iPhone 6

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I will order the iPhone 6 Plus but not sold on the idea of an Apple Watch. Some cool ideas but a little too chunky for a watch. I look forward to their 2nd generation effort.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
These benefits, however, become burdens when Android phones are built by many companies that develop many different varieties of phones at all price points.  The competition also keeps Android phone makers on their toes on technology and pricing.  Android phone makers are more likely to experiment with their phones to try and out do their competitors while Apple has to make sure everything works before they put it into the phone.
I can agree with this but there are pros and cons to pushing the pace when it doesn't need to be. Case in point... Quad HD (4k) resolution on phones. Who really was asking for that? People barely have 4k on their large screen TVs and you're going to pack that into a 5.x" screen at the expense of CPU and battery life?

What they should be working on is packing more hours into a battery than pixels onto a screen.
Apple used to be the innovators but now are behind on the tech curve as compared to Android phones.  Iphone 6 has a screen with lower pixel rates, slower processor, a smaller battery, and the low-resolution camera than the competitors. 
This is arguable. I believe Apple was the first to introduce 64-bit architecture to phones on a large scale basis and their CPU is on par with most phones out there.

As for the camera, resolution is only a small part of the equation as you can find many sites out there that claim the camera is still one of the best parts of the iPhone. HTC One's camera is horrible compared to everyone else out there. Since you are a stats person, check out Flickr's:
https://www.flickr.com/cameras

While other phones may have superior cameras pixel rate wise, more people USE the iPhone camera on their phone.

OS fragmentation is just part of the story. Every Android device is different in terms of hardware, buttons and even button placement. Is it a coincidence that the Samsung Galaxy S line sales took off after they added the physical home button? That's the other thing, since Apple's latest refresh cycle (for 4 and 5) have been 2 years, that helps with vendors to keep their case templates similar and allows them to come out with better accessories. I can go almost anywhere and find an i4 or i5 case, that can't be said for any Android phone, including the Samsung's flagship Galaxy S line (can you find an S4 case at Daiso or a gas station?).

And yes, like you I disagree with the fashion thing... but what that illustrates is just how permeating Apple is, regardless of being behind the curve in some aspects. What you will usually see on these tech sites is that Apple may not do things first all the time, but when they do them, they set the example for everyone else even though products already exist in that space (like the iPad and tablets).

I wish some Android vendor would do that, and Samsung has the best shot, but they are still operating under the "Let's put out as many different ones as we can" mode, which may look like leading the tech curve, but it's really just oversaturating it (how is that "curved" phone selling?).
 
And the real test is the Apple Watch.

If they make that a hit, while others have been struggling, that will truly show Cupertino's muscle (but I doubt it).
 
@IC:

Regarding technology innovation, did you watch the keynote or any of the info videos?

Sure there is marketing fluff in there but there seems to be some leading edge items:

- 20 LTE bands
- Dual-domain pixel display for wider viewing angles
- Image stabilization via physical optics (Plus model only)
- Altimeter and barometer?

And you have to admit, the machining and styling of the iPhones are quite nice.

I just wish they had expandable memory and a removable battery... something Android phones usually have (although some have stopped). And the S5 still has the waterproof feature which is awesome.

That's why I'll always carry some Samsung product along with my iPhone.
 
The 4k display isn"t for watching cat videos on YouTube, it's for the Oculus Rift add on Samsung rolled out with the Note 4.

We're all heading towards a seat on the BnL starliner Axiom, where everyone's media saturated themselves into a comatose state by their phones and phablets.

My .02c
 
I might get the iphone 6.  14 hours battery life?  That might be the only reason i don't buy it.. usually that equates to half the actual use. 

The watch if awful looking.  I wouldn't be surprised it sells well though however, this might be what finally punches Apple in the stomach. 
 
jmoney74 said:
I might get the iphone 6.  14 hours battery life?  That might be the only reason i don't buy it.. usually that equates to half the actual use. 

