OT: Apple's iPhone 7 is Officially Here

[BKlutch]

The non-iphone user characterizations of the types of folks who own iphones is extremely reductive and not really helpful in furthering any discussion in discussing the relative merits of each platform. There are many technically savvy users of the iphone and of course there are many users that use it because it is easy or, perhaps, a status symbol (is that seriously a thing?!).

I have owned both types of devices and currently have an iphone and plan to upgrade to an iphone 7. I have previously owned Samsung Note devices as well as Nexus devices and, for me (a person that is likely considered average with respect to technical aptitude), it comes down to my user experience with the phone. The speed, despite apparent spec deficiencies, has been faster in my experiences by leagues than other phones and, more importantly, with none of my iphone have I experienced the increasing lag in day to day use as I have with my android devices (particularly samsung). The cameras are generally top of the line when you get them, the customer support is pretty much unparalleled in the space and you know every app will be optimized for ios. Ultimately, it just does what it says it will do and, generally, does so flawlessly. I could see why folks prefer the Android OS and its customization; it certainly has some appeal to me but doesn't outweigh the iphone experience for what I need the phone to do on a day to day basis.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote. I have an amateur radio license, and love experimenting. Just not with a phone that I really need to depend on for a zillion things every day. A colleague has a Samsung, which he's replaced almost twice a year due to either malfunctioning or his desire for new features. I haven't seen a lot of his new features actually working that well. He rooted his phone every year so he could use a custom OS. That was getting problematic in terms of security updates that couldn't be installed, so he's had to stop doing that.

Samsung installs a layer of UI and mostly unwanted programs on the home screen. This further slows the phone and can't be removed if the phone isn't rooted.

In short, I don't see customizability that used to be the Hallmark, and I don't see his phone having the reliability and security of the iPhone. And that is before we talk about how they used to let you merge the storage of an SD card with the phone's native storage, until they discovered that removing the card caused massive data loss.... They now require that cards inserted into the SD slot function as external drives.

[Floozenheimen]

Man, I've hated Apple products going back to the 90s. I-pods, Macs, I-Phones, ugh, they're all trash compared to what else is available.

I can build a PC for a 1/4 the price of a Mac with much more customization options, and ability to run countless more software options. I can buy a Droid phone that has a better battery life, which is removable(what a novel concept), more options, such as head phone jacks that let you simultaneously charge your phone, better OS with more customization options and a cheaper price point. Oh, and I don't feel like some douchenozzle hipster who paid way too much for something that is in reality craptastic.

[BKlutch]

Man, I've hated Apple products going back to the 90s. I-pods, Macs, I-Phones, ugh, they're all trash compared to what else is available.

I can build a PC for a 1/4 the price of a Mac with much more customization options, and ability to run countless more software options. I can buy a Droid phone that has a better battery life, which is removable(what a novel concept), more options, such as head phone jacks that let you simultaneously charge your phone, better OS with more customization options and a cheaper price point. Oh, and I don't feel like some douchenozzle hipster who paid way too much for something that is in reality craptastic.

I'm so impressed that you could hate the iPhone more than a decade before it was introduced. You were really ahead of the curve back then.

No, they're not "all trash." In fact, they always garner the highest customer satisfaction ratings and the highest ratings by most platform agnostic sites. My iPhone 6S Plus has better battery life than the Samsung did (not counting the Note 7, because it's currently in the penalty box and we don't know its real world performance yet), and the Samsung also deleted the removable battery for reliability reasons.

Please feel free to love the platform of your choice. Gratuitous bashing of other's favorite phones is probably not accurate and doesn't contribute at all to the level of discussion on the board. When you discuss basketball, you can accept that some basketball fans root for other teams, and those teams aren't all trash, right?

[Knicks_Fan2]

Man, I've hated Apple products going back to the 90s. I-pods, Macs, I-Phones, ugh, they're all trash compared to what else is available.

I can build a PC for a 1/4 the price of a Mac with much more customization options, and ability to run countless more software options. I can buy a Droid phone that has a better battery life, which is removable(what a novel concept), more options, such as head phone jacks that let you simultaneously charge your phone, better OS with more customization options and a cheaper price point. Oh, and I don't feel like some douchenozzle hipster who paid way too much for something that is in reality craptastic.

You should visit reddit Android; it actually is a great community of phone users that praise the internal spec and performance of the iphone even if users there do not prefer the operating system and that is nothing to say for the new processor in the iphone 7 which will likely blow the rest of the industry out of the water. There are merits to the iphone, whether you choose to believe it or not.

[mpharris36]

Man, I've hated Apple products going back to the 90s. I-pods, Macs, I-Phones, ugh, they're all trash compared to what else is available.

