Why I Chose a Samsung Galaxy S2 over an iPhone 4S
by Emmanuel Quartey
One of the perks of working on Wires Crossed is that I get to try out all kinds of new toys that might otherwise be outside of my price range (read: I’m a college student thinking about grad school - you do the math). One of those toys came in recently, and so I’m saying goodbye to my trusty Nokia:
and hello to the Samsung Galaxy SII.
The decision to go Droid wasn’t a simple one, and I thought I would write a little about why I made the decision that I did.
As a complete newcomer to the brave new world of smart phones I turned to my friends for advice, and quickly realized: there is a war going on, and your choice of smartphone instantly turns you into a footsoldier.
The responses came back overwhelmingly in support of iPhone. I should get an iPhone because they look nicer. I should get an iPhone because the latest apps come out on the iPhone before Droids. iPhones are more intutitive. Siri!
The responses were by no means unanimous, however. The Droid fans weren’t as evangelical, but they were no less confident in their choice. Some were conscientious objectors from the “cult of Mac,” but overall, they seemed really … content. That’s the word that best describes the brand promise of the Droid. The Droid is the confidently says “I will work hard to serve you as best as I can” while the iPhone bellows “I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE HEIGHTS OF EUPHORIA.” Personally, the former promise is more compelling.
In the end, my decision to go Droid was largely influenced by the structure of Wires Crossed itself. I knew that 3 of the 5 of us already had iPhones, and I thought having another Droid on the team would bring a more balanced perspective to our discussion about mobile tech at Yale.
Additionally, I was genuinely curious about how a Droid experience differs from an iPhone one. I have an iPad 2, so it’s been interesting seeing the subtle ways in which the different companies approach the mobile experience.
Finally, it came down to a matter of taste. iPhone enthusiasts complain that Droids feel too “platic-y.” The truth is that I like how unfussy my Droid is. When I pick up an iPhone, it feels very much like a highly complex miracle of modern engineering. That’s a bit too overwhelming. Ultimately, the truth is that I went for the Galaxy because it seems like a workhorse machine that does what it needs to, while the iPhone feels too much like a piece of highly expensive jewelry.
Want to get in touch with Wires Crossed? Shoot us a message @wires_crossed or wirescrossedblog@gmail.com!
More posts by Emmanuel.
