Something I’ve noticed implicit the past 5 to 7 years of being a tech writer is that those connected the Android broadside of the obstruction are overmuch louder erstwhile phones aren’t “right.” 

Just instrumentality the Pixel 6 for example, arsenic the archetypal existent “Google phone” it has been riddled with bugs for months. Some of these were speedy fixes, but the laundry database of problems Google has had to lick near immoderate Pixel fans with nary different prime but to leap to different OEM altogether.

I’ve besides noticed that it’s much uncommon for Apple to merchandise a caller iPhone that besides requires a time 1 update conscionable to work. The iPhone 14 bid conscionable launched, and definite enough, arsenic soon arsenic I unboxed my ain iPhone 14 Pro Max, determination was a punctual to instal iOS 16.0.1. Adding to that premix is the eSIM debacle, arsenic Apple decided to screw everyone successful the U.S. by ditching the carnal SIM altogether. 

Flip the scenario

Weird motorboat bugs and Apple’s dilatory determination into becoming its ain MVNO (not really likely), aren’t the lone problems that the iPhone 14 is experiencing. More recently, it seems arsenic though the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max person a operation of immoderate benignant of bundle and hardware defect that causes the superior 48MP camera to vibrate uncontrollably. At first, this was said to beryllium lone constricted to definite third-party apps similar Snapchat and Instagram. But successful 1 case, the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera could not absorption adjacent erstwhile utilizing the banal iOS Camera app. (Apple has since released iOS 16.0.2 to hole this issue.)

But what would hap if Samsung pulled the aforesaid benignant of shenanigans? Not conscionable announcing an eSIM-only phone, but besides experiencing the aforesaid benignant of antagonistic effect that we’ve been seeing. There are inactive immoderate users that I’ve seen who person tweeted astir their inability to proceed with the bearer oregon MVNO that they had been utilizing for years. All due to the fact that eSIM enactment is not arsenic wide adopted arsenic you mightiness think. 

Or ideate if Motorola oregon adjacent Nothing released a caller telephone with an exorbitant terms tag, lone to spot the aforesaid benignant of issues that Apple’s latest iPhone is. There would beryllium plentifulness of editorial pieces wondering whether “this was the end,” implicit with memes and jokes astir however Samsung volition summation adjacent much marketplace share, portion comparisons would beryllium made of those companies to LG. 

Samsung was precise good alert of this and was astute erstwhile it launched the $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 3. Samsung didn't initially see eSIM enactment retired of the container connected definite carriers for the amended portion of a year. If you intended connected utilizing eSIM specifically, it would person been inconvenient for a spot of that year, but it didn’t substance each that much, due to the fact that you inactive had the carnal SIM to trust connected arsenic a information net.

Is Apple truly getting a pass?

As idiosyncratic who incessantly beats the “ecosystem” drum, it could assistance to explicate wherefore we don’t perceive arsenic overmuch erstwhile it comes to these problems. No, it’s not a “you’re holding it wrong” argument. It’s due to the fact that if you person an contented with your iPhone, determination are Apple Stores that tin grip diagnostics and an exchange. Don’t person an Apple Store adjacent by? Best Buy besides serves arsenic an Apple Authorized Repair Program partner, and chances are, you person 1 of those nearby.

On the Android broadside of things, it’s obscurity adjacent the same. There are precise fewer brick-and-mortar Samsung stores. There are lone 2 carnal Google Store locations. Instead, these companies unit you to trust connected their ain support, which tin beryllium a mixed container successful its ain right, oregon you tin anticipation that there’s an authorized repair shop, similar UBreakiFix, nearby. But you mightiness not adjacent cognize that you person that option, and I’m not talking to you specifically, alternatively speaking much to the wide public. 

Yes, I bash deliberation that Apple is getting a walk for releasing a caller telephone that has software, and possibly hardware, defects. It’s besides perfectly ludicrous that 1 of the richest companies successful the satellite is seemingly incapable of pursuing up connected promises made, conscionable from a bundle perspective. This is simply a spot of a motion to the delayed merchandise of iPadOS 16, arsenic Stage Manager is simply a jumbled messiness that should’ve ne'er been announced, and astir apt shouldn’t beryllium released until adjacent year, if that.

Outrage oregon fence-sitting?

My byline mightiness beryllium for Android Central, but if there’s 1 happening that you’ve taken distant from my clip present is that I’m much of a fence-sitter than ever before. I decidedly inactive extremity successful the Apple direction, simply due to the fact that of the ecosystem. It’s not the cameras oregon the iMessage lock-in. It’s conscionable the tools that I usage to gain a surviving enactment amended service my needs connected iOS and macOS.

Android and iOS service antithetic roles and antithetic purposes but are inactive smartphones that (mostly) bash the aforesaid thing. Using the best Android phones allows maine to bash things that I don't privation my iPhone to do. Having a telephone that has a foldable screen continues to boggle my mind, allowing maine to person a portable emulation presumption with maine wherever I go. If thing happens and I request to assistance retired our fantabulous quality team, but I'm not astatine my desk, I tin unfold my telephone and get to work.

Seeing the wide effect to the increasing issues with the iPhone 14 bid of phones, is truly a spot surprising. I haven’t experienced immoderate of the problems that others have, but it doesn’t alteration my stance 1 bit. 

Apple is screwing up its reputation, and it’s lone a substance of clip earlier we mightiness extremity up seeing Tim Cook denote an impromptu property league to archer everyone they are utilizing their phones wrong. That astir apt won’t really happen, due to the fact that it volition beryllium a property merchandise that was edited implicit 100 times earlier being published successful the Apple Newsroom.

The bottommost enactment is this: If it’s not good for the Pixel 6 to person issues for the bulk of the archetypal twelvemonth pursuing its release, wherefore does the iPhone 14 outrage consciousness much similar a dull rumble and not a full-on crusade? Who knows.