So I dropped my phone and the screen cracked all to hell.
I’ve been meaning to replace it for a while anyway - I got one with a physical keyboard thinking I’d use it, and NEVER use it, and so my phone is really heavy with no benefit to me. I put some clear tape on the screen to keep it alive until I can replace it.
For the record, it’s an LG Quantum, which is a Windows phone. When I got my first smartphone I went with Windows because I had a brother who worked for Microsoft, so hey, free tech support. Only he doesn’t work at Microsoft anymore, so if I’m going to change platforms, now’s the time.
things I like about staying with a Windows Phone:
[ul][li] I like how well integrated Hotmail and other MS programs are.[/li][li] I’m used to it, so I know how to do everything.[/li][li] For at least a while, IT-Bro will be able to help me with problems.[/li][li] Migrating numbers, apps, etc. will be easier.[/ul][/li]
Thing I DON’T like about Windows Phone (there’s really only one, but it’s a biggie):
[ul][li] Windows Phone OS is ALWAYS the last OS to get the latest, greatest apps. iPhone gets 'em first, Android almost immediately after that, and then MAYBE a year later Windows will get thrown a bone. Just to pick one example, Weight Watchers has a great suite of apps for iPhone and Android users, but only ONE measly app for Windows Phones (and it’s the least important one).[/ul][/li]
So, all you iPhone and Android users: convince me that it’s worth it to switch. Windows Phone users, convince me that I should dance with the one what brung me.
I love my phone (HTC One), but I’m the sort who roots their phone the day they get it and never runs the stock OS. I think there are two big questions you need to ask yourself:
Do you like to tinker with your phone - its appearance, UI layout, etc? If yes, then the only platform you should consider is Android. iOS is slick as shit, but if there’s anything you don’t like (like the keyboard not displaying the case you’re typing in - WTF is with that?) you are SOL because you probably can’t do anything about it.
Do you have any strong size preferences? If you lust after the larger 4.7-5 inch screens, then again you want one of the current flagship Androids (S4, One, G2). Or if you want even bigger, there’s the Note 3, an LG model whose name escapes me, and a One Max about to be released. One the other hand, if you prefer more compact, iOS is the stronger choice. While there are smaller sized Androids, they all have weaker cpus are are generally not just downsized but not as high end.
For general use, the two systems are pretty much on par with each other. Do you want to be in the walled garden (it’s very pretty inside) or not (there are walls, after all)?
I have a Windows Phone 8 and I love it. I happen to think the interface design is really elegant, and I like the consistency of interface in apps - something I found sadly lacking on Android, where every app had its own design ethic for menus, settings and operation.
However, you’re right that the app catalogue is smaller for WP8, but this is only a reason to check in advance that you can get what you think you’ll want. Most of the apps in the Android market are garbage anyway, so raw numbers of apps available are bullshit.
I love my WP8 phone (HTC 8X). I really like the Metro UI and I like how well integrated everything is with my computer (Windows 8). The lack of apps doesn’t really bug me so much, since I’m usually content to use the web interface most services have, and I haven’t really run into a need for the apps that WP8 doesn’t have and don’t have a web interface. YMMV on that, of course. As an example, before Twitter had a decent WP8 app, I just used the built-in interface, though I use the well-designed app they’ve now released. On the other hand, though Facebook now has an app, I’ve never bothered to get it, and just use the People hub tool to do the little Facebooking I do from my phone.
I’m not sure how important it is to you to have the latest and greatest OS update, but that’s another important difference between the three platforms.
Apple does all their own tech support, so iPhones get their OS updates as soon as Apple makes them, and phones are supported for a long time (the recent iOS7 update is available to phones as old as the iPhone 4).
Android updates are handled through the phone carriers, so unless you root your phone and put a custom ROM on it, you get the new Android version when and if Verizon or whoever decides to let you have it. Generally, this is several months at least after Google releases it, and most phones will only get one update past the version that came with their phone before being dropped.
WP8 updates are officially like Android updates, coming through the carriers, eventually, but with the last update a couple weeks ago, MS enabled anyone with a free development account to get the update directly from them, with the caveat that that might void your warranty.
On the app front: WP8 marketshare is growing, slowly in the US, but more quickly internationally. I haven’t seen numbers lately, but last I heard, it looked like WP8 was going to overtake iOS in England (in numbers sold in a month, not in installed base) relatively soon. So the app situation will get better over time, especially if MS manages to unify their Windows 8 and WP8 app stores like they’re hinting at doing.
I have used all OS on mobiles from Win7 to iOS, Win8, Android from the start. Yes I change my phones several times a year (I don’t pay for them) and I really they all work pretty well.
Yes Win8 has some issues in not getting some of the latest apps but really not been a problem for me.
