Choosing Sides in the iOS/Android Discussion... Don't

If you have read comments from a technology review or article in the last five years, or really just about any article, you'll see that most people think there is a war going on in tech - Apple vs. Google, iOS vs. Android, Closed vs. Open - call it what you want. There are people, myself included, who disagree.

Andy Ihnatko hit the nail on the head this week, several times in fact. He started on Tuesday when he published the first piece to his story 'Why I switched from iPhone to Android'. He continued on Wednesday when he published part two about customization and collaboration. To close, he cemented his place in tech journalism history (if you ask me) as intelligent and genuinely here for the technology with his conclusion published Thursday detailing the pros and the cons of the switch.

Andy, I want to thank you. I want to thank you as an iPhone owner, one who is very happy with my device. Your agnostic analysis of why Android became the right choice for you renewed my faith in technology journalism. It was a refreshing piece that focuses on how magnificent the technology of our time is and how it is the most exciting time in history to be alive (if you like tech that is).

For those who haven't read it, here's one of the several "disclaimers" (that are entirely necessary as demonstrated by the fact that even with them the comments went off into troll-land) that explain why both iOS and Android can be awesome and it isn't a black and white debate:

As I said at the very beginning, this isn’t the story of why Android is Way Totally So Much Better Than iOS. This is the story of this one dude who switched phones. Andy Ihnatko moving to Android isn’t a pivotal moment in the history of mobile computing. I just thought that a detailed piece of my observations, concerns, and experiences would be of interest to anybody who’s curious about Android. And given the revolutionary improvements in the platform over the past year, I thought it was timely.

When I assert the position that both mobile operating systems are incredible most responses I get are passive aggressive. "Well yeah, iOS is great for old people." or "Android is cool, but I just don't want to risk getting viruses." My favorite is when someone uses open or closed-ness as their argument for iOS or Android but isn't able to explain what open/closed means or how the respective OSes embody it. I'm not suggesting everyone needs to understand the intricacies of their mobile OS's philosophy; rather I'm highlighting how ridiculous the "war" has gotten and how entrenched so many people are in their opinions, often blindly.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and not everyone will give credit to the "other" OS for one reason or another. Unfortunately, if your opinion is such that only one OS can "win", you are wrong (hint: italics are sarcasm font.) Like Andy said, it isn't Apple OR Google, it is Apple AND Google.

I won't rehash the platform agnostic, pro-awesome-tech, stance because it has been done already. I cannot recommend highly enough that you read Andy's work - part one, part two, and part three.

If you agree that both companies are awesome, this guide to making Gmail on your iPhone/iPad work how you want it to work might help.

Size Matters, for Smartphones...

Bear with me, this isn't an ode to the new 4" iPhone 5 screen.

The number of use cases of our beloved pocket computers is immeasurable for all intensive purposes. The myriad of interactions gives way to the need for many permutations of phone. There are 2 approaches to solving this, shocking I know (<-- sarcasm font).

1. Pick an "average" acceptable size, aim at the center of the distribution curve, and stick to it. I can think of a fruit company who did alright with this approach ;).
2. Make a wide selection of screen sizes and let the consumer choose. An approach that works for some (Samsung) and not for others (the rest of the market struggling to make any money). 

I've enjoyed the 3.5" screen for several years now. Sometimes I wish I had more, like when I see a coworker composing an email and he can see more than the last 1.5 sentences he types. The flip side of this is that the phones I've chosen just so happen to be artistically beautiful, so without a case I love being able to easily and safely cradle my phone while I'm out and about. Never mind the merits of being able to rather easily reach every corner with 1 thumb while safely cradling said device.

I don't have huge hands, and I'm stubborn about cases, meaning 1 drop ends it all. That's my excuse anyway. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I could see more than 2 lines of text in landscape mode though. The Samsung Galaxy SIII has been calling to me. If I was on AT&T and had the option to swap SIMs to pick my phone-of-the-day each morning, I think I'd be in nerd heaven. Of course the down side to that is being on AT&T... 

Side note, Apple has famously stated they don't use or listen to polls because often users don't know what they want until they have it. This has been true for them in many ways, no one predicted the success of the iPod, iPhone, or iPad. However, there are plenty of annoyances (or "quirks" if you prefer) that people would like to see resolved. Did Apple make the screen size choice to respond to their customers? That would be a rare move...

Anyone make the switch from a little screen to a big one? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!