As a long-term Verizon user, I was overjoyed when the company offered its first real Android phone back in 2009.
At that point, I was still using a feature phone without Internet (gasp!) mostly because Iwasn’t convinced Blackberry was cool enough to justify the increased phone bill. Once I bought the original Android for Verizon phone, the Droid, life changed forever.
Suddenly I was connected to email all the time, I could send out tweets on a whim, and snap good pictures on my phone anywhere, anytime.
Basically, I was in love. Then, like most relationships, our love started to sour.
My Droid started to call and text people by itself on a whim, which I not-so-fondly nicknamed “ghost dialing.” Three warranty replacement Droids later, I eventually got one that has not yet broken.
This makes me wonder. Might I ever switch to the iPhone now that it’s on Verizon? Of course I dream about it, much like someone might fantasize about a Lamborghini or penthouse apartment. But part of me feels like submitting the Apple machine is some form of defeat, like selling part of my soul into indentured servitude.
One of the main selling points of the iPhone is the extensive amount of apps. Every time I come across a particularly interesting app, it’s designed specifically for iPhone. Of course the majority of apps also have Android versions, but some of the really interesting niche apps do not.
For example, MealSnap, the app where users snap a photo of a particular meal and the app calculates the calories. Awesome! Not on Android.
Another fabulous idea is the Bad Decision Blocker, an app that lets you block certain numbers before a night of drinking to avoid drunk dialing. Also awesome! And also not on Android.
Overall I really like Android. I think it’s a great operating system that’s intuitive and easy-to-use. The bottom line? Unless Android really starts to be a true competitor to iPhone in terms of apps, the switch is only a matter of time.