I can build a PC for a 1/4 the price of a Mac with much more customization options, and ability to run countless more software options. I can buy a Droid phone that has a better battery life, which is removable(what a novel concept), more options, such as head phone jacks that let you simultaneously charge your phone, better OS with more customization options and a cheaper price point. Oh, and I don't feel like some douchenozzle hipster who paid way too much for something that is in reality craptastic.

to be fair I have had my mac computer for about 10 years (original white macbook) now and it still works. A little slow from time to time but still works which is crazy life.

Also I have had my Iphone 4 for since 2010 and it still works perfectly too.

I am not the biggest tech savvy guy. As long as it does what I need it to do I don't need to continue to upgrade to the newest gadgets. But in terms of life span my apple products have lasted a lot longer than any other phones/computers I have had.

[BKlutch]

Man, I've hated Apple products going back to the 90s. I-pods, Macs, I-Phones, ugh, they're all trash compared to what else is available.

I can build a PC for a 1/4 the price of a Mac with much more customization options, and ability to run countless more software options. I can buy a Droid phone that has a better battery life, which is removable(what a novel concept), more options, such as head phone jacks that let you simultaneously charge your phone, better OS with more customization options and a cheaper price point. Oh, and I don't feel like some douchenozzle hipster who paid way too much for something that is in reality craptastic.

to be fair I have had my mac computer for about 10 years (original white macbook) now and it still works. A little slow from time to time but still works which is crazy life.

Also I have had my Iphone 4 for since 2010 and it still works perfectly too.

I am not the biggest tech savvy guy. As long as it does what I need it to do I don't need to continue to upgrade to the newest gadgets. But in terms of life span my apple products have lasted a lot longer than any other phones/computers I have had.

Also, you've been smart enough not to drop either one of them in the toilet of death.

[Knicks Byke]

The non-iphone user characterizations of the types of folks who own iphones is extremely reductive and not really helpful in furthering any discussion in discussing the relative merits of each platform. There are many technically savvy users of the iphone and of course there are many users that use it because it is easy or, perhaps, a status symbol (is that seriously a thing?!).

I have owned both types of devices and currently have an iphone and plan to upgrade to an iphone 7. I have previously owned Samsung Note devices as well as Nexus devices and, for me (a person that is likely considered average with respect to technical aptitude), it comes down to my user experience with the phone. The speed, despite apparent spec deficiencies, has been faster in my experiences by leagues than other phones and, more importantly, with none of my iphone have I experienced the increasing lag in day to day use as I have with my android devices (particularly samsung). The cameras are generally top of the line when you get them, the customer support is pretty much unparalleled in the space and you know every app will be optimized for ios. Ultimately, it just does what it says it will do and, generally, does so flawlessly. I could see why folks prefer the Android OS and its customization; it certainly has some appeal to me but doesn't outweigh the iphone experience for what I need the phone to do on a day to day basis.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote. I have an amateur radio license, and love experimenting. Just not with a phone that I really need to depend on for a zillion things every day. A colleague has a Samsung, which he's replaced almost twice a year due to either malfunctioning or his desire for new features. I haven't seen a lot of his new features actually working that well. He rooted his phone every year so he could use a custom OS. That was getting problematic in terms of security updates that couldn't be installed, so he's had to stop doing that.

Samsung installs a layer of UI and mostly unwanted programs on the home screen. This further slows the phone and can't be removed if the phone isn't rooted.

In short, I don't see customizability that used to be the Hallmark, and I don't see his phone having the reliability and security of the iPhone. And that is before we talk about how they used to let you merge the storage of an SD card with the phone's native storage, until they discovered that removing the card caused massive data loss.... They now require that cards inserted into the SD slot function as external drives.

You can remove the bloat ware now by using package disabler pro from the google store, works pretty well. While rooting had its reason it doesn't seem that necessary anymore. It's like the equivalent of jailbreaking (you won't be able to update the firmware...) Lastly, I think you can set the sd card as a native storage on the s7 edge, note sure though. Just FYI

[BKlutch]

The non-iphone user characterizations of the types of folks who own iphones is extremely reductive and not really helpful in furthering any discussion in discussing the relative merits of each platform. There are many technically savvy users of the iphone and of course there are many users that use it because it is easy or, perhaps, a status symbol (is that seriously a thing?!).

