How Many iPhone Users Out There?

Just curious how many of you have turned to the “dark side”. As I move from job to job in this field I am noticing a trend in people in IT being iPhone users, not all, but a lot more than I had expected. I asked a coworker about this and he speculated that it is likely due to the fact that they tend to be more secure and easier to manage.

I am considering making the leap myself, I am the current endangered owner of a Galaxy Note 7 and have given up on Samsung for the time being. I have long considered a jump to Apple but getting over my pride after dogging on it for so many years has been tough. I love the freedom that Adnroid allows, I was one of the “custom ROM” guys and settled back in to just using the vanilla OS on whatever phone I had. I see all of the cutting edge technology on the new phones these days but to be honest I am appreciating the deliberateness of Apple products more and more these days, things like typing, Siri, and the integration of Apple products (my gf has an iPhone) is becoming more appealing to me.

Just curious on your thoughts on the matter, how many of you are iPhone users? Any recent converters care to share their experience?

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DatabaseHead

Been with the iPhone since the 3. Besides the ridiculous amount of radiation the phone emits I love it. I have one of those wallet cases that closes over the screen with the credit card holder etc. That hopefully shields me and I usually text or use head phones so.........

Had a Samsung 4S for a while and couldn't stand it.

NetworkNewb

Current iPhone user, I actually have a Galaxy Note 5 sitting in a drawer at home that I am meaning to sell. My iPhone is an older iPhone 5. I like the simplicity of the iOS. Not saying that Android's OS is confusing, just that I find the iOS to have a "cleaner" look and feel to it. (not sure if that makes sense, but I'm going with it)

My wife also bought me an Apple Watch for my birthday recently and have been enjoying that as well. Planning on upgrading next year to whatever new iPhone comes out then.

Doesn't hurt my wife has an iPhone and we have an iPad at home that all use the same charger too.

koz24

I'm a Mac guy and I have everything Apple (except the watch ahah) so count me in as an iPhone user.

scaredoftests

yes.. a iphone user since 4.

E Double U

I got an iPhone when my wife said it was stupid that I had a Blackberry while she had an iPhone. She said I should get an iPhone because of FaceTime, free messaging between iPhones, and iPhones look better. I got an iPhone for the same reason I do just about anything - my wife convinced me to do it.

Infosec85

Samsung here I don't like iphones at all. Most friends that do have them tend to require numerous screen replacements per year. Complain of constant software issues and repeated replacement of chargers. Enough to make me never want one. Also I believe they gained popularity due to their price and the fact it used to be cool to own one.

NetworkNewb

Infosec85 wrote: »

Samsung here I don't like iphones at all. Most friends that do have them tend to require numerous screen replacements per year. Complain of constant software issues and repeated replacement of chargers.

I always find it weird the same people usually end up with broken screens over and over, while mine never does. They must be just be very unlucky with things I guess.

GSXR750K2

I'm not really your target audience, but I'm on the "dark side" to many people.

Using a BlackBerry Passport at the moment, been case free since always. Just feels more...work-ish I guess. I don't really care about apps, besides, out of the almost two-and-a-half million apps on Google Play, how many are variations on the same theme?

I personally don't care for Android or iOS...nothing wrong with them, they just don't grab my attention. Tried a few Sam's back in the day but at the time they just felt like a child's video game (the Android 2.x days), and now they are just too bloated. I guess now that BB is retooling a vanilla Android image for their phones I'll eventually be Android...probably the Priv, not digging the upcoming lineup.

tmtex

I was a BB person, then got a job(2011) that gave me an IPhone, no issues but I am not one that gets into their phone. I don't stare at it all day. Plays music, good camera, email is easy.

I am not a ITunes fan

GSXR750K2

tmtex wrote: »

I was a BB person, then got a job(2011) that gave me an IPhone, no issues but I am not one that gets into their phone. I don't stare at it all day. Plays music, good camera, email is easy.

I am not a ITunes fan

I don't look at mine a whole lot actually, at the end of the day my battery is usually around 80-ish percent or so. Mine is pretty much utilitarian...I take pictures and videos as needed, but there isn't a single song or game on it. Web for research and text/email for work/clients. Of course, I don't Facebook, Tweet or any of that stuff either (I do LinkedIn for the same reason as everyone else). The things I do and the toys I buy don't need to be advertised to the world.

