iPhone Overtakes Android to Claim Majority of US Smartphone Market

It has now happened in the US, do you think the same will happen in Australia too? Or is this just a result of the trade war between US and China?

Comments

  • +27

    Looks like iPhone has always been >50% in Australia
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/861577/australia-mobile-…

    • -1

      Thanks for the link. Unable to view unless sign up for it.

      Didn't know iPhone had already overtaken Android phones in OZ market share.

      • +10

        If the graphs are true then Apple has never lost the lead in Australia's smartphone market

      • +20

        It's in the summary text without signing up.

        The mobile device market in Australia has been and continues to be dominated by Apple phones; the company has had a comfortable market lead since 2011 with a share always in excess of 50 percent.

        Your whole post is null and void with the first result from a Google search.

          • +16

            @Forkinhell: “Apple devices are for non-thinkers”
            Gosh. You need a hug?

          • +4

            @Forkinhell: Not just iPhones. People line up for the latest Yeezy sneakers and there was always a 'virtual' line/waitlist to get a Rolex at MSRP. There is also a waitlist to get on the waitlist for Rolex. So there is nothing new about people lining up for things

            • @illusion99: I've heard of the rolex thing as well and you gotta "build a relationship" with the sales staff i.e giving them "red pockets" seemed like a wtf moment for me.

              • @KBZ: Yep and Apple and Rolex are some of the most successful businesses on the planet. So much as everyone wants to rag all over Apple and how they treat their customers as children, that is obviously how the majority of the human race wants to be treated otherwise nobody would buy Apple/Rolex. Don't blame Apple for giving customers what they want.

                • +2

                  @illusion99:

                  Don't blame Apple for giving customers what they want.

                  A more successful strategy than giving customers what they actually want is making the customers just think they actually want what it is that you have got.

                  • +1

                    @AnophthalmiaCervidae: There's definitely a marketing element to it but if a product doesn't meet expectations, the chances of repeat customers is lower. That's not what is being seen as the market share keeps growing.

          • +3

            @Forkinhell: I'm not sure where you live but at least in Melbourne, I haven't seen anyone line up for an iphone since 2015

            • +1

              @illusion99:

              I'm not sure where you live but at least in Melbourne, I haven't seen anyone line up for an iphone since 2015

              iPhone 9, 2016

              iPhone X, 2017

              iPhone XS 2018

              iPhone 11, 2019

              In 2020 Apple queues weren't allowed due to COVID

              It's worse in countries where Apple products are still seen as status symbols - Stampeding crowd halts iPhone 13 launch in China

              • +3

                @eug: iPhone X had queues everywhere… And no idea what the iPhone 9 is.

              • +7

                @eug: Most of these queues are just people who enjoy the experience these days rather than being there just to secure an iPhone. You haven't had to line up to buy Apple products here for a long time. It's much like those pop culture fans who show up for midnight screenings of their favourite franchise.

                • +2

                  @lint: Yeah this, it must have been back around the iPhone 5 people realized the supply was high enough you could walk into any telco store on release day after lunch and pick up a device sans queue. A few hundred people lining up at the Apple store who don’t realize it’s not 2015 anymore isn’t anything like the insanity that occurred with early releases that had limited stock and no online ordering.

          • @Forkinhell: @Forkinhell
            I've always had Samsung phones and based on my latest purchase of a Galaxy S21 FE, I'll be moving to Apple.
            The S21 FE is a POS.

            • +1

              @[Deactivated]: I had an S21 and it wasn't good.
              S22 has been great though. As were my previous s7 and s9. Don't know what went wrong with the 21 series

            • @[Deactivated]: S21FE isn't in the same price category as the iPhone. It would be somewhere between an iPhone SE/11 based on price.

              What issues did you have with the S21FE?

              • @ihfree: Touching the screen is like a lottery. Sometimes it opens the intended app (winning!) but on most occasions it opens another app or another screen altogether.
                Samsung support suggested that I take it into an authorised repair shop to get it assessed. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to do so yet.
                I tried the phone's inbuilt screen diagnostic but it didn't find an issue. I don't have a screen protector.
                Also, I don't like the camera and the placement of the volume button compared to my Galaxy S9+.

          • +1

            @Forkinhell:

            c'est la vie

            You mean that song by Irish girl group B*Witched from last century?

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvjLgjtJKsc

          • +1

            @Forkinhell: I can't really imagine how somebody can be so mad at other people's choice of consumer products to be like this.