I have owned both types of devices and currently have an iphone and plan to upgrade to an iphone 7. I have previously owned Samsung Note devices as well as Nexus devices and, for me (a person that is likely considered average with respect to technical aptitude), it comes down to my user experience with the phone. The speed, despite apparent spec deficiencies, has been faster in my experiences by leagues than other phones and, more importantly, with none of my iphone have I experienced the increasing lag in day to day use as I have with my android devices (particularly samsung). The cameras are generally top of the line when you get them, the customer support is pretty much unparalleled in the space and you know every app will be optimized for ios. Ultimately, it just does what it says it will do and, generally, does so flawlessly. I could see why folks prefer the Android OS and its customization; it certainly has some appeal to me but doesn't outweigh the iphone experience for what I need the phone to do on a day to day basis.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote. I have an amateur radio license, and love experimenting. Just not with a phone that I really need to depend on for a zillion things every day. A colleague has a Samsung, which he's replaced almost twice a year due to either malfunctioning or his desire for new features. I haven't seen a lot of his new features actually working that well. He rooted his phone every year so he could use a custom OS. That was getting problematic in terms of security updates that couldn't be installed, so he's had to stop doing that.

Samsung installs a layer of UI and mostly unwanted programs on the home screen. This further slows the phone and can't be removed if the phone isn't rooted.

In short, I don't see customizability that used to be the Hallmark, and I don't see his phone having the reliability and security of the iPhone. And that is before we talk about how they used to let you merge the storage of an SD card with the phone's native storage, until they discovered that removing the card caused massive data loss.... They now require that cards inserted into the SD slot function as external drives.

You can remove the bloat ware now by using package disabler pro from the google store, works pretty well. While rooting had its reason it doesn't seem that necessary anymore. It's like the equivalent of jailbreaking (you won't be able to update the firmware...) Lastly, I think you can set the sd card as a native storage on the s7 edge, note sure though. Just FYI

A friend who just got an S7 Edge as a temporary replacement for his Note 7 says he can set up the memory as native, but won't do so, pending Samsung's distribution of a post recall S7.

[el13adnino]

i still have a blackberry (Q10)

[Ville5]

I have never owned an Apple product, and I don't plan to in the future. I don't agree with their company philosophy, and I think their stuff is way overpriced.

My current phone is an LG G2 and my next one will probably be LG G5. My current computer has Windows, but the next one will probably have Linux. No iThing in sight.

[falcindor]

People don't usually don't understand why Macs are great until they have one. You have to own one not thinking about the money spent and just appreciate the product. Its like a luxury car. Sure you can buy 3 Kias for the price of a Nice BMW but once you have one you understand. The iPhone is rock solid and just works and is intuitive. It becomes an extension on yourself and it becomes part of your everyday. Android always seemed like a piece of tech.

[Ville5]

There's nothing "luxury" about the iPhone except the price and the marketing that gives you that "feeling". That's exactly what I mean by not liking their company philosophy. It's no wonder the iPhone "just works" if the OS has been finetuned to that single current model. Android is an open OS that has to work on hundreds of different phones, of course that's going to make a difference. But most Android phones, like my LG G2, also "just work".

Luxury cars have a better engine, equipment etc. than other cars. You can't say that about the iPhone. It doesn't have notably better specs and the iOS is not better than Android.

I don't want my phone to be an extension of myself, I want it to be a good piece of tech. Maybe that's why Apple products don't appeal to me.

P.S. One of my most-used apps on my phone is one called AnkiDroid. It is free. Its counterpart for iPhones - AnkiMobile - costs $20. That's also what I mean by different company philosophies and different perceptions.

[Starks]

Apple is not what it was 4-5 years ago. Which coincidentally corresponds to Steve Jobs' passing.

I used to be a big fan of their products and was an owner of an iPhone, and still possess a Mac Mini to this day. At that time it was fair to say that Apple products in general ran better and more reliably than other competing devices. Not the case anymore I'm afraid. iPhones are still great pieces of hardware/software but Android manufacturers stepped up their game to the point where they are now at the same level quality-wise and often above in innovation.

As far as computers go, I used to praise their OS for being ultra fast and optimized. Not anymore. My Mac Mini is a pain to use now, my father has an iMac and it's become the slowest and buggiest thing ever, and it's not even that old.

I'm not sure what happened but I suspect every value the real Apple embodied a few years ago just disappeared with Steve Jobs. He was so much the driving force behind the company that now it's looking more and more like an empty shell IMO. He brought a creativity and a desire for perfection that simply cannot and will not be replaced.

Fortunately for them Apple Mania is still a thing, and it might take some time for people to realize that it's not worth paying 900+ bucks just for the sake of using iMessage, when you have 400-500 dollars devices that are as potent and well built on the market now, which have whatsapp, facebook and snapchat as well.

Also, the idea that owning an iPhone gives you some sort of status is nothing more than a myth to me. Literally everyone around me has an iPhone. How can something make one special when everybody else has it?

