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Favourite phone OS/brand?

What is your favourite phone OS/brand?

  • Apple/iOS

    Votes: 8 32.0%
  • Android

    Votes: 17 68.0%
  • Windows

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    25

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. I don't believe we currently have a thread like this, and I thought this might be an interesting debate, so; what is your favourite phone brand/operating system? I would personally say that my favourite is Apple because even though I like to think I know a fair bit about computers, I tried Android once and just couldn't get on with it. I've never tried Windows Mobile, but I suppose Windows 10 is a perfectly good PC operating system. I can imagine Windows Mobile being a bit different, though.

I'm interested to see how this goes. I can personally see the vast majority of votes going to either iOS or Android, but I have put Windows in there as I know of a few people who own Windows Phones. I've also put in an Other option in case you own a BlackBerry or some obscure phone brand I haven't ever heard of. So, what is your favourite phone OS?
 

VTCGA5

Roller Poster
Definitely Android. I've had 3 smartphones (iPhone 4, HTC Desire Eye, and currently a Samsung On 5) and aside from some battery issues with aging, I've preferred the Androids.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
Apple phones are for those who rate style over usability and have far too much spare cash (anyone who calls it an 'IPhone' instead of just a 'phone' deserves a slap for being pretentious). I have a Samsung phone now with a ridiculously huge screen and Apple screens look so titchy.

Whatever company I choose, the phone has to have a replaceable battery and memory card. They're taking the piss trying to make them inaccessible.
 

Ireeb

Mega Poster
You can't just compare iOS to Android, since there isn't one Android. Every manufacturer has their own Android. They have the same core, but especially the user interface can differ a lot. For example I can't stand Samsungs or Huawei's interfaces.
I have an OnePlus 3T. I love OnePlus phones because they have everything a high end phone has (large screen, fast processor, above average RAM, Fingerprint scanner, physical mute switch, aluminium case, dual camera on the newer models), but cost about the half of similar phones from Samsung or Apple. It's Android is pretty clear and doesn't have too much added, except for some nice customisation features. The absolute killer feature for me are the batteries and the OnePlus Dash charger though. Even after a year, I get regularly surprised about the charge speed. With my old phone, I used to charge it over night, which isn't good for its battery though. With my OnePlus, I just have to plug it in when I wake up, take a shower and have breakfast, and once I'm about to leave the house it will have added at least 60% of battery charge (and usually it has about 30% left when I get up), which is easily enough for a day (and I'm a lot on my phone). For a full charge from 0 to 100 it needs a bit over an hour, and that would be enough for one and a half day. One may think "with that charging speed it must be frying the phone", but Dash Charging uses an increased current strength instead of a higher voltage (as many other manufacturers do). This means the transformation and heat stay in the power supply. (And OnePlus always delivers their phones with the Dash Charger). Another thing I like are their wood style cases. They are unique, make the phone look pleasant and high-quality at the same time, opposed to smudgy, scratched plastic cases.
I am so absolutely happy with this phone and can only recommend it, especially because of the price (except for the OnePlus 5 which had a few issues, but they have been fixed with the 5T).
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Apple phones are for those who rate style over usability and have far too much spare cash

Almost completely disagree.

I think people buy iPhone because they give them the usability they want. And if Samsung's edge screen isn't style over functionality, I don't know what is.

I see ios as the natural replacement for the old Nokias. It's the interface people learned on, so they stick with it. Each new phone you get works exactly like you're old one. There's no learning curve, no trying to work out which email client or photo app is on this one. They just work.

So boring lol

As Ireeb says, Android isn't really a single os. I also hate the Samsung interface, it's so clunky compared to stock Android. It looks an avacado bathroom suite put into a new flat. Fancy to look at from the outside, but when you want to do ****, you go back a generation.

I don't get why they do it when stock Android is so good.

And here lies Android's strength and weakness. You have great flexibility in terms of hardware, interface, default apps, and core functionality. It's also then a mess. You have "jack of all trades" core os, confusion for customers changing brand (and often between models within a brand), and app instability.

So it tends to end up if you pay Apple type prices, you get the kit that works roughly the same as Apple kit (yes, Android lead the curve on hardware/functionality spec)

Android can be cheaper, but you get what you pay for.


Whatever company I choose, the phone has to have a replaceable battery and memory card. They're taking the piss trying to make them inaccessible.

I'm on my third Sony phone. While it does have an sd slot, I can't change the battery. That's because it's waterproof and very slim. You can't have that and a removable battery. It's a trade off.

I haven't touched a single phone with a removable battery that is a nice to hold as one with a fixed. It's a personal thing, but a trade off between ergonomics and flexibility.

