You know, I never understood “brand loyalty.”
Just because one brand is better in terms of display, battery, storage, camera, and, uhm…
I was gonna say price…
But iPhone ain’t cheap.
So, it’s best to let them go.
And time to tell you why they suck.
Keep reading to discover:
- 15 reasons why your iPhone sucks.
- What Android does right and better than iPhones.
- How does an iPhone compare to its competition in terms of price.
- The controversies surrounding Apple and the ethics of buying an iPhone.
- And so much more…
15 reasons why iPhone sucks
#1: Customizability
I’m going to throw this word out there:
Launchers.
If you don’t know what that is, you’re an iPhone user.
Let me put it this way:
iPhone has a very minimalist look that slightly appeals to me.
But it can get boring quickly.
In contrast, you can change your phone’s appearance on an Android with a launcher.
Imagine being able to:
- Change icons.
- Rename apps.
- Customize the app drawer.
You can do all of those with an Android device. Pretty cool, huh?
And all you need are these fantastic launcher apps:
- AIO Launcher: Free.
- Niagara Launcher: Free.
- Hyperion Launcher: Free.
- Smart Launcher: Free, $7 for the pro version.
- Nova Launcher: Free, $4.99 for the pro version.
#2: Better file management
Do you know what I value most in smartphones?
Convenience.
For example, when I need to copy a file to my phone, it should just be a simple plug and copy.
And that’s what I get in Android.
For iOS phones, though?
You’ll need iTunes or AirDrop to copy files.
Not only that, but the file explorers on Android are also infinitely better than the ones on iOS.
Which explorers are these?
And why are they better?
Because they let me access all of my folders, including root files and hidden folders.
#3: External storage
I like to hoard movies and shows.
So it’s no wonder that I also hoard SD cards.
The problem is…
iPhones don’t have an SD card slot for me to insert it into.
However, that’s not the only reason why external storage is essential.
In fact, its most important job is to ensure that your phone doesn’t slow down.
You see, apps and files on our phones take up a huge chunk of memory.
And, when there’s almost no storage left, your phone starts to slow down…
Little by little, until it becomes unbearably laggy.
But, with external storage, you can bypass this problem by having another place to store some of your apps.
#4: You can’t ignore calls
To all of my friends out there, I’m sorry.
I tend to avoid most calls—no matter who’s on the other end.
See, on Android, I could ignore these calls and carry on with whatever I’m doing.
Simply hit the Back button and go back to wasting my time on Twitter.
But on iPhones?
You’re essentially blocked from using your phone until the person on the other end hangs up.
It’s like a hostage situation…
Only it’s my iPhone that’s holding me captive.
#5: The back button problem
They say you don’t realize the value of something until it’s gone.
And, for me, that’s the Back button on Android.
Imagine being capable of returning to your previous screen with 1 press of a button.
iPhone users can’t.
Sure, you can go back on your iPhone using the left-to-right swipe gesture…
However, that’s not implemented across all apps on iPhone.
#6: Lack of headphone jack
Ah, yes. The reason why people are wasting hundreds of dollars on a pair of earphones:
The headphone jack. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
If you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, let me give you a short recap.
The year was 2016.
Trump was elected president of the USA. Everyone was playing Pokemon Go. David Bowie passed away. And…
Apple launches iPhone 7.
Now, why’s that significant?
Because the release of the iPhone 7 started a trend that, quite frankly, broke my heart:
Removal of the headphone jack. And their reasons?
They wanted to “innovate.”
However, let’s just say that it’s curious…
Since they also make a lot of money selling products like the AirPods or jacks.
What’s worse is that this trend carried on over to flagship Android phones.
But not everything’s a casualty.
Here’s a list of the best Android phones with a headphone jack:
- Google Pixel 5A.
- Poco M4 Pro 5G.
- OnePlus Nord CE 2.
- Samsung Galaxy A23.
- Sony Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III.
#7: Price
I asked my diehard Android friends why they didn’t want to buy an iPhone.
Survey says?
It’s the price.
And, I have to say, they’re right.
Apple products do come with a hefty price tag.
I mean, look at the price (on release) of the iPhone 13 Pro Max compared to other flagship phones:
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (512 GB): $1399.99.
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra (512 GB): $999.99.
- Google Pixel 6 Pro (512 GB): $1299.99.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (512 GB): $1199.99.
#8: Limited choices
In life, we sometimes feel like a lack of choice cripples us.
But not in smartphones. Despite what Apple tells you.
You see, there’s not much in terms of variety in iOS products.
Whereas there’s an Android phone for everybody.
To prove this, let’s first look at the 5 things people look for when buying a smartphone:
- Price.
- Battery.
- Display.
- Camera.
- Storage.
Now, let’s dive into comparisons, shall we?
iPhone 13 vs competition
iPhone 13
- Price on release: $799, $899, $1099.
- Battery: 3,227 mAh.
- Display: 60 Hz, 6.1”, OLED.
- Rear camera: 12 MP (Wide), 12 MP (Ultrawide).
- Front camera: 12 MP (Wide).
- Storage options (in GB): 128, 256, 512.
Samsung S21 5G
- Price on release: $799, $999.
- Battery: 4000 mAh.
- Display: 120 Hz, 6.2”, AMOLED.
- Rear camera: 12 MP (Wide), 12 MP (Ultrawide), 64 MP (Telephoto).
- Front camera: 10 MP (Wide).
- Storage options (in GB): 128, 256.
Google Pixel 6
- Price on release: $599, $699.
- Battery: 4614 mAh.
- Display: 90 Hz, 6.4”, AMOLED.
- Rear camera: 50 MP (Wide), 12 MP (Ultrawide).
- Front camera: 8 MP (Wide)
- Storage options (in GB): 128, 256.
