(Tech) Why I Don't Like The iPhone

Not too long ago, Apple released the new iPhone 6. Yet again, in this annual frenzy, people flock to buy it. Say what you will, but I think it's a result of very effective marketing: People flocking to buy the same thing they did a year ago, albeit with slightly different specs, a few more features and a more ridiculous price.

Don't get me wrong here I wasn't born disliking that thing. In its defense, it's a well executed piece of device. It has one of the best cameras I've seen and it has a very consistent user experience compared to its rival, the Android. It's not that the Android OS isn't as good, it's because Android is available to different manufacturers, and they tend to change the UI instead of using the default Android interface. The iPhone as a Smartphone is decent and well executed, but... 

What's There To Dislike Then?

The Small Narrow Screen

This is one of my primary gripes, though it's a matter of preference. I'm a big guy with big hands. My fat fingers just have a hard time typing on puny screens. When turned sideways, it's no problem. However, I typically type with the phone on the vertical position. The narrow aspect ratio just doesn't work for me. That just makes me hit too many buttons too often. 

The Dreaded iTunes

First off, my biggest gripe with the iPhone is the need to use iTunes. I really dislike iTunes. It's redundant. It's alright if you run on OSX. But if you're on another platform, like say, Windows, iTunes just feels bloated. And why must I sync my phone upon first connection to the computer? Alright, maybe that can be changed in the settings somewhere, but if I have to delve into the obscure menu, I find it troublesome. In contrast, Android phones mount as USB storage or MTP device. You can transfer your music as easily as you transfer to any storage device without fuss nor fanfare.

OS Compatibility Issues

Alright, I'm cheap. Very Cheap. I do my personal computing on a low end PHP20,000 laptop that came without OS. It runs on GNU/Linux. Mint Qiana to be more precise. And it's been that way since 2007/2008. I use GIMP over Photoshop, LibreOffice over MS Office (though I still use MS Office at work.), so why should I have to pay up extra over what I already have? That said, there's no iTunes for Linux. I tried running it with Wine (No, I don't consume alcohol to make stuff work. I mean the emulator.) but to no avail back in 2008. It was buggy at best. So why is it incompatible? Apparently, it has to do with the way iPhone stores its media information. There are tools that allow me to read/store data, but it has problems, i.e. newly added media unreadable to the phone and gets displayed as "others", erroneous metadata, etc. I can buy a ridiculously expensive Apple product or a Windows machine, but just for syncing my music? I'd rather look for alternatives.

Data Storage Doesn't Play Nice

As mentioned above, data storage in iPhone is very different. I tried traversing the directories a few times and it was an exercise in extending your patience as it was among the most frustrating things I've done. You're met with a lot of obscurely named directories and renamed files. Good luck finding your favorite mp3 in the iOS directory labyrinth. I have a tendency to be OC and micromanage stuff sometimes i.e. A directory called "Music" simply will not do because I prefer a directory called "MP3". That exercise just doesn't do in iOS. I haven't encountered the same problem with Android on the other hand. Again, simplicity in the execution. 

The Specs For The Price

The items I raised above, folks may legitimately dismiss as minor gripes. It doesn't apply to everyone. Some folks may even love the iTunes. Some use a Macbook. But what can't be denied, would be the specs you get for the ridiculously expensive price. It has been expensive in the past, and the recently released iPhone 6 is most exemplary in the exercise of overpricing. I can't really find the words to express enough this sentiment. So let me show this image instead, taken from Android headlines:

Welcome to 2012!

How expensive? As of writing, the price goes into ridiculous numbers. Just check out the prices reported by Gadget Pilipinas for the grey market iPhone 6 (It's not yet available officially here in the Philippines as of writing). It's ridiculous since those prices are at par with the most expensive professional cameras or even enough as down payment for a car. Those prices will drop in the future though. Then again, it won't be by much.

For the price of an iPhone one can get a high end Android phone with much better specs, or several Android phones for one and the family. I admit I bought an iPhone 4s once, but that wasn't for me. I suppose there's something about the Apple branding that makes it special and desirable to many people. Even if it for its price, there are better options.

In The End....

At the end of the day, it's still about the consumer. Yes, there may be better options, but to some, it's about one's preference. Some aspects are more important to others than the tech specs on paper. Yes, even if that costs an arm and a leg to own, or means crowding and queuing in front of the store on the first day of sale.

For me however, I wouldn't be swayed by it. At least not anytime soon. Maybe if it came at a more affordable price, independent from iTunes and a slightly bigger screen, and simpler directory structure, I'd start considering it. I wouldn't hold my breath for it. It won't be happening anytime soon.