:The Honeymoon is Over (or: Why I went back to the iPhone from the HTC Desire)
Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 8:59PM 
My last blog post I wrote about tips for people moving to the HTC Desire from the iPhone. I was writing with the bliss of a new & shiny gadget in my hands. Who could blame me? The HTC Desire is one very nice piece of hardware. Fast processor, nice camera, beautiful screen etc.
But this post is why after a few weeks I have found myself back using my iPhone, whilst the HTC Desire now resides in my top drawer, probably never to see the light of day as my daily handset again.
Let me put forward the main point which is probably going to be highly contentious:
Android just isn’t there yet. Sorry fans of the OS, but it’s like the best intentions of the open source community have produced an OS that has not learnt any lessons from the failings of the dated Windows Mobile OS, and along with the snazzy HTC Sense UI have actually made a number of brand new mistakes on the way.
Not to mention things I’ve learnt on this “journey” that point out to me what I believe are flaws in the entire push that is Android (or the upcoming Windows Phone 7) when versus the iPhone. Some can be fixed, others are inherent in the go to market. So let me get into it:
1. Android OS (whilst hidden behind the beauty that is HTC Sense) is an inherently geeky, inconsistent, temperamental and beta-like OS. It fails in numerous ways:
(a) It responds inconsistently to what should be basic functions of a phone, such as delays when answering a call, speakerphone not enabling when on-screen key pressed, slow number input, contacts taking too long to display etc. These sometimes happen perfectly, other times (especially when coming out of an application) they can drive you completely mental.
(b) Exchange sync having random hiccups. Like when you roam from a WiFi network to 3G, suddenly without warning Exchange sync can randomly start flashing the sync notification icon. If you don’t see it happen you can go through a whole day without a single email or calendar coming in.
(c) The limitation of the OS not allowing you to install applications onto the microSD card means after the 5th or 6th app you have installed starts making the phone run more slowly and be more prone to crashing. Every app installed takes up the valuable system memory of the device. People used to having 10, 20, 30 or more apps on their iPhone will find this unbearable, and frankly it is just poor design from Google.
(d) Auto memory management is poor at best. The OS can start closing apps (like the actual Sense UI) that you need, whilst keeping apps (like Footprints) running. Adding a Task Management app (which any phone user really shouldn’t have to do, not to mention any iPhone converts) doesn’t make things much better. With so many processes running at any point in time it is impossible to work out what should or should not be open or closed.
2. Possibly more importantly, I have come to believe Android is not and can not be an “iPhone Killer”, nor really even a competitor.
The Android market is disjointed, confused and inconsistent, whilst Apple have created a stable, consistent platform that whilst limiting in some ways, allows users a level of comfort that Android does not.
There are multiple version of the Android OS, running on various different hardware platforms with infinite variety. Some may claim this is of benefit. I claim differently. Ask older Android handset owners if they enjoy being stuck on Android 1.5 as their handset manufacturer releases new phones with 2.1 with no intention of upgrading their 6 month old handsets that are now out of date.
My career has taught me to believe no single company can provide everything to everyone - and more often than not the best & latest technology is not developed inside your organisation, so you therefore must partner. You may think at this stage “yeah but doesn’t this argument work for Google and against Apple?”. Maybe a little, but overall not really. As anyone that understands working with Alliance Partners will tell you, a platform needs a consistent ecosystem to prosper. This is where the Android vendors are failing the very OS they want to push, and Apple is winning.
Apple has proven that an iPhone user can feel confident knowing that when they buy a currently available iPhone, that iPhone will be running the latest OS, or can be updated to the latest OS, and is relatively free from Telco “enhancements”. This stability works equally well for developers of software applications and hardware accessories.
Companies producing products that require a platform to survive (ie iPhone) need to ensure that their investment can scale & prosper. That is: design a case, cover, headphone, dock accessory, power adapter, external battery, keyboard etc once, and it will work across almost every iPhone available. Sure there was a difference between iPhone v1 and the following 3G & 3GS, and the upcoming iPhone next-gen may shake things up a bit, but the 3G & 3GS have provided these developers with over 2 years of a consistent, stable, growing ecosystem.