          • -3

            @Forkinhell: Non-thinkers might be a bit harsh but they are definitely for the tech challenged.

            • +3

              @Rimsy: This is just a fairy tale that haters tell themselves to feel better.

              With over 50% of the market share, iPhone users are an extremely diverse group. I know people who are tech challenged and people who are in tech roles with iPhones.

              • @ihfree: I'm not a hater. I use an iPhone! It's easier for my wife and I to have the same phone so we both use iPhones as I don't want to put her through the Android experience.

            • +1

              @Rimsy: You’d be lucky to break 50% market share for Android in a tech company in Australia.

              It’s not that people are tech challenged, it’s that they don’t want to be tech challenged by their phone.

      • +3

        You just need to look at people on a bus, waiting for a train, etc. to see that most people use iPhones. iPhone accessories also take up more space than Android accessories in most stores.

      • iPhone was always ahead in Australia, Android had the early advantage in the USA as Apple originally was an AT&T exclusive for the first several years.

        Australia has a large middle class who could afford the higher prices and the iPhone was never carrier exclusive, so it’s always been dominant here.

        • Or people getting it on their credit cards to purchase a phone.

  • +39

    Android phones are getting worse, more expensive and removing the features which set them apart such as sd card slots and headphone jacks. At the same time, the android market is getting saturated and more complex to navigate. Before Samsung was the clear alternative but has clouded its own market with three versions of the same phone and cheaper competitors to their own flagship. Not a wonder people are saying (profanity) it and buying an iPhone instead.

    • +43

      Before Samsung was the clear alternative but has clouded its own market with three versions of the same phone

      Available from Apple right now:
      iPhone 11
      iPhone 12
      iPhone 12 mini
      iPhone SE
      iPhone 13
      iPhone 13 mini
      iPhone 13 Pro
      iPhone 13 Pro Max

      and cheaper competitors to their own flagship.

      See above for cheaper competitors to their flagship iPhone 13. :)

      • +58

        The difference is people buying an iPhone just want the name, they will buy any and not care. My GF was exactly like that, not caring about stats, memory, storage just wanting to buy an iPhone and whichever she could afford.

        • +5

          Agree, have an upvote to cancel the neg.

        • +13

          Most people* are like this. They just want a phone that does everything they need with minimal fuss, and ideally something familiar (easy when their last phone was an iPhone).

          Maybe best not to group everyone in the same bucket, though. There are plenty of tech-savvy / interested people who still choose iPhone.

        • +21

          I am an avid google guy, have had plenty of pixel devices and run google in most places, about a year ago I gave up on android as my phone OS because Google's android auto setup felt like i was a beta tester, every time i started the car I got a different experience, most of which resulted in car's integration with the phone being useless.

          Im now an iphone user and sure the hardware is boring, the interface is what it is, but i havent had a single issue with the carplay setup and the iphone has breached some of the gap to android.

          One positive is that i now dont care about new phones and new shiny android versions with cool additions, i just have a vanilla iphone that is the same as the previous three iphones and doesnt create any interest in updating

          But on the back of now using an iphone, i also have a watch, airpods and now even an apple TV and happy to say I like all of them, despite still using google for everything else that i can

          • +11

            @billdsl: I am pretty much in the same position as you. When I was a kid, I used to not like the iPhone very much as objectively speaking they had less features compared to android phones back in the day. But now iPhones are pretty much on par with android phones. Also as I am getting older, I am no longer interested in tinkering with phones (wallpapers, ringtones, jailbraking) and I just want a phone just works, and iPhone pretty much is the only phone that offers that. I have a Galaxy Note 10+ and my mum has a XS Max. Even though my phone is newer, after three years it's become quite slow while my mum's iPhone is still snappy despite being 4 years old, and doesn't really suffer from software glitches unlike my Note 10+. So I'm probably going to buy the iPhone 14 this year.

            • +2

              @nomadspartan: Same, i used to love getting the latest OS updates and new look and feel items, toyed around with early release updates and all sorts, now it just does its thing and i dont bother with any of those look and feel bits

            • @nomadspartan: My biggest issue is I don't like spending lots on phones. I'd rather spend it on other tech like pc parts.

              But man my Samsung a51 battery has become trash. It loses charge so fast.

          • @billdsl: I love pixels too but the battery life is forcing me to change, hard to find anything under 6 inches anymore though, which iPhone did you get and how is the battery life?