As with everything Apple, by having locked standards, it means every product is the best it can be. Phones can be slim as they can be designed around the battery, not avoiding it. There's no chance of complaints about apps failing or lost data due to sd cards buggering up. Hell, sd cards are a nightmare nobody understands - where actually is my data? How do I move music and stuff? I need Explorer on a pc and a usb lead?

Simplicity makes the Apple world work.

So my thoughts? Lol

I have a work issued ipad and an Android phone.

When I get a new phone, it's exciting. What new toys will I get to play with (and they're usually tech goodies I was reading about the development of just a year before). I like to spend time getting the new phone widgets looking right and discovering new things.

I then, not enjoy really, just find using the phone easy enough to be a pleasure.

I never use the ipad. I find it clunky and dull. Ios is definitely aged and some of the Android interface is a masterclass of design. I studied human computer interaction and ios doesn't stand up now. It's only because of the comfort factor people like it. It's familiar. That's the strength of the OS, and it's biggest failing. They can't radically alter it or risk losing customers. They don't need to though, because people will always gravitate to what they are comfortable with.

Essentially, if you're a fiddler and like to have things as you want them (or you're poor), you're more likely to have Android. This doesn't mean techy - I work in a tech industry and most people still prefer iPhone. That's because tech people like tech that works reliably. We spend all day fixing tech, we want stuff that just works sometimes lol



Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk
 

Gazza

Giga Poster
I'm on my third Sony phone. While it does have an sd slot, I can't change the battery. That's because it's waterproof and very slim. You can't have that and a removable battery. It's a trade off.
The Samsung s5 had a replaceable battery, it just had a gasket that was on the back cover that kept water away from the sensitive bits. And this cover just clicked on and off.
a.jpg


I think the lack of replaceable batteries is taking the piss a bit. Just make it that you have to undo a couple of screws to get at it, since a battery change is such a rare task. There's no need for a fully removable snap off cover, but at the same time the notion you have to take it to a technician for a battery change is stupid when other waterrproof tech just doesn't have this problem.
And if Samsung's edge screen isn't style over functionality, I don't know what is.
It can piss off. I have an s7 at current, and ive liked the galaxy line, but ill look elsewhere if they persist in making phones only with curved edges. You cant protect it properly with a case, and its stupid watching videos etc with the edge distortion and glare on the curved part. I thought we'd seen the last of curved screens when we moved away from curved CRTs in the 90s.
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
The Samsung s5 had a replaceable battery, it just had a gasket that was on the back cover that kept water away from the sensitive bits. And this cover just clicked on and off.
a.jpg


I think the lack of replaceable batteries is taking the piss a bit. Just make it that you have to undo a couple of screws to get at it, since a battery change is such a rare task. There's no need for a fully removable snap off cover, but at the same time the notion you have to take it to a technician for a battery change is stupid when other waterrproof tech just doesn't...

It's not just about the waterproofing though, it's about reducing the size of the phone. If you have to think about a replacement battery, you can lose the design flexibility. You need waterproofing between battery and phone gubbins. You need (in phone terms) huge connectors between the battery terminals and the mobo. You can't save space by having vital components wrap around the battery. To even start thinking about fiddly screws and screw holes in the case - it just all adds bulk.

Also, people are idiots. Not you, but most people will lose the screws, lose the covers, constantly buy the wrong battery, etc.

Plus. People are idiots - and replace their phones every 12-24 months before the battery needs replacing.

Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk
 

Gazza

Giga Poster
That thing of phones having to be slimmer is a load of **** anywyay, because you lose any thinness with whatever cover you buy, and the variation in thickness of covers on the market erases whatever 1mm some industrial designer / engineer worked tirelessly to shave off.
I wish they sold the Galaxy Active line outside the US because I'd just buy them.
 