The benefit for consumers is you can now walk into almost any store anywhere in the world and buy an accessory for an iPhone. Name one other phone handset in the world that can claim that; It’s not HTC’s Desire, Legend or Incredible. It’s not the Droid, nor the Nexus One. It’s definitely not one of the numerous Samsung devices, the new Sony Ericsson or the new Motorola units. In fact there is not a single other phone, period.
Too many form factors. Too much variance in OS versions. Too many product releases, too quickly.
Buy an iPhone, it’ll have a life of 1-2 years easily before the average consumer feels they are out of date. In the world of Android, you’re out of date almost weekly.
No consistency = no ecosystem.
Whilst not the specific topic, the majority of the arguments apply to Microsoft in the current Windows Mobile hardware world. I’ve also seen nothing to make me believe any differently with the upcoming Windows Phone 7.
Conclusion:
Android just isn’t there yet, and the HTC Desire (or any Android handset) is no real competition for the iPhone ecosystem. Of course it’s not all about ecosystem (you need to compete vs iTunes etc) but it’s one area I don’t see anyone really focusing on and until they do I can’t see anyone really causing Apple concern. And that is what worries me the most.
What do you think? Agree or disagree?
Regards,
Shane.
Reader Comments (126)
[...] The Honeymoon is Over or: Why I went back to the iPhone from the HTC Desire |. [...]
I think you're wrong for a fee reasons
the android is Linux. When things go wrong you can get into the metal and fix it yourself. There is less knowledge about the iPhone version of an OS, so you wouldn't know what to fix even if you could get to a shell.
Flash. Enough said.
Multitasking. Doesn't even get a choice. If you don't like how adroid runs with so many apps then don't run them all, you get that choice, but not on iPhone.
Choice. So many handsets and so many providers. If I want x y and z then I can pick them all out easily. IPhone only gives you w.
Screen. I owned an iPhone once already and had to go in to recalibrate it's touch screen every week and sometimes daily. Never had to do that on an android device. That's just shoddy hardware, and I can't trust apple any more.
Good article, it's great that there are choices for smartphone users, but so many of the competitors come up short.
@Baryon351 But how many phone users want to 'get into the metal' and fix it themselves. I can't think of a single time I've ever needed to tinker.
Flash? How many shipping Android devices can run Flash? Are there any yet?
And screen recalibration? What? My iPhone is 2 years old and I have never re-calibrated the screen.. I don't even know how to. Where is that option?
I think you are 100% spot on. The android market is a good example. The filtered nature of the Apple APP STORE make it quality - the Android Market is not, the few gems there are hard to find - surrounded and overwhelmed by the junk.. it's not good.. it will not make the 'mass' market (I mean mums and dads) while it is setup this way...
I had sync issues also with the HTC, very annoying...
But for me, it's issue is Battery Life.. You can't say "well don't use so many connected widgets" as some have said to me - the point of the OS is to be connected, so lets have someone work on some hyper battery life.. that will make the next killer phone...
Anyway, that's just my 2c:)
"When things go wrong you can get into the metal and fix it yourself." <- I'm going to disagree here. 99% of users (myself included) can't fix things when they go wrong because we simply don't know how. Neither should we have to know how.
I am an Android user - have a Desire here and love it to bits, but have found that twice in a month I have had to hard reset and re-install stuff due to (1) not being able to remove a Google calendar for some reason and (2) not being able to find the app that was causing my phone to never go to sleep.
*If* I were a programmer, Linux geek, whatever, I might have been able to sort it, but I am a "normal" user. So I can't.
As a Desire user, I have to find myself agreeing with a lot of what you say. The OS fragmentation is causing issues and Google seem to have no desire (sorry for the pun) to help or solve it. They do not press manufacturers to update handsets to the latest OS and the handset manufacturers do not then press the networks to push the updates out. It is a poor state of affairs.