            • @alex123711: I think its an iphone12, normal size, i do a bit of pushy riding so needed something that doesnt hang out of my pockets

              Battery life seems good enough, but im probably not a good person to provide a battery life review as I have a charger at work and connect it to the car when im driving so its gets charged a lot just going about things

              Like @skittlebrau mentions below, its gone from something i spent a lot of time reviewing models and waiting for updated devices and updates, to a tool that i take very little notice of…

            • @alex123711: Pixels are crap. Since the pixel 2imo

          • +2

            @billdsl: The Android Auto experience is what stopped me moving to an Android for my personal phone.

            I'm not sure what it is, but on my head unit it's a low res mess. Apple Carplay is crisp.

            Apple Carplay also looks the same on all head units, whereas Android Auto seems to detect the headunit and decides if it will display full content or not.

            I use a Samsung for work and increasingly liked it more and more. E.g the back button or gesture that does the same thing every time. In iOS a back gesture can be inconsistent in some apps e.g revealing a side bar rather than going back a screen.

            The fingerprint sensor was a godsend during mask mandates. That alone almost made me convert.

            I do like Android much more now than I did in earlier years. Back when I had a Note 3 I was constantly flashing it with ROMs to try and get it working how I wanted. Apps were noticeably less polished than iOS. Now I don't notice those issues and can happily use one or the other.

            The only thing that annoys me sometimes with the Samsung is the Samsung and Google Apps competing with each other to be the default. Was super annoying at the start, but not so bad now once everything is setup, but every now and then I get Samsung Pay trying to assert itself when I'm using Google Pay.

            • @dbun1: It shouldnt be that hard to keep it consistent, mine looked fine but every single time i got in the car something different did or didnt work, it was a nightmare. I tell you what does annoy me is being in an ios menu and having to swipe a bunch of times to get back to home, i should google if there is a trick for that…… Simple things hey

              I never liked touchwiz, why as a hardware manufacturer would you dabble in your own phone os that looks nasty and tries to compete with much better apps. Thats one of the big reasons i only had one samsung phone. Great bit of hardware, i think i ended up putting a vanilla android rom on it anyway but thats not how it should be, bit of a shame between that and carplay/android auto failures huh

          • +1

            @billdsl: That's how I treat phones these days. Basically a white good now. Just need it to work for when I need it, nothing more nothing less.

            iPhones consistently do that very well.

        • +3

          I think part of the appeal for some people is that the specs are somewhat meaningless for iPhones because iOS is generally well-optimised. Aside from the battery/throttling controversy, performance for my iPhones have been pretty well consistent through multiple OS updates. I can’t quite say the same for the Android phones I’ve owned in the past, several of which had such short software lifespans for updates.

          Overall I think all smartphones (both Android and Apple) are boring and all the real innovation is gone. It’s really just a common ‘tool’ now.

        • hmm, I've owned a Windows Phone, a Samsung Galaxy Note (probably 4 or 5), a Samsung Galaxy S 12 (sold), an iPhone 6S Plus, a 5 years old Windows laptop, a Dell Workstation, a Dell Optical Mini, a Macbook Pro 2012, and a Macbook Pro 2018.

          I have been trying to leave Apple products several times but every attempts I made, either Windows or Android phones aren't suitable for me.

          For instance, Samsung are bloated with many unwanted and duplicate software, worse some aren't removable (not sure if it is still the case nowadays, I last tried it a few years back). Windows mobiles are terrible when it comes to software and many know that. Google Pixel is probably the best alternative but Google is so invasive when it comes user privacy and I couldn't trust them with my personal data; so I don't know if I want to trust their mobile phone products running on Android. Plus, users won't probably get many software support/update from Android and Android phone doesn't retain values well. I still have an Android phone and a Windows phone which I barely used, they are around 5 years old and I could not update their OS nor many apps.

          Although I'm getting bored with Apple products, their ecosystem is fairly good, if not best, and their continuous software update to keep your devices safe and secure for many years to come is a plus. If you also use other Apple products such as desktop, laptop and iCloud service, they are pretty much securely and effectively interoperable. Plus, you can pretty much can remove every single zhitty software applications which you don't want, their software and hardware design has been pretty sleek and modern although they become quite dull in the recent years after the passing of Steve Job. Not to mentioned that their laptop is very great for developers working on Unix and Linux systems and their devices generally last longer than its competitors. I have two decade-old MacBooks with the latest Mac OS and my current iPhone is 8 years old with the latest iOS.

