The Growing Geek iPhone Backlash

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Is there really a growing “geek backlash” against the iPhone? This lady seems to think so. How about you guys? Anyone switched away from their iPhone?

Last year, almost every computer scientist in my group at Princeton had an iPhone. This year, two of my colleagues have bought Android phones, and I'm leaning toward getting one myself when my iPhone contract runs out next month. Nick focuses on a content-related dispute, but what really sticks in the craw of geeks are the technical limitations Apple imposes on app developers.
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I'm seriously contemplating moving back to Nextel err... Spring now, because of the Evo. A friend has one and I got a chance to look at it. I liked the size of the screen. Android OS is cool, I'm just not familiar with it. And the fact that 2.2 is not out on Evo yet sucks.

The only thing holding me back is Sprints reputation... But wait... AT&T... hmm HTC Eve it is :D
 
I'm thinking about doing away with my cell phone completly. Does that count? :D
 
apple has got crazy power hungry. I'll never buy an apple product. I currenty have a BB, its a fantastic phone but it doesnt do the web very well. Im looking at getting a new droid X
 
I think there is a backlash in that true geeks dont want to be help hostage by a single and not very reliable network. Plus its apple which means they will dictate how the phone can be used and what on it and this really goes against most geeks beliefs in allowing them to use something how they want. I give Apple credit they are developing great ideas and hardware the problem is their rules on how to use it and geeks will just flock to the open source copy of an item once its released.
 
People need to understand two major things...

1. Nothing will change unless both companies start losing money.

2. There are MUCH better devices out now.
 
Not exactly a backlash IMO, the iPhone came out, there was nothing else like it, as a result people got it regardless of it's limitations, when other options that do similar things come out you're bound to get large numbers that will happily drop their products for the other one because it does what they want, is cheaper, does more, isn't such an a-hole, or anything else.
 
I've enjoyed my Jailbroken 3Gs but I'm seriously looking at the Samsung Galaxy S i9000 for my next phone.

I didn't get in on the "early" renewal for my upgrade so the iPhone4 would cost me about as much as an unlocked Galaxy would right now. AT&T announced the Captivate model which is a modified Galaxy, but I prefer the look of the i9000 a lot more.

I think at this point the iPhone is so commonplace that the Android stuff just stands out more.
 
Is the
Draiko said:
People need to understand two major things...

1. Nothing will change unless both companies start losing money.

2. There are MUCH better devices out now.
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A much better device depends on the user. There are pros/cons with any device. Everybody should find the one that fits their needs.

Re: 1 - Nothing will change unless ATT, Apple, and the app developers whose apps do get through start losing money. It doesn't matter if Apple rejects 1/10/100/etc apps because so many more apps do get through and they make money.
 
I think the backlash is more toward AT&T than Apple. I have to admit that if the iPhone were released for Verizon, I'd have one in a heartbeat (as a matter of fact, I'll be getting a wi-fi only iPad once Froyo comes out and I can use it as a hotspot for the iPad :) )
 
didn't read the article but I will say that yes there will/should be some backlash. Count me in as a person who jumped from the AT&T bandwagon after 5 years of "alright" service.

After they unviled the new iphone4, I saw that it was nothing special (had a regular 3G), few hours later I put my name on a list at a local sprint store for the Evo, 2 days later I couldn't be happier.

I get better signal, everyone has remarked I sound much clearer, awesome top shelf tech in the phone itself.

Oh yes, I pay LESS and get more features.

I was tired of getting nickle and dimed from AT&T, I get unlimited everything for one low price now. Sprint was more than generous to me once they found out I was quitting AT&T, waived a few fees, got me the phone earlier than I should have gotten it.

I think AT&T/apple have gotten lazy, a new screen, and thinner? that's it? The front facing camera is retarded as it can only be used on wifi.

