Hello.

Thanks for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate it, and it
makes me less regretful for spending money for Usenet access :)

>
> In summary, the choices for Android are:
> a. 75% AUX
> b. 50% FM Radio
> c. 71% SD SLOT

That's pretty good stats, especially since FM radio is a fairly niche
feature, and phones have been ditching all three for well over a decade now.

>
> As you said, Apple adds bloatware, it's just Apple bloatware,
> and not carrier bloatware.

Don't get me started on carrier bloatware. It's why I buy phones
unlocked. It's why I install a custom OS on my phone, so I don't have
the entire Office suite taking up space on my phone (please, Samsung, I
don't need Play Store AND Galaxy Store!)

> What's worse about Apple bloatware is most of it is unremovable.

Well, to be fair, things like the Calculator and App Store are removable
(for some reason).

> Every app can be removed from the user partition without being root.

That's cool - I've been using rooted Android on and off since 2017 and I
didn't know that!

> Apple doesn't have privacy. As with Ashley Madison, they advertise
> they have privacy. But it doesn't exist for a number of reasons.

Just looking at what Ashley Madison makes you give them to sign up
eliminates the possibility of privacy.

> In addition, Apple won't allow the privacy of the Tor Browser.

Apple is scared of freedom-giving web browsers. Oh, the irony of it!

>
> Another of which is Apple inserts a unique tracking ID into
> every app - which no other operating system but Apple does.

So much for App Tracking Transparency.
>
> I can vouch for the fact that the Genius Bar people are useless.
>
> I went to them asking them to test why the iPad had far worse
> radio reception than Android and they didn't even know what a
> decibel was.
>
> All they did was use an UV light on the water detection strip
> (no water) and ensure that it had the latest operating system.
>
> That's all they can do.

Wait, you asked them about radio reception, and they checked for water
damage? And they didn't know what a decibel was? I know nothing about
radio and I know what a decibel is, come on!

>
> I don't know anything about eSIM so I'll let the two of you work it out.
> We benefit from that if Steve responds to your suggestions about his doc.

I doubt Steve will do that.

>
> Biometric security is a (brilliant) marketing gimmick.
> People feel) their face is unique and only about them (even twins).

As far as marketing gimmicks, saying "you can unlock your phone with
your face" is borderline genius in its success at converting new iPhone
users and creating new iPhone salespeople in the form of Android haters.

>
> The real threat to a phone isn't that we all live in slums where
> people steal our phones out of our hands, so I don't even have
> a PIN on mine - but since Apple requires people to log into the
> Apple mainframes, people need to add these security locks as if
> all Apple iPhone owners live in the abject squalor of the slums.

It's a little reductive to assume that most people don't worry about
getting their phone stolen. I mean, have you ever used the subway system
of a major city (London's Tube, etc.)? Pickpockets are RUTHLESS there.

>
> And the iPhone has ten times the active exploits than any other phone!

To be fair, it has a lot of eyes on the OS due to its popularity. It's
the same reason why the majority of desktop malware targets Windows.
It's not to say that no-one else is targeted, and it says nothing about
which is 'more secure' over Windows/Linux. Although I personally prefer
Linux ;)

>
> The author of that document buys everything on credit,
> and he engages in finding the best "rewards" credit cards.
>
> To be fair, Steve finds some good deals but he spends way more
> energy looking for those rewards dollars than any of us do.

Credit cards are a tool that can be used properly, provided you know
how. Using credit for literally everything is a bad idea. Then again,
I'm not the Money Police.

>
> What the author of that document doesn't know is that the iPhone
> has puny batteries compared to Android phones where that's why
> I've often said if someone is charging every night, they're on an iPhone
> (because Android phones can typically go a few days between charges).
>

They can, until they get as old as mine, at which point I need to set
the low battery threshold to 50% to remind me to conserve the battery
and use less cycles. It did the trick, that's for sure!