      • +16

        Current Samsung model list in UK, didn't find a complete Australian list:

        Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, August 2022 | £1,649
        Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, August 2022 | £999
        Samsung Galaxy A53, April 2022 | £399
        Samsung Galaxy A33, April 2022 | £329
        Samsung Galaxy S22+, March 2022 | from £949
        Samsung Galaxy S22, March 2022 | from £769
        Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, February 2022 | from £1,149
        Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, January 2022 | from £699
        Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, August 2021 | from £1,599
        Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, August 2021 | from £949
        Samsung Galaxy A22 5G, June 2021 | £209
        Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, March 2021 | £399
        Samsung Galaxy A72, March 2021 | £439
        Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, February 2021 | £229
        Samsung Galaxy A02s, February 2021 | £139
        Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, January 2021 | £669
        Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G, January 2021 | £949
        Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, January 2021 | £1199
        Samsung Galaxy A12, January 2021 | £169
        Samsung Galaxy A42 5G, November 2020 | £315
        Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, October 2020 | £599
        Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, September 2020 | £899
        Samsung Galaxy Note 20, August 2020 | £699
        Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G,
        August 2020 | £999
        Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, August 2020 | £599
        Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G, March 2020 | £429.99
        Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, March 2020 | £1199
        Samsung Galaxy A71, February 2020 | £449

        Bear in mind, the Samsung range varies by market due to network technologies and pricing differences, so the global list of currently sold models is many times larger.

        • -5

          Current Samsung model list in UK, didn't find a complete Australian list

          OP was talking about clear alternatives to the iPhone, which means Samsung's flagships.

          iPhone 13 mini
          iPhone 13 - Galaxy S22
          iPhone 13 Pro - Galaxy S22+
          iPhone 13 Max - Galaxy S22 Ultra
          iPhone SE - Galaxy S21 FE

          So Apple has 'clouded' the market with four versions of its flagship phone, making the claim that Samsung's 3 models are confusing moot.

          Android users also have the option of going with a folding phone - Fold 4, Flip 4.

        • +4

          Current is more like the below in Aus.

          Galaxy A13 5G
          Galaxy A13
          Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, August 2022 | £1,649
          Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, August 2022 | £999
          Samsung Galaxy A53, April 2022 | £399
          Samsung Galaxy A33, April 2022 | £329
          Samsung Galaxy S22+, March 2022 | from £949
          Samsung Galaxy S22, March 2022 | from £769
          Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, February 2022 | from £1,149
          Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, January 2022 | from £699
          Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, August 2021 | from £1,599
          Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, August 2021 | from £949
          Samsung Galaxy A22 5G, June 2021 | £209
          Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, March 2021 | £399
          Samsung Galaxy A72, March 2021 | £439
          Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, February 2021 | £229
          Samsung Galaxy A02s, February 2021 | £139
          Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, January 2021 | £669
          Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G, January 2021 | £949
          Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, January 2021 | £1199
          Samsung Galaxy A12, January 2021 | £169
          Samsung Galaxy A42 5G, November 2020 | £315
          Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, October 2020 | £599
          Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, September 2020 | £899
          Samsung Galaxy Note 20, August 2020 | £699
          Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G,
          August 2020 | £999
          Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, August 2020 | £599
          Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G, March 2020 | £429.99
          Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, March 2020 | £1199
          Samsung Galaxy A71, February 2020 | £449

    • +34

      I still absolutely hate the fact Apple removed the headphone jack and somehow that was seen as an evolution in the industry and other manufacturers have since followed suit.

      • +5

        My must haves on a phone have included gorilla glass, dual sims, discrete sd card slot - not shared sim slot, and until recently headphone jack.

      • True, the headphone jack was a backward move in many respects.

        Apple didn't ditch the notch until now, and no other manufacturer was stupid enough to follow that ugliness… touch wood.

      • +1

        I still use wired earphones on my Samsung S8, but I thought most people liked Apple Pods/Samsung Buds and hence they saw the opportunity to get rid of the headphone jack altogether? Or was it the other way around?

        • +5

          Chance for them to up sell with a few hundred $ ear pods……

          • +3

            @Ade99: Yes, this. The markup on wireless headphones is much higher than on wired headphones.

            • +2

              @colossus: Probably cost $20 at most to make considering the cheapies can be had for a bit more.

