Something along the lines of, "Choice only matters if <i>your</i> choice is one of the choices," applies. Apple wasn't offering him his choice so he bought an Android. Yet he still acknowledges that the iPhone 4 may be a better phone.<p>His four main points are: openness, momentum, cloud, and capability. Android is definitely more open than iOS but Android's power depends on non-open software/services (Google). Android definitely has momentum but at their current rate it will still take years to match the iPhone's share of the market. Also, the Android app economy appears to be much weaker due to a cultural issue (rather than critical-mass issue). Cloud is a bit misleading as you can integrate Google's services with an iPhone almost as well as Android and iOS/MobileMe probably matches Android/Google albeit with a increase in cost and perhaps privacy. Capability is balanced by lack of usability.<p>I still think people are excusing flaws in Android due to frustration with Apple, hoping for "open" to win, etc.<p>I recently tried to switch to the Nokia N900 (Maemo OS, soon MeeGo OS) but found its capability did not balance its lack of usability.
The one thing that still keeps me from Android is that the iPhone, in my experience (and I have used both extensively), is a better phone. As in for actual calls and texts :)<p>I predominately use my phone for that (calls, texts, email, internet) and apps are only a minor benefit (I use them infrequently).<p>At some time in the next 2 or 3 years I will change to an Android handset - the OS is improving no end and once the phone functionality is better it will be a no brainer.<p>EDIT: just to reiterate (for the downvoter...) <i>I</i> think the iPhone is a better phone functionality. I know others prefer Android - it's a personal thing.
The big problem Android has is leaving people behind. It turns out v1.6 is required just to use Kobo's eBook reading software. What of all those v1.5 devices still out there? SOL! Some people can say, eh, this is the early adopter problem, except these are phones being sold to everyday people, not techies.
I know a few people who did that primarily on principle. They all regret it today, android just isn't anywhere close in the long run( their words not mine)<p>I have both iPhone and android before you go all fanboy on me.
His fundamental argument is logically flawed on a very basic level. It's simply insane to think that an ecosystem that has been operating in a certain manner for its entire existence will suddenly change directions and begin operating in a massively different manner. It's not going to happen. Betting on a platform that may in the future become awesome instead of voting on a phone that you admittedly think might be the best phone on the market is as crazy as betting on a horse that looks like it has the potential to win instead of the horse that is winning. It just doesn't make any sense.<p>There are many legitimate reasons to switch from iPhone to Android. He hasn't convinced me this is one of them.