iPhone 14 Pro Max Why is the iPhone still seen as the holy grail of smartphones?

[eyoungren]

I still have my 2009 Mac Pro tucked away in its original box. That’s back when Apple still made rock-solid gear that was easy to work on, with head-of-state level customer service. 🫡

Up until 2020 my primary daily use Mac was my PowerMac G5 Quad. When I found this MP at $250 I fully entered the Intel era in my household.

At first it was on High Sierra for a while until I could get flashed Metal GPUs and then it was on Mojave until a few weeks ago when I summoned my courage and used OCLP to install Monterey. I'm glad I did. I've staved off iMessage being unsupported by this OS for a considerable amount of time now, and it will also be a long time before Vivaldi (a browser) stops supporting Monterey. In the meantime I can still update to Sonoma, adding some more time and I expect the OCLP people will at some point add later versions of MacOS so who knows how far I can get before I finally have to upgrade.

And at that point the M series of Macs should be down in my price range of around $200-300.

Rinse, lather, repeat.

I don't use or need my systems to use all of Apple's latest Mac features. I just need a more current version of OS and I've got that now.

 

[The Apple Bitch]

It sounds cheesy but it's certainly true to a degree.

Apple basically pretends that no one else even exists and that in itself is pretty cool & brazen to be honest.

Other vendors often explicitly compare themselves directly with Apple and can't stop talking about them. Even when they're trying to ridicule or one-up Apple with something, that just ends up reinforcing Apple's position as the default benchmark to compare to, the one to match.

Then apart from comparisons, there's the blatant copying. Just recently I've seen Samsung's S24 series of phones with an eerily familiar round corners + flat sides design all of a sudden. Or the new Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is just a "copy my homework but change it a bit".
Or Android in itself - it even copied the iconic gesture bar on the bottom and somehow made it look worse with an ugly black stripe of background behind it in some apps.

What unique thing has Apple blatantly copied recently?

Yes, exactly!

When Apple cherry-pick features, like rearrangeable icons they copy a feature. I.E. recognizing that a feature is better than what's already offered. But when companies copy Apples identity they make a statement saying that Apple has a better identity than themself, undermining their entire brand. Meanwhile promoting Apple as if on a pedestal.

It's sounds cheesy but that doesn't mean it isn't true - Old Wise Man

 

[SamRyouji]

For me, personally it's the backup and restore workflow that's simply unmatched on any iDevices that got me hooked.
I've been doing backup restore from old phones to the new phones and the seamless process on all iDevices is just *chef's kiss*. There are numerous seamless ways:
1. Don't have your old iPhone? You just log into your existing iCloud account on your new phone, hook it up on wifi, then et voila.
2. Have your old iPhone? Then you could use the iPhone data transfer.
3. Have your backup on Mac? Hook your new iPhone to the Mac then restore.

While on android you have to settle with phone clone app (if it's Chinese android). Or android's official app if it's other brands. Yet, after all that, not all your data inside your apps could be moved. Plus you have to log into most of your app account after the transfer. Lots of friction.



Bonus point: Even there are many fake/shady/scam/sketchy apps on App Store, there are way more of those on android because of its openness. One could simply send an apk disguised as an invitation or something over any messenger app, then most folks will be duped.

 

[Ctrlos]

Because of the apps.

Your phone is an empty shell to run software; you don’t really interact with the OS much on a regular basis. The App Store has, on the whole better quality applications and a bit wodge of exclusives.

It’s not that Android phones are crap, far from it. But the hardware must rely on gimmicks to make up for the software shortfall.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Isn't Apple just cooler?

While other companies are trying to copy and imitate Apple, Apple isn't trying to be anyone else.
Sure, they cherry-pick features but they got their identity established.

Apple is proudly themselves.

Some people see it that way and some don’t because Apple seem to be adored and hated in equal measure. I know plenty of people who wouldn’t use an iPhone and then there’s those that wouldn’t use anything other.

 

[krakenrelease]

I had the first iPhone. When I damaged it and couldn't replace it, (no insurance on it), I had androids. My first iPhone was an XR, and after that I stayed with iPhone. Each and every Android device I had encountered problems. Memory card corrupted. Phone slowing down. The last straw was when the charging port melted from charging. Every iPhone I had I never had a problem with the device. I only upgraded because I wanted to, not that I had too.

By the way you don't have to use Safari as a browser. I like Brave and Vivaldi. I can use my bookmarks and browser extension across Mac (home), PC (work), and iOS devices.

It's just a phone, not a holy grail for anything. The choice is yours.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Does this mean that Samsung Android phones are then considered the "Anti Christ" of phones ?