I won't get within two double-clicks of iTunes.

thomas_

I've been with the iPhone since the 2.5G model(Edge network, anyone?), and yes there was a model before the 3G model. Back then the iPhone was the only game in town for the features it had. I remember visual voicemail being earth shattering and thinking how cool it was to tap the screen and be able to listen to a voicemail without having to go through a voicemail menu.

I've been happy with the iPhone and haven't felt the need to switch over to Android. I currently have the 5s and I'll probably get the 7 once I get off my butt.l and goto the store.

I also hate itunes with a passion. For a product that comes from a company that supposedly makes intuitive products, itunes is the most unintuitive piece of software I have ever used. I tried to add some mp3s to my phone a month ago and I can't tell you how much of a teeth-pulling experience it was.

networker050184

I just moved from an iPhone 6 back to Android and Project Fi. I tend to switch up every time I get an upgrade due to boredom or curiosity but this time really just looking to try out the new Google service.

In my opinion there is really not too much difference between a high end Android phone and an iPhone unless you run the whole ecosystem deal. I'm a linux user on the computer side and use a lot of Google services rather than Apple so the experience really isn't all that different for me when switching as most of the apps I use are very similar across devices. I do have to say I liked iOS 10 better than Android 7 so far though. Its a bit cleaner and has the "just works" feeling about it. I'll probably get used to it over time though.

stryder144

I have the iPhone 5S 64GB edition. "Bought" it the day before the 6 came out, so it was free. Actually, got one for my wife at the same time, same price. We have used Zagg Glass screen protectors and haven't had to replace our screens. We have replaced our Zaggs, once for me and soon to be twice for the wife. She also has a battery case, so she gets a hell of a lot more call time than I do. Then again, I don't talk on my phone as much as she does.

I have had Android devices and don't mind them. I just don't like the weird "wait for Google to release an update, wait for Samsung to release an update to Google's update, and wait until Verizon updates the updated update" process. I bought my iPhone with an iOS 7 series OS and have updated all the way to the latest beta of 10.1. If I was on an Android I would be with the same or a slightly updated version of the original OS the phone came with. As an OS guy, that wouldn't be fun at all!

Cheers

GeekyChick

I've been an iPhone user since the 3 and I do like Apple products. I currently have a 6plus and really like it. Apple does have great customer service, which is one thing I like. However, the latest software update is eating my battery life like crazy. My son has used Samsung phones for years. He is always trying to cool his phone down. Ha.

si20

I'm going to be the odd one out in this thread, i've just bought a Lumia 950. Let me explain how this came to be. In 2006 I was introduced to Windows Mobile 5 through work. If anyone wants to look down history lane, see here.

It was the worst thing ever. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I used to dread having to set up email on exchange 2003 because it was so fiddly and there were a multitude of menus. I went through various phones and ended up with an iPhone 3. I loved it. I eventually wanted to try android because I was sick of iTunes. A long story short, I kept getting bored of iOS and Androids and I kept switching between them. I've owned the following:

Moto G, iPhone 3, 3G, 4, 6 Plus, SE, Moto G4 Plus, Lumia 720, Blackberry Classic, Samsung Galaxy S3, Blackberry DTEK50. I've had lots. Lots that i've forgotten about too.

My time with BB10 was short. I absolutely hated BB10 - not just because of the app situation, I just hated the OS. I found it unbearable. There were so many menus and the devices were often slow and underpowered. Take the BB Classic - the hardware could barely run BB10. It lagged out of the box. Battery life was fairly dismal too; so that was the end of BB10.

But i've got to the stage where I feel like this: iOS isn't innovating as much. The OS is nigh-on perfect. I've used an iPhone 7 and it's blisteringly fast; it's incredible. Android on the other hand, feels like it's designed to capture all your data and send it to Google. Take Google cards for example. After seeing the privacy statements that are hidden all over the Android OS, it just feels like Android is one big keylogger. Literally - take the Google Keyboard; by default, the Google Keyboard sends data that you type, to Google. To me, Android has evolved into the biggest piece of spyware on the planet.

