[dbl000]

This is why I'm looking at an iPhone as my next device when my current phone gives up the ghost. If you're going to force me into a walled garden then I might get one that offers the most "social interoperability" where I live, and has a nicer (imo) ecosystem built around it.

The section on copy pasted designs really hit home for me. Android phones used to be the wild west of experimentation and phones that were cool tech in your pocket, not just mini computers. I think part of it is because phones are required for day to day living so they've converged onto a single design style. LG had some of the coolest experimentation but never really stuck with one or ever fleshed out any of their ideas. The G5 was awesome and I wish they had pushed it more for it's modularity. I had one until it got run over and upgraded to a G8, which is fine I guess? It's a very boring phone, no IR blaster, and no subtle curves leading up to the camera and fingerprint sensor.

Some of the coolest phones I've ever see were the ones that were sold with Caterpillar Inc. Rugged phones that could survive a lot, and some of them had thermal cameras, which seems like a gimmick but were incredible when you needed it.

[JohnFen]

I won't be replacing my android phone either. But I'm also not going to the iPhone. I don't find anything in that ecosystem any more attractive than android.

Instead, I'll be forgoing a smartphone entirely. I've been keeping close track on my smartphone usage, and there is literally nothing I use it for that is actually necessary, so giving it up seems like an easy win.

[darthrupert]

How are you doing MFA, or don't you need it?

[freedomben]

I use gnome authenticator on desktop/laptop. Quite happy with it though it does have a few annoying bugs, but quite usable

[JohnFen]

I only use one-time code stuff, and I don't need a smartphone to do that. Even if I expand to other MFA types, I can't think of one that actually requires a smartphone to perform. A smartphone is a convenience, yes, but not a necessity for me as near as I can tell.

[kenhwang]

I'm in the same boat as well, my current Android will be my last.

The hardware keeps falling further behind on specs while it cuts features and raises prices.

The software is quickly becoming forced AI gimmicks that stop being supported in the next update and change for the sake of change for worse and bugs galore. I pretty much dread when Android updates now; the best case scenario is everything gets a bit uglier, but the typical case is instability for a couple months.

Meanwhile, Apple's ecosystem keeps getting better.

[JohnFen]

> I pretty much dread when Android updates now

So do I, but to be fair, I dread all software updates on anything these days.

[sylens]

This is exactly why I left Android. If you're going to become the iPhone and cost nearly as much, I'll just buy the real thing.

[nolist_policy]

Wait what?

Android phones are more open than ever with the recent EU laws and Google anti-trust rulings. Android and iOS are not at all comparable in that aspect.

Android phones receive longer updates than ever.

Android phones are more innovative than ever with all these foldables.

Android phones consistently have better specs than iPhones at the same price point.

[aceazzameen]

Specs peaked years ago. I don't want anything new phones have to offer, other than maybe a screen that isn't cracked, or a newer battery, etc. New Androids are a downgrade in functional hardware features and software customization compared to older flagships. I don't need a screen that folds, built-in AI, or a marginally better camera with heavier post processing.

When the day comes that I'm forced into buying a new phone again, I'm with the others above. I'm not getting an overpriced Google branded iPhone clone sold by an ad company. I'd rather finally make the move to get an actual iPhone or go back to dumb phones.