Ireeb

Mega Poster
For the thickness topic: it's not only about the actual thickness, it's also about the shape. Many phones have a curved backside, which is thinner on the edges and thicker in the center. That way it looks slimmer while also being nice to hold. Apple refuses to change the design and keeps it flat, that's why I think iPhones look like bricks.
I feel like since Steve Jobs died, iPhones lost a lot of what justified their existence. They were simple, reliable, safe and good looking, while offering useful features. Since his death, they have become sloppy. You read so regularly about iPhone/iOS bugs and issues now, that would have been impossible under Steve Jobs. The features Apple presents nowadays are only focused on sounding nice, with questionable functionality. Wireless charging? Had that on my old phone 5 years ago and stopped using it because it sucks. For this feature they changed the back plate of the iPhone to Glass again, making the iPhone X incredibly easy to break. Borderless display? Is it really borderless if a notch blocks a big part of the display? 3D Touch - I never felt the need of it, there is no big difference between pressing harder or pressing half a second longer.
Apple is just running behind the competition while overloading their devices with useless features and removing the ones that are useful (headphone jack, SD Card reader on the MacBook Pro etc.)
Whenever I see someone with an iPhone X I feel sorry for them, since they fell for Apple's marketing.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
The thing is, though, many people, like myself, wouldn't buy an iPhone because of the marketing or because of the snazzy features. I use iOS because I personally like how simple it is to use and how easy it is to do stuff on. When I used Android, I commonly got lost while trying to do simple stuff like changing the background or downloading apps. On the particular Android phone I had, it wouldn't let me use public WiFi networks like my school WiFi network because it said that "attackers could be trying to steal your information". The only way I could exit that message was by clicking "return to safety". It wouldn't let me browse at all. While I will admit that the £40-50 Lenovo A Plus (https://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-mobile-lenovo-a-plus-black/660-9208.prd?source=others) is my only experience of Android, I was personally yearning for iOS while I used Android. I no longer use this phone, and I now use an iPhone 5 that I got off my sister (https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Apple-iPhone-5-16GB-White-Silver-Unlocked-Smartphone/117328489). But I also use an iPad mini 4 (https://www.pcworldbusiness.co.uk/catalogue/item/N175779W), which I use much more frequently than my phone. It's what most of my forum messages are typed upon. The point I'm basically trying to get across is that I can understand why someone would prefer Android, but my preferences lie with iOS.
 

Ireeb

Mega Poster
The thing is, though, many people, like myself, wouldn't buy an iPhone because of the marketing or because of the snazzy features. I use iOS because I personally like how simple it is to use and how easy it is to do stuff on. When I used Android, I commonly got lost while trying to do simple stuff like changing the background or downloading apps. On the particular Android phone I had, it wouldn't let me use public WiFi networks like my school WiFi network because it said that "attackers could be trying to steal your information". The only way I could exit that message was by clicking "return to safety". It wouldn't let me browse at all. While I will admit that the £40-50 Lenovo A Plus (https://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-mobile-lenovo-a-plus-black/660-9208.prd?source=others) is my only experience of Android, I was personally yearning for iOS while I used Android. I no longer use this phone, and I now use an iPhone 5 that I got off my sister (https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Apple-iPhone-5-16GB-White-Silver-Unlocked-Smartphone/117328489). But I also use an iPad mini 4 (https://www.pcworldbusiness.co.uk/catalogue/item/N175779W), which I use much more frequently than my phone. It's what most of my forum messages are typed upon. The point I'm basically trying to get across is that I can understand why someone would prefer Android, but my preferences lie with iOS.
Yeah judging Android by a 50$ phone sounds to me like saying you don't like Mercedes because you didn't like a Smart ForTwo. I can guarantee you that this Lenovo phone was as far away from an iPhone as is is from a modern Android phone. Especially Stock Android became simple to use. For the background picture thing for example I can either tap and hold on my background, go to the settings and select one, or just go to the gallery and choose a picture. Similar to iOS (except for the tap and hold part). It has a control center for quick setting access, and I just prefer having my "back" and "switch apps" buttons next to my home button. With Google Assistant, we also have something like Siri. My dad recently got an iPhone from his new employer, and he is so confused about it. He needed 2 days to find out Safari is the browser and he didn't find his contacts until I told him where they are. I think both systems need to be learned, even iPhones are not as simple as people always say, with so many stuff hidden to keep the interface clean. (This is still with exception of Samsung's Android, which I find inconsistent and confusing as well. I am comparing with stock Android or Oxygen OS, the Android by OnePlus which keeps most of stock Androids look and feel.)
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
I think people buy iPhone because they give them the usability they want.
Exactly. Apple phones are fine for people who don't care - say older relatives who are complete technophobes, but for anyone with an ounce of interest in personalising their user experience then Apple phones are very limited. Add onto that the lower price tag for Android and the wide choice in handsets, and the fact that almost all Apps are free and it's a no-brainier.

And if Samsung's edge screen isn't style over functionality, I don't know what is.
Never had one, never will. But luckily, there's a wide range of handset choice with Android so you don't have to buy one with a curved edge.

I also hate the Samsung interface, it's so clunky compared to stock Android.
Obviously that's your opinion and I hold the opposite view. Maybe iOS has come a long way but it was always waaaay more cluncky - not being able to operate several apps at once - not being able to operate as a phone and a sat nav and six other things all at once which is an absolute necessity for me and standard with Android.

