[pwpw]

I'm in upper middle class and switched away from an iPhone to an Android last year and felt like I dropped classes based on verbal reactions from my peers. I thought it was much more prominent as a status symbol in lower classes, but many of my peers also indirectly conveyed that my status had dropped. Some outright said it. I find it pretty bizarre and unfortunate, but now I'm back to getting the new iPhone because it's exhausting to be treated lesser based on a phone choice.

[lotsofpulp]

I find it bizarre that people talked to you about their perceived change in your status to you directly, much less simply due to a phone.

[pwpw]

Only one person said it directly who I’m close with and is always candid. I also almost always received a short comment about having an Android when initially connecting with a woman both in real life and on dating apps.

The bigger ramifications were ones I noticed myself. I wasn’t included in group texts organizing things where I usually would have before. I was still invited to things. Just no longer part of the organization messages. It was very subtle things like that where you notice people are treating you slightly different than they used to. Nothing major or dealbreaking but enough to make you realize there’s something there if you’re observant.

It’s tough to explain but the circles I’m in are so used to iPhones, that deviating from normality causes people to perceive you as no longer part of the collective group.

[lotsofpulp]

That is unfortunate. I am mid 30s, and if someone did not have iMessage, we would simply switch to WhatsApp.

Although, I can see there being an issue if someone was not using iMessage or WhatsApp.

[spaghettiToy]

That's too bad bud. I make enough money that it's obvious that I just buy whatever I want.