For so long now, Apple has been the shining light when it comes to smartphones, but Google’s Android has been gaining ground in recent years. On paper, there is nothing in it. They are both capable, stylish (dare we say sexy!), rich in features and have seen some outstanding support from external developers. That’s not all they share, though, because both platforms have garnered huge followings, and both platforms can be considered to be amazing, if not perfect, purchases. Seriously, you can’t go that wrong with either.
In fact, there is only one real distinguishing fact when it comes to separating the two, and that is loyalty. You see, more Android users switch to iPhone than they do vice versa. Yup. Google lovers flee the power of Google in favor of Apple.
For all of the amazing features that the Pixel has, a fair few have found that the grass isn’t greener on the other side, and they start looking for ways they can get cash for used phones. The big question is, why is this the case? What is it that makes Apple sospecial and still able to hold off the rest of the pack, a pack which is so viciously snapping at their heels?
Well, we did some digging, we spoke to some of those that have left the Pixel XL behind, been onto forums and studied Reddit threads, and come up with a list of common reasons why Apple is still numero uno.
Customer Support Is Five Star
When you think about Apple, three things jump to mind without any pause for thought: design, user experience, and customer support. They have absolutely nailed these areas of the market, hands down. There’s no question about it. It’s not just the AppleCare service they offer or even AppleCare+. It is everything, from the online chat support, where the people are so human it’s almost unheard of (we made friends with a guy called Geoff who had just had a baby girl and promised to lend us his sofa should we ever be in California), to the ultra helpful and friendly service you get when you head into one of the gorgeously well-lit stores. To put it simply, there is no other consumer electronics company that gets close to the aftersale service of Apple. They are the Burj Khalifa and everyone else is a bungalow.
Software Updates Are A Dream
The way that Apple implement their software updates is nothing shy of genius. It is not just the updates that are to be celebrated, though, it is the way everything is so user-friendly, and that is something that Android has failed to achieve. To put some figures on it – some cold hard facts – that will allow some comparison, as of March 1st this year, 81% of all active iPhones were operating the latest software (iOS 10). 81%. That is staggering. Let’s compare that to Android’s latest offering, Nougat, which isn’t even running on 2% of all active devices and it has been out for longer. Yeah. Not only are iPhone updates awesome, they are so easy to install. Another massive win for the Apple.
Usability Is Unheard Of
This may be an area where the Android using systems is catching up (well, maybe not catching up but certainly improving), however, iPhone still rules the roost and it is showing no signs of retiring from that position anytime soon. It nailed its usability right of the bat and, yes, it has tweaked this in the last 8 years, but not much. That is a testament to their research, to their user-experience, and to their quality, all of which has translated into continuity. That is one thing that Apple has that the others don’t; you always know what you are going to get, and that is slick, sexy and smooth. Mmmmm, dreamy.
Battery Life Of A Duracell
Okay, this is a huge area of contention among those smartphone owners who have been around long enough to remember when Nokia was the king of phones. Battery life back then lasted weeks, not hours. However, we are out of this day and age, at least for now, and so a phone that can go 24 hours without any worries is a feat to be admired. Apple hasn’t got this quite right yet, not when it comes to its smaller offerings, the iPhone SE and below. However, on its plus size range, it has done what is necessary. Users can use their phones and not have to worry, which is why a lot of Android users made the switch.
It Feels As Good As It Is
The thing about smartphones is, well, they cost a lot of money. The latest models cost upward of $650. It’s a heck of a lot of money to fork out for something. This is something we noticed when reading through pages and pages of Reddit threads. But what also became apparent on these threads was the fact iPhone’s have always felt worth the money. They have felt like an expensive phone, and looked like one, and acted like one. There is no denying that the latest Samsung’s and the Pixel XL and all of these haven’t gotten better and better at justifying their expense, but Apple just tips the scales slightly, according to user’s that is.
It All Works Together So Nicely
This seems to be something that Apple is concentrating more and more on because the greater their products work together the more unlikely it will be that their customers leave them. In fact, they’ve nailed this so well that their customers won’t even think about leaving. At first, it was things like iTunes. Great move. Then it became iMessage, in which people have found a huge connection with the blue bubble and almost despise the green one. And now it is with external hardware, like the Apple Watch. We know that Android has improved in the latter area, but it has nothing on the sleek, elegance of what Apple offers. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