Android can be cheaper, but you get what you pay for.
Disagree. You get way more functionality in an Android (and I think you were agreeing in the first quote)

That's because it's waterproof and very slim. You can't have that and a removable battery. It's a trade off.

I haven't touched a single phone with a removable battery that is a nice to hold as one with a fixed.
I've never lost a phone to water damage (I dropped my last Samsung Galaxy Note in the bath and it dried out and was working again within a day). If I can manage it, the rest of the population bloody well can.
My new Note isn't waterproof but it is only 5mm thick and very nice to hold. But that's just my opinion.

Simplicity makes the Apple world work.
Maybe, but in my mind, it should also make things cheaper. So what are you actually paying for with Apple?

The name. And that pisses me off.

Essentially, if you're a fiddler and like to have things as you want them (or you're poor), you're more likely to have Android.
The first, don't be silly/rude. Lots of people choose Andorid because they love to play around with how their phone looks, works and performs.
 

lachlan

Mega Poster
Android for me! iPhones are far too expensive for what they are and I like the extra flexibility with Android. iPhone X is a nice device, but about four times what I spent on my phone.

I have an iPad Pro for taking notes at uni and it's a lovely device but I find the OS (mainly lack of a back button) clunky and unintuitive.

EDIT: Just noticed the suggestion Android users are poor. I could afford an iPhone, it all depends on your priorities in life.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
@Mysterious Sue did you ever use a stock Android or something close to it? Compared to that, Samsungs interface is actually rather cluttered and clunky.

Not sure what you mean, sorry.
I've been using Android for years first on HTC and now on Samsung and I much prefer the later. Not sure what a stock interface is or where it's used.
 

Ireeb

Mega Poster
@Mysterious As you may know, Android is developed by Google. The version they develop is the stock/vanilla/default Android. Most manufacturers use this and modify it. I personally like the Vanilla Android, since it is really clean and modern. Samsung is always altering a lot around Android and changing the user interface, both the looks and the handling. To me, Samsungs Androids always look too colorful, overloaded, and sometimes it's a bit inconsistent or not intuitive. It's not a big problem with people who use their phone daily because we remember where what is, but my grandpa is often struggling to find options on his Samsung phone because they are two levels down in a hidden menu.
For example Google Pixel or Oneplus use Androids that are relatively close to vanilla Android, even if it's not exactly stock Android. The discontinued Nexus Series always had vanilla Android. You can also get Androids from the Internet, like Lineage OS, which is, as far as I know, pretty close to stock Android.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
Very interesting. Guessing I haven't used a stock version then, but I'd be interested to see how it's different. I don't find menus a problem (but I guess I'm not your grandad - well, last time I checked anyway). But there are some things that are cumbersome which I've always assumed were Samsung additions (like the split screen for viewing two apps at once and the pull out menus from the sides of the screen).

My current phone is the one with the weird pull-out stylus thing. I love it because I can use it to take notes in meetings and never have to worry about having a pen or loosing bits of paper. The fact that loads of different companies can use Andorid means they can play around and you get odd niche products like this developed.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I know it's a few posts up, but with reference to some of the things that @Mysterious Sue said, you can now operate 2 apps at once on an iPad (using Slide Over, Picture in Picture and Split Screen) and have been able to since 2015. Also, Apple Maps can give you directions to a place from your current location and tell you when to turn in a certain direction, for example, which is what I'm presuming you meant by using the phone as a satnav. I would really like to apologize, though, as I don't want this to become too heated.
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
I do love how people immediately get their hackles raised by the mention of Apple :p

Exactly. Apple phones are fine for people who don't care - say older relatives who are complete technophobes, but for anyone with an ounce of interest in personalising their user experience then Apple phones are very limited. Add onto that the lower price tag for Android and the wide choice in handsets, and the fact that almost all Apps are free and it's a no-brainier.

The thing is, only a tiny proportion of people want to personalise things. Most people want a phone that is familiar and just works. They want to feel comfort in quality (whether real or perceived). This is why, in a company of 200 technical people, most of them use iPhones. They just do the job they are meant to do. I'm unusual having Android.

Apps are free, basically because they are filled with adverts instead. There's a general "thing". People who are willing to spend £800 on an iPhone are likely to spend £3 on an app. People who spend £100 on an Android phone are unlikely to spend £3 on an app, but will put up with ads. There was actually a study done about this many years ago.

The problem with the ads is that there's no control over them. So it's easier for malicious people to spike a phone through an ad. Look at anyone's Android phone or tablet (where they don't really understand technology) and you'll find it riddled with installed apps they have no idea where they came from.

