Android in Decline?

[Awesomesince86]

I think Android is in decline, at least for what I want to be the main features in a new phone when I get my next phone. My next phone will be a phone that focuses on privacy. There does seem to be a growing number of people who are caring more about privacy. At least in the circles that I am in. Here is an interesting article that lists the top four phones for privacy, but I am most interested in Purism.

That literally makes no sense. First, what your describing is a personal wish list for a new phone and has nothing to do with Android being in decline. Secondly, Android just introduced a new privacy monitoring feature so if anything they are improving with regards to privacy (even if it's still not great).

 

[LFC2020]

That’s the only way.

The only way is Liverpool mate.

 

[nickdalzell1]

The best way to get privacy is either disabling Google Play Services entirely, or use an app such as NetGuard to block the internet to Google Play Services. You'd be amazed how idle usage and battery drain goes away! 99% of battery issues and unnecessary internet requests come from Google Play Services.

Of course, if your banking apps depend on it or you play Pokemon Go, forget it. For my stuff, Play Services is merely a location/app update check, and turning off the internet connection to it via NetGuard doesn't stop the location part, just the update and background internet usage checks.

 

[LFC2020]

Android just introduced a new privacy monitoring feature so if anything they are improving with regards to privacy (even if it's still not great).

They didn't announce a new privacy feature, they copied apple lol, it's nowhere near as good as how apple has implemented the feature.

 

[Zaft]

Software I prefer stock Android #1 far more than iOS. Vanilla Android is just so smooth and stable and great usability. Where iOS feels like something stuck from a decade ago very outdated.

Hardware I'll take an iPhone Max. Apple builds the best quality phones with great components.

Best phone would be the iPhone 13 Pro Max running stock Android 12.

My take;

Apple builds great phones, but has a crap OS. Where Google builds mediocre phones, but has the best OS.

For me android is crap but I like some of Samsung’s hardware

 

[Tig Bitties]

For me even using a brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max, the garbage OS makes it feel like a historical device from a decade ago, like some ancient out of date relic due to sh!tty iOS, about on par with Windows 95.

Stock Android 12 feels like the Starship Enterprise from the future.

iOS feels like the old sailboat Enterprise from the past.

 

[michael9891]

Come on, comparing iOS to a 26 year old Windows OS is a bit much. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but saying iOS is on par with Windows 95 is ridiculous.

 

[michael9891]

Oh and until recently we still had a computer at work running Windows 98. There is simply no denying it's dreadful by today's standards.

 

[Zaft]

One reason that I really like iPhones/iOS is that Apple keeps my phone viable for years. For android, once you get your phone, you'll be lucky to see one update. I've literally waited a year plus for an android update, meaning that I'm already a year behind.

Adoption rates for android vs. iOS illustrates this.

I think Android offers a lot of great features but, that seems to be only people who buy new phones, those features tend not to trickle down to existing owners

I was really surprised that iOS 15 will support the iPhone 6S…

thats a phone over 6 years old when iOS 15 releases.

 

[Zaft]

For me even using a brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max, the garbage OS makes it feel like a historical device from a decade ago, like some ancient out of date relic due to sh!tty iOS, about on par with Windows 95.

Stock Android 12 feels like the Starship Enterprise from the future.

iOS feels like the old sailboat Enterprise from the past.

That’s a pretty bold statement, how so? I feel like Android and iOS are close then ever in 2021.

 

[ian87w]

That’s a pretty bold statement, how so? I feel like Android and iOS are close then ever in 2021.

Agree. Each platforms has their own specifics, but nowadays, most important for many users are simply app parity. The basics of smartphone functions are fully covered by both platforms that whatever uniqueness each has are just icing on the cake. Majority of users don't even change the default home screen setup nor wallpaper. They just want to use their favorite apps.

 

[michael9891]

Feels like Tim Cook will never allow iOS to let you properly put apps where you want. And that surely plays a big part to it looking the same old, year in, year out.

 

[Zaft]

Feels like Tim Cook will never allow iOS to let you properly put apps where you want. And that surely plays a big part to it looking the same old, year in, year out.

I honestly have no idea why this has not been allowed yet.
But never say never. There was a time I thought widgets would never come.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I was being a bit over the top sarcastic in my previous comment.