Other phones to consider
- OnePlus 10 Pro: Starts at $899.
- Sony Xperia 1 III: Starts at $1198.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: Starts at $999.
iPhone SE vs competition
iPhone SE 2022
- Price on release: $429.
- Battery: 2018 mAh.
- Display: 60 Hz, 4.7”, Retina IPS LCD.
- Rear camera: 12 MP (Wide).
- Front camera: 7 MP.
- Storage options (in GB): 64, 128, 256.
Samsung A52
- Price on release: $500.
- Battery: 4500 mAh.
- Display: 90 Hz, 6.5”, Super AMOLED.
- Rear camera: 64 MP (Wide), 12 MP (Ultrawide), 5 MP (Macro & Depth).
- Front camera: 32 MP (Wide).
- Storage options (in GB): 128, 256.
Google Pixel 5A
- Price on release: $449.
- Battery: 4680 mAh.
- Display: 60 Hz, 6.34”, OLED.
- Rear camera: 12.2 MP (Wide), 16MP (Ultrawide).
- Front camera: 8 MP (Wide).
- Storage options (in GB): 128.
Other phones to consider
- OnePlus Nord: Starts at $409.
- Motorola Moto G200: Starts at $429.
- Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro 5G: Starts at $269.
#9: Android is more innovative
If the smartphone industry is a race, Apple lost years ago.
Why?
Let me list a few features:
- NFC.
- OLED.
- Copy-paste.
- Voice control.
- Fast charging.
- 4G LTE and 5G.
- Water resistance.
- Multi-lens camera.
- Wireless charging.
- Screen multitasking.
- In-screen fingerprint sensors.
What do all of these things have in common?
If you said that they’re all features available on iPhone, you’re right.
But, more importantly, they’re features that Android first developed.
So, in a question of who’s more innovative between Android and Apple?
Google Android has my vote.
#10: Lightning port
For a company that prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation…
They sure aren’t in a hurry to put USB-C on their phones.
Especially now that most smartphones have started to adopt USB-C on theirs.
And, even weirder, Macbooks also have USB-C as one of their charging ports.
Now, why does this matter?
Everyone uses USB-C, which makes it easy to own 1 charger for all of your devices.
Except an iPhone, of course.
Not to mention that lightning cables also tend to break easily.
#11: No support for 3rd party apps
Do you know that you also can’t download 3rd party apps on your iPhone?
Now, you might be saying…
“I don’t care about that. I have all that I need on my iPhone.”
And while that may be true, consider these 3rd party apps that you can install on Android devices:
- GCamera: A fork of Google Pixel’s camera software.
- YouTube Vanced: An ad-less fork of the YouTube app.
- Tachiyomi: A free, self-updating manga and comics app.
And so much more…
The simple truth is this:
With iOS, you’re limiting yourself to apps that Apple regulates.
Whereas Android allows communities to create better apps.
#12: Right to repair
Everything’s a commodity nowadays.
From bottled water to canned air to…
Our right to repair?
That’s right.
Over the last couple of years, Apple has received multiple lawsuits. For what?
They don’t want you to repair your own Apple device.
See, we think of repair as a right as consumers. But, for Apple, it’s just another way to charge you extra money.
Note: In 2021, Apple finally caved in and approved the consumers’ right to repair. However, the question remains:
Would they have allowed repair had it not been for the lawsuits and public pressure?
#13: Planned obsolescence
Do you ever wonder why your old iPhones are getting so slow even if you cared for them well?
I’m here to tell you:
It’s not your fault.
See, some companies have this protocol called “Planned Obsolescence.”
Think of it this way:
Say you have an iPhone 8 that’s still working to this day. But the iPhone 14 is going to be released tomorrow.
Are you more likely to:
- Buy the new iPhone?
- Or retain your old one?
For frugal folks, the answer would be the latter. After all, who doesn’t want to save money?
So how does Apple convince us to buy the new one?
They don’t convince us–they force us. In what way?
By writing malicious software on their updates that slow down previous generation devices.
And this isn’t speculation at all. It’s a fact that Apple themselves admitted.
#14: E-Waste
Let’s talk about trash.
More specifically, electronic trash or e-waste.
To explain this, let’s play a game.
Can you guess how many smartphones were sold in 2019?
No, it’s not in the thousands. It’s not in the 5, 6, 7, or 8 digit range either.
It’s 153 million units.
That’s crazy. Especially considering that the average user changes phone every 2 years.
Do you want to hear something even crazier?
6.9 million tons of e-waste are produced every year. That’s more than 683 Eiffel Towers combined.
Now, I know what you’re thinking?
“But that’s not all Apple’s fault. There are a lot more smartphone companies out there.”
And you’re right. These other companies are equally responsible.
But, here’s the thing:
They’re doing their part.
And according to The Guardian, Apple (and Amazon) isn’t.
So, if you’re an environmentally conscious person…
You might want to think twice before buying an iPhone.
#15: History of child labor
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. Apple’s most infamous controversy:
Their labor conditions.
More specifically, its history of using abusive labor conditions, and this is true…
Child labor.
“Wait, what?”
Trust me. I did a double-take as well when I first read about it.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, the story goes:
In 2013, Apple learned something about Suyin Electronics, a company they’re partnered with.
And that was that they employ underage kids, sometimes against the children’s own will.
So, if you’re Apple, you’d want to cut ties with them immediately. Right?
Only, that’s not what they did.
Instead, they retained business with Suyin. Despite knowingly infringing on human rights.
And if that’s not enough to make you angry, here’s another thing…
Apple also knowingly took part in Chinese forced labor to make the glasses on your iPhones.
I don’t know about you but…
If that isn’t the very definition of corporate evil, I don’t know what is.