So, i've moved back to Microsoft. Sure, iOS is perfect, but for me, Windows 10 Mobile has more potential. It's not as good as iOS, but I know it could be (with a colossal investment of time, resources and money). It's actually fun watching Windows 10 mobile evolve. And specs-wise, the Lumia range offer fantastic specs for a fraction of the price you'll pay for an Apple or Samsung product. If you're someone who might want to use continuum then the Windows Phones are actually a great productivity suite.

Going back to what I was talking about at the start of my post: Windows 10 Mobile has evolved so much from the Windows 5 mobile days. It's unrecognizable - and that's a good thing. Windows 10 mobile is highly secure, can run smoothly on low-spec hardware (so if you've got an old Lumia, the chances are, it still runs smooth and isn't laggy with the latest OS update) and the OS is supported for a long time unlike some Android counterparts.

I've actually had people ask me: "What is that device?" After I show them, they say: "Wow that's amazing." The only real thing letting Windows 10 mobile down is A) Menus/Design - the apps all look the same. Black screen and large text for the most part.

Lack of apps e.g Snapchat etc. If you don't care much about these things, a Windows Phone would be right up your street. If you do care about this (which most people do, especially young people) the Lumia has very sadly became something of a niche market. It's a huge shame because the OS has more potential than iOS or Android in my opinion. But the potential was never used.

I could go on for days, but that is the short version of why I ended up going from iOS, to Android, to Blackberry, back to iOS, to Windows Phone, to Android, then back to Windows Phone.

GSXR750K2

I did love me some of that WinMobile many years back. Started with the Samsung Blackjack. I lived on the XDA forums...constantly getting new content for cooking ROMs and tweaking registry settings to hide or reveal features and functions.

I have an HTC HD2 (Telstra branded to work with all AT&T freqs) sitting around somewhere with 6.5 on it. Such a great device and a great OS.

gespenstern

I had Anydata ASP-505A with Windows Mobile 5-6.5 and it was fine with me. I did custom ROMs on it, put tons of apps, etc.

After that I didn't have a phone for a few years.

After that I had a company issued iPhone 6 which I still use. I installed zero apps on it and did zero customizations. Didn't even change the default ringtone. Basically use it only as a phone and a reader for corp emails when I'm not at a PC.

Never had an Android.

tpatt100

iPhone here, had a WinCE phone way back then iPhone 3G tried Android for a bit ended up back on iPhone with the 5S, I had an HTC and Motorola Droid Razr which taught me to only get a Google phone if I ever go back to Android because I never got security updates due to carrier nonsense.

DatabaseHead

I'm the complete opposite, I use my 6+S for everything. It's my phone and tablet, it's my most used device besides the database server / OS at work.

jcundiff

Infosec85 wrote: »

Samsung here I don't like iphones at all. Most friends that do have them tend to require numerous screen replacements per year. Complain of constant software issues and repeated replacement of chargers. Enough to make me never want one. Also I believe they gained popularity due to their price and the fact it used to be cool to own one.

Yeah some people break things regardless of what they are using... we have had iphones since 2010 (wife and I) and 15 year old son since 2012, never had a broken screen across 5 phones and the only charger replacements have been because of something we did (shutting cords in Jeep doors are not good for them :O who knew

) Never had issues with software... need to reboot once every 3-4 weeks other than that they do what they are supposed to

JoJoCal19

iPhone user here. Started with the original, left and have been using one since the 4. I used to be a huge WinMo/PPC guy as well as Android since the original Droid hit VZW. Loved customizing WinMo and Android and all the rooting/rom'ing. Once my first kid was born I decided to go with simple and have stayed with the iPhone since. It's pretty awesome to see the history of the smartphone specwars and to have been a part of it. Used to get a new phone every few months when the latest and greatest came out.

Anyways one of the biggest draws for me is that I use a MBP and iPad and iCloud keeps everything in sync. Whichever device I'm using that I remember to put in a new calendar entry or note, it syncs to all my devices. The other huge draw is that I absolutely despise carrier bloatware and the carriers being responsible for handling OS updates. Look at the history of issues (especially with VZW) getting OS updates out. Until Samsung and the other Android OEMs pull an Apple and wrest control of the updates away from the carriers I will not use one as my primary (sad that Google has ended the Nexus line).

phatm1ke

I had the first iPhone when the first came out -- loved it. When Androids started making units with larger screens (enter Galaxy) I made the switch. Once Apple realized Samsung was on to something with larger screens, I came back to Apple iPhones.. Love iPads as well but I am far from a Mac guy. I just really enjoy the simplicity of the iOS for mobile.

