Here are some of the tradeoffs I evaluate when buying a smartphone. Emotion and momentum are valid items to factor into a decision. I’ve used both Android and iOS, and have been a mostly happy iPhone customer for several years
- Camera quality — one of the most important considerations
- Friends
- If the people closest to you use Android, then go with Android, especially if you need them to help you maintain it or know how to use apps.
- If you want to talk to friends with iMessage, then get an iPhone
- Airdrop to share photos (and more): This is a killer feature, and it works even in the wilderness when away from WiFi access points. It’s speedy and convenient.
- App ecosystem
- Is there a must-have app? Consider whether there are alternatives for a different smartphone OS. It can be fun to learn new things.
- Integration ecosystem
- Accessories — everyone makes accessories for iPhone, but android accessories may be cheaper. (As of 2023 with Apple switching to USB-C instead of Lightning, accessories are cheaper)
- Apple watch only works well with iPhone, yet the integration is stellar (from what I’ve heard)
- iMessage works seamlessly on Mac (for those who own a Mac)
- Total cost of ownership
- Time to maintain. Consider buying more storage if you don’t want to spend time erasing old photos to find enough space.
- Security updates: Number of years the vendor will supply security updates. Apple is stellar in this area, and as of 2023/2024, Google has announced long-term support for its newer Pixel phones.
- Durability: Will it last 3+ years? If so, it may save you money. Get a phone case and protect your investment.
- Resale value
- Some people say it’s dangerous to recycle phones because the sensitive data persists.
- Appeal
- I tend to focus more on functionality than on looks
- A beautiful OLED screen is nice looking
- An always-on screen is nice
- Get a fun phone case
- Vendor lock-in
- iCloud sharing sucks compared to Google Photos, in my opinion
- Do you want to be locked-in to one vendor’s ecosystem?
- Android makes it far easier to get your photos off of your phone to a Linux computer. It’s much harder with an iPhone, and that’s the beauty of Google Photos… to get photos away from Apple’s clutches.
That said, there are always lemons. Once, I was on the phone with Apple for five hours to get a phone activated for one of my kids, with no resolution. We ended up trading in the already-used-in-our-family phone for a brand new one. Apple gave us $100 credit or so for it.