iPhone 5 regains US marketshare

[zsdersw]

If I were an Apple user (or someone who gives any of his money at all to Apple), I'd demand more of Apple. I'd want something revolutionary, not evolutionary.

Does anyone here have higher expectations of Apple than what we've been getting recently?

 

[MrX8503]

I have owned the 3G and the 4, but have used friends 3GS, 4S, and 5.

I'd say the bigger upgrade is from the 3GS to 4S. That is a ginormous upgrade, a bigger upgrade by far.

The 4 to 5 is a big upgrade, but isn't as impressive. The 5 is basically a faster 4 with LTE and a bigger screen. The problem with the bigger screen though is it isn't any wider. The 4's screen looks as good as the 5's otherwise. And yeah, while the 4 is slow by today's standards, it's not unbearably slow.

I see it as:

iPhone -> 3G
3G -> 3GS
3GS -> 4
4S -> 5

 

[zerogear]

If I were an Apple user (or someone who gives any of his money at all to Apple), I'd demand more of Apple. I'd want something revolutionary, not evolutionary.

Does anyone here have higher expectations of Apple than what we've been getting recently?

Nothing Apple has done since original iPhone has been that revolutionary. And to be honest iPhone wasn't either, it was just when all the tech for the device got cheap enough to integrate into one device.

 

[MrX8503]

Nothing Apple has done since original iPhone has been that revolutionary. And to be honest iPhone wasn't either, it was just when all the tech for the device got cheap enough to integrate into one device.

Ah yes. The original iPhone wasn't either cause all the pieces fell into Apples lap. /s

 

[zerogear]

Ah yes. The original iPhone wasn't either cause all the pieces fell into Apples lap. /s

Everything is like that, not just Apple. Way to take it personally.

 

[deathBOB]

Nothing Apple has done since original iPhone has been that revolutionary. And to be honest iPhone wasn't either, it was just when all the tech for the device got cheap enough to integrate into one device.

LOL. Do you not remember how much smart phones sucked before the iPhone? I do, unfortunately.

 

[Skurge]

LOL. Do you not remember how much smart phones sucked before the iPhone? I do, unfortunately.

I think you mean Windows Mobile phones

 

[zerogear]

I've used Windows Mobile as well as PocketPCs. They _still_ multitask better than iOS.

 

[deathBOB]

I think you mean Windows Mobile phones

True! I had a Motorola Q9c that was just awful. Blackberry wasn't bad (although they have had to move to touch based UI) and I can't comment on Nokia. The specifics of these systems are unimportant, my point is just that smart phones pre-iPhone are vastly different than smart phones post-iPhone. Does anyone else remember how it was predicted to fail because it just had a touch screen and no hardware keyboard?

I just see the "iPhone was not innovative" thing and it makes me laugh every time.

I've used Windows Mobile as well as PocketPCs. They _still_ multitask better than iOS.

Even if it were true, how is that relevant? Was Windows Mobile not garbage? If it wasn't why was it completely abandoned by Microsoft?

 

[MrX8503]

I've used Windows Mobile as well as PocketPCs. They _still_ multitask better than iOS.

It multitasks better than Android. Are you switching back to WinMo?

 

[TuxDave]

Why not? You do realize that the 16GB iPhone costs $650, and you only pay $200 to get it, right? I think $250 is a little high for that, but that's close to the rest of what you owe on the phone. Believe it or not, but your two-year contract is nothing more than a short-term loan.

I actually found it cheaper to just switch carriers and pay the ETF.

That doesn't sound right. It's 200 for the phone, 250 for the early upgrade fee which puts you on a new contract and then 325 etf to switch carriers.

Or if you are not switching carriers how is the subsidy on the last six months (gets to a no upgrade penalty) worth paying 250 extra up front. That math doesn't work as far as I can see it.