>
>>> 39i. Crash Detection
>>
>> False positives lead to useless 999/911/112 calls that cost taxpayer
>> money and hold up the phone line for someone having a *real* emergency.
>
> Apple sells mostly to people who are scared.
>

You forgot to mention people who want a "just works" experience, but to
be fair Android provides that AND the ability to tinker if your heart
desires.

>>> 40i. Physical Silent Mode Switch
>>
>> Physical volume buttons exist.
>
> Agree. Android can assign actions to the buttons.
>
On my S8, my old Bixby button switches between apps, it's great.

>
>>> 44i. Region restricted app stores
>>
>> Because that's a benefit and not DRM.
>
> Having restrictions is a disadvantage in my book.
>
>

Which is why I default to finding apps from F-Droid instead of Google
Play (and even then I use Aurora Store as a frontend for it). F-Droid is
awesome!

>>> 45i. AirTags
>>
>> Tile existed for a decade before AirTags did.
>
> And both Apple and Google recently signed a joint agreement
> so that mutual software will find them.
>

That's actually cool. I like this. It also makes AirTag so much easier
to reverse-engineer, since Android is mostly written in Java and its
derivatives ;)

>
>>> 48i. Realistic Replica Devices
>>
>> Yes, because I want a knock-off phone. If a design is easy to copy, it's
>> a bad design. End of.
>
> I don't even understand this one. A phone is a commodity.
> They all do the same things, even as iOS does fewer of them.
>

For the most part, you're right. However, I generally don't like the
idea of knock-off phones, since you're getting the worst of many worlds:

1. You are paying for a phone from a sketchy manufacturer that might put
actual malware on the phone, give you fake specs, etc.

2. You are supporting the manufacture of counterfeit devices, which may
be morally questionable to some.

3. You are supporting companies that produce e-waste, which is bad for
the planet and your wallet, since such e-waste will likely break sooner.

>
>
>>> 49i. iPhones Can Improve Your Love Life
>>
>> If someone likes you more because of a green bubble, they're not the
>> kind of person to be around.
>
> Agreed. The iPhone sells to gullible people who are herd animals.
>

Thank you for not saying "sheeple".

>>> 51i. Seamless Updates
>> Literally who cares. Updates download in the background, and install
>> with a reboot in less than 5 minutes. Again, NOBODY CARES.
>
> This is actually false. Android A/B updates are completely seamless.
> As is Project Mainline completely seamless.
>
> Project MainLine (since renamed a few times) for asynchronous updates:
> https://www.androidcentral.com/android-12-features-we-love-android-runtime-now-part-project-mainline
> https://www.xda-developers.com/android-project-mainline-modules-explanation/
> https://www.hexnode.com/blogs/android-project-mainline-everything-you-need-to-know/
>

The ability for my phone to update in a way that minimises risk is
always welcome.

>>> 52i. Less Fragmentation
>>
>> Fragmentation --> Competition
>
> Agreed. Fragmentation is good because it keeps the prices down and
> it keeps the functionality up.
>
> Even so, Samsung has the lion's share of Android anyway,
> which negates the fragmentation issue.
>

Shame the competition thing doesn't affect the cellphone carrier market.
Also, yes, Samsung does own the lion's share, meaning they're basically
a carbon copy of Apple in this regard (and others as well).

>
> Mostly the author suffers from reading too many Apple advertisements
> (e.g., he thinks the iPhone is more private and it's just not).

This sort of marketing actually aggravates me, and I wonder why
regulatory bodies don't look into it. You can't lie to sell a product.
Even worse is the aforementioned App Tracking Transparency, which is
just a way of Apple hogging your data for themselves.

>
> Mostly what the author needs to do is CORRECT his otherwise decent
> document so that the things you explained to him will be improved.
>
> But he won't do that, unfortunately.

In that case, the doc doesn't matter much, if it's designed to be a
useful form of reference.

Anyway, thanks again for responding :)