Many many years ago, I bought my first Apple product. It was a Macbook Pro, and I was blown away. It was, simply put, the most incredibly stable and fantastic computer I had ever used. I found myself wondering, why did I wait so long? Why languish in the agony that is Windows when such a gorgeous alternative is just an Apple Store away?
This first purchase was followed closely by an iPod, then an iMac (for work) and finally, an iPhone. The set was complete and I was able to worship gloriously at the altar of my new religion. iPhone followed iPhone and the 3GS came, replaced by a 4, then a 4S. It just got better and better. And then came the day that a pickpocket decided that my 4S and I had to part ways. And so just like that, I slid from the ultimate smartphone to an old Nokia handset that I had. Life quickly lost meaning - I couldn't sync my 900+ contacts because the Nokia didn't have a PC Connect option, I couldn't check or update my facebook status and worse still, texting became a nightmare. Sigh.
The iPhone 5 had already been launched at the time of the picking but it was selling in Pakistan in excess of $1100. Far too much, I thought. And so I decided to find something to bridge the gap. Something that would get me by for a few months, until I could get an iPhone 5. Don't ask me how, but somehow, this 'something to get me by' ended up becoming a Samsung Galaxy S3. A certain friend had a lot to do with it, you know who you are.
Now, you have to understand what a big step this was for me. A long time supporter of Apple in the patent war against Samsung, I have always harbored a principle disagreement against Samsung products. Not to mention a innate fear of the Android operating system, which I always found to be very confusing.
So its saying a lot for Android and Samsung that after less than 24 hours of using the phone, I'm actually blown away. I can see why the Android system is hated at Infinite Loop (Apple's Headquarters) - because it probably causes them sleepless nights. Now, I am NOT saying that Apple's iOS is not good. It's actually very very good and in many ways, much better than Android. But - and this is important - Android systems let you do a lot more customization right out of the box that iOS does. For instance, with the way I have set up my phone, my main home screen shows me a few important apps, an excerpt from my calendar and a clock. Other homescreens, just a swipe away, provide easy access to facebook, twitter, world clock etc.
It could be argued that it is too early yet - and I agree. What you read above is a very early opinion. But knowing how anti-Samsung and anti-Android I've been in the past, I've been pretty pre-disposed towards hating the experience. And to my immense surprise, I'm not hating it. Far from it, in fact.
This first purchase was followed closely by an iPod, then an iMac (for work) and finally, an iPhone. The set was complete and I was able to worship gloriously at the altar of my new religion. iPhone followed iPhone and the 3GS came, replaced by a 4, then a 4S. It just got better and better. And then came the day that a pickpocket decided that my 4S and I had to part ways. And so just like that, I slid from the ultimate smartphone to an old Nokia handset that I had. Life quickly lost meaning - I couldn't sync my 900+ contacts because the Nokia didn't have a PC Connect option, I couldn't check or update my facebook status and worse still, texting became a nightmare. Sigh.
The iPhone 5 had already been launched at the time of the picking but it was selling in Pakistan in excess of $1100. Far too much, I thought. And so I decided to find something to bridge the gap. Something that would get me by for a few months, until I could get an iPhone 5. Don't ask me how, but somehow, this 'something to get me by' ended up becoming a Samsung Galaxy S3. A certain friend had a lot to do with it, you know who you are.
Now, you have to understand what a big step this was for me. A long time supporter of Apple in the patent war against Samsung, I have always harbored a principle disagreement against Samsung products. Not to mention a innate fear of the Android operating system, which I always found to be very confusing.
So its saying a lot for Android and Samsung that after less than 24 hours of using the phone, I'm actually blown away. I can see why the Android system is hated at Infinite Loop (Apple's Headquarters) - because it probably causes them sleepless nights. Now, I am NOT saying that Apple's iOS is not good. It's actually very very good and in many ways, much better than Android. But - and this is important - Android systems let you do a lot more customization right out of the box that iOS does. For instance, with the way I have set up my phone, my main home screen shows me a few important apps, an excerpt from my calendar and a clock. Other homescreens, just a swipe away, provide easy access to facebook, twitter, world clock etc.
It could be argued that it is too early yet - and I agree. What you read above is a very early opinion. But knowing how anti-Samsung and anti-Android I've been in the past, I've been pretty pre-disposed towards hating the experience. And to my immense surprise, I'm not hating it. Far from it, in fact.
And herein lies the rub. Android customisability vs Apple ecosystem. It's a seriously tough call.
ReplyDeleteAndroid phones do certain things better than iPhones, and presumably vice versa. Ultimately it is the Apple ecosystem which may prove to be their biggest draw.
As an HTC user, I am now locked into certain HTC proprietary widgets and therefore highly unlikely to move brands. That might be an interesting potential source of competitive advantage going forward. That said, I am increasingly toying with the idea of getting a MacBook...