Your next smartphone
by Volker Weber
I remember a car journalist who told me that he always recommends the car people are determined to buy. He often gets asked what the perfect car would be, and his answer in most cases would be a Mercedes B-Class. But then he would get yelled at, because people want their SUV, sports limousine, convertible, but not a B-Class. So he asks them what they like and then tells them that's a great choice.
As you can imagine, I also get asked this question about smartphones. And my answer is simple: buy an iPhone.
And I am not budging. Look at these 2014 phones in the photo above. Only one of them still gets its updates in 2017, and most likely in 2018 as well. Features and fixes. It gets it on the day the software is released to all the new devices. You can hold on to the other two for dear life, but their software is fading.
The iPhone was the smart buy, and it continues to be.
Comments
What about the Nexus 6?
Which Lumia is it?
Last week someone ask me what his smartphone wants from him. He had an old Samsung which had an update available. I tried to explain him what an update is and said to him he should do a backup and then install it. He ask me what a backup is and if it is possible that the phone is broken after the update. Technical it was broken without the update because it was insecure but it wasn't broke for him.
I would not recommend a Nexus 6 as your next smartphone.
It's a Lumia 930.
And that type of customer would benefit the most from an iPhone.
I mentioned the Nexus 6 because it is from 2014. Does it get security updates this year?
Are you sure the Lumia 930 doesn't get updates? Would surprise me.
It is a very disappointing situation with Android and the updates. But there is a different between iOS and Android. There is an interesting article in the computerworld "Reality check: The truth about iOS vs. Android upgrades" about features with updates and how decentralized the android system is compared to iOS.
An other point is, Apple doesn't promise you updates. Google promises updates for 3 years (what is not enough but they don't say they will stop then with updates).
But you are right. If someone would ask me which phone he should buy, I would say take a iPhone or better go in a bar.
In five years we will see if the Pixel or a bq was a good alternative.
Jonas, Du bekommst für das Lumia 930 monatliche Updates, musst aber einmal aktiv werden, um auf den Windows 10 Mobile (Modelleisenbahn-) Zug aufzuspringen.
I bought a HTC Desire and got burned when they stopped providing patches early.
I bought a Nexus 4 and got burned. Google stopped providing patches for the device at a time when the hardware was still perfectly fine.
I bought a DTEK50 because Blackberry promises firmware maintenance for a long time. And got burned lightly - they still don't have the process ready to get those updates out of the door, as vowe reports here.
I'll stay with Android, because lock-in and inertia. But so far Apple has the better track record promising nothing compared to Android vendors promising things.
The iPhone also holds its resale value great. I recently sold a 3 year old iPhone for 50% of what I paid for it. No other smartphone holds it so well. Expensive yes, but TCO is lower.
I recently sold an iphone 4 on ebay for ¢22.
That might not seem like a lot of money - but remember the phone was at least 6+ years old. (And sooooo slow)
Hubert, my Lumia 930 hasn't got any updates in a very long time.
Jonas, if you have funds for a Pixel, you have funds for an iPhone. Buy an iPhone.
Hanno, the lock-in with Android is Google. The inertia is a race to the bottom.
Andy, yes, you did well. I recommend swapping the phone after three years. It is still fully supported and holds a good value.
Much truth here, but one balancing point... you're comparing phones from A) Dead company, B) Vibrant company, C) Zombie company.
Craig, these were the best 3 phones of 2014. It's not a new photo. One of them was a good bet, the other ones not so much.
And now compare two phones from year 2013. Jolla phone is still getting updates. The iphone 5c only got an iOS 10 with less features. Don't know anything about the performance, but the iPhone users I know aren't very happy with old slow devices.
We don't need feature updates which slows the phone down. We need security updates.
"The iPhone was the smart buy, and it continues to be."
In my opinion you are right by recommend to buy an iPhone because of the updates. But not to mention an android phone which was that expensive like the others is not fair. Or better pick the Google phone from the year and the android phone which was sell most.
@Hubert
You have to reset the Lumia after an Upgrade. Then it works fine like Win can do.
Jonas, I am not recommending things from 2013. And I certainly won't recommend a niche project like Jolla. iPhone was the best bet. And it continues to be.
Volker, as I said, you would need to do something (one time action) to get into the Windows 10 mobile station. Station. Stationary.
This one thing would be to become an insider and join the release preview ring, which offers the normal, stable versions of the current W10M branch. Then, you would indeed get monthly updates. I am having a play 930 here doing exactly that.
Jonas, you do not have to reset, you can upgrade directly. I would not do it because I like things tidy, but it is working fine for many people.
And, before I get a 'look': Yes, this is my passion (Windows, betas, pain). Get an iPhone, they are doing a good job. They need the market share and Android truly is a mess 😇
No, Hubert, I would not do that.
I know. As I said, passion. Still, Release Preview is perfectly fine, technically. Unlike Fast Ring 😎
Thinks were looking ugly for both Nokia and Blackberry in 2014.
Good phones, bad companies.
Funny you to compare an iphone with a Mercedes B class :-)) - I used to drive one but in comparison to Apple it is ... not even worth mentioning. Lets say the iphone SE compares to a C Class and the iphone 7 to an E Class ...
I don't compare it to any Mercedes. I am just telling a related story. :-)
Volker,
Install the Windows 10 upgrade advisor app on the Lumia 930 and it will be upgraded to Windows 10 and from there onwards gets all the official Windows 10 Mobile updates. No need to become a Windows Insider or test beta's.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/upgrade-advisor/9nblggh0f5g4
That being said, Windows 10 Mobile is still a platform which looks like an abandoned ghost town with all the apps missing...
Just a test comment, please ignore.