mbarrett

I spend all day in front of a computer, and then I come home and I have a good setup that works for me. Then, I have an iPad I can use when my regular computer is out of reach or I don't feel like getting up & walking over to it. I'm not sure that I need a 4th option, which is essentially another computer that I can also make phone calls with & costs hundreds of $$$ plus the data charges. I'm fine with a dumb phone. I'm on AT&T so I might have to get something that works on 3G in the next couple months, otherwise I'm fine.

bugzy3188

si20 wrote: »

I'm going to be the odd one out in this thread, i've just bought a Lumia 950. Let me explain how this came to be. In 2006 I was introduced to Windows Mobile 5 through work. If anyone wants to look down history lane, see here.

It was the worst thing ever. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I used to dread having to set up email on exchange 2003 because it was so fiddly and there were a multitude of menus. I went through various phones and ended up with an iPhone 3. I loved it. I eventually wanted to try android because I was sick of iTunes. A long story short, I kept getting bored of iOS and Androids and I kept switching between them. I've owned the following:

Moto G, iPhone 3, 3G, 4, 6 Plus, SE, Moto G4 Plus, Lumia 720, Blackberry Classic, Samsung Galaxy S3, Blackberry DTEK50. I've had lots. Lots that i've forgotten about too.

My time with BB10 was short. I absolutely hated BB10 - not just because of the app situation, I just hated the OS. I found it unbearable. There were so many menus and the devices were often slow and underpowered. Take the BB Classic - the hardware could barely run BB10. It lagged out of the box. Battery life was fairly dismal too; so that was the end of BB10.

But i've got to the stage where I feel like this: iOS isn't innovating as much. The OS is nigh-on perfect. I've used an iPhone 7 and it's blisteringly fast; it's incredible. Android on the other hand, feels like it's designed to capture all your data and send it to Google. Take Google cards for example. After seeing the privacy statements that are hidden all over the Android OS, it just feels like Android is one big keylogger. Literally - take the Google Keyboard; by default, the Google Keyboard sends data that you type, to Google. To me, Android has evolved into the biggest piece of spyware on the planet.

So, i've moved back to Microsoft. Sure, iOS is perfect, but for me, Windows 10 Mobile has more potential. It's not as good as iOS, but I know it could be (with a colossal investment of time, resources and money). It's actually fun watching Windows 10 mobile evolve. And specs-wise, the Lumia range offer fantastic specs for a fraction of the price you'll pay for an Apple or Samsung product. If you're someone who might want to use continuum then the Windows Phones are actually a great productivity suite.

Going back to what I was talking about at the start of my post: Windows 10 Mobile has evolved so much from the Windows 5 mobile days. It's unrecognizable - and that's a good thing. Windows 10 mobile is highly secure, can run smoothly on low-spec hardware (so if you've got an old Lumia, the chances are, it still runs smooth and isn't laggy with the latest OS update) and the OS is supported for a long time unlike some Android counterparts.

I've actually had people ask me: "What is that device?" After I show them, they say: "Wow that's amazing." The only real thing letting Windows 10 mobile down is A) Menus/Design - the apps all look the same. Black screen and large text for the most part. Lack of apps e.g Snapchat etc. If you don't care much about these things, a Windows Phone would be right up your street. If you do care about this (which most people do, especially young people) the Lumia has very sadly became something of a niche market. It's a huge shame because the OS has more potential than iOS or Android in my opinion. But the potential was never used.

I could go on for days, but that is the short version of why I ended up going from iOS, to Android, to Blackberry, back to iOS, to Windows Phone, to Android, then back to Windows Phone.

Interesting, I have always kept an eye on the Windows mobile platform but have always felt they haven't been able to get any traction in that ring. I really wish they had more devices to choose from and had a bigger app selection, it would be a no brainer for me. Regardless, I am going to have to see what my carrier offers and check it out.

