This is mostly how I feel about the iPhone 6/6 Plus

[BlueGoldAce]

It seems like Apple should have hit a home run with the iPhone 6. They've been working on it for years. But, it's a bigger phone with a few things that others have had for years.

I really wanted something to make me say 'wow!'. Sure, iPhone customers will upgrade. They're a loyal bunch.

But Apple missed a great opportunity to convert the Android customers.

It has ios... And the Apple name. That is its biggest appeal. That and when it adds a feature, such as new payments, that android has had for years.... It becomes mainstream.

The iphone will never been android phones in pure specs. But it really does what it sets out to do well. The camera is always a standard setter, it's smooth, polished, and consistent, and it's got a superior app developer backing at the moment (quality and first to get the good apps... Like bioshock).

Water resistance is really the only big feature apple missed, but that feature isn't common yet. Only a few phones have it.

I think the new iPhones are home runs for Apple... And I think the rest of the world does too based on the preorder status St this moment.

 

[bigjnyc]

He makes some good points that I agree with.... However I'm sure someone can write just as many points in favor of the iPhone. I don't really care enough... In fact I agree that there are many phones out there that are better, for example I love love love the LG G3.. that is a sweet phone right there BUT I cannot deal with the jumbled, disorganized, hot mess that is Android... So I'll stick with my iPhones... as inferior in specs as they may be.

 

[Cnasty]

Knowing how big a Note fan you are, it was tough for me to give up my Note 3 due to my personal issues with the phone and TW but the Note 4 was very intriguing.

There is no doubt in my mind its the better looking device but I cant afford to deal with TW/Samsung/ATT again.

I hope I find a sexy case for the IP6 because honestly I am not a fan of the bands on the back.

 

[The Game 161]

Knowing how big a Note fan you are, it was tough for me to give up my Note 3 due to my personal issues with the phone and TW but the Note 4 was very intriguing.

There is no doubt in my mind its the better looking device but I cant afford to deal with TW/Samsung/ATT again.

I hope I find a sexy case for the IP6 because honestly I am not a fan of the bands on the back.

Yeah I get that, I have confidence Tw won't be too bad but will see. I want to use it and not put a launcher on it to enjoy more of the features. I will be honest the iPhone 5.5 has crossed my mind but can't leave the note. Would miss too much from it plus I'm well and truly tied into Samsung now with my note line and gear 2

Will certainly be having a play with the new iphones in store though.

 

[jrswizzle]

I think the Android sub is appropriate for these discussions and review postings. I would like to check out the iPhone 6 Plus, but am leaning against owning it. I'm not going to go on and on here but there's simple things that the iPhone won't do that want it to... for example having my home screen have no icons above the dock. Why won't they let me? Also if I want to send an audio file of, say, a current mix, plus album artwork and a pdf file in an email I have no idea how to because of no user accessible filesystem. Just 2 annoyances from me.

What do you mean by "no icons above the dock"?

As for the music and pdf emailing, you can do so in a variety of various apps. If I'm sharing an album, I'd probably use DropBox. PDF can be shared via Adobe, iBooks, or pretty much whatever PDF reader you use.

 

[Zaft]

It seems like Apple should have hit a home run with the iPhone 6. They've been working on it for years. But, it's a bigger phone with a few things that others have had for years.

I really wanted something to make me say 'wow!'. Sure, iPhone customers will upgrade. They're a loyal bunch.

But Apple missed a great opportunity to convert the Android customers.

All apple had to do is make a lager screen to convert android users.

 

[ritholtz]

It's biggest con for me besides it's not really that much of an upgrade now that I have a Nexus 5 is the cost of the phone and monthly costs here in Canada. The contract prices are insane!

iPhone 6
16GB $265
64GB $375
128GB $485

iPhone 6 Plus
16GB $375
64GB $485
128GB $595

That's the contract prices here in Canada when you sign a two year contract. I just switched to Android and one reason was price. I got a Nexus 5, wife got an HTC one mini both $0 on contract and the plans are $49 a month. I've done the math with the base price of an iPhone 6 on contract and I'm saving $1740 over two years now. Both Apple and cell carriers here are going overboard on the price. Good luck selling a $700 phone on contract.

That is too much money. $595 plus 2 year contract to get a phone with 1GB RAM. Next year, we will see the same phones with 2 gb RAM.

Some one on ebay was selling unlocked LG G2 for $220-$240 few days back. I know, it is not a apples to apples to comparison. But amount of cost difference (value) involved between two different systems is humongous. If you want to either save the money or your spending priorities are different, look for phones offered by others (LG, Nexus).

