Saturday, January 8, 2011

Would I buy an iPhone?

I've been a big advocate for the Android platform here on my blog.  I've had an Android based phone for about the last year.  In August, I got my first iPod when I bought my computer (yes, first), then in November I got my second (I realized I needed waaaaaaay more storage than I got with my free one).  When I got my iPod in November, I got an iPod Touch again and got the most recent generation that Steve Jobs himself called "an iPhone without a contact."

At first, I found the lack of personal controls on the iPod a little annoying.  I couldn't tweak every little thing about the iPod, like I can with my phone.  However, my annoyance quickly wore off, because some of my desire to tweak had come out of necessity to optimize my phone.  For example, I have several apps on my phone that help manage and control the running activities of my phone so my battery won't drain completely half way through the day.  There are certain things I eventually just got over, like being able to customize where I do and don't want icons on my home screen like I can with my phone and being able to put widgets on the screen to make my life easier.  However, eventually I just didn't care enough to care.  This is the magical key that Apple has figured out.

I realized that Apple has figured out that most people who would like to use a smartphone want and need simplicity.  Only a small percentage of us are willing to take the time to learn all the in's and out's of a phone and then put the time and effort in to optimizing it.  For most people, it's like having a camera or camcorder (or insert other complicated device) that you know does so much more than you do with.  Ever had one of those?  A device that you don't use every function that it has, or even know how to use those functions.  Eventually you wonder why they couldn't make it do exactly what you want it to do when you want to do it.

That's exactly what Apple has done with the iPhone.  They figured out the things that are most important then, as they do with their computers, made it simple.  They already optimized the battery for me.  They realized that most people aren't concerned with making pretty designs out of their icons on their home screen.  And then they through it in a tiny package with a beautiful user interface.

I now use my iPod more than I use my phone, which is basically a paper weight.  I have to think less with my iPod and focus on fun more.  I don't want to think.  Apple did all the thinking for me.  They took out features that are unnecessary and through research (I assume) figured out how I would like most of my settings.

So yes, I would buy an iPhone.  It's simpler.  More beautiful.  More intuitive.

0 Comments:

Leave a Thought...