Like rats on a sinking ship... people are leaving, and it's awesome.
 
josephunh said:
true geeks dont want to be help hostage by a single and not very reliable network.
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These comments drive me crazy. Why would you assume that since AT&T is either unreliable for you, or you heard so....that it would be everywhere? In the Philadelphia/NJ/DE area, AT&T is every bit as reliable as Verizon, while Sprint and T-Mobile are horrid. Why not throw in a caveat that your comments are based only in your area?

A true geek does their research into their specific area and where the travel, and picks the best network for that area.
 
Sikkyu said:
apple has got crazy power hungry.
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I see this kind of comment all the time and it cracks me up. They are a publicly traded company and their job is to make money and increase market share, period.

Their customer satisfaction is sky-high, due on large part to the fact that they control their ecosystem. You either buy into it or you don't. If you don't, then there are other products out their for you to choose from.

The internet tinfoil hat crowd never fails to amuse.
-Hot new underdog company is exciting and favored.
-Hot new company starts to increase market share a bit too much, and the geeks get unsettled.
-Hot company gets even hotter, but isn't new. Now it's time to start fearing them and complaining that they are evil, money grubbing, power hungry capitalists.
 
Limahl said:
I've enjoyed my Jailbroken 3Gs but I'm seriously looking at the Samsung Galaxy S i9000 for my next phone.
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I am too. I've had about enough of the iPhone...I loved it when I first got it but after years of using its downsides start to stand out more and more. Now that the novelty has worn off it's not worth jumping through hoops to do simple tasks anymore.
 
I'm not so sure that there is a "Geek backlash" against the iphone as much as there is a movement toward Android. Its market has been exploding, aswell as the hacking community for Android phones. The next phone i am buying is the Droid Eris.
 
I'm not all that happy with the iPhone anymore (never really was with Apple), but a major factor for how I feel is also the carrier AT&T. Not like anyone else is doing any better with Android OS manufactures not supporting their phones past half a year, trying to do something along the lines of forcing people to update there phone by not offering to update the OS (thank god for rooting). Screw Verizon, I want a Sprint iPhone, I know LTE is better, but Verizon is following AT&T.
 
brentsg said:
Right, that's why they took 600,000 preorders on day 1. ;)
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Quantity does not equate to quality though.

Just because something sells millions doesn't mean it's the best, it means the marketing has convinced "Joe Average" he just has to have it, hence the old Apple=Cult story.

People are all excited about how they can have a wallpaper behind their icons now on the new iOS4, whereas I've had that ability on every (jailbroken) iPhone I've owned since day one. Apple is only now catching up to what many Jailbreakers have had for years, and the average person thinks it's "awesome", when in reality, it isn't.

There's plenty my Jailbroken 3Gs can still do that iOS4 can't, simply because Apple won't let it.
 
Switching to an Evo as soon as they get more of the damn things in. Can't wait to get away from iTunes especially.
 
It's really the phone that makes the experience. The OS/Apps is a function of a good, solid hardware foundation. I wish the EVO was coming to AT&T, but I'm not about to make a switch and inconvenience my whole family just because of a phone. I'd love to do it, but considering how many phones are released per carrier, the choices are a good thing to see. If I do make a jump, I'll have a good series of options. I'm just personally annoyed at a company like HTC that clearly makes good phones, but for some reason has a bug up their butt about making carrier specific phones, when they could make one uber phone that can be used on any carrier. I don't think that a dual sim GSM/CDMA world phone is all that impossible. Do any of you?
 
Most people I know that have or had iphones were not geeks at all.

IMHO geeks love to tinker, upgrade, hack, mod, etc.... All these things were forbidden and/or really difficult with the iphone.
 
DeaconFrost said:
These comments drive me crazy. Why would you assume that since AT&T is either unreliable for you, or you heard so....that it would be everywhere? In the Philadelphia/NJ/DE area, AT&T is every bit as reliable as Verizon, while Sprint and T-Mobile are horrid. Why not throw in a caveat that your comments are based only in your area?