The watch if awful looking.  I wouldn't be surprised it sells well though however, this might be what finally punches Apple in the stomach. 
I don't get the point of the watch at all, especially when you have a smart phone.  The thing is fugly but I'm sure there will be plenty of iSheeple that buy it. 
 
I think they are hoping it will be a status symbol, like the gold iPhone (heh).

I can see someone using it to interface with Siri, view texts or look at various updates (so you don't have to take your phone out of your pocket, purse or manties) but not sure if the cost justifies the means.

I'm sure there will be some people who can use it but until they can totally replace smartphones (which would be tough considering how large they have become), it won't be as widespread.
 
USCTrojanCPA said:
jmoney74 said:
I might get the iphone 6.  14 hours battery life?  That might be the only reason i don't buy it.. usually that equates to half the actual use. 

The watch if awful looking.  I wouldn't be surprised it sells well though however, this might be what finally punches Apple in the stomach. 
I don't get the point of the watch at all, especially when you have a smart phone.  The thing is fugly but I'm sure there will be plenty of iSheeple that buy it.

Apple is playing catchup on the "wearable" technology thing.  Samsung and other manufacturers have already had cell phone watches for a little bit of time.  It's a novelty and for the uber-techie.  Ditto for Google glasses. 

The real problem for Apple is that being 3rd in line to make something like this is kinda of point IMO.  The buy factor for something like a iWatch is novelty.  It's not novel if you are like 2 years behind.  Apple is basically counting on Apple fans and its belief that it does it better than anyone else. 

At this point, Apple is reactionary, rather than inventive.  Which is not great for Apple.
 
IHO:  Post is too long to quote so I will try and respond in a clean post.

As for competition, obviously not all technology is going to be worthwhile but you know who wins?  We do.  I can go out and choose a number of Android phones depending on my desires and priorities.  Heck for the S4, there were 4-5 variations alone.
With Apple, I basically have two choices...iPhone 6 or 6 plus. 

As for battery life, Android phones are on par with iPhone 6 with better picture resolution.

I did watch a lot of the presentation...most of it is fluff.  It's pretty much what Apple has been doing for the last 3-4 years.  20 LTE band for example is pretty silly because you are basically restricted to whatever LTE bands your carrier uses.  Optical stabilization is not new technology...it's just a cost issue.  HTC One M8 and LG G2 already have optical stabilization.  Nokia did it first with the Lumia 920 (which came out in September 2012).

As for camera, pretty much everyone concedes that iphone 6 camera is at best a tie with what the Androids are offering.  Iphone camera used to be the leader...now it's 6 months behind.

As for styling...personal preference I guess.  I like the way my S4 looks and the S5 is water-resistant. 

As for cases and accessory...obviously Iphone get the nod because of the uniformity but you should also talk to people who can't use their old charger for a new phone.  Android phones are standardized Micro USB ports...I can go to my friend's house and use his/her charger regardless of what phone he/she has.  I can also get plenty of cases and accessory from Ebay/Amazon for my s4.  Personally, my sense is that Apple users don't like going on Ebay or Amazon to buy their cases and thus they like the retail places.  I have a $3 case for my S4.
 
Everyone says apple is behind.. they always have been but usually just make products better and more useful.  The tablet was actually made long before the ipad... as well as a smart phone.  The other companies.. sure they bring it out first.. but it doesn't work quite well.  I'm not an apple fan boy.. but they do make great products that work well.  I just don't get the point of the watch in general.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
As for competition, obviously not all technology is going to be worthwhile but you know who wins?  We do.  I can go out and choose a number of Android phones depending on my desires and priorities.  Heck for the S4, there were 4-5 variations alone.
With Apple, I basically have two choices...iPhone 6 or 6 plus. 
You can look at this another way, Apple doesn't need to put out 23 variations of a phone to see what sticks or doesn't. Once the dust settles, it can assess and release what really is needed. I honestly feel they were at least a year behind in these bigger screened phones but this allowed them to finish a 2-year chassis cycle like with the iPhone 4 and use tech advances to come up with such a thin phone with thin bezels... what 4.7" Android phone comes close to putting that much into that small a chassis?
As for battery life, Android phones are on par with iPhone 6 with better picture resolution.
We'll see once real life usage is reported.

