Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Apple is far superior to android?

279 replies

Wineislifealways · 08/08/2022 21:28

In terms of iPhones are better than android? Is it true that androids are less secure and more likely to have viruses? And that they crash and become unresponsive a lot? I have an iPhone but DH has an android and I can’t even use it, I hate it

OP posts:
MorrisZapp · 09/08/2022 08:48

My mum needed a new phone and was fretting over apple vs android. Half her friends said don't get apple, the other half said don't get android.

I said ffs mother phones are literally all the same now. It's a rectangle of glass that you tap on. I'd be gobsmacked if any of her advisors could name any tangible difference between the operating systems.

What is the difference? Surely any variation is due to the handset, not the os.

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 08:50

SwanBuster · 09/08/2022 08:39

When I was developing for the military I found a bug in a military developed, yet open source library related to coordinate systems. Have a think about the consequences had that not been open source.

When you were being paid by the military to look for bugs in an open source library, you found one. You prove my point. Hardly anyone is going bug hunting for free out of the kindness of their hearts.

cawfeee · 09/08/2022 08:57

They used to be better many years ago, but you're now just buying into a lifestyle at much greater cost.
Why does it cost £18 to replace a cable on an apple phone, that you can buy for a few quid on and Android. I think the people that but them like to think they are technically savvy, but they are just buying into its formerly cool image.

CounsellorTroi · 09/08/2022 09:02

Android for me. I’ve got a Google Pixel phone, an iPad mini and a HP laptop. I don’t get what is so difficult to use about Android.

DownNative · 09/08/2022 09:08

Wineislifealways · 08/08/2022 21:28

In terms of iPhones are better than android? Is it true that androids are less secure and more likely to have viruses? And that they crash and become unresponsive a lot? I have an iPhone but DH has an android and I can’t even use it, I hate it

I've never had an android that constantly crashes and they've always had plenty of storage space for me.

Apple has been known to run theirs down to force you to buy the latest and theirs are well overpriced.

Why shell out for an Apple when you can get an android with money spare?

That spare money will be more important right now than having a branded Apple for some kind of odd status bragging rights.

ErrolTheDragon · 09/08/2022 09:10

cawfeee · 09/08/2022 08:57

They used to be better many years ago, but you're now just buying into a lifestyle at much greater cost.
Why does it cost £18 to replace a cable on an apple phone, that you can buy for a few quid on and Android. I think the people that but them like to think they are technically savvy, but they are just buying into its formerly cool image.

You don't have to buy apple cables, or even a reputable make they sell in their stores such as Belkin. However, having bought many cheaper cables over the years... I'm not sure we've had a genuine apple cable fail whereas at this point all of the cheaper ones have.

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 09:14

Why shell out for an Apple when you can get an android with money spare?

For me it comes down to ethics, security and privacy all of which are worth paying a premium for. The only other cell phone brand on the ethical company list with Apple is Nokia (not really smart phones though)

LondonQueen · 09/08/2022 09:20

I love my iPhone and have bought into the a
Apple "lifestyle"

LondonQueen · 09/08/2022 09:21

Pressed send too soon...

Both Apple's IOS and Android are perfectly fine, I wouldn't say one is more difficult than the other. The problem comes when people compare a £200 phone with a £749 iPhone. Of course the £200 phone is going to be shit, you get what you pay for at the end of the day.

MarsupiIami · 09/08/2022 10:32

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 09:14

Why shell out for an Apple when you can get an android with money spare?

For me it comes down to ethics, security and privacy all of which are worth paying a premium for. The only other cell phone brand on the ethical company list with Apple is Nokia (not really smart phones though)

Nokia have android phones.

OfficiallyBroken · 09/08/2022 10:47

@willstarttomorrow I'm honestly dreading the day it gets bricked, hopefully I'll get another couple of years before that happens because it's easily the best phone I've ever used and it's beautiful as devices go

PlanetNormal · 09/08/2022 10:54

For me, the big difference is security. Apple are the only big tech company who actually take their users’ privacy & security seriously and are not trying to sell / exploit / monetise your data and your privacy. With Apple, their devices are much more expensive, obviously, but you are the customer. With Google / Android, you are the product and the advertiser is the customer.

DownNative · 09/08/2022 11:55

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 09:14

Why shell out for an Apple when you can get an android with money spare?