 

[ggibson913]

I was excited and even considered paying off my att s5 and putting it in ebay to get it. Honestly though, once my head cleared, othe than wanting a bigger internal drive, I am pretty happy wit the s5. One thing is for sure, competition only helps us.

 

[ritholtz]

It seems like Apple should have hit a home run with the iPhone 6. They've been working on it for years. But, it's a bigger phone with a few things that others have had for years.

I really wanted something to make me say 'wow!'. Sure, iPhone customers will upgrade. They're a loyal bunch.

But Apple missed a great opportunity to convert the Android customers.

Yup. Very smart move by apple to wait for releasing bigger phone.

 

[The Game 161]

All apple had to do is make a lager screen to convert android users.

Hopefully you're joking.

 

[Zaft]

Hopefully you're joking.

Im not. that's the one basic advantage android had. Expect drove of android users switching to a better life.

 

[The Game 161]

Im not. that's the one basic advantage android had. Expect drove of android users switching to a better life.

Actually android has a lot of advantages to the iPhone. certain features that many android users couldn't leave. IPhone have put together a great product but nothing they have added would make me switch. It's a bigger screen but haven't added anything that my note can't do. I would miss too many things on my android that the iPhone simply can't give even though they have finally stepped up their game.

 

[Zaft]

Actually android has a lot of advantages to the iPhone. certain features that many android users couldn't leave. IPhone have put together a great product but nothing they have added would make me switch. It's a bigger screen but haven't added anything that my note can't do. I would miss too many things on my android that the iPhone simply can't give even though they have finally stepped up their game.

I was joking about better life just to be clear

I dont mean everyone but alot of people switched to android just for the screen.

 

[mattopotamus]

On a side note, apple pay uses NFC. This just means it will benefit android users even more since it is a universal standard

 

[The Game 161]

I was joking about better life just to be clear

I dont mean everyone but alot of people switched to android just for the screen.

Yes I was one of those people but now on android I would miss too much that the android experience brings. That doesn't mean I don't like what apple have done. A lot of people will love it.

 

[tjl3]

On a side note, apple pay uses NFC. This just means it will benefit android users even more since it is a universal standard

Actually, it is quite a bit more unique than that b/c Android does not have the same means to authenticate your identity and authorize your transaction. The big key is that Apple is working w/ banks and issuers. Because you would think that NFC becomes more widespread adopted, but Google Wallet, Isis, and Paypal will come with its limitations until it adopts Apple's or a similar process.

PS I think Isis is dead after the Apple partnership.

 

[gotluck]

Actually, it is quite a bit more unique than that b/c Android does not have the same means to authenticate your identity and authorize your transaction. The big key is that Apple is working w/ banks and issuers. Because you would think that NFC becomes more widespread adopted, but Google Wallet, Isis, and Paypal will come with its limitations until it adopts Apple's or a similar process.

PS I think Isis is dead after the Apple partnership.

I am under the impression that there will never be a scenario where apple pay is accepted and google wallet is not, however the reverse does not seem to be true. Apple seems to be an extension upon the nfc standard, while google uses standard nfc. Google just uses a pin instead of touchid.

Apple pay seems to be a boon for android users

 

[tjl3]

I am under the impression that there will never be a scenario where apple pay is accepted and google wallet is not, however the reverse does not seem to be true. Apple seems to be an extension upon the nfc standard, while google uses standard nfc. Google just uses a pin instead of touchid.

Apple pay seems to be a boon for android users

I wanted to write an informed response, but sometimes I hate Google search because it churns out so many uninformative articles.

So let me retrace my steps a little b/c I haven't used Google Wallet in ages and I probably made some prior incorrect assumptions. mattopotamus and you are correct. I somehow thought there were spending limitations and additional security protocols w/ Google Wallet, but I was mixing up RFID cards and Google Wallet.

Bleh, correction, it is Isis not RFID, that introduced w/ a spending limit.

 

[colburnr]

I am under the impression that there will never be a scenario where apple pay is accepted and google wallet is not, however the reverse does not seem to be true. Apple seems to be an extension upon the nfc standard, while google uses standard nfc. Google just uses a pin instead of touchid.

Apple pay seems to be a boon for android users

You are correct...Apple pay is no different than Goole Wallet, other than being able to use the touch ID rather than a pin. Security is the same, everything....There is so much mis-information going around. Truly, I think people just "want" Apple pay to be different, becuase they can say Apple waited and did it better.

 

[gotluck]

I wanted to write an informed response, but sometimes I hate Google search because it churns out so many uninformative articles.