Lol no. It simply means that although Android makes a very few excellent phones at the high end, Apple actually owns the high end while Android owns the low end.

Except of course, Android is not a phone vendor, but is an OS. Big difference. Google gives away Android to facilitate their primary business model of scraping our personal data. That sucks.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

You could say the same for Apple in some ways. At least with Google, the vast majority of their discontinued products were either not in wide use or were consumer focused and their discontinuance didn't cause massive disruption to people's businesses.

Not like, say, Apple discontinuing Aperture.

Yes. Apple killing Aperture and before that killing MacProject cost me $$thousands. Part of me seethes whenever I think about it. If an entity like Apple builds a major app for years and entices consumers to build enterprise-critical workflows around those apps it is unconscionable to then arbitrarily kill those apps.

Even today Aperture remains a much better app than Photos, so WTF? I never lost one image with tens of thousands of [enterprise-critical] images in Aperture, but Photos is not fully reliable even today in 2024 with M2 hardware.

 

[TheWraith]

Pretty sure it remains the Holy Grail because of it's curative powers, the blessing of the Lord Almighty, and the fact that if you choose the wrong smartphone you age a thousand years instantly and your bones turn to dust.

 

[MBAir2010]

Pretty sure it remains the Holy Grail because of it's curative powers, the blessing of the Lord Almighty, and the fact that if you choose the wrong smartphone you age a thousand years instantly and your bones turn to dust.

View attachment 2400460

i saw that as YOU HAVE CHOSEN WISKEY
no h

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

I have a love/hate relationship with both. I'm currently in love with Android and will be getting the Pixel 9 XL.

I love how IOS does some things, I love how Android does things. Equally, I hate things they both do.
What a mess I'm in!😃

 

[The Apple Bitch]

Some people see it that way and some don’t because Apple seem to be adored and hated in equal measure. I know plenty of people who wouldn’t use an iPhone and then there’s those that wouldn’t use anything other.

Yes, absolutely, authenticity polarizes!

 

[Rian Gray]

Back in early 2010s or so, I had a chance to give my 2 cents on a similar topic as an analyst. iPhone looks like a default smartphone, because what people point out as cons or missing are often just add-ons. If enough people want that feature, there is a good chance there's an app or an accessory for it.

The discussion back then was mostly about removable battery, but I think the point still stands. Back then I argued USB battery packs are likely to become more popular to the point where removable batteries on smartphone would seem proprietary. And good grief, I still remember the pain of explaining what "usb battery packs" are to my employers.

 

[myhaksown]

Open your favorite search engine and search for “Google graveyard”. There you will find a list of products that google has discarded, and they do so without any warning to the people using those products. You may love android today, but there’s no guarantee it will be there next month.. if Google gets tired of it then it’s going bye-bye whether you like it or not. You might get an email or something, but think about all of the work and habit you’ve put into a certain app and then one day Google just gives up on it and won’t be developing it anymore. Think about that for a while. What is your favorite app right now? How would you feel if it just disappeared tomorrow?

Apple is more mature and intelligent than that, Apple sees what it wants and researches it. Google has no “blood, sweat and tears” invested in android the way Apple does in iOS.. google bought android, they didn’t make it themselves. Google is only into android for the money, nothing else, and the minute that money river dries up then android will end up in the Google graveyard too.. and you won’t have any warning that it’s gone.

Let’s not get wrapped up in being a fanboy/fangirl. Yes google bought android and Apple developed iOS from the ground up*. But if the iPhone started to sell poorly iOS would get less and less work done to it. Apple only puts in the effort because iPhones make them a ton of money and the system helps drive them. Much like the Apple TV, it don’t sell well? The hardware doesn’t get updated and the software sees fewer meaningful changes. Google and Apple are both in it for the money. We shouldn’t be giving one of the world’s richest companies a pass on this. They’re no better. Just different priorities for how they make that money.

Personally I prefer the feel of an iPhone, the weight, and the consistent performance it provides (especially since the 10). It just feels more premium and the system as was mentioned is more consistent between updates while new and more useful features get added. Plus I like that they’d had a showdown with the FBI over privacy. To me that’s the right stance to take. But the egregious screen time bugs, poor update quality over the more recent years, and lackluster or gimmicky personalization options are among my least favorite parts. I’ll gloss over the whole bug bounty program being woefully late and too small to encourage actually important reporting to occur when companies like Greykey likely pay far more. I’ve owned the LG G4 (felt cheap), Google Nexus 5 (battery couldn’t last anywhere close to a day and the camera sucked) and the OnePlus 3T (amazing overall android phone). I can’t see myself going back to google again. But I won’t say it could never happen.