A true geek does their research into their specific area and where the travel, and picks the best network for that area.
Click to expand...

I have T-mobile and I'm in this area. I've had no problems when using decent phones. I had a LOT of trouble when visiting Pittsburgh, however. There seems to be some issues there though, a lot of people had trouble with reception at my hotel except for the people with Verizon and blackberries. Verizon seems to be the best in PA/NJ/DE. Our work cell phones are through verizon and they always seem to have signal. Sprint seems to be fine around here too. AT&T seems about on par with T-mobile and Sprint around here from my friends that have it. However, AT&T's service contracts are so bad and you can get a much better deal through Sprint or someone else, it seems silly to go through them for any reason.
 
We all drank the iPhone koolaid because it was almost the only option at the time. Since switching to the EVO I've never looked back. Any apps that I'm missing out on by not having the iPhone are mostly just a waste of time anyways IMO. Multitasking FTW
 
Typing this from my new EVO 4G. Goodbye ATT!
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
Multitasking FTW
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ios4 has multitasking...
Those of us with jailbroken iphones have been multitasking for a while.

But I think the real issue is that nobody besides apple has introduced a phone with "hard drive" style memory. My iphone apps (lots of 3d games) would not fit on the on-board memory of any of the android phones, and my understanding is you can't load apps onto the expansion card. Even if you could, the limited on-board memory and having to switch between the on-board memory and the flash card would be a pain.

The good news is that almost all the apple limitations people gripe about can be circumvented by a jailbreak. Not quite sure why the phone geeks mentioned in the article didn't just do that.
 
I have to say there is merit to this story. I have had several friends, tech savvy and non-tech savvy move away from the iPhone because of gestapo content control and app dev related issues. They all moved to the Android platform.
 
Well now that they're denying me downloading anything off iTunes if I have location services disabled... I'd say that the backlash will indeed grow.
 
InternationalHat said:
I have T-mobile and I'm in this area. I've had no problems when using decent phones.
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I've even had national T-Mobile business reps admit to me that their Philly service area is bad. There aren't many stores around either, as compared to Verizon and AT&T.
ciggwin said:
Well now that they're denying me downloading anything off iTunes if I have location services disabled... I'd say that the backlash will indeed grow.
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There's no need to download music from iTunes anyway. Amazon should be the choice. DRM-free.
 
I don't use one. I make a point ot ridicule everyone that owns one, the same way I would have ridiculed someone for owning the Razr several years ago.
 
brentsg said:
Right, that's why they took 600,000 preorders on day 1. ;)
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/facepalm congrats to those that pre-odered a phone that is just marketed well, my only issue would be that, how many of those users alrady own a iPhone versus those that don't. I bet the number is higher for those who are fans / people who already own one ;)

Limahl said:
Quantity does not equate to quality though.

Just because something sells millions doesn't mean it's the best, it means the marketing has convinced "Joe Average" he just has to have it, hence the old Apple=Cult story.

People are all excited about how they can have a wallpaper behind their icons now on the new iOS4, whereas I've had that ability on every (jailbroken) iPhone I've owned since day one. Apple is only now catching up to what many Jailbreakers have had for years, and the average person thinks it's "awesome", when in reality, it isn't.

There's plenty my Jailbroken 3Gs can still do that iOS4 can't, simply because Apple won't let it.
Click to expand...

/signed

I'm a happy jailbroken user of just over 2 years, & Apple won't allow most things to be possible which it's just sad. I'm now making my move back to Nokia or another brand at this point. Steve is just taking advantage of the average joe, selling tools that should either come standard or are standard on most phones already.
 
nealric said:
ios4 has multitasking...
Those of us with jailbroken iphones have been multitasking for a while.
Click to expand...

Well, it has Apple's version of "multitasking" which isn't anything like what most programmers would consider true multitasking. It's pretty crippled, like most new features they add that Jailbreakers have had for years.