So let me retrace my steps a little b/c I haven't used Google Wallet in ages and I probably made some prior incorrect assumptions. mattopotamus and you are correct. I somehow thought there were spending limitations and additional security protocols w/ Google Wallet, but I was mixing up RFID cards and Google Wallet.

from what my feeble mind can gather

-google wallet should have greater theoretical compatibility

-apple pay has better privacy (i believe each device it set up individually & there is no tracking, no apple pay account to log into, google is cloud based and has your purchase history)
-vendors seem to have to opt into apple pay explicitly (google wallet is treated as a nfc mastercard transaction i believe)

there were also articles out yesterday talking about visa implementing there own nfc payment app within android, which would appear to be an entirely separate entity from google wallet.

I think an article on the front page here is inferring a similar idea on ios to support walmart & best buy in the event they do not accept apple pay, but I am not sure.

 

[tjl3]

from what my feeble mind can gather

-google wallet should have greater theoretical compatibility

-apple pay has better privacy (i believe each device it set up individually & there is no tracking, no apple pay account to log into, google is cloud based and has your purchase history)
-vendors seem to have to opt into apple pay explicitly (google wallet is treated as a nfc mastercard transaction i believe)

there were also articles out yesterday talking about visa implementing there own nfc payment app within android, which would appear to be an entirely separate entity from google wallet.

I misread Apple's patent from earlier this year thinking that they patented the "secure element." I don't understand why this was in quotes in the article as it was misleading. What Apple patented was the alias that gets generated from the secure element and your authorization (fingerprint). With that alias, the bank matches it with their records, avoiding any sensitive information to be transmitted.

So Apple realized the patent through Apple Pay. The reason (I thought) that merchants would need to update their POS is to be able to transmit this alias. But I read a conflicting article that said Apple uses the existing infrastructure and the banks are able to decode it, although I would be skeptical of this.

Google Wallet is similar in that it uses the secure element too to store your cc, and the process of payment is very similar. The difference is how the transaction occurs. It isn't any different than your traditional cc transaction. The number, exp date, cvv, name, pin all get encrypted and sent.

In conclusion, I suck at understanding Google Wallet!

 

[gotluck]

I've read conflicting articles. So on the one hand, the way Apple described Apple Pay is that they generate a token that contains no card info nor personal info. That they are working w/ card issuers means that the issuers (Visa, MC, Discover, Amex, etc.) can figure out on their end the owner of the account.

However, I've also read an article that states Apple uses existing protocols to transmit their token, which would conflict w/ the previous statement I made.

Google Wallet, as I believe, uses existing protocols. It encrypts everything just like a regular cc transaction.

That Apple Pay does not afford Apple the ability to capture your info is a win. But cc companies can still provide it to merchants and processors. Take that for what its worth. Companies are still learning you, it is just one less.

Aye

indeed, Ive read articles claiming apple uses tokenization and some that claim they do not, and that it is the same as google wallet aside from apple not knowing what you purchased.

who knows?

I'm just so glad that apples approach doesnt seem to blackball android and regular nfc. At least that much seems sure.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I was joking about better life just to be clear

I dont mean everyone but alot of people switched to android just for the screen.

The bigger screen was only one reason. I preferred what the android OS had offer me and still do. Don't worry, I still have an iPad Air, iPod touch and Apple TV so I'm not missing out on the 'good life'

 

[tjl3]

Aye

indeed, Ive read articles claiming apple uses tokenization and some that claim they do not, and that it is the same as google wallet aside from apple not knowing what you purchased.

who knows?

I'm just so glad that apples approach doesnt seem to blackball android and regular nfc. At least that much seems sure.

So, not to go off on a tangent, but I am very impressed with Apple Pay. It seems like it was something that had been cooking for at least 5 years, not just half-assed so they can rush it out the gate. It was the best part of the keynote and a huge step for payments in general.

I, with 100% certainty, believe this is not the same as Google Wallet. Otherwise Apple and Tim Cook would have just blatantly lied to the masses, and on camera! Apple Pay is being touted because it doesn't show, share, nor transmit any personal or cc info whatsoever, and it stores your information locally. That is a huge win because you are in possession of your credit card.

Here is the kicker that Apple hasn't addressed yet. For online shopping, you may never have to submit your credit card info again while using Apple Pay. In the same manner that retail stores would accept process this transaction, online business could do similar. I'm sure most people won't care though because the liability doesn't fall on them, it falls on the banks and issuers.

 

[sparky08]

I think the new iPhones are home runs for Apple... And I think the rest of the world does too based on the preorder status St this moment.

I'd love to see stats on how many of the pre-orders are for existing iPhone customers. And how many are not.