And then for the case of (you never got into a contract... which is also a completely different topic all together. Remember the scenario is that you're 14 months into a contract, would you pay an early upgrade fee or just wait 6 months to upgrade without a fee.)
http://www.phonenews.com/a-comparison-of-unlocked-iphone-5-pricing-against-paying-the-att-etf-21936/

Someone did math so I wouldn't have to.

 

[bearxor]

I've used Windows Mobile as well as PocketPCs. They _still_ multitask better than iOS.

I would disagree. If you mean "everything stays open in the background" then sure. But it wasn't smart about it.

One of the most often requested add one later in WinMo's life, when people who really hadn't felt the pain of PPC2002E and WM2003, was task managers and task killers. It was a constant struggle.

Also, I've noticed the popular trend these days are notification lights, where one of the major request hacks for WM was how to turn the notification lights off.

 

[WelshBloke]

... Was Windows Mobile not garbage? If it wasn't why was it completely abandoned by Microsoft?

It wasn't garbage.

WinMo had full offline sat navigation before Android was around for instance.

It's main problem was a cludgy UI and primitive screen tech.

 

[akugami]

If I were an Apple user (or someone who gives any of his money at all to Apple), I'd demand more of Apple. I'd want something revolutionary, not evolutionary.

Does anyone here have higher expectations of Apple than what we've been getting recently?

Android and Android devices in general are even more of an "evolutionary" product than iOS was. At least iOS had the "first" tag on putting together the various UI elements (physical and software) that are now taken for granted in a touch interface.

 

[TuxDave]

LOL. Do you not remember how much smart phones sucked before the iPhone? I do, unfortunately.

Exactly this.
WinMo 6.5? It was great to have a computer in your hand! Except you still needed to click the start button, then programs, and then run stuff. Terrible.

And then you had the T-mobile G1. I don't remember what Android was capable of back then but what a craptacular screen.

Then iPhone came out and people realized that hey, maybe we should make the screen great, focus on touch/UX and go make a huge app library. What a relief.

 

[WelshBloke]

Android and Android devices in general are even more of an "evolutionary" product than iOS was. At least iOS had the "first" tag on putting together the various UI elements (physical and software) that are now taken for granted in a touch interface.

In some ways I'd say HTCs touchflo UI was up there. (Widgets, swiping left and right for different screens, etc)

 

[zsdersw]

Android and Android devices in general are even more of an "evolutionary" product than iOS was. At least iOS had the "first" tag on putting together the various UI elements (physical and software) that are now taken for granted in a touch interface.

That's not relevant to the point I was making: Where is the next big leap?

 

[bearxor]

In some ways I'd say HTCs touchflo UI was up there. (Widgets, swiping left and right for different screens, etc)

Don't forget that TouchFLO didn't arrive on a device until after Apple showed off the iPhone. It was pretty rushed out. I think HTC only used it on 3 or 4 devices before abandoning it in favor of Sense.

 

[Aikouka]

That doesn't sound right. It's 200 for the phone, 250 for the early upgrade fee which puts you on a new contract and then 325 etf to switch carriers.

Or if you are not switching carriers how is the subsidy on the last six months (gets to a no upgrade penalty) worth paying 250 extra up front. That math doesn't work as far as I can see it.

AT&T charges $320, but reduces the fee by $10 per month that you've spent on the contract. I spent 11 months on my contract, and therefore, my fee was only $210. I spent $610 on a new phone ($400 for 64GB model + $210 ETF) instead of spending $850 on an unlocked phone. I don't know if AT&T has an early upgrade fee, but I was switching carriers anyway.

Also, if you are going to upgrade and have no reason to keep your old phone, you can sell it to help recoup some of the extra costs.

 

[TuxDave]

That's not relevant to the point I was making: Where is the next big leap?

I didn't quite get your point in the first place. Why would having an Apple device make me demand Apple make a new revolutionary product? I'd have to buy the new product if I had an iPhone or if I had an Android phone. I can probably say I demand Microsoft/Apple/Google/Intel/AMD/whatever to make something super duper amazing so I can buy it. At the end of the day, the super duper amazing thing is something that I probably have to shell out money for.