I've got a friend who's drooling to get his new iPhone4 tomorrow so he can use/see all the things I've been doing on my phone since day one, while I save hundreds of dollars and keep my 3Gs until something really better shows up (Android most likely).

Overall I like the iPhone, but I'm less keen on how Apple wants to control what I do with my phone after I bought it.
 
terrybogard21 said:
/facepalm congrats to those that pre-odered a phone that is just marketed well, my only issue would be that, how many of those users alrady own a iPhone versus those that don't. I bet the number is higher for those who are fans / people who already own one ;)



/signed

I'm a happy jailbroken user of just over 2 years, & Apple won't allow most things to be possible which it's just sad. I'm now making my move back to Nokia or another brand at this point. Steve is just taking advantage of the average joe, selling tools that should either come standard or are standard on most phones already.
Click to expand...

Which is why I’d never consider the purchase of an iPhone, it's just a phone.
 
I still think the iPhone works better for everyday tasks (web browsing, simple apps, e-mail, social networking) than the Androids I've used. They might be quicker and have less restrictions...but there are tons of little quirks about them that still make them a "me too" product in many cases.
However, Apple has really pissed me off a lot lately with their restrictions and total lack of a file directory system. iTunes has to be the most annoying program and file managment tool ever.

IMO, there is no lesser of two evils at the moment. Even the best Droid sets like the Incredible and 4G still feel a little bit cheap and aren't as bulletproof as my old iPhone. However they're not under Apple's iron fist or AT&T's overcrowded network either.
 
An oppressive software environment, overpriced peripherals, shitty service... what's not to like?

I turned my 1st gen iPhone in last year and haven't had one regret, even a the hardware&design-inferior Pre as a replacement.

That said, iPhone will maintain a significant lead in the market for a long time. Sheep will be sheep after all.
 
DeaconFrost said:
These comments drive me crazy. Why would you assume that since AT&T is either unreliable for you, or you heard so....that it would be everywhere? In the Philadelphia/NJ/DE area, AT&T is every bit as reliable as Verizon, while Sprint and T-Mobile are horrid. Why not throw in a caveat that your comments are based only in your area?

A true geek does their research into their specific area and where the travel, and picks the best network for that area.
Click to expand...

I'm from NJ area and ATT sucks ass everywhere, and everyone I know while not bad in some areas losses their abilities on their Iphone at some point when traveling else where. Regardless a network should be reliable most everywhere and not just you area. You have great reception in your area congrats but if you go to NY or in New England you IPhone is gonna worthless while a verizon one will continue on.
 
As a Tech, I have a dislike of ANYTHING currently made by Apple. Over priced, too proprietary, and as a company, is always pushing liberary causes. The final straw for me was when they not only stopped supporting the Boy Scouts, but threatened to withdraw funding from ANY charity that associated the BoyScouts.

Mayby it's the combination of being a tech, a conservative, cheap and my general dislike of anything "popular or trendy", but I think Apple is as close to an evil cult as any company could be...
 
nutzo said:
As a Tech, I have a dislike of ANYTHING currently made by Apple. Over priced, too proprietary, and as a company, is always pushing liberary causes. The final straw for me was when they not only stopped supporting the Boy Scouts, but threatened to withdraw funding from ANY charity that associated the BoyScouts.

Mayby it's the combination of being a tech, a conservative, cheap and my general dislike of anything "popular or trendy", but I think Apple is as close to an evil cult as any company could be...
Click to expand...

So then don't buy any Apple products.

Pretty simple solution without having to whine about it such as I can tell you do with such canned rants. Just stop talking about Apple altogether, stop reading posts about Apple, and move on with your life.
 
DeaconFrost said:
There's no need to download music from iTunes anyway. Amazon should be the choice. DRM-free.
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Does Amazon sell DRM free TV shows and movies? Because iTunes music has been DRM free for a while. It's the TV and movies that are crippled with DRM.
 
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