[CJefferson]

You really can't imagine why anyone might prefer the Samsung Galaxy S II (for example) to an iPhone?

How about (straight off the top of my head)

Better Linux connectivity.

Ability to easily copy files on and off the phone.

Ability to sync podcasts directly on the phone, without having to connect to a computer with iTunes (not used an iPhone for a while, they might have finally fixed this).

Ability to run software Apple doesn't like (emulators).

We haven't really seen the AI yet, I remain to be convinced, and I don't care about the camera.

Also, you mention price point. The iPhone (particularly the 4S) is about the most expensive phone around at the moment. In general of course the most expensive phone with have the fastest processor, that's hardly suprising.

[jstedfast]

> Better Linux connectivity.

Very few people actually run Linux on their desktops. If you are one of those people, then yes, I can see this being an advantage. Otherwise... not so much.

I'm a Linux guy and when I had an iPhone, I used to just reboot to my Windows partition to sync my phone. I'd do it ~once per week or so (to sync up with the latest podcasts).

> Ability to easily copy files on and off the phone.

To be honest, I have found this to be more problematic on Android. iTunes synced my music/photos/etc and it Just Worked (tm).

On my Android phone, when I rsync my music/photos/etc from my Linux partition to my phone's SD card, it clobbers everything due to the FS being FAT32 (case insensitive). It's a nightmare to keep things in sync and it takes longer.

> Ability to sync podcasts directly on the phone, without having to connect to a computer with iTunes (not used an iPhone for a while, they might have finally fixed this).

Yes, iPhone has this now. It can both sync with your desktop wirelessly and download the latest podcasts via the iTunes app on your phone if you aren't anywhere near your desktop w/ iTunes.

> Ability to run software Apple doesn't like (emulators).

Jailbreak? I mean, ya gotta do that with Android too...

> We haven't really seen the AI yet, I remain to be convinced, and I don't care about the camera.

I'm skeptical as well, but if it works anywhere near as well as advertised, it will be awesome.

Packing more pixels into such a tiny sensor isn't really going to improve the quality of the photos. However, more sensitivity might...

From what I understand, they've done both... so maybe it'll help or maybe it won't.

The HDR photography that iPhone 4 supported was awesome and makes me regret getting a Samsung Galaxy S which, quite frankly, sucks hardcore in every way.

But I'm a Linux guy so I got an Android... won't be making that mistake again :-\

> Also, you mention price point. The iPhone (particularly the 4S) is about the most expensive phone around at the moment. In general of course the most expensive phone with have the fastest processor, that's hardly suprising.

Equivalent Android's aren't typically much (if at all) cheaper, though (if you buy them outright, at least). Of course, the carriers do seem to subsidize Android phones a lot more than iPhones (which is how you can get most Android phones for cheap-cheap with a 2 year contract).

[CJefferson]

Just one comment on Jailbreaking.

Just this week, I happened to get an iPad at work. Turns out, the only way I can jailbreak it is by a "tethered" jailbreak, which means (as far as I understand) my iPad has to be attached to my computer whenever I reboot it, else it won't work properly.

We also have a 3G iPad 2, and it seems that can't be jailbroken at all at the moment.

So jailbreaking really doesn't seem to be the "magic solution" to the Apple walled garden. Also, note I don't have to jailbreak to run software Google doesn't like, just go to the webpage and download the package, rather than get it through google market. You can also jailbreak for root access, but I've never felt a need.

I will admit, the argument between Android and Apple is slim, but personally I see it mostly as a "one or the other", not "Apple is superior to Android in every way", as the opening poster seemed to claim.

[bryne]

More anecdotal commentary: I have an iPad 2. It's jailbroken. I haven't rebooted it since the jailbreak, which is probably going on several months now.

Given iOS's stability (even while jailbroken), the tethering is an annoyance, but certainly not a dealbreaker.

[rdtsc]

> Very few people actually run Linux on their desktops.

But you forgot, the original post rhetorically questioned why the 'technocrati' pick another phone. There is a disproportional number of technocrati that run Linux on their Desktop perhaps?

[mikeash]

I thought the original post was questioning why the "technorati" pick the iPhone as being worse for everyone. I don't think anyone takes issue with "I prefer an AndroidMark 42 to the iPhone 4S". What we take issue with is statements like, "Why would anyone buy an iPhone 4S instead of the AndroidMark 42, which is clearly superior in every way?"

[king_magic]

My mom could care less about better Linux connectivity. My girlfriend doesn't care about copying files on/off the phone. My aunt doesn't care about running emulators.

You know what they do care about? A nice camera. An easier way of interacting with the phone (Siri).

[runjake]

I think what he is trying to say is that some people would prefer what he's talking about, and that the iPhone isn't one size fits all.

[llii]

Why does this post got downvoted? Does it violate any rules on hacker news? Or just because here is a big Apple circle-jerk going on?

(written on my macbook)

[dongsheng]

Do you know half of iPhone users never connect to computer once activated, that means iPhone works totally fine without iTunes for ordinary people. Not to mention iOS5 now support wifi sync and iCloud backup. You may don't care camera, but one of my friend have 12G pictures and videos on iPod touch, it's crucial to users.

Ordinary people don't need Linux connectivity, file copying, emulators, they need a Phone which just works.

[kaylarose]

All of those are things regular people - i.e. not hacker news readers - don't give a toss about.

[thatjoshguy]

But 'regular' people are loving the Galaxy S 2, I guess because of it's large and vibrant screen, and it's thinner (to hold) compared to the iPhone 4[1].