However I will pick you up on one point: the apps to SD card. That is being solved (according to Google) and may well be in the 2.1 update. If it happens then we will have the ability to fill up a 32GB sd card with apps. In the meantime, your comment that five or six apps fills up the phone and slows it down is wrong. Most apps are under 2MB and with the Desire having well over 100MB to store apps, there are very few people seeing this is an issue right now. Yes, it will be when developers start producing larger games and so on, but right now it's not an issue.
Thanks for your comments. It may just be the mix of applications or perhaps a mixture of apps and background apps that I run (multiple twitter accounts, live widgets, Facebook etc) but I do experience this slowdown. Factory resetting brings it back to fast again, but when I install the apps the problem returns, hence my logical conclusion of blaming the limited app storage space.
I have also heard that Google are supposedly fixing this in the next release and I do hope this makes a difference for users of the OS.
Regards,
Shane.
I'm pretty sure there's quite a bit of junk in the apple app store too. I mean, how many of the 170,000 [or whatever it is] apps do people actually use? Filtering doesn't always equal quality.
Also, I don't think the discoverability of apps through the app store is that great either. Sites [and apps] like AppAware and AppBrain do help with discovery on the Android.
Whilst I think there is some truth in what you say
the choice of mobile phones is as much about personal usage.
a) you need to consider that Android is a newer platform and will develop over time
b) I find it funny that you complain about battery life when you can't even change the battery on an iphone ! For $15 i can have a spare. BTW, I easily get a day's worth of battery out of mine, turning off the GPS gives a huge benefit.
c) it is quite amusing that you talk about hardware compatibility"and it will work across every single iphone", yeah, but it won't work on anyone else's kit. I say this as i plug my Desire in with the industry standard micro USB connector. BTW, i still remember the first iPhone's where you had to use the apple headphones. It is easy to ensure compatibility when you invent your own standard, never mind the cost to the customers or the environment.
c) It makes me laugh that iPhone lovers always forget simple things, e.g. it will only be the next version that might feature a flash for the camera
As I say it really depends what you use your phone for, and if the desire doesn't meet your needs then that's a shame, though i gamble that changes and fixes will come faster for Android.
Yes, i'd say that the desire is less like an "appliance" that is the iPhone, in that I can customise it in numerous ways and add all sorts of features, and I take with it the risk that i might cause a problem.
With an iPhone you'd have to jailbreak it to do more interesting things.
Hi and thanks for your post. I'm loving reading the various points of view.
(1) Yes it is great there is choice in the world. My argument is not against choice, just more against too much choice. With the constant releases of differing hardware, there is no consistency so therefore no time for an ecosystem to develop.
(2) I didn't actually mention battery life. I realize this is very dependent on use models (GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, background apps) so didn't classify it as a reason to love or hate the phone.
(3) I am a big supporter of industry standards. I wish the iPhone had a micro-USB connector but it is relatively new. If my timeframes are correct, if Apple had gone USB instead of their dock connector, we would have had the first iPhone (2G) and second iPhone (3G) using a mini-USB connector, and the iPhone 3GS using a micro-USB connector. I can see why Apple went their route with such rapid changes in connector types. Keep in mind it also provided connectivity with 3rd party devices designed for the iPod, which is a device that launched before USB became popular, also allowing an easy transition for many iPod users transitioning to an as then unproven (and widely panned before release) device called the iPhone.
(4) I didn't mention the camera or the lack of a flash. Even with a flash however the Desire struggles with dark environments, often producing blurry images. I'm actually not a fan of any mobile phone camera.
(5) Lastly changes to Android coming faster. Yes the development of the OS will probably go faster. It has moved from 1.5 to 2.1 very quickly bringing massive improvements. Problem is ensuring everyone gets those updates to create a consistent platform for users and developers to rely on. With the Telco's around the world "enhancing" their phone ROM's, and the manufacturers dragging their feet due to being more interested in selling new hardware than taking care of current customers, it is left up to way too many fragmented companies to decide when they call it quits on a specific model of handset. Too many devices out there are simply out of date and unable to run the latest Android apps because of this simple fact.