Our family has a Note 2 and Note 3 and both are pretty horrible on battery life. I think Samsung did a smart move with marketing power savings as a feature on the S5. The good think about the Galaxy S series (for now), is that you can switch out the battery if needed (although it's more used to do a hard reset for us).
20 LTE band for example is pretty silly because you are basically restricted to whatever LTE bands your carrier uses.
It's actually not. With different carriers moving to different LTE tech (Advanced LTE being Verizon's new one), by putting that many into the hardware from the start means you don't have to buy a new phone once your carrier adopts it. This keeps your phone relevant for at least as long as the life of a 2-year contract.
Optical stabilization is not new technology...it's just a cost issue.  HTC One M8 and LG G2 already have optical stabilization.  Nokia did it first with the Lumia 920 (which came out in September 2012).
Sure, but neither of those phones have the reach or base that the iPhone has. That's what I mean by a "shift" because the market for the iPhone is much wider than any one Android phone model.
As for camera, pretty much everyone concedes that iphone 6 camera is at best a tie with what the Androids are offering.  Iphone camera used to be the leader...now it's 6 months behind.
Yet it's the most popular camera.
As for styling...personal preference I guess.  I like the way my S4 looks and the S5 is water-resistant. 
I actually prefer the polycarbonate (plastic) builds of the Galaxy S phones. It makes them lighter, allows for removable backs etc. But many feel they are "cheap" (not me), so it is a personal preference. Fans love metal and glass.
As for cases and accessory...obviously Iphone get the nod because of the uniformity but you should also talk to people who can't use their old charger for a new phone.  Android phones are standardized Micro USB ports...I can go to my friend's house and use his/her charger regardless of what phone he/she has.
Yes, this is handcuffing by Apple.

But the move to micro USB for Android was only 2+ years ago, which is the same time Apple moved to Lightning. Before that, there were mini-USB, proprietary plugs etc...
I can also get plenty of cases and accessory from Ebay/Amazon for my s4.  Personally, my sense is that Apple users don't like going on Ebay or Amazon to buy their cases and thus they like the retail places.  I have a $3 case for my S4.
I shop online for all our cases, but in a pinch, it's nice to know I can walk into a retail store and buy one on the spot (and actually get to look at it first).

If I had to choose only one phone, I would probably get the Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4 over an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. For me, it's a no brainer considering what the S5 has in features and the Note 4 having stylus input beats any other type of phablet phone. But I know that Apple will outsell either of those by a huge factor regardless.
 
jmoney74 said:
Everyone says apple is behind.. they always have been but usually just make products better and more useful.  The tablet was actually made long before the ipad... as well as a smart phone.  The other companies.. sure they bring it out first.. but it doesn't work quite well.  I'm not an apple fan boy.. but they do make great products that work well.  I just don't get the point of the watch in general.

I sort of disagree in that Apple took chances on things.  Yes there were Palm Pilots and Smartphones but theyre were pretty much for techies and business people.  Apple basically put the two together, packaged it nicely, and made it into a consumer good.  Ditto for tablets.  No one thought that tablets could be a consumer product.  But Apple changed that perception.

Apple completely missed the boat on larger screen phones and phablets (Jobs has been quoted saying that phablets are ridiculous).  They are also behind people on the wearable technology.  Apple doesn't take chances any  more.  They just follow the trend and try to make it better and more attractive.  That's what Samsung used to do.  It will probably be another year or year and a half till we get Iphone 6s...by that point, Samsung would have came out with 2 cycles worth of phone already.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
jmoney74 said:
Everyone says apple is behind.. they always have been but usually just make products better and more useful.  The tablet was actually made long before the ipad... as well as a smart phone.  The other companies.. sure they bring it out first.. but it doesn't work quite well.  I'm not an apple fan boy.. but they do make great products that work well.  I just don't get the point of the watch in general.