      • +9

        I hate that bravery bullshit. They made a problem and sold a solution.

        • +1

          Not sure if that is the case. I dont use wired headphones at all and the wired one I do have have the dongle for the iPhone permanently attached. Not a big deal to be honest

          • @dealsucker: It is the case.
            The bravery part was that Apple knew what they were doing was wrong, but it was lucrative, so the bravery was them taking the gamble. It paid off because people aren't that smart, as the multi-million dollar psychology and marketing tactics work.

            There is NOTHING preventing people from enjoying a wireless experience if you keep the aux port. But the opposite is not true, you cannot enjoy a wired experience if you remove the aux port.

            • +1

              @Kangal: And there is nothing that stops people from enjoying the wired experience if they chose so? Just keep the dongle permanently on your wired headphones. What is your point exactly?

              And you dont speak for “people” and they being “not smart”. Enough patronising condescending nonsense already.

              • -1

                @dealsucker: …but you're factually incorrect.
                The dongle isn't a simple adaptor. It houses a Digital-to-Analogue converter inside. And basically all the dongles that I have seen, are low-quality.

                It literally stops people from enjoying wired experience. The signal is that much weaker, softer, and degraded.

                Have you seen the proper dongles for headphone jacks? They're about the size of a matchstick. So it's quite bothersome plugging it in, or lugging it around. And they're not cheap, we're talking $100 and up. Some require an AC power source, while others have a built-in battery which also needs to be charged. Otherwise they don't have enough oomph to drive the signal right.

                Or you know, just look at the OzBargain special (LG V30) which had a phenomenal QuaDAC designed into the handset.

                I only choose to be patronizing and condescending to "people" who are "not smart" like you, sosumi

                • -3

                  @Kangal: Blah blah blah. A simple web search and you would have known that the adapter in question is high quality and has the same output as the iPhone’s with the audio jack itself.

                  As for external DAC’s, there is literally no limit to what you can spend.

                  https://www.audioreviews.org/apple-audio-adapter-review/

                  Now who is looking like an idiot? And next time if I want your opinion, I'll twist your ear and feed you a gumball, dimwit.

      • +8

        They did the same with the floppy drive and optical drive on Macs. Unthinkable things at the time, but in hindsight inevitable. They just did it first.

        • here's hoping they abandon lightning soon…

        • +5

          I feel like those things are different because there was always going to be an evolution when it comes to storage. I guess you could say "the evolution with headphones/earphones is wireless" but wired headphones have worked fine for literally decades and there are some really high quality wired headphones out there. Making them wireless is simply a want, it's not a need like storing gigabytes of data on disc (e.g. DVD > Bluray) or storing more and more data on USB drives (e.g. USB drives used to be like, 512 mb in size and now you can get 64 gb drives). I can watch movies non-stop on a 10 hour flight using wired headphones, if I used my Airpods I'd have to charge them fully at least once during the flight. Having a wire is just not that annoying IMO.

          Imagine if Apple decide to remove all ports on their phones. You'd have to rely on Magsafe for charging and wireless connections to upload/download data, which IMO is not a good thing because sometimes you just need a hard line between your device and a laptop to ensure a reliable connection.

          What if Apple decide to create a touch keyboard? The butterfly keyboard is objectively horrible to type on (despite what people will say) and has very little travel, imagine typing on a keyboard which is basically a flat surface (if you have a Macbook where the escape key was on the touch bar you can already tell how horrible it is because you need to be able to feel the edges of the keys to understand which key you're pressing when touch typing).

          I just think that Apple has been innovating the wrong way the past several years. They're trying to come up with things that might look or sound innovative on paper but in reality it's just bad and unnecessary/stupid, and just because they have clout other companies just end up following them without really stopping to ask "is this what our customers really want?" or "is this really what we should be doing?".

          It's going to be a very depressing day once they remove the headphone jack from their Macbook Pros, which will force people to buy yet another adapter/dongle (USB-C to headphone jack) or to use wireless earphones. I hope it ends up coming back like the SD card slot and HDMI port (absolutely idiotic choices by Apple to remove those in the first place — this is an example of where they've been "innovating the wrong way"), they should have also left at least a couple USB-A ports on their new Macbooks as well.