I'm just disappointed in iOS 15, compared to the good updates 13 and 14 brought. And it felt like 15 did nothing to progress forward per what I was expecting.

 

[Zaft]

I was being a bit over the top sarcastic in my previous comment.

I'm just disappointed in iOS 15, compared to the good updates 13 and 14 brought. And it felt like 15 did nothing to progress forward per what I was expecting.

iOS 15 seems like a tune up and nothing more.

 

[zakarhino]

I think Android will beat iOS to the punch with the whole cloud-first OS paradigm and they'll keep making chromebooks stronger and stronger with a focus on cloud apps that can be run on any client (like how Google Docs work now, except with more powerful apps and games that simply cannot run on client side devices due to computing/power constraints).

Android isn't going anywhere. Anyone thinking Google will just continually pump out random Android updates every year isn't paying attention to what Google has going on behind the scenes (heavy investment into cloud tech, fuschia OS, etc.). Google are preparing to offer their alternative to Apple's "put ARM in all our devices, universal apps on everything, with App Clip micro apps everywhere" strategy. Google want complete control and power over your entire technological life just as much as Apple do.

 

[Mistborn15]

The stock Android was the smoothest / fastest OS I've used (that was during Pixel 2 days). Very powerful and flexible. But lack of security / just 2-3 years of updates make them very expensive. One can use their iPhone for 5-6 years. Android you have to upgrade every 3 yrs - that makes their price practically 2x of what they are

 

[iHorseHead]

I don't believe Android is in decline. Most people outside of the US use Android.

 

[Blue Quark]

People complaining about privacy and those sorts of intrusions into their lives should go live like the Amish. Go off the grid and more or less abandon any kind of electronics-involving technology.

If we're gonna be real, however, the closest you're going to come to being safe and secure vis a vis computers and that sort of technology is to get a Librem computer and smart phone. Obviously, there's more to it than just doing that, but that's the foundational basis you'd have to start with. And if you're seriously that concerned about privacy, etc., why are you using stuff from Apple?

Personally, I try to make intelligent and reasonable choices, stay informed, and not let what are in truth paranoid fears drive my choice-making.

 

[The Game 161]

I don't believe Android is in decline. Most people outside of the US use Android.

Not really, the UK is dominated by iPhones. Top 5 beta selling devices in the UK are also iPhones. Android have a lot of users and the low budget devices certainly helps a lot with this

 

[Shanghaichica]

Not really, the UK is dominated by iPhones. Top 5 beta selling devices in the UK are also iPhones. Android have a lot of users and the low budget devices certainly helps a lot with this

Figures say

Not really, the UK is dominated by iPhones. Top 5 beta selling devices in the UK are also iPhones. Android have a lot of users and the low budget devices certainly helps a lot with this

it’s 51.6% iOS in the UK but I would wager it’s higher than this. I can’t walk for more than minute without seeing an iPhone

 

[Expos of 1969]

Figures say

it’s 51.6% iOS in the UK but I would wager it’s higher than this. I can’t walk for more than minute without seeing an iPhone

But if you are also seeing an Android in that minute the stats are correct

 

[Mistborn15]

It depends on the area. Even in SE Asia, in bigger cities, you would almost feel everyone uses an iPhone. It has changed a lot in last few years - since Samsung started charging insane prices for their flagships that just get 3 years of updates

 

[The Game 161]

Figures say

it’s 51.6% iOS in the UK but I would wager it’s higher than this. I can’t walk for more than minute without seeing an iPhone

The most recent I saw was the most sold phones were iPhones and I think they had 7-8 in the top 10 or something like that. I’m sure the s21 took some in the sales as I would think that or the A Samsung phones were the most popular

 

[Smellmet]

The stock Android was the smoothest / fastest OS I've used (that was during Pixel 2 days). Very powerful and flexible. But lack of security / just 2-3 years of updates make them very expensive. One can use their iPhone for 5-6 years. Android you have to upgrade every 3 yrs - that makes their price practically 2x of what they are

Why? If my phone still works in 5 years, I'll simply... keep on using it. No one is forcing anyone to upgrade.