*Unix is a preexisting operating system and it’s the base for all Apple operating systems. They really didn’t start from scratch. But they have taken it far beyond where it began. Unlike, for example, Ubuntu from the most basic Linux build. It is unrecognizable as a Unix operating system at this point. So in a sense yes, they did build it from the ground up, if you consider the ground being an existing OS.

 

[Iwavvns]

Let’s not get wrapped up in being a fanboy/fangirl.

Proof that you don’t know anything about me.

I believe in using the proper tool for the job. As far as phones go that is iOS. However, on desktop, I use a custom built computer that runs BSD. I built this computer and I have tweaked the BSD system because that is the proper tool for what I need. Current Mac’s are overpriced for what the user is able to do with them.

 

[myhaksown]

Proof that you don’t know anything about me.

I believe in using the proper tool for the job. As far as phones go that is iOS. However, on desktop, I use a custom built computer that runs BSD. I built this computer and I have tweaked the BSD system because that is the proper tool for what I need. Current Mac’s are overpriced for what the user is able to do with them.

You got as close to quoting Tim Apple’s words as you could to defend your argument and countered nothing. I don’t care what you use for an OS, phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, tv, set-top box, or anything else. All I’m saying is, do your research. Because I got all I need from your post.

😑 as for being a zealous fanboy/fangirl, you said and I quote “Apple is too mature and intelligent than that.” No they’re not. They killed off numerous programs that were loved like FCP7 for the garbage that is FCPX, Aperture, and others. They killed off the Apple TV once and the HomePods looked to be going the same way after gen 1 flopped. The iPad got consistent updates and then went long periods without. Why? Because it didn’t sell well. Same with the Mac Mini although more likely because it has the lowest price tag. They’re an international company convicted of tax avoidance. They are in it for the money and will do whatever they want whenever they want. No different than the graveyard. Otherwise why avoid taxes? Why make their Mac’s overpriced (your word)? It’s not all for R&D. Why do they need, 65+ billion in the bank? Or to approve a 110 billion stock buyback (approved 5/2024) to make their shareholders happy? They could easily lower prices and still make bank. They could just as easily not spend a $110b and lower prices. Or how about that you didn’t know that they didn’t start from the ground up for any of their operating systems? They took an open source system, modified it dramatically, and closed it off. Oh and charged for it for many years. Lion ended that. Or even your assumption Apple isn’t in it for the money but google is? Must I repeat myself? They’re basically the same, even if one is more vocal about what good they do.

As for your custom built computer….Ok. Because no one else can build their own computer or run another operating system than windows or macOS. I see, guess my own custom pc is a figment of my imagination 😂.

You’re giving Apple a free pass and practically quoting them in doing so. If you wanna say someone’s wrong back it up with more than “YoU’rE wRoNg I bUiLt A cOmPuTeR.” You’re not alone buddy, I’m sure most of us here have too. Or at bare minimum have made hardware changes on a Mac Pro, G5, MacBook, or Mac mini. I know I have. On all of those models.

Balls in your court my friend.

Edit: I totally forgot to mention iTunes Ping, iTunes, iTunes wishlists (thank god they brought this one back, this was only a few months ago), and Apple Music Connect. They make mistakes like everyone else. I’m not saying those products and services didn’t deserve to be killed off but much like google glass, if it isn’t popular enough it’s gonna go away and a super secretive company like Apple isn’t gonna give anymore notice than google did on any of their graveyard products.

 

[h.gilbert]

...on android because of its openness. One could simply send an apk disguised as an invitation or something over any messenger app, then most folks will be duped.

Who's going to download an APK on android, tap it, go past the "allow app installation from unknown source" warning message, and install a malicious app thinking it's an invitation?

Next you're going to tell me how dangerous macOS and Windows is. Nonsense mate.

 

[myhaksown]

Who's going to download an APK on android, tap it, go past the "allow app installation from unknown source" warning message, and install a malicious app thinking it's an invitation?

Next you're going to tell me how dangerous macOS and Windows is. Nonsense mate.

I work at a bank as a fraud expert. You and I and most of the folks here may not but dear lord some people really are that clueless. I can think of several clients who would do that without a second thought.

Best example is with Zelle. They get a call from an unknown number asked for their social and their phone number to confirm. Told that the caller is from the fraud team and we’re gonna move their money to a new account due to detected fraud. They get a code from Zelle saying something like this “Zelle: WE WILL NEVER CALL YOU FOR THIS CODE. DO NOT SHARE. 123456” still provide it and lose up to $3500 in an instant because the fraud actor registered their number to their own account. I handled so many of those. Older folks especially don’t understand what’s happening and just go along with it. So I whole heartedly believe if sent an APK a non 0 number of people would install it.

