Android users swear their phones are better than iPhones – but are they really?
Published on Sep 28, 2023 at 12:46 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 28, 2023 at 3:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The new iPhone 15 reignited the age-old Android vs iPhone debate.
Android users claim their phone is better, while iPhone fans believe Apple products are easier to use and more seamless.
So who’s right?
READ MORE! iPhone 15 buyers are complaining of frozen screens and the ‘Apple logo of death’
These are five of the top reasons why Android users believe they’re betting on the winning horse.
5. USB-C charging
READ MORE: iPhone 15 buyers are complaining of frozen screens and the ‘Apple logo of death’
Apple tried to fight (and ignore) the EU law that says all smartphone producers must use common chargers for as long as it could.
But with the new iPhone 15, it finally had to give in and adopt the USB-C.
Having used a totally different charger for over 15 years, Apple never had the time or the chance to ‘prepare’ its phones for the switch.
This is probably why some users are already complaining about Apple’s USB-C charging being too slow.
Meanwhile, other users say their iPhone overheats when charging now.
The good news is this problem will likely go away with the next iPhone.
By contrast, Android phone makers adopted USB (and now USB-C) charging from the get-go, which means they had time to perfect the technology and get rid of any issues.
4. Refresh rate
The iPhone 15’s 60 Hz refresh rate sparked a debate that’s still ongoing.
In simple terms, a higher refresh rate makes it easier for your phone to display content (especially videos) with the highest possibly quality.
Some buyers think it’s unacceptable to sell an $800 iPhone 15 with a 60 Hz refresh rate, when you can buy 120 Hz Android phones at half the price.
Others, including some tech experts, believe most people wouldn’t notice.
My take on the iPhone 15 refresh rate argument, since everyone seems so opinionated on it:
— Shea (@concept_central) September 19, 2023
While it's true that *most* normal people wouldn't notice the difference, I still believe the base 15 should have at least a 90hz display.
There's a ton of features in phones that average… pic.twitter.com/0pBKdzzrXP
3. Camera
The iPhone 15 camera comes in at 48MP, with a 3x optical zoom for the Pro and 5x for the Pro Max.
The problem is the Samsung S23 Ultra is capable of up to 10x optical zoom.
As ever, this is the result of Apple and Samsung (and other producers) going down two different routes.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera is truly impressive! 📸
— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) September 27, 2023
5x, 2x, 1x pic.twitter.com/mQn3wEpcso
While Samsung tends to prioritize technical specs, Apple has always focused more on software.
So, whether you prefer an iPhone camera or a Samsung camera has to do with personal taste as well.
2. Storage options
Apple iPhones don’t support external SD cards.
This was never an option, not even with the first iPhone.
Meanwhile, most Android do support SD cards, which means your 128GB phone can easily become a 2TB phone if you add an external memory card.
1. Pricing
The iPhone’s price is its true Achilles’ heel.
All other things being equal, an iPhone will (almost) always be more expensive than its nearest Android rival.
When the first iPhone dropped with a $499 price tag attached to it people were shocked.
Back then, most smartphones cost $200 or $300, and even those were considered expensive.
These days, the cheapest ‘new’ iPhone you can buy from Apple is the 3rd-gen SE at $429.
Even though it hit the market last year, the SE uses tech from three iPhones ago and it’s built on the chassis of the 2017 iPhone 8.
So if you want a new iPhone with 2023 technology, ie the 15, it’ll cost you $799.
And if you want to buy the Pro, well, get ready to fork out four figures.
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