I've had this experience at both home and work. It's so easy to end up with crap on an Android phone due to the "free" apps.

I'm not saying this is anyone here, it's likely that the tech savvy people who frequent these forums know how to avoid these things, but so many people don't. I see it all the time on Android phones and tablets - the same millions who make up botnets due to malware on their PCs ;)

Obviously that's your opinion and I hold the opposite view. Maybe iOS has come a long way but it was always waaaay more cluncky - not being able to operate several apps at once - not being able to operate as a phone and a sat nav and six other things all at once which is an absolute necessity for me and standard with Android.

I agree about iOS interface, but on the scale of good to bad, Samsung is on the Apple side of the bad line, not the stock Android side of the good line. I've been using stock Android for maybe 6 or 7 years now. Whenever I use a Samsung device, it's like stepping back in time. Samsung and Apple are incredibly similar in the way they sell their devices. Similar price brackets for "prime" models and keeping the interface familiar to tie people into the product. You tend to find that people who have used Samsung as their primary device stick with Samsung in the same kind of fervent manner Apple fans do. Two sides of the same coin ;)

Sorry, I love doing this. I'll bet you're now behaving the same way now that you think Apple users behave when you call them a sheeple or something. Defending your opinion through a sea of red mist. People get tribal about products and I don't understand it. Yes, I'm being rude now - but not seriously Sue - just making a point :)

I think Android is better, I use Android, but I understand why people pick Apple. Yet you're still having essentially a tirade against my views because I don't agree with you that Samsung are any good. That seems to put me in "The Apple camp" and I should be derided because of it.

In my opinion, Samsung produce some excellent hardware. They produce an excellent range of phones across all budgets, bringing great technology to huge numbers of people. I think that their interface is poor compared to stock Android. It's not the worst Android interface though by a long way. What I have found though is that Samsung and Apple are parallels. So they should be, both are market leaders in the same market and it's all about capturing customer loyalty.

Disagree. You get way more functionality in an Android (and I think you were agreeing in the first quote)

You do and Android is always well ahead in technical terms. However, a £100 Samsung J phone is NOT equivalent to a £500 iPhone. This is where you get what you pay for. Android is split into two markets, budget and premium.

You do get more for your money with the premium products, but they tend to be close to the cost of an iPhone. Because iOS is designed specifically for their hardware, you get better stability and performance though on the mid-range (older models) than the low end premium phones (Like my Xperia Z5) (say around the £300-£400 market). You also tend to get similar tech at that level. Budget phones? You pay your money and take your chance.

I've never lost a phone to water damage (I dropped my last Samsung Galaxy Note in the bath and it dried out and was working again within a day). If I can manage it, the rest of the population bloody well can.
My new Note isn't waterproof but it is only 5mm thick and very nice to hold. But that's just my opinion.

This is it, it is opinion on this. I'm on my fourth or fifth fully sealed Android device. The first two (Google Nexus phones) didn't have SD card slots either. It never bothered me and it allowed the designers to produce low cost, thin, high quality devices. I never felt like I needed to replace the battery or increase the storage. It's horses for courses on this front, but my Nexus 5 is now 5 years old and still going strong (MMF has it). Like personalisation, it only affects a tiny number of consumers so isn't really an issue.

Maybe, but in my mind, it should also make things cheaper. So what are you actually paying for with Apple?

The name :p Also a seal of quality and the knowledge that when you get your new phone, it will work exactly like the old one - you can pretty much pick up where you left off with it.

The name. And that pisses me off.

Why? People are allowed to have a different preference. If you gave all iPhone users a Samsung Galaxy S7 for free, most of them would hate it - even if you gave it Apple branding. People are tied to the technology. I will never buy an iPhone because I hate the interface and don't like the fact you pay over the odds for a device compared to what you could get from another manufacturer. That doesn't mean that people who buy Apple are in some way wrong in their opinion that they dislike Android interfaces. It's nice to have the choice :)

EDIT: Just noticed the suggestion Android users are poor. I could afford an iPhone, it all depends on your priorities in life.
The first, don't be silly/rude. Lots of people choose Andorid because they love to play around with how their phone looks, works and performs.

I wasn't! I was saying that if you like to personalise your phone, add in different apps to make it just right for them, put things on memory cards, basically, people who fiddle with their stuff to get them just right. Android will always appeal to those people. Then (separately), people who want a smart phone but don't have a lot of cash to splash. The two aren't mutually exclusive, but I absolutely wasn't saying you only buy Android if you're poor.
 
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