For 12 years I have been an Android user. Who would have known that my very first Apple product purchase is an iPhone 14 pro max? Here is a little story of my migration from Android to iOS.
Let’s get right to the point. Despite all the innovations Android and the hardware companies have over the years, despite all the years of denial, Apple simply makes better products. The followings are the specifics after 12 years of using Android products.
- Android OS is fragmented, leaving manufacturers to update their custom OS. I have a 5-year-old Samsung S3 tablet. Samsung stopped updating the OS 2 years ago. Without security patches, would I feel safe using the perfectly fine albeit slower tablet? Err no. I have a work phone, a 4-year-old iPhone 8 provided by my company. Till today, Apple still patches the phone’s OS. I feel reassured.
- Google phones in recent years are just not that good. To experience pure Android OS, you need a Google phone. My first Google phone was an LG Nexus 4. It was a great phone. Google has a few great phones post-Nexus 4. But Google has no interest in markets outside the US. I was able to purchase a Nexus 4 using a fake US address (the things we do to get a Google product). Google closed the loop for Nexus 5. Pixel 5 wasn’t even available here in Singapore. As for Pixel 6, with that fingerprint scanner fiasco plus other issues, I ain’t gonna get a Google phone in near future.
- Android hardware doesn’t last. My Samsung A series lasted just over 1 year. The screen was dead. It isn’t covered by the warranty and repairing it may as well get another midrange Samsung phone. Prior to that, it was a Note phone. My household had two. Both died after 2 to 3 years. Both screens died in the end.
- Unlike Apple, Google really doesn’t care about the markets outside the US. I got to experience Google Music when I had my Nexus 4 purchased using a fake US address. Once they closed the loop, they cut me off from Google Music because I am from Singapore. We can’t buy Pixel 5. Although Pixel 6 eventually arrived in Singapore, the cool color combos are not available. I don’t have to put up with this level of discrimination when using Apple products.
- Google products including Android are the worst offender when it comes to user privacy. It is a conflict of interest really. Google’s advertisement revenue comes directly from our personal information and browsing history.
- You may say top-of-the-line Apple vs Google vs Samsung cameras are very closely matched. But looking at the day-to-day photos from all sources, consistently, Apple users take better photos. What gives?
- I was used to thinking that Apple products are too expensive compared to Android. But with hardware that doesn’t last and OS that doesn’t get patched after a set number of years, Apple’s price tag is justified.
- As subjective as this may sound, Apple’s design is beautiful.