          • -5

            @Ghost47: Whew… @Ghost47… that's a real scattergun attack on everything Apple.

            wired headphones have worked fine for literally decades

            Yes. So did VHS.

            or storing more and more data on USB drives

            With streaming services for audio and video the need as you describe it, for more and more external storage is not as great as it was in 2012.

            a very depressing day once they remove the headphone jack from their Macbook Pros

            Yes. And I remember how depressing it was when councils removed the water troughs for my horses to drink at while I had my buggy serviced.

            I hope it ends up coming back like the SD card slot and HDMI port

            You do know that companies put a lot of research and development into these type of decisions? I think we can assume a trillion dollar company has thought this through.

            Certainly it appears there are lots of decisions Apple has made which seem to particularly irk you. But I'm sure their reasoning is that for every one of you that is forever lost to their ecosystem, they gain 1+ x new you's.

            • +3

              @Roman Sandstorm:

              Yes. So did VHS.

              The move from VHS to DVD actually came with improvements though. DVD had much better image and sound quality, and you could also store more data on disc format compared to a VHS. The format was also smaller than VHS. There was a myriad of improvements that came from the move to DVD, there has been nothing except slight conveniences by removing the headphone jack. It's not a "next step" and shouldn't be considered as such.

              With streaming services for audio and video the need as you describe it, for more and more external storage is not as great as it was in 2012.

              So are you saying you don't need larger USB drives? Why are external HDDs still sold then? Maybe you don't need external storage, but others do. Macbooks don't exactly have the cheapest storage options either.

              You do know that companies put a lot of research and development into these type of decisions? I think we can assume a trillion dollar company has thought this through.

              Mustn't have had much thinking involved if they completely backflipped on that decision with their newest Macbook Pros, or the butterfly keyboard back in 2019 or whatever.

              I use an iPhone and a Macbook Pro, but at least I can see the missteps the company has made instead of blindly acting like everything they're doing is best for the consumer.

              • @Ghost47: Also the move from VHS to DVD is the same. They're both physical media.

                If you removed the 3.5mm Headphone Jack, but you replaced it with a ThubderBolt 3 port which was able to drive higher frequencies, volumes, and fidelity. Then you're merely evolving that from physical media to physical media. Well, then that would be an Apples to Apples comparison.

                The move from AUX port, to Wireless-Only is different. It's actually more akin to moving from VHS to Dial-Up Internet. It's more expensive, it's more hassles, and it's lower quality.

                • +1

                  @Kangal: Except you do still have the option to use a wired headset with a very cheap adapter.

                  • @Karfaffel: Sure, but are you putting a second USB port there or what?

                    • @Kangal: That makes no sense. Perhaps try to formulate a proper thought before hitting reply?

                  • @Karfaffel: cheap, cumbersome and annoying - difficult to charge and use headphones at same time, yes adapter again, but these are even more cumbersome and yet another thing to carry, lose, break..

                    Removing the headphone jack is a crap idea and you'll never convince me otherwise.

      • +3

        That's why I've imported a xperia 1 III, it's got it all, SD card slot/dual sim, fingerprint sensor, headphone jack, IP68 rating, dedicated camera button. It's like a big middle finger to all the "reasons" to why other manufacturers remove features. Shame there's no 5G though since it's not Aussie released.

        • If I used Android that sounds like a good option. I'm pretty deeply rooted into the iOS ecosystem now, don't think I can give up Live Photos either.

        • Is it as snappy and has that "just working" feel that apple has though?

          This is hard to explain to someone who hasn't owned both, and I find most people are die hard 1 way or the other.

          Im not against either but things just work better on Iphone in my experience.
          App compatibility, weird glitches and errors don't happen as often I have noticed.

          I ask this because I wouldn't mind switching back to a headphone jack phone.

          • +1

            @mavis30551: The missus has the iphone 13 and I don't feel much of a difference during use. The only difference I "feel" is waking from deep sleep feels a little sluggish for about a second, and if the battery's low it's quite sluggish due to the CPU being throttled (but you can turn off the stamina mode and just run down the battery at full speed).

            One thing that is slightly annoying is because the power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor you can lock your phone and unlock your phone in the same motion when you just want to lock. I now use my middle finger to lock and index to unlock, didn't take long to form the habit.

      • +3

        This one still really annoys me. Consumer choice was removed so Apple, and then other phone makers, could increase their profit via reduced parts, selling dongles, and better margins on bluetooth headphones.

      • Not an Apple user, but same is true for the Pixels now (that I use).

        I'm probably one of the few that didn't mind.
        I usually use my headphones while working out and in the car. No wires = nothing to get tangled up in stuff.
        Also, one less port to avoid getting wet or keep clean.