I hear you on the whole Google/spyware bit, it really bothers me when I spend a ton of money on a product only to have someone make money on me and not give me a dime of it. I don't have a whole lot to hide now but the fact that the information exists and is readily available is really scary.

beads

Having spent the last 10 days learning everything and certifying in MobileIron I can see where iPhones have some advantage for business management but little else has been compelling to me to want to switch. Positively hate Windows 10 and anything that looks like a tile. Sorry Windows fanbois. Its true I can adapt, I can support but it doesn't mean I have to like it. MDM for Windows feels broken compared to Apple but also comes at the cost that when I say manage your phone remotely I mean I "pwn the phone". My parents are in their 70s and find the iPhone less confusing than other platforms so I always assumed that it were kids and old people using iPhones. Most techs in this shop are on Samsungs. Other shops I know varies quite a bit. Depends on "how cool" most people believe one phone is over another.

Android is a bit in the middle for management but doable. Nothing great. Much like the first three options and as others have indicated I really couldn't care less about the latest mobile game so app stores mean little to nothing for me. I need the ability to make and receive recruiter calls (*wink*), browse the Internet and Twitter for breaking news. A calculator and flashlight app in a real pinch I am good to go.

Since eliminating the three most obvious choices above your probably scratching your head wondering what I do prefer and will until it completely outdated? Blackberry Z10. Still more secure than the three options above and works just fine. OK, some sites no longer fully support the browser but I don't need the advertising sent my way in the first place.

And MobileIron no longer supports BlackBerry so the company can spy on my in the first place.

- b/eads

koz24

Well to me the choice is very simple. I have tons of Apple products and the iPhone integrates well with them. BlackBerry is not really an option since I don't care for RIM at all. That leaves Android and well, I don't use it for the same reason I don't use Linux--too much of a headache, too much customization and I just want my devices to work so I can focus on my true passion which is Networking.

Funny thing is I worked quite a bit with Linux. System Administrator for a number of years. Just can't use it at home.

Edit: How could I forget, there's also the Windows phone. Is that even an option?

TheProf

I think iPhone is a great product, you pay a lot, but you do get a solid device, at least from my experience, every iPhone I owned has served me well. I think next year, I will be switching to iPhone as I am currently using an LG G5. Another option is the new google phone, but thats a debate for another day

dontstop

I started out with an iPhone 3GS then moved to a Galaxy Nexus given to me by work and have been on a Galaxy S4 which I bought second hand around two years ago. Unfortunately none of the modern phones amaze me anymore (expect the prices) and apart from wanting a phone that has a better camera, I really cannot justify moving away from the S4. I do prefer the effort Apple puts into the design of their phones, but since post Jobs this has also become very lacklustre. I'm starting to think I might upgrade my phones more regularly but look into investing more on the mid-range handsets.

jeremywatts2005

Myself I have a Galaxy S6 Edge Plus for over a year now. Before that I had a Windows phone I miss so much. It was a Nokia 1520 with a massive 6 inch screen. It was total awesomeness. I had it for almost 2 yrs before it got fried in an airport. Went through the Xray machine and when it came out it started acting crazy. Never worked after that. I was really sad. I have been tempted to go to the 950XL Windows Phone. The Windows Phones really should be replacements for Blackberries to be honest. I can do all my MS Office Work on the phone if I wanted especially if I owned the 950Xl with Display Dock. I tried an iPhone for a few year up until iPhone 4 and then just gave up. I hated it, I felt like I had a kids toy in my hand and it always seemed clunky. Not sleek and fast like my Windows Phone or my Edge+. My wife has the iPhone 7 and she has had nothing but IOS issues over and over. I have to have a Time Capsule for a secondary router for her phone to connect to. It won't play nice with the Tomato router I have. So nope to iPhone.

NetworkNewb

I tried liking the Windows phones. A few years ago at a previous company I had our Verizon rep send me a few different models of Windows phones. Tried them out for a few weeks. Putting my personal number on them and everything. Never got around to liking them. Was never a fan of the hardware of them. Went back to my iPhone. Then last year I bought a Galaxy Note 5, wanted to go to Android phone and that looked like the best one. It is an OK phone... but went back to my iPhone after less than a month. The iPhone just seems so much simpler, easier, and faster to do things on. I don't do anything crazy with my phone so simple works for me. Who wants to over complicate using a phone more than it needs to be? Using a iPhone 5 for now, probably til the next iPhone comes out next year, never had any issues with it so far. **knocks on wood**

If anyone wants a Note 5 in perfect condition I have one sitting my drawer I might be willing to part with for a the right price