I really like the Galaxy S 2 and I wish so hard that Android was actually polished to the degree that iOS is. My iPhone bores and I love the screen on the Galaxy S, yet I know I will miss out on OS updates and being able to smoothly rotate the screen. The day android is as polished as iOS is is the day I switch.

[1] I'm not sure if it is actually thinner than the iPhone 4, but it feels thinner, much in the same way the 2nd gen iPod touch was thinner than the previous gen)

[dongsheng]

> But 'regular' people are loving the Galaxy S 2

Did Galaxy S2 break iPhone 4's sale record?

[MaysonL]

Heck, did it break the iPhone 3GS sales record? If I remember correctly, the 3GS has been the second best-selling phone in the US for the past year.

[zonkee]

That's not really a fair comparison since there is only one iPhone 4 and countless Android manufacturers.

[mietek]

Countless Galaxy S2 manufacturers, you mean?...

[zonkee]

No, I meant Android models. People who want the latest iOS, get the latest iPhone. People who want latest Android won't necessarily get a Galaxy S2 because there are are many other new Android phones. So I'm saying comparing the iPhone sales to the Galaxy S2 sales isn't fair.

[dongsheng]

You mean not fair to iPhone 4 right?

[jstedfast]

> But 'regular' people are loving the Galaxy S 2

Are you sure of that? I can't imagine it's true, or there would be a hell of a lot more sales of it than there are...

[FireBeyond]

Do you think that might have something to do with the variety of models available? That people are more free to pick what hits their aesthetic desires, as well as form, functionality, features?

Whereas with the iPhone, you basically have "the iPhone". So of course sales are consolidated into that one model.

[ZeroGravitas]

The Galaxy S II is the best selling phone in several countries, in others it's a close 2nd to the iPhone 4. I'm not sure it's possible for it to sell a "hell of a lot more" unless every single person bought one, (would you make the same argument for the iPhone 4?).

Samsung have just overtaken Apple in total smartphone sales, though they have a few more models than Apple. But if you look at the trajectory (they came from nothing in the last year or so) it's only a matter of time before their flagship outsells Apple's in more countries than it already does.

[smackfu]

The Galaxy S2 sold 10 million phones worldwide even before it went on sale in the US. It's pretty much the bestselling Android phone. So this is a pretty silly comment, although fairly typical for iPhone users who aren't up to date on Android phones.

[nirvana]

I found one article about the sales of the S2 from an "android news" site, that indicated it was selling 2-3 million a month. I'm sure it is the best selling android phone, and I say anything that sells more than a million units in a year is a "hit", but that's not a lot of sales compared to the iPhone. It certainly hasn't broken out into the mainstream like the iPhone has.

[smackfu]

Look at the comment I was responding to, that people must not be loving the Galaxy S2 because "there would be a hell of a lot more sales of it than there are..."

[mistermann]

If there were essentially no alternatives, as with apple, sales would undoubtedly be much higher, wouldn't you agree?

[thatjoshguy]

In my experience, yes. I a lot of people I work with (shifty at KFC) and live in my dorm get more excited about the Galaxy as apposed to the iPhone. Those who have the GS2 love and live by it.

[shinratdr]

> The day android is as polished as iOS is is the day I switch.

I look forward to having you in the iOS community for a long, long time then.

[eren-tantekin]

It is about a milimeter thinner than iPhone.

[masklinn]

0.6mm at its thinnest point, and 0.5mm thicker at its thickest point (the latter being a sticking point, UK's Advertising Standards Authority ruled against Samsung's claim of thinnest smartphone on the market on these grounds)

[jodrellblank]

The day android is as polished as iOS is is the day I switch.

You ... and everybody else! That rather undermines your defense of the S2.

[zyb09]

I am so fucking tired of this argument. "Users don't care" - well you know what? I AM a user. And if a phone can't do X it does matter for me, even if you or your grandma might not care. It's downright insulting saying that I am somehow different from regular people, because I have flaws with Apple products.

[DannoHung]

> Ability to sync podcasts directly on the phone, without having to connect to a computer with iTunes (not used an iPhone for a while, they might have finally fixed this).

Yeah, this has been fixed for about 2 years. Has to be over wifi though because of the 3G download limits (most podcasts are over 20mb).

[saturdaysaint]

I'm sure the S II is great, but some of these problems are pretty trivial in iOS. Dropbox, for example, handles all of my file transfer needs pretty easily and iCloud looks like it will make anything difficult now (photo/video transfer, which required that horrible sync process) automatic. There are great podcast apps on iOS - I stream all of my podcast subscriptions using Instacast (.99).

[jakemcgraw]

> Better Linux connectivity.

Doesn't matter. No one uses Linux.

> Ability to easily copy files on and off the phone.

Doesn't matter. Everyone uses email for a file store.

> Ability to sync podcasts directly on the phone, without having to connect to a computer with iTunes (not used an iPhone for a while, they might have finally fixed this).

They fixed this, also, doesn't matter, no one listens to podcasts.

> Ability to run software Apple doesn't like (emulators).

Doesn't matter.

If you want to make an argument that Android is a better purchase option for mass market consumers, you'll need an argument that actually represents the mass market. I can't think of any argument, as Apple alternatives are always better: better media library, better app library, better product lifetime support (both in terms of software updates, product maintenance), better hardware, better (consistent) software, better branding. These are the things that matter to people.

[jarek]

> If you want to make an argument that Android is a better purchase option for mass market consumers, you'll need an argument that actually represents the mass market.

Who wants to do that? The thread parent post said "it is beyond me how anyone can argue that this is not the best smartphone on the market." That is very, very far from arguing which phone is the best option for mass market consumers. For someone running Linux, it is very easy to argue this is not the best smartphone on the market.

[cormullion]

Resale value is also good for Apple kit.