a moving parts keyboard is faster than an onscreenkeyboard, and this doesnt have to be about the iphone, it can be about any physical keyboard versus capacitive touchscreen keyboard….)
Excessive AT&T prices? I have virtually unlimited talktime (i’ve never gone over my minutes and have so many rollover that i never will)…..i’m on a family plan….which has a unlimited messaging for all feature…..and fortunately….and this is the lucky part…i have unlimited internet because I had the 3GS…so i’m not capped at 2GB or anything ridiculous….so overall for three iphones on a family plan its less then $200 so i think thats pretty reasonable….and i think the resale value plays a factor….but i cant dog android for this because i’ve never researched how much one year old androids sell for…
it is impressive though that i can google “G2 Unlocked” and find it on amazon for $219….amazing price without a contract i must say…..maybe thats why they have no money for marketing….although who is supposed to market it….htc? they try…i saw one of their commercials last night and my girlfriend laughed, she said she thought it was an iphone commercial for a second, but then released it wasn’t that nice……htc y0u ! =P
Android in the future may crush the iPhone for the same reasons Microsoft crushes OSX……..yeahuppp every dog has its day and the iphone certainly has a tight leash…..but until Android gets adopted Apple will enjoy the sales (expect about 20million iphones to be sold this year between verizon and at&T combined, thanks to the average consumer…..maybe its me the consumer who is on the leash, too early in the morning for metaphors.) Good day to you Sir.
Personally don’t care about who is outselling who or who has better marketing or who can implement what technology better. I care about functionality, options and value. Obviously we differ on which platform offers a better value but there are a few hard concrete facts your missing.
1) A physical keyboard is faster (and I admit this is subjective but let me just make it clear I’m gauging it by the average competent user for both physical/virtual keyboards) because it’s more spacious and provides for the use of unhindered thumbs. Not to mention more shortcuts and buttons are available for direct pushing as opposed to hitting the symbol button and then finding the symbol and then pressing the symbol and then going back if you need more than one symbol etc. Why do think Blackberries still have physical keyboards? I’m not talking about the “Oh-crap-non-business-people-don’t-care-about-our crappy-phones-and-OS-and-will-switch-to-the-Iphone-we-better-throw-out-a-touch-screen-only” phone either. Ask anyone who has become efficient with a hardware keyboard who now has a iPhone and if they are honest and not fanboys they will tell you which is better suited for longer typing. It’s not really even an argument. It’s always been “Wow the iPhone’s keyboard is surprisingly good and I am willing to forgo the lack of a hardware keyboard for the design and Apple experience.
2) You are grossly overpaying for your said family plan. I know because I paid for the same plan for two years. Let’s take your line right off the top ok. You paid 200 for your iPhone. You are then forced to pay 30 for web. Now your paying 30 for text and 10 a line. You compare this to any other carrier and your paying at LEAST 20 dollars more per month. Not convinced? Let’s take TMOBILE vs AT&T.
1400 minutes + No Text + No Data + 1 Line = 90
Add 30 for Ulimited Family Text
Add 30 for crappy 3g data PER device
Price with two smartphones (I’m guessing) = 180
1500 minutes + Unlimited Text + Unlimited (4g) Data +1 Line = 160
Your paying 20 bucks more for that iphone. Multiply that by 24 you get 480. Add that to what you already paid and you get close to 700. Your margin of error now is even slimmer if not gone. Checked ebay and a used perfect condition unlocked iphone 4 is going for around 600 bucks tops plus shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iphone-4-Black-16-GB-Unlocked-/300521946670?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item45f880fe2e&autorefresh=true and http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-4-4G-Black-16GB-OS-4-1-2-FREE-SHIPPING-/180620565205?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item2a0dd31ad5&autorefresh=true or http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iphone-4-Black-16GB-AT-T-/180623219078?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item2a0dfb9986&autorefresh=true
Your in the hole 100, could make it out if you get lucky but your not making money here. This is if your iPhone is in perfect condition too and it looks like you already dropped it in the hot tub which to borrow a line from Tommy Boy “…that really ups the resale value”.
Your forgetting that the more popular the phone gets the more people have them and the less valuable it is as a commodity. You could get lucky but more and more likely as time goes on.
At any rate believe me I did tons of researching before I decided to go with a better network with faster speeds and cheaper plans. My wife is content to use her phone on a far less expensive no contract plan and I paid zero for my G2 which makes any money I sell if for in perfect condition a plus.
Sorry I seemed to have linked to 16gb versions of the iphone and am waiting for a few 32 to finish but surprisingly they are not selling for significantly more. I’ll link to a few once they finish.
Well that’s just weird but whatever, all the phones I was watching ended up being slightly less than 600 except for a buy it now which had it for 699. Here’s a link to one of them. http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iphone-4-Black-32GB-AT-T-1-day-no-reserve-/130484383954?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item1e6179b0d2&autorefresh=true
@cjc:
I guess our constructive/destructive criticism of each other’s favorite smartphones are nearing an inevitable end, whereby we can longer counter each other’s, without sounding like complete asshats whining about who’s tech is better. I believe in the end we should agree to disagree, since it is obvious you hate the iPhone and i love the iPhone. I do however, have room in my heart, for the day an Android phone should be of better use to me than my iPhone, however the switch is difficult for me and others like me, because of the time invested in the iPhone, you see I have all my data and applications in the iPhone, (half of which were automatically copied over from my 3GS on day one to my current iPhone 4) and in July when iPhone 5 comes out, it’ll be hard to decide to switch to an Android based handset, even if it is cheaper (hardware+plan both cheaper), better, more functional, simply amazing, etc, because I and others like me already have Everything we could possibly want on our iPhones. So switching to anything Android based would basically be wiping the slate clean, and while I have no doubt they’re available, I would have to find, download and install all my GPS tracking programs, Astronomy programs, games, city-related programs, reservation making programs, etc etc.
Maybe we should start a business where we can perform the service for people who want to switch without the hassle?
I like new things and am looking forward to the day Android and all their versions and their hardware and keyboards finally catch up with the iPhone so I can drop Apple like a bad habit. Lol i’m just busting your balls Cjc, enjoy android and i’ll enjoy my iphone, if i find something i cant do on my phone that i would want to do, i’ll let you know, hopefully flash will be implemented in iphone 5, other than that (which i dont miss currently) i cant think of anything else. I thought of something a couple weeks ago, an application that would assist in having conversation with a spanish speaking person, but then I found it, I speak english, and it translates in real time, the other person speaks spanish and it translates in real time….so i guess, theres an app for that.
Tom
p.s. a physical keyboard is faster….is a matter of opinion i believe…..swype is virtual right? iphone is darn fast…..physical keys? buttons? i guess it depends on the user, have a good one!