For me it comes down to ethics, security and privacy all of which are worth paying a premium for. The only other cell phone brand on the ethical company list with Apple is Nokia (not really smart phones though)

Apple - ethical? With all the tax dodging they do to the tune of billions? 🤷‍♂️

DownNative · 09/08/2022 12:03

The only truly ethical phone you can buy today is the Fairphone 2.

www.engadget.com/2018-02-06-ethical-smartphone-conscious-consumption.html

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 12:25

DownNative · 09/08/2022 11:55

Apple - ethical? With all the tax dodging they do to the tune of billions? 🤷‍♂️

Tax dodging is legal. Apples not failed to pay any tax legally due. And why should they do otherwise? Every other company & person only pays the taxes they are legally liable to pay. No one voluntarily gives up a tax dodge that applies to them. For example, I’m “dodging” income tax on my PIP income because there’s no legal requirement to pay income tax on PIP disability benefits. Parents are “dodging” tax on childcare because the U.K. government has legally allowed it. Using legal dodges to avoid paying tax is not unethical.

cawfeee · 09/08/2022 12:58

You don't have to buy apple cables, or even a reputable make they sell in their stores such as Belkin. However, having bought many cheaper cables over the years... I'm not sure we've had a genuine apple cable fail whereas at this point all of the cheaper ones have.
Some of the cheaper peripheries will not work with Apple products, because they want you to buy there overpriced ones.
They were innovative and cutting edge back in the 80's and 90's, not so much these days, but people will pay, so I guess they're getting something right.

cawfeee · 09/08/2022 13:00

And if you are paying a premium under the guise its an ethical company then I would take a look at how it treats its employees that make the products.

balalake · 09/08/2022 13:02

Apple products in general seem to cost more, but appear to give better quality, which matters for some people not others.

SwanBuster · 09/08/2022 13:43

Discovereads · 09/08/2022 12:25

Tax dodging is legal. Apples not failed to pay any tax legally due. And why should they do otherwise? Every other company & person only pays the taxes they are legally liable to pay. No one voluntarily gives up a tax dodge that applies to them. For example, I’m “dodging” income tax on my PIP income because there’s no legal requirement to pay income tax on PIP disability benefits. Parents are “dodging” tax on childcare because the U.K. government has legally allowed it. Using legal dodges to avoid paying tax is not unethical.

Wow - we agree wholeheartedly on something!

Qlorex · 09/08/2022 13:53

I wish people would stop saying 'an apple' Vs 'an android'. Apple make one line of phone hardware and put their proprietary OS on it, IOS. Loads of hardware manufacturers, Samsung, LG, whoever Google outsources to, Nokia, all the many Chinese manufacturers etc, make phones and put the open source android OS on it.
There will be great battery/poor battery, cheap/expensive, good camera/shit camera, lots of storage space/poor storage space, big/small phones amongst all these. Most of the stuff people laud Apple for is perfectly achievable ok similar spec phones running Android, they're just not comparing like for like.

If you comapred an iPhone 3G against and iPhone 12 you'd think it was shit too.

RampantIvy · 09/08/2022 13:56

Well said @Qlorex. Posters aren't comparing like with like, unlike the Which? report I mentioned upthread.

VeryQuaintIrene · 09/08/2022 14:06

"The problem comes when people compare a £200 phone with a £749 iPhone. Of course the £200 phone is going to be shit, you get what you pay for at the end of the day."

I disagree. My $200 Android does pretty much everything my partner's iPhone does - the camera isn't as good, but it's fine in most circumstances.

pointythings · 09/08/2022 14:19

I love my android phone. Great battery life, affordable, storage easily expanded by SD card, easy to use. Apple is overpriced for what you get, it ties you in to their stuff forever.

CounsellorTroi · 09/08/2022 14:24

ErrolTheDragon · 09/08/2022 09:10

You don't have to buy apple cables, or even a reputable make they sell in their stores such as Belkin. However, having bought many cheaper cables over the years... I'm not sure we've had a genuine apple cable fail whereas at this point all of the cheaper ones have.

I’ve had plenty of Apple cables fail.

Nishky32 · 09/08/2022 18:01

pointythings · 09/08/2022 14:19

I love my android phone. Great battery life, affordable, storage easily expanded by SD card, easy to use. Apple is overpriced for what you get, it ties you in to their stuff forever.

Not for ever- that is a bit over dramatic