Android has so much promise, it's unfortunate the fragmented, inconsistent go to market model is adding to the problems that ensure this is unrealized in comparison to a platform like the iPhone.
Regards,
Shane.
1) My objection to apple is that the restrict choice in the name of quality, when it is more in the name of control, see the recent Adobe issue where Adobe development tools are no longer allowed. This is nothing to do with quality, after all they still insist on controlling which apps are deployed, and everything to do with making developer's jobs difficult ,i.e. encouraging developers to chose their platform over others by making it harder to work for both. Time will tell whether developers prefer to avoid the apple platform altogether.
2) Sorry if was one of the other comments that mentioned battery. Maybe one day all the manufacturers will have a single battery size / shape, we managed to do it with standardised shapes for other items. The idea that when the battery in an iPhone fails the user should send the phone back to be replaced is simply ridiculous, it is merely a ploy to force users to replace their hardware and prevent any sort of second-user market, thereby keeping the prices high.
3) Don't get me started on iPods!
4) For you that's fine. In my experience the camera performs pretty well, it's not the best camera phone by any means, but far better than a picture taken without a flash. Many of the people I know who have iPhones complain about the poor quality of the pics.
5) The question of how releases to the android platform get released is as you point out largely controlled by the various telcos. From what I can tell some networks always try to "restrict" the functionality on whatever the handset desperate to stop customers doing interesting things in case they lose revenue. The more sensible telcos are realising that it is best just to leave the phones alone, there's more money to be made through making the customer renew his contract than trying to prevent him doing something like voice-over-ip.
I think you are right and that it is a shame if customers who were early adopters are left unable to run latest apps. In part this is android's fault for not allowing easy updated to the base OS, but I think these things will evolve. I am happy this evolution is in an open (if largely dominated by google) environment than one strictly controlled by Apple.
Apple has realised that the hardware is not the future of where it will make its money, I mean for most desktop or laptop users, who really needs an upgrade to their hardware ?
Unless we all start doing video editing, most people won't need new hardware for 10 years or more so Apple are trying to create an environment where developers must use their tools, and go through their deployment process, and pay them a fee to be a part of their platform.
Android is some way off competing with this, I think 2.2 of Android will address some of the issues you raise. With some simple tweaks the market could be much improved, it is strange that Google haven't provided more filtering/searching/tagging options.
The iPhone OS is actually OS X Touch. It runs on BSD Unix as well. If you are the kind of person who can go "into the metal" and handle the shell, you'll be able to jailbreak and hack your iPhone. Sure, it's not encouraged by Apple but Apple has been far less aggressive on the hacking scene than I thought they would be.
Flash? How many mobile phones are there on the market that support flash? Yeah, thats right, NONE.
Multitasking is already coming with iPhone OS 4. Late, sure, but a good implementation.
For all the iPhone apologists out there, there is an equal number of Android apologists as well.
"Apple has proven that an iPhone user can feel confident knowing that when they buy a currently available iPhone, that iPhone will be running the latest OS, or can be updated to the latest OS, and is relatively free from Telco “enhancements”. - So when the first iphone or the first iphone 3g came out they were confident that the new OS4 would be an easy upgrade? I believe the iphone 3g buyers are stuck with an outdated OS that only 3gS owners can enjoy.
[...] and I’ll wrap it up – just before I posted this I came across an eye-opening article on Why I went back to the iPhone from the HTC Desire. It’s a brilliant read, and affirms my decision; I’ll take Apple’s walled garden [...]
Good article, I was applying to go in the win a Desire comp that Telstra was doing here was my response to their first part of the application:-
What topics/issues do you want to discuss about the HTC Desire? (200 words or less)
The term iPhone killer has been bandied about, but is the HTC Desire running Android ready to go main stream?
Does Android & the HTC Desire have what it takes or will it become the new Nokia?
What is most important ease of use, reliability, fashion, design, specifications e.g. 5 megapixel colour?
