Okay, this is not an iPhone vs Android Phone debate. I respect your right to choose whichever platform that you want.
I mean, iPhone seems so antithetical with the idea of freedom. You have to connect it to a server to even use it, all apps have to go through a centralized server, no option to install whatever apps you want, which means, you literally cannot have any third-party apps without an online account.
Most of my fellow americans seems to love the idea of freedom so much, yet just buy into a closed ecosystem with no freedom? 🤔
Like almost 60% of Americans use iPhone, kinda weird to preach freedom when you cant even have an app without a corporation’s approval. If it were any other country, I wouldn’t find it weird, but for a country that’s obsessed with the idea of freedom (so much so that they disobeyed mask mandates), it’s really weird to be using a device with zero freedom.
Americans don’t really value freedom. Not really. Americans pretend they like freedom, but they will give up all their freedoms for the slightest bit of convenience, and because social media told them so.
Am I talking about consumer electronics, or politics? Impossible to say.
I understand the sentiment you are going for, but I think it is a little cheap regarding the opinion of 300 million+ people.
In my horribly narrow opinion, the American freedom is simply the freedom to choose. Nothing more, nothing less. The freedom to own a tiger, buy a tank or be “Florida man” for a day.
It is not “free” from manipulation and sometimes it really feels like a 5 year old choosing to do the opposite of the right thing just “because”.
Sidenote: I ABSOLUTELY do not think it is the best way to build a nurturing society, but I get why it has such a passionate supporter base.
It was a nurturing society when most were in communities that interacted with each other. We have lost that for many reasons
Tbh. It’s the same in the UK. Our governments, of both sides, are killing any perception of privacy we had and no-one is doing/saying anything.
Having said that people are mostly dealing with the terrorist inspired killings here that the are allied to the immigration issue.
The people have had enough, the governments of the last twenty years have been obvious or more likely not looking (at the disquiet).
There isn’t enough room to think of the loss of privacy/security yet. We are in a hell of a mess.
Not an American, but as an iPhone user who has had Android phones since cupcake before: iPhones „just work“, they are a lot less janky than Android, the ecosystem is smooth (although admittedly and intentionally less so when leaving it), they get updated for longer (and at the same time!) and apple has a much better privacy track record than the competition (a low bar).
Yes, I would prefer to install my apps from anywhere I want on the device I should own. An open source phone from top to bottom would be my dream, but Android is about as far removed from that as an iphone. Google took Linux and made it into a Frankenstein nightmare that is wholly dependent on them.
Just try to stick to open source and make your phone respect your privacy and see how far you get. Start at the usually locked bootloader, install a rom without google and see how few apps are left that do not require google services. And even then you are most likely dependent on binary blobs for the drivers, meaning the manufacturers can (and will) pull the rug from under your efforts as soon as they no longer feel like updating their shitty built of Android for the device in time.
I do not have time for that. What I have is enough money to buy a phone that comes as close as possible to my idea of safety, freedom and privacy without constantly jumping through burning hoops. If I am to be in a cage, it better be golden.
An open source phone from top to bottom would be my dream, but Android is about as far removed from that as an iphone. Google took Linux and made it into a Frankenstein nightmare that is wholly dependent on them.
have you considered flashing custom roms on it? e/OS, LineageOS and GrapheneOS (restricted to google pixel for hardware+privacy/security reasons) are all opensource.
Graphene. Don’t try the others if you aren’t prepared for an uphill battle. Graphene just works.
I agree that graphene is the hands down best. But for people who have a device and want to switch, and that device is not a google pixel, well that severely limits your options.
As soon as you start flashing custom firmware the “just works” goes right out of the window.
they are a lot less janky than Android
What did you find so problematic and unsolvable?
Just to say. I recently jumped from Android and the iPhone didn’t just work like I remember they did. Two bugs I had were adding comments on Reddit using Firefox. The keyboard would come up but my text would be off screen so I couldn’t see what I was typing. This could be a Firefox bug but it was still very weird and not one I’d seen on Android.
One bug that used to get annoying is I’d unlock the phone and when going to type, the volume would be at max briefly before going back to the volume the phone was set at. This caught me out a few times in the middle of the night.
I couldn’t get on with iOS and felt that after not using it since the iPhone 4S that nothing had really improved. Also the lack of being able to use uBlock Origin on Firefox was awful. It’s been a while since I browsed the web without an adblocker and I really hated having to do something every day. Eventually I sold the 16 Pro I had and went back to my Pixel 8.
The one thing I remember being great about the iPhone was when you upgrade you restore the backup and the phone just works. With Android you typically have to go around and login to all the apps again. Again a developer issue but certainly easier on iOS.
Android restores all your logins too.
It really doesn’t. It’s down to the developer. I would say that easily 75% app I use wanted me to set them up again.
when you cant even have an app without a corporation’s approval
Apple has successfully positioned themselves as “the good guy”.
- Apple broke the monopoly of phone provider locks, and still prohibits phone provider bloatware.