[CJackson]

i still have a blackberry (Q10)

with the matching loin cloth you're still wearing

[King of Canada]

i still have a blackberry (Q10)

with the matching loin cloth you're still wearing

I don't even HAVE a phone, and yes I have a beard and drink craft beer. Don't call me a hipster though. I'm just from old Canadian stock.

[E-Balla]

The non-iphone user characterizations of the types of folks who own iphones is extremely reductive and not really helpful in furthering any discussion in discussing the relative merits of each platform. There are many technically savvy users of the iphone and of course there are many users that use it because it is easy or, perhaps, a status symbol (is that seriously a thing?!).

I have owned both types of devices and currently have an iphone and plan to upgrade to an iphone 7. I have previously owned Samsung Note devices as well as Nexus devices and, for me (a person that is likely considered average with respect to technical aptitude), it comes down to my user experience with the phone. The speed, despite apparent spec deficiencies, has been faster in my experiences by leagues than other phones and, more importantly, with none of my iphone have I experienced the increasing lag in day to day use as I have with my android devices (particularly samsung). The cameras are generally top of the line when you get them, the customer support is pretty much unparalleled in the space and you know every app will be optimized for ios. Ultimately, it just does what it says it will do and, generally, does so flawlessly. I could see why folks prefer the Android OS and its customization; it certainly has some appeal to me but doesn't outweigh the iphone experience for what I need the phone to do on a day to day basis.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote. I have an amateur radio license, and love experimenting. Just not with a phone that I really need to depend on for a zillion things every day. A colleague has a Samsung, which he's replaced almost twice a year due to either malfunctioning or his desire for new features. I haven't seen a lot of his new features actually working that well. He rooted his phone every year so he could use a custom OS. That was getting problematic in terms of security updates that couldn't be installed, so he's had to stop doing that.

Samsung installs a layer of UI and mostly unwanted programs on the home screen. This further slows the phone and can't be removed if the phone isn't rooted.

In short, I don't see customizability that used to be the Hallmark, and I don't see his phone having the reliability and security of the iPhone. And that is before we talk about how they used to let you merge the storage of an SD card with the phone's native storage, until they discovered that removing the card caused massive data loss.... They now require that cards inserted into the SD slot function as external drives.

This post touches on a major problem with Android which is that most people think Samsung runs on Android. It doesn't. Android is open source and it isn't even a "complete OS". If you install Android on a phone it won't run so what you know as Android is actually Touchwiz which is Samsung's version of Android. "Stock Android" is used to describe the Google version of Android that is undeniably the best version of Android. Samsung probably makes the crappiest looking, least reliable version of Android.

Any non Samsung or LG Android phone craps on the best Apple has to offer in every category. Its cool to have your preference but if Samsung phones are what you are basing your opinion in you're misinformed.

[E-Balla]

People don't usually don't understand why Macs are great until they have one. You have to own one not thinking about the money spent and just appreciate the product. Its like a luxury car. Sure you can buy 3 Kias for the price of a Nice BMW but once you have one you understand. The iPhone is rock solid and just works and is intuitive. It becomes an extension on yourself and it becomes part of your everyday. Android always seemed like a piece of tech.

Serious question, have you ever had an android phone? Not Samsung - that's touchwiz - but actual android?

[Knicks_Fan2]

People don't usually don't understand why Macs are great until they have one. You have to own one not thinking about the money spent and just appreciate the product. Its like a luxury car. Sure you can buy 3 Kias for the price of a Nice BMW but once you have one you understand. The iPhone is rock solid and just works and is intuitive. It becomes an extension on yourself and it becomes part of your everyday. Android always seemed like a piece of tech.

Serious question, have you ever had an android phone? Not Samsung - that's touchwiz - but actual android?

I have. A nexus device which I actually did love. Why does Google shortchange it in terms of support and features?

[CJackson]

i still have a blackberry (Q10)

with the matching loin cloth you're still wearing

I don't even HAVE a phone, and yes I have a beard and drink craft beer. Don't call me a hipster though. I'm just from old Canadian stock.

I bet you have a collection of vintage mustache waxes and you use your handlebars as a keychain

[King of Canada]

with the matching loin cloth you're still wearing

I don't even HAVE a phone, and yes I have a beard and drink craft beer. Don't call me a hipster though. I'm just from old Canadian stock.

I bet you have a collection of vintage mustache waxes and you use your handlebars as a keychain

Wrong!

And I will have a phone in the near future. We have one that my wife carries with her. It's needed with kids and travelling, etc....but having two just hasn't been in our budget (my wife has been home with the kids for 10 years). My wife is on the job hunt right now though, so I'll be buying a phone soon.