With handsets from different manufactures coming out every 6 months can Android handle the fragmentation of hardware specifications?
Would I want this phone, would I recommend this phone to my boss, friends, or my 70 year old father?
I see iPhones everywhere. Is the reason Android, in particular the Droid is doing well in the USA connected to the fact that in the states the iPhone is locked to AT&T. Without that monopoly existing in Australia, does Android stand a chance against the reality distortion field of Apple’s phone?
I love great design and user interfaces, but is the walled garden of Apple’s App store stifling innovation?
I think Shane has touched on a number of these points, he's conclusion that Android is not ready I believe is correct. With Froyo 2.2 coming soon, that may change, but I'm not sure that an Android device will every have the polish of an iPhone. The difference between a dictator Jobs controling Apple with one vision and limited choice and democracy Android which to quote Winston Churchill "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried" means lots of choice but limited polish. Maybe the third way e.g. Windows 7 Mobile or (fingers crossed) Palm under the stewardship of HP (again fingers crossed) will be an example of a polished product but without the tyranny of Jobs, time will tell.
I think Jobs is wrong to block Adobe Flash from the iPhone & iPad, I think there should be an option in the settings with an appropriate warning e.g. beware there be flat batteries ahead.
I held off buying the 3GS as it was too small an improvement, but I'm really looking forward to the 4G/iPhone HD. I believe with this iteration the iPhone will leapfrog ahead for another 6 months or so =)
Regards
Mark
Hello and thanks for your feedback. in response:
Note the terminology I used, which you've missed in your haste to respond:
"...when they buy a currently available iPhone..."
That means buy a phone available for purchase from Apple or a retailer now. iPhone 2G customers bought that phone nearly 3 years ago, and have gone from v1.0 to v3.2.x, adding in many enhancements along the way (hardware permitting). iPhone 3G customers around 1-2 years, again major additions to the OS. Neither of those phones are "currently available"'.
The iPhone 3G is not currently available but is getting the OS update. According to Apple it is hardware permitting but will lack Apple's form of multitasking.
The one that is still for sale, the iPhone 3GS, will get an update to support the latest OS release from Apple. Due to the consistency of delivering these enhancements I am confident Apple will continue to support the iPhone 3GS for at least another 1-2 years.
Now look at Android. Many handsets released only recently (last 6 months) are still on 1.5 or 1.6, lacking the necessary capabilities to run some of the latest applications due to this. Vendors such as HTC have promised in announcements via email, blogs & Twitter that some of their handsets will get a 2.1 update, but they've let these customers down with a trail of broken promises. February, March, April, May are all months they have stated the update will be out. Consumers are getting fed up, and they shouldn't have to hack their phone (thanks to the great work by xda devs) to get these updates.
It's a broken system and Google need to take charge to foster consistency and stability for users and developers, or every Android handset will become what marketers fear, a device that can easily be thrown away. The iPhone is no such device - many users feel an attachment to their iPhone that goes beyond the hardware, and I believe this is thanks to the ecosystem that has been allowed to foster due to this consistency.
Regards,
Shane.
I'm sorry I think you've misunderstood my argument almost entirely.
- Yes, my iPhone has almost no issues. Unlike Android handsets that experience all of the issues I have described.
- As for Exchange Activesync, it is absolutely important. Every modern day handset has an Exchange Activesync client (minus Blackberry), for a reason. Don't assume that as its not important for you that it isn't important.
- I believe that having to download a task killer at all is a failure. A modern day mobile OS should be designed to handle this invisibly to the user. Often technical people confuse freedom to do something with a reason to do something.
- Your whole argument on the market is not the market I meant. I mean the Android Handset market. You then went on to describe applications that you enjoy which is great, but none of those apps make Android better, just different. As for the AT&T network, I truly feel for US customers as it seems they are a horrible Telco. Around the world however are other experiences, and here in Australia Telstra have a superb network that the iPhone works flawlessly on. There is also Telco choice here as every Telco has the iPhone available, and all allow a free or paid Telco unlock allowing you to move to a Telco of your choice. I can only hope this is brought to the US soon.