- Apple seems like the only provider with any care for privacy, and many of their features and policies are privacy focussed
- Apple puts more effort than most software providers into usability
- you might think Apples constraints on the App Store blocks legitimate opensource and personal projects, but it mostly blocks commercial exploitation. It blocks behaviors that abuse customers or their privacy, that will give users a bad experience. I’ve read the requirement for a fee with a real credit card is actually the most effective strategy against malware
- every major app is available in the App Store
- its just a phone. My phone needs to just work, unlike my computer which needs to do whatever I want it to.
So maybe the root cause is lack of consumer protection in the US, but my experience with iPhone is much better than with Android phones. I’m not blind to corporate shenanigans but I do feel better protected in the Apple ecosystem. I do have freedom to choose almost any legitimate app, and I’m not particularly interested n futzing around with my phone anyway
It’s status. Apple is regarded as more expensive and high quality.
Except the most expensive phones on the market are android devices.
It’s actually incredibly difficult to tell if someone has the latest iPhone or one that is five years old.
Exactly.
The short answer is capitalism. Wasting money is a status symbol.
Not an American, but I ended up with an iPhone simply because the cost difference between it and an Android device via my carrier wasn’t that big. It was also a previous generation model at a steep discount which helped a lot.
I am not a fan of Apple but if a company is going to screw me then at least Apple isn’t so in-my-face about it like Google is. Google’s data harvesting and ads are absolutely atrocious.
I used Blackberry right up until they ditched BB10. Sometimes I wonder if I should just get a feature phone because modern smartphones are awful things.
I am not a fan of Apple but if a company is going to screw me then at least Apple isn’t so in-my-face about it like Google is. Google’s data harvesting and ads are absolutely atrocious.
I mean, that’s kinda the dilemma.
You might get a bit more privacy with Apple, but then you sacrifice with the whole “not being able to ‘sideload’ apps” thing.
And if you want to bit of freedom, you have to use Android, which means you lose more privacy because the whole Google thing.
Ugh, why does every company suck so much. 🤦♂️
(Also: I don’t even know if Apple is really more private, its kinda just blind faith tbh…)
Side loading is not impossible even without jailbreaking your device, as long as you don’t mind “reactivating” the side loaded app every 30 days. There are tools that make it quite easy to do.
It’s a bit harder to know what information Apple collects and what they do with it because they’re more obscure about it. Unlike Google that immediately sells your information to the lowest bidder to slam ads in your face at every possible opportunity.
The lack of sideloading is indeed a large drawback. I do miss the apps I used to get off F-Droid when I had an Android phone. I’ve mostly replaced them with, well, nothing. I use my phone less and less as apps, and the internet in general, become more foul and toxic places to be.
Google doesn’t sell your information. That would be the quickest way to create competition.
What Google sells are targeted ad slots.
Definitely a huge problem that you never really know, but is it any less valid to take their word for it than to just assume the worst. Taken at face value, Apple is much better at privacy and is a clear winner. Taken at face value, Googles basic operating model itself is exploiting my privacy, why would I accept that?
I also tend to be skeptical about corporate actions matching their promises, given all the evidence of recent history, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re judging them on your skepticism, your worst fears, with no evidence. You can’t know they’re doing the right thing but you also dint know they’re doing the wrong thing. I’ll stick with evidence, and Apple has a long history of privacy-based choices, I’ll start with their promises, but yes we need to hold them to it
The answer is marketing by Apple and mobile carriers, which lean on peer pressure via iMessage. Plus the iPhone built on the success of the iPod, which led the market for mp3 players.
Not an iphone user, but am intrigued by all the ads the apple people say are on androids. Literally have never seen one, and I’ve had adjusted androids since the og htcs.
It’s the opposite. On Android I have an adblocker. On my work iphone I have to raw dog the internet
Rawdogging the internet applies to those who do not set up their phones properly. This applies to both IPhone and Android users. It is uncool that Apple only allows Webkit based browsers, where uBlock Origin doesn’t work. But even Safari Browser can be set up properly in the settings. Additional to that, there are extensions that block ads and trackers. I use a combinatiion of three extensions and I haven’t seen any ads so far:
KaBlock!
Hush Nag Blocker
Ad Guard (I only use the free tier)You can install AdGuard on iOS, it will at least block ads in the browser.
And then “just say no” to apps for websites
For iPhone, The internet is much better:
- in reader mode
- with AdGuard
I didn’t realize there was AdGuard available. Is it an extension or like a standalone app running in the background?
Sorry, I don’t have any details. I enabled it long ago and really don’t think about it except when it breaks a web site. Then it’s well integrated to temporarily turn it off
Android has a lot more free apps with ads, while on iOS there’s a lot more “gimme $2” apps. It’s a trade off.
Apple requires like $99 per year to keep the app in the store. Google play requires like $25 one time fee.
Supposedly that’s a significant impediment to malware - requiring an active credit card and non-trivial fee.
Any commercial product of any size is not going to miss $100. So it comes down to: is it good to reduce malware or is it bad to block freeware?