My latest phone is a Win8 Nokia 1020, man what a camera. Love it and prob wont change for a while.
I don’t personally have a smartphone (until next week sometime anyway), but Mr. Legend has a Droid, and he says that it has a lot more free apps than the iPhone. He claims that Apple charges for just about every app you get through their store.
I have an android phone, Samsung Galaxy S3. I love that I can put an SD card and drag and drop music or photos directly to it without having to use iTunes.
I have an Android tablet as well. When I went on holidays I just copied some movies off my PC directly into the SD card so I could watch what I wanted on the plane.
The operating systems are much of a muchness, for me the closed environment is why I’d never get an Apple.
I also have a windows phone for work, Nokia lumia. It’s nice, but I prefer the Android.
It’s possible there are more free apps on Android than iOS, but your husband’s statement is full of crap. 90% of apps are free in the Apple Store. But even that is a terrible reason to base your purchasing decision on. What if the only apps you want fall into that 10%? It’s highly unlikely, sure. The number of apps themselves is about even nowadays - but it still remains true that third party apps tend to get released on iOS before they do on Android (and the same holds for app updates as well).
As for the OP, I think your decision on whether or not to go with an iPhone should be based on two things:
Do you have a problem with using iTunes?
Do you tend to want to extensively tinker/customize your gadgets/electronics?
If either of those are “yes”, I’d suggest an Android. If not, an iPhone is certainly a strong option.
I like Android because it has plenty of apps and it’s a totally open system. You can install apps from any source you want, you can move any files to and from anywhere on your phone you want. It has lots customization options, you can make an Android look like a Windows Phone or iPhone very easily, change system sounds, homescreen layouts, etc. There are also dozens if not hundreds of Android devices to choose from. This is a pro and a con, but mainly a pro. You can choose how big of a screen you want, how good the camera is, etc.
iPhone is generally more expensive but is a good choice if you want something that just works. However, Apples definition of “just works” might be different than yours, and it’s often not easy to vary from Apples design and operation choices. iPhones require you to use iTunes to move music/photos/videos to the phone. iTunes has a mixed reputation, personally I don’t like being forced to use it.
I doubt this can be done at much more than the superficial level of skinning the main screen. It will be much harder (perhaps practically impossible) to get Android to behave like WP or iOS.
I also broke my phone over the weekend. I have always been an Android user. Never owned anything Apple. My husband talked me into getting the iphone4s because it was free with the new contract. I hated it all the way home. So now I’ve been using it since yesterday afternoon. I was up most of the night playing with it. It’s so cool!! Right now I’m sycing all the music on my computer (like 1800 songs) to the iphone, which plugs into my car stereo. No more MixCDs! And the free apps!
I recommend you try one. Most carriers give you at least 3 days to return a phone if you don’t like it. But I bet you will!
I think Munch’s list is basically spot on, except add
3) Are you very price conscious ? If so, Android + Prepaid service. (Contract is hiding much of the price difference between the Iphones and the better priced Android phones like the Nexus 4/5 or low end android phone).
The shift key on the keyboard clearly indicates whether you are about to type upper case(arrow filled in dark gray) or lower case(interior of arrow matches background). Or did you mean something else?
I’m also going to put this out there about buying an iPhone.
If you take care of your expensive electronics (i.e. don’t go through cellphones like they’re disposable), always get the most recent version. Even though an iPhone 4s is free with contract doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the best value. Assuming you can afford the $200, get a 5s. It’ll get updates longer than the 4s will, its resale value with be much higher should you want to get the next iPhone upgrade when your 2 years is up (nearly paying for your initial purchase), and you’ll have access to app upgrades longer (assuming that older model iPhones don’t get later iOS upgrades).
Making an Android look like iOS or WP would mainly be a novelty, but I’m sure some users genuinely like the screen layouts and graphics of iOS but still want the freedom and flexibility of Android. And if you get tired of iOS look you can easily switch to stock Android or even a Windows XP look if you wanted.
He probably means the keys on the iOS virtual keyboard show as upper case whether or not you are typing upper or lower case. On Android the whole keyboard changes to upper or lower case depending on the shift state.
On Android you can install keyboards with arrow keys, very handy for editing text and more more precise than tapping the area you want to edit with your finger. I use Thumb Keyboard: http://www.beansoftapps.com/archives/products/thumb-keyboard
Sure, but that’s just the launcher - the first part of the UI you see, but arguably, the thing you spend least time actually interacting with.
What you obviously wouldn’t change is the UI behaviours such as the way that each OS handles text selection, zooming, multiple pages, menus, etc. In the case of WP8, there are some very distinctive and pervasive UI features (for example, the way it handles alphabetic lists - demonstrated here)