Now if you were an Apple stockholder (and have a personal financial stake in the company), then I can see why you would demand your company to do super amazing things.

 

[TuxDave]

AT&T charges $320, but reduces the fee by $10 per month that you've spent on the contract. I spent 11 months on my contract, and therefore, my fee was only $210. I spent $610 on a new phone ($400 for 64GB model + $210 ETF) instead of spending $850 on an unlocked phone. I don't know if AT&T has an early upgrade fee, but I was switching carriers anyway.

Also, if you are going to upgrade and have no reason to keep your old phone, you can sell it to help recoup some of the extra costs.

I think we're not on the same page. I'm not advocating buying an unlocked phone. I'm advocating waiting 6 months to upgrade your phone without the early upgrade fee ($250 fee for upgrading at the 14 month mark). I haven't verified that number but if I assume it's true, I would rather just wait 6 months. You must've missed my original point.

 

[zsdersw]

I didn't quite get your point in the first place. Why would having an Apple device make me demand Apple make a new revolutionary product? I'd have to buy the new product if I had an iPhone or if I had an Android phone. I can probably say I demand Microsoft/Apple/Google/Intel/AMD/whatever to make something super duper amazing so I can buy it. At the end of the day, the super duper amazing thing is something that I probably have to shell out money for.

Now if you were an Apple stockholder (and have a personal financial stake in the company), then I can see why you would demand your company to do super amazing things.

I'm an enthusiast (as most of us on this forum are)... if I was an Apple user I'd always want new revolutionary products. I expect the same as an Android user.

 

[TuxDave]

I'm an enthusiast (as most of us on this forum are)... if I was an Apple user I'd always want new revolutionary products. I expect the same as an Android user.

Originally Posted by zsdersw
If I were an Apple user (or someone who gives any of his money at all to Apple), I'd demand more of Apple. I'd want something revolutionary, not evolutionary.

It's probably pointless to type anymore. I get what you're saying. I personally think that it's stupid that a user of a company's product only roots for that company to succeed. I don't have a financial stake in the company, so why should I care which company comes out with something amazing. But I get what you're saying, not really arguing with you.

 

[Aikouka]

I think we're not on the same page. I'm not advocating buying an unlocked phone. I'm advocating waiting 6 months to upgrade your phone without the early upgrade fee ($250 fee for upgrading at the 14 month mark). I haven't verified that number but if I assume it's true, I would rather just wait 6 months. You must've missed my original point.

It sounds more like we're talking about different time tables (8 months vs. ~12 months). I bought the iPhone 5 about 11 months after I bought the iPhone 4S. I paid $220 to AT&T to cancel my account vs. $250 for an early upgrade fee. Is it a deal? Sort of. The difference between retail and on-contract is $450. Essentially, our contracts are nothing more than short-term loans... so much that they perform credit checks prior to opening an account.

Keep in mind that the early upgrade fee is worse the longer that you spend on your contract because the fee doesn't change.

 

[akugami]

In some ways I'd say HTCs touchflo UI was up there. (Widgets, swiping left and right for different screens, etc)

I find I don't really use widgets, even on my N7. Widgets are more evolutionary than revolutionary IMHO. They're more of a logical next step and extension of the base Android UI.

That's not relevant to the point I was making: Where is the next big leap?

Yes, it is relevant. You were trying to paint it as if iOS was the only thing that hasn't moved forward by leaps and bounds. The truth is that ever since iOS, things have been relatively stagnant in terms of mobile UI design. Apple's iOS was the first to put together the various UI elements that are now taken for granted in both iOS and Android and which have largely remained unchanged.

From a technical and features standpoint, yes you can do more with Android. Android has also introduced elements that have certainly improved touch based UI's. But Android has also been more of a "me too" product in terms of the major elements of the UI. All of the major grunt work was done by Apple putting together the "whole package" in iOS.