In preparation for the India launch of the iPhone 6/6+, I was reading up on the size comparison between iPhone 6+ and phones like Note 4 and all. I want the 6+, and the overall reaction from my family has been - you want THAT big a phone? It took me a while to realise a couple of those people live in the US where large sized android phones have not been common. And surprisingly one was my dad who has large-ish hands and I thought would have loved knowing the bigger phone would be his one day.
So I started googling size comparisons as no models/samples available in the market now (and I am not really going to wait to do a physical compare before I buy the 6+). And as expected, there were about a million photos of comparisons, about 2-3 links about size comparisons and a gazillion sites about phone comparisons. And even better, if you have the patience to read the comments under posts, are the comments from EVERYONE - not always about the post itself, but usually an iOS vs Android war. And it's war!
Surprisingly, Android market is suddenly growing with so many bigger players than Samsung and Google, that you have HTC, LG and lovers of every type of phone out there. And a lot of them have used or like the phablet and are happy to opine on 'the best' phone. I am reading them all, not just because bend-hate made me pause, or because the 6+ is bloody expensive. But because I saw how easily my loyalty to Nokia changed, when they stopped innovating and something so beautiful, so easy to use as the iPhone 3GS came out (yes that was gorgeous to me, still is). With iPhones changing in size and camera and shapes, but essentially being the same 'inside', I am conscious that a move to something new may be in the cards. And this is almost me prepping for the 'what next', a couple of years from now.
So amazing feedback on HTC M8 (did I get that right), and the LG fans. Surprisingly not so much about Sony yet on the net - maybe that's in the 6 related section and I didn't research that as much. Nexus 6 is making its presence known. And iPhone lovers and loyalists abound. And what you realise at the end of it all is - people only really like a phone on the basis of personal choices and how they use their phones. All arguments boil down to that. The markets are so close now, all companies and products are so close now. No one is really innovating, no one is really 'pushing boundaries'. There are better cameras, better screen resolutions, bigger sizes, better batteries etc. But if I like a small phone, or a thin phone, or a better Google connectivity, or a better Apple multi-device support, I will expound the virtues of a phone purely basis my expectations, personal preferences, and real use of the phone.
People who have an Android phone, and always had an Android phone, don't really know what iOS can do. They can't be fair about the feedback. Same way, neither than an Apple aficionado who's never used an Android device of similar quality. A journalist who types a lot and emails a lot has very differnt expectations from a 'personal' device she uses to manage her work from a musician who expects access to his data or wants a certain audio quality in a client meeting. And the student with a limited budget wanting to stay connected with his friends has very different expectations from the mother who wants to keep an eye on her child's location.
Who we are defines a lot of what we want from a phone that is sooooo personal now. Our lives are on our phone now. And our phones reflect our lives. Ease of use, configurability, durability, cost, speed etc. are all now really personal choices, not specs. And the wars can continue and will for a long time. But only a true new innovation can make people significantly change their minds, like iPhone made me move away from Nokia. Most people will stick with the 'familiar', however evolving that is. And all their arguments will only support what their belief structure supports.
I need someone to pay me to try these new phones so I can prepare for the 'what next' phone in 2 years. I need to be able to use a phone with dedication for 2-3 weeks, and return it if I don't like it. Till such options exist (and I don't see anyone doing this :)), I know I'll go with a phone that 'feels right', till I can afford a complete change risk.
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