    • +6

      Had iPhones when they first came out. Changed to Samsung for the cool features.

      Most recent Samsung S20 will be my last.
      Its been buggy, lags, camera screen incredibly fragile.

      I have personally found Samsung's quality control has dropped. Maybe its from rushing new models every year?

      Next phone will be a iPhone. Maybe the 14 or 15. Thought that when am paying a premium price for the phone, might as well get an iPhone.

      • I had the note 4 and it just didn't blow me away.

        I've had the mi max 3 and had a couple oppo phones (reno 5g and find x3 pro) which have been pretty solid.

    • Still decent phones around with those features from brands like Xiaomi.

      That said, some of the iphone models are ok value these days given how expensive android flaghsips are. My view is that very few people actually need a flagship level phone, hardly anyone does really. But slick marketing convinces them that they do.

    • +1

      Android phones are getting worse, more expensive and removing the features which set them apart such as sd card slots and headphone jacks

      The reason i switched to android was because
      a) 120hz screen for a fraction of what apple charges
      b) larger and longer battery life (i think it's apple being lazy that they could put a decent sized battery in but they choose to keep them small, that could potentially have 2 day battery life if they got their act together,If Apple start putting 4500mah+ batteries into their phone i'll likely go back.)
      c) lack of customisability of the interface. Yes i liked having apple choose everything for me but eventually i got sick of it.
      d) I'd rather support Samsung's manufacturing in Vietnam than Apple's Chinese operation.

    • +1

      Yet Apple's share has fallen steadily and continuously since 2011, except for a slight uptick in the last year. It's not a large majority by any means.

      In fact I really question these figures. Apple dominates the premium end of the market but Android absolutely dominates the bottom end. I'd believe thesecharts if it measured by sales value, which I suppose is what you want if assessing the profitably of the companies. But there's no way they are by number of handsets bought. Burner phones alone would massively boost Android's share of numbers sold in the US.

    • yeah headphone jack i can live without but microsd card… The most annoying things their flagship devices no sd card but their lower/middle tier device support micro sd!!! wtf. My last Android note 10+ 3 years already

    • +2

      I'd hate to agree, but that's the reality of the situation. Although I've come to realise that when it comes to phones, you can have one that is objectively better than another, but you can have different categories or usage patterns.

      For instance, what's the best car?
      - One might say a porsche; because it's so fast, elegant and futuristic.
      - Another might say JEEP; because it's so durable, utalitarian and last long time.
      - Third might say Subaru; because it's a balanced approach, it's practical, and it's fun.

      So you can have three different best phones, which are objectively the best in their respective categories. I can elaborate further with details if anyone's interested.

      • +1

        JEEP; because it's so durable, utalitarian and last long time.

        Is this some sort of satire post? Coz that is literally the opposite of what Jeep is known for. They just do okay offroad, but it's mainly the look people buy into. Not a reputation of reliability. Maybe the old ones that was basically a metal shell on an invincible diesel engine, but those days are long gone.

        • +1

          I know this, but the point still stands.
          What's "best" depends on the perspective. The JEEP can be replaced with something else as long as the point gets across.

  • I think iPhone is already the most popular in Oz, but Android is the more common OS

    • +5

      That doesn’t make sense. If iOS has more than 50% of the market, how can android be more popular?

      • +6

        IPhone is just phones, if you add the iPad you increase the market share a little. It adds up to about 1.2 billion devices globally.

        That still compares pretty poorly with Android which is used in phones, tablets, notebooks, settop boxes, TVs, mediaplayers, miniPCs, GPS units, vehicle head units, home phone, game consoles, eReaders, cameras, etc.
        Currently about 3 billion devices are in regular use.

      • +8

        Because iPhone is just one brand but Android is Samsung + everyone else. Therefore Australians might buy more iPhones than any other Brand, but because Google + Samsung + everyone else is android this means more android operating system users, even though iPhone makes the most sales. Not sure why I’m being negged.

        • You are spot on, it's just poorly worded in the context of the OP.

          I'm assuming you're trying to say:

          iPhone is the single most popular brand/make of smartphone in Australia, however, Android as a whole is the most popular OS for smart phones in Australia.

        • +9

          Yes, but iPhone/iOS accounts for greater than 50% of the market then ALL Android can't be more than 50%, hence you are incorrect.

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