I sort of disagree in that Apple took chances on things.  Yes there were Palm Pilots and Smartphones but theyre were pretty much for techies and business people.  Apple basically put the two together, packaged it nicely, and made it into a consumer good.  Ditto for tablets.  No one thought that tablets could be a consumer product.  But Apple changed that perception.

Apple completely missed the boat on larger screen phones and phablets (Jobs has been quoted saying that phablets are ridiculous).  They are also behind people on the wearable technology.  Apple doesn't take chances any  more.  They just follow the trend and try to make it better and more attractive.  That's what Samsung used to do.  It will probably be another year or year and a half till we get Iphone 6s...by that point, Samsung would have came out with 2 cycles worth of phone already.

Still not totally true.  Smartphones were made for consumers (Blackberry was killing it if you recall).  I used to work for Gateway and at the time brought out a tablet for consumers.  Didn't jive.. a few others did as well.  That's why MS and others said it would fail.. they already went through it. 

I do agree, however, that they are now a me too type company.  Sure Samsung might be ahead in bringing out stuff.. but let's be honest.. their stuff is crap.  From TVs to smart phones.. they bring out new features that most of the time won't work and has no real world use.  That being said, this does leave more opportunity for other companies to move on up and be at the fore front. 
 
20 LTE bands? Who cares?

If a call comes in while you're using the Verizon iPhone as a hotspot, everything stops. So much for 20 LTE bands.

Fix that first by adding a cheap second radio the way every other phone does on Verizon.

They didn't even mention fixing that yesterday so it's probably still broken.
 
Rice Vino said:
20 LTE bands? Who cares?

If a call comes in while you're using the Verizon iPhone as a hotspot, everything stops. So much for 20 LTE bands.

Fix that first by adding a cheap second radio the way every other phone does on Verizon.

They didn't even mention fixing that yesterday so it's probably still broken.
I thought iPhones had 2 antennae so you can still use data while on a call.

I remember seeing a commercial for that.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Rice Vino said:
20 LTE bands? Who cares?

If a call comes in while you're using the Verizon iPhone as a hotspot, everything stops. So much for 20 LTE bands.

Fix that first by adding a cheap second radio the way every other phone does on Verizon.

They didn't even mention fixing that yesterday so it's probably still broken.
I thought iPhones had 2 antennae so you can still use data while on a call.

I remember seeing a commercial for that.

No. It's still a problem even on the 5s on Sprint and Verizon.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/13/3328492/iphone-5-simultaneous-voice-data-verizon-sprint

Looks like if you use VoLTE on iPhone 6 you can finally talk and text simultaneously.
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2014/09/09/apple-watch-will-work-with-iphone-5s-iphone-5c-iphone-5/

 
i have an iphone 5s on ATT and can talk and use data/email/text/web with no problem. i think this is a provider issue, not a phone issue.
 
qwerty said:
i have an iphone 5s on ATT and can talk and use data/email/text/web with no problem. i think this is a provider issue, not a phone issue.

AT&T (and T-Mobile) are GSM based, which allows for simultaneous talk/text. Sprint/Verizon are CDMA, which has a limitation.

All the other phones on Verizon & Sprint don't have this issue. They get around CDMA's deficiency by putting in a second radio - one for voice, the other for data.

For whatever reason, Apple decided not to put a second radio in their CDMA phones. They can get away with these shenanigans (pulling out USB ports, no micro SD card slots, no touch interface on OSX, charging gobs of money for cheap memory, thus far tiny screen, proprietary charging cables, etc) because they are APPLE.

As much as I love the NFC payment system they set up, consumers give them a huge pass for stuff that doesn't fly with anyone else. They are favored son to the consumer but are really just Eddie Haskell.
 
Rice Vino said:
For whatever reason, Apple decided not to put a second radio in their CDMA phones. They can get away with these shenanigans (pulling out USB ports, no micro SD card slots, no touch interface on OSX, charging gobs of money for cheap memory, thus far tiny screen, proprietary charging cables, etc) because they are APPLE.

The reason is simple - battery life, cost, and to shrink the foot print of the device.  VoLTE will take care of the SVD issue for all carriers so non-Apple devices no longer have this advantage.
 
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