Lastly, the good old flash argument. I'm neither for it or against it. I'd like to be given the option and it is one of the things I don't like about the iPhone currently, but I can't argue against Apple's belief that it would cause instability on the iPhone or not (nor can anyone) as it's not available to test.
Above all else though, the beauty is that Android does provide an option for people such as yourself. I can tell you though that the greater buying public may find themselves in the same boat as me, wishing for some stability and consistency. Which is the main point of my post.
Regards,
Shane.
I am no fan of the iPhone (use a Desire myself), but:
"Why android is better then iphone right now
1. Live Wastepaper"
Live Wallpaper (I assume you meant wallpaper) - are you kidding me? HOW on earth does this make ANY phone better than any other? It uses battery and processor power and is totally, totally useless. I angers and frustrates me no end that Google spent time and resources developing this but have put nothing into making the PIM apps better.
Seriously - raving about live wallpapers just makes us sound like Android Fanbois of the worst kind.
I agree with the problem of having the latest OS versions, iPad has a rich interface, but I think that the Win7 mobile interface could bring a challenge to the iPhone. It has moved away from the 'let's use menus to find an app' Windows/Android model to a slick touch screen interface. A tablet with Win7 mobile interface would be v attractive.
Love the iPad for consuming media though.
Hi Shane,
you know while I was commenting with a friend on your post, it came to me what's the problem with the Android :)
It's absolutely the same as with Windows and Mac OS X - if you never actually had a mac you don't understand at all what's the problem with Windows and you have the impression Windows is actually quite bearable ...
So ... if you never had an iPhone in first place, you might have quite enjoyed the Android phone - thinking that just life is hard and that's the best you can get :))))
What do you think ?
I don't agree with everything you write here, however I bought an HTC Hero for my wife in December. I didn't do my research well enough on how the manufacturers control the releases of Android for their handsets and had I realised that I would not have bought it... especially after having it now for less than six months and it still running Android 1.5 with only teases of it running something like 2.1, just as Google are about to release 2.2.!
I use an iPhone myself and desperately wanted the Hero to be as good as the iPhone... in some cases it is, but in many it isn't. All in all I can honestly say that I will never buy an HTC handset again. I am a big fan of Google's products and can see a great future for Android, but they absolutely must sort of the versioning mess (and a mess is exactly how I see it). The idea of the apps linking all of your Google online information, emails, contacts, calendars etc and HTC Sense also linking things like flickr and facebook to the same information was absolutely what I was looking for, things I think the iphone could do much better at. Sadly though the phone regularly drops contact information, even if the online information is correct.
I am currently looking for ways to get rid of the HTC Hero and change over to an iPhone, even after buying a whole bunch of accessories for the Hero.
I've been using the Desire for around 2 weeks now and I have not experienced any of the problems you seem to have. I find it a very good, very intuitive device. Am incredibly happy with it compared to my iPhone =- which was an awful phone for talking on btw.
However, I'll keep monitoring performance and see if any of these issues you've had crop up
ok well i mostly said live wall paper as a joke. i read an article where this guy had an android phone and the only thing people wanted to see on it was the live wall paper. The iphone only lets you see the background when the screen is locked, once it's unlocked you no longer see your background.
My IPhone is in my bottom drawer eating dust... missing any legal way of installing the apps in want, not having widgets (without hacking) and with poor reception.
The Desire is purring happy in my pocket wiothout any of the issue's u mention and waiting for it's next opensource 2.2 or even 3.0 update.
I am afraid, really afraid that this is the "right" conclusion. After using symbian phones for more years than I like to remember, I bought an Iphone last year. Wanting to get out of its comforting GUI grip after a while, I've had my sights on Android as a possible savior. No, a lot of nice things have happened, much of the framework is there, but if you're looking for a consistent OS, a "known" environment, In my opinion we're not there at all. -Think I have to pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again - with symbian once more, although it will be a less satisfying experience because of my fling with Iphone....