Saw them all the time on my first android phone which was a $20 Huawei phone which is almost certainly a major factor.
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I’m from SEA, junior. Why?
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Really? The question isn’t targeted at Americans. It’s asking why most americans use iphones. Where does it say only Americans can answer? Are we carrying on from the other thread?
Agreed. Yes I want to hear what other people say. The only reason it’s even valid to say “why does country x ….” is to included whether and how it’s different than “country not equal x”.
Most of the time we may find out we’re all people, regardless of political divisions
Yes, @Jeebaichow is correct. It’s the other guy who doesn’t quite have a grasp on nuance. Why can’t a BMW driver criticize/ have an opinion on a Mercedes, as long as it’s valid?
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You are rude. Reporting.
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Why do most Americans use an iPhone?
≠
Americans, why do most of you use an iPhone?
Yes. The guy has anger issues. Appears to be picking fights with everyone.
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I have no need for third party apps.
For anything beyond texting or scrolling, I have a desktop.
Defying mask mandates wasn’t due to a ‘love for freedom’ but due to delusions and selfishness.
So why not get a cheap android instead?
Because id rather pay more for a product than be it.
You have to connect it to a server to even use it
That’s also true of the versions of Android that 99.99% of people use
cannot have any third-party apps without an online account.
Most people don’t care. They’ll use the suggested app store and have an account already.
Right or not, it is what it is.
Blue ticks and group chats.
Cos they never made it away from the pre-installed apps.
Honestly, if you can tolerate the Apple ecosystem it works really well, with adequate privacy. My wife and my mother both use them and I recommend it for anyone who isn’t a privacy nerd.
If the user isn’t willing to jump through hoops to lock shit down, Apple offers a better suite across platforms for privacy and security.
Honestly, if you can tolerate the Apple ecosystem it works really well, with adequate privacy.
Not having firefox browser extensions is a huge dealbreaker tho (because Apple require some safari thing in all the browsers that breaks extentions), like imagine not being able to have uBlock Origin.
Also, I’m a bit of a pirate… Apple app store has no torrent client… 😉
Why would you torrent from your phone?
Wrong tool for the job…
Why wouldn’t you?
Slow, extra data traffic, extra battery usage.
What are the upsides? I could see a phone being a great controller for a remote seedbox for sure.
You can use it with wifi, I just view phones as computers, so not using them for whatever is weird to me. If someone wants to download torrents they should go for it.
You can literally set up a raspberry pi for torrents.
Why on earth would you torrent in your phone?
Also, I’m a bit of a pirate… Apple app store has no torrent client…
I sideload iTorrent on my iPhone via AltStore
Orion browser IOS has firefox and chrome extension support (doesn’t work for everything but most do)
I’d consider myself an average ublock user on desktop, and as a point of comparison I’ve yet to run into anything on iOS that wasn’t blocked just as well by AdGuard for Safari, plus the distraction control feature for hiding one-off annoyances.
Tbh androids privacy is shit. I’d rather deal with Apple than Google both on hardware and privacy any day. The only way I’d switch is to something like Graphene
• American company
• Secure
• Little to no bloatware
• Isn’t a google product
• Isn’t a google product
• Isn’t a google product
• same version of the OS in all devices
• customer support that actually answers the phone within a few rings and supports your device over the phone.
• isn’t a google product.That’s a few off the top of my head.
The customer support one is literal leaps and bounds above the competition.
I can call Apple and have someone answer very quickly, but you can’t really call Google. I can get Apple to call me if I don’t want to wait or I can take it to a store and have anything non-physical fixed for free.
Edit: Further to this. All Apple Stores offer free education on how to use their products. Got a new MacBook but don’t know what I’m doing? Book in to take a Mac class. Want to learn to draw an Emoji using an iPad or make beats with a musician then sign me up or sign your kids up. Same for photo walks and other creative tasks.
Yep. Exactly. I’ve never had an issue with any apple decide that lasted over just a few hours before it was resolved. That’s enough to win me over.
Google can keep their whistles and bells.
The average American is a fucking idiot and half of them are dumber than that
Marketing.
Convincing stupid people that their self-worth is based on how much they spend.
Not a thing that is exclusive to Apple, of course. It’s how society has been since the 80s and Reaganomics, with Nike and other running shoes being the first really noticeable marketing push in that regard.
Where Apple paved the way is that, even back then, a company would make a product, assign a profit margin to it (traditionally about 30-40%), and sell it at that price…
Apple came along and said, “the only limit to a profit margin is how much you can convince stupid people to pay. We’ll use billions of dollars in advertising to convince people that they’re sub-human if they don’t agree with it. If the consumer is dumb enough to pay 250% profit margin for a phone device that costs us literally a couple hundred bucks to make…than that’s on them and their own stupidity.”
So in short, profit margin is no longer a relatively stable number dictated by market forces and the relative strength of the economy, and (thanks to Apple) instead has become a function of marketing. How much can you convince suckers to spend.