You and I may know the risk and when to not click thru UAC on windows or bypass Gatekeeper on macOS but some people still don’t. This is despite the best efforts of many companies (Emails from banks, notifications from your AV, and warnings on text codes) as well as family members but it doesn’t seem to slow them down. I didn’t realize how bad it actually was until I started working on fraud claims. These days common sense isn’t common. It’s just sense and a lot of people got none of it.

I honestly feel bad for them. They’re always so embarrassed and some don’t want to report it because of how embarrassed they are.

Some people fall for a bad Norton scam while never having used Norton and knowing that. Others, watch a fraud actor attempt to transfer money out of their account while allowing them remote access. Another ignored advice about not buying a $60 e-bike online from a website no one had ever heard of that didn’t offer PayPal or another safe way to pay. We just gotta remember there are many people out there who are not as savvy and we all gotta do our best to make sure they know how to handle those situations….or just give them a flip phone.

 

[Bandoholic]

Aside from the fact that it’s a really good phone, especially if using other products in the Apple ecosystem,marketing, marketing, marketing.

 

[I7guy]

You got as close to quoting Tim Apple’s words as you could to defend your argument and countered nothing. I don’t care what you use for an OS, phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, tv, set-top box, or anything else. All I’m saying is, do your research. Because I got all I need from your post.

😑 as for being a zealous fanboy/fangirl, you said and I quote “Apple is too mature and intelligent than that.” No they’re not. They killed off numerous programs that were loved like FCP7 for the garbage that is FCPX, Aperture, and others. They killed off the Apple TV once and the HomePods looked to be going the same way after gen 1 flopped. The iPad got consistent updates and then went long periods without. Why? Because it didn’t sell well. Same with the Mac Mini although more likely because it has the lowest price tag. They’re an international company convicted of tax avoidance. They are in it for the money and will do whatever they want whenever they want. No different than the graveyard. Otherwise why avoid taxes? Why make their Mac’s overpriced (your word)? It’s not all for R&D. Why do they need, 65+ billion in the bank? Or to approve a 110 billion stock buyback (approved 5/2024) to make their shareholders happy? They could easily lower prices and still make bank. They could just as easily not spend a $110b and lower prices. Or how about that you didn’t know that they didn’t start from the ground up for any of their operating systems? They took an open source system, modified it dramatically, and closed it off. Oh and charged for it for many years. Lion ended that. Or even your assumption Apple isn’t in it for the money but google is? Must I repeat myself? They’re basically the same, even if one is more vocal about what good they do.

As for your custom built computer….Ok. Because no one else can build their own computer or run another operating system than windows or macOS. I see, guess my own custom pc is a figment of my imagination 😂.

You’re giving Apple a free pass and practically quoting them in doing so. If you wanna say someone’s wrong back it up with more than “YoU’rE wRoNg I bUiLt A cOmPuTeR.” You’re not alone buddy, I’m sure most of us here have too. Or at bare minimum have made hardware changes on a Mac Pro, G5, MacBook, or Mac mini. I know I have. On all of those models.

Balls in your court my friend.

Edit: I totally forgot to mention iTunes Ping, iTunes, iTunes wishlists (thank god they brought this one back, this was only a few months ago), and Apple Music Connect. They make mistakes like everyone else. I’m not saying those products and services didn’t deserve to be killed off but much like google glass, if it isn’t popular enough it’s gonna go away and a super secretive company like Apple isn’t gonna give anymore notice than google did on any of their graveyard products.

Apple was not convicted of tax fraud.

 

[Minghold]

Apple was not convicted of tax fraud.

Apple is rich and connected enough to ensure that that never happens (until such point it's a programmed fail to ream masses of placid stockholders).

 

[Minghold]

Who's going to download an APK on android, tap it, go past the "allow app installation from unknown source" warning message, and install a malicious app thinking it's an invitation?

Me. (This is the deep end of the pool. Toddlers stay in the roped-off shallow section.)

 

[JamesMay82]

For me it’s iMessage and photos syncing back to computer. I’d never leave Iphone

 

[Ursadorable]

For me, it's not using a OS designed by a company who's sole existence is to harvest as much information about you as possible, and profit from it. With Google, YOU are the product.

 

[eyoungren]

For me, it's not using a OS designed by a company who's sole existence is to harvest as much information about you as possible, and profit from it. With Google, YOU are the product.

Wonder if Apple protects me from Google when using my Google services on my iPhone…