With the iPhone 15 series switching to USB-C, my last tangible reason for holding onto Android phones has been erased. In part thanks to the huge trade-in promotions offered in exchange for cell carrier lock-in, I’ve given up my Pixel 6 Pro and switched to an iPhone 15 Pro.
Why the Change?
I was shocked by how surprised many people appeared to be by this decision. Of course it was only a few years ago that I regularly used Linux for all of my computing, but I’ve also used an iPad since halfway through college and a MacBook Air for the last three years. I’ve felt this change coming due to those two dominoes having fallen, because Apple’s whole game is playing to their ecosystem. Yet the interplay between all my devices was not a huge part of my decision—I actively fight against Apple trying to be too smart in its decision making and syncing.
Nor was it a classic case of peer pressure. I’m not in high school anymore, and I can have well-meaning banter with friends about our different phone platforms then move on. I think my other two Apple devices of choice speak to the real reason I decided to switch to iPhone: For the specific things I do in my life, and the properties of technology I currently value, I’ve chosen the tools that best serve my needs.
Two-Thirds Majority
I had a few Android tablets in college because they were cheap. They were replaced as soon as I could afford it because they were cheap.
The purpose of a tablet in college was to have a lightweight computer that could do a fair fraction of what I needed, allow me to take handwritten notes, and could last most of the day. For nearly all of college I was rocking a 17″ Lenovo IdeaPad with abysmal battery life. It was unwieldy and I might as well have purchased a desktop in hindsight. Yet a new computer was out of the question, and I still had the desire for a more flexible note-taking system.
After a few poor decisions1Anyone ever seen the Yoga Book? I sure have. The overall issue was poor app selection and poorer interfaces for handwriting. I ended up with an iPad Air for a while, then was able to trade it in for the first 9.7″ iPad Pro thanks to money from my internship after junior year. Despite not using any other Apple hardware—and not having touched any since the computer lab in middle school—I recognized the iPad Pro and its Apple Pencil in particular being a huge improvement for my needs at that time.
A few years later was the transition to Apple Silicon. This produced the M1 MacBook Air, arguably the best laptop that currently exists. The claims of its performance and longevity, even after plenty of substantiation, felt unbelievable. Yet three years later they are my normal experience, because the rapid switch to remote work coupled with frequent travel to visit Erin in San Francisco meant that my 15″ ThinkPad wasn’t cutting it.2Funnily enough had I waited much longer, I would have ended up from the exact same laptop because that was one of two choices my company gave us when issuing us laptops the other year for the first time.
These decisions were grounded in a reflection on what would most benefit my daily work, with admittedly a smattering of excitement about getting a fancy new piece of tech. I continue to buy a new iPad Pro when one needs replacing not due to its extra processing power, but because I strongly value the high refresh display only available on those devices. However I still have a lean, low-cost MacBook Air because I don’t require much internal storage and don’t do any work that requires a beefier processor.3It’s worth noting that I use a fairly basic Garmin smartwatch because I like having a step counter and heart rate monitor. I abhor notifications though, and don’t particularly value any other functionality of the Apple Watch.
While I did not get an iPhone because I already use a MacBook and iPad, having those two devices increased my familiarity with Apple’s products and software, ultimately easing the transition and making it feel even remotely possible. In early 2021 I very briefly tried using one of Erin’s old iPhones and couldn’t shake a feeling of immense discomfort. Phones are so personal that the switch did not sit well. I’d only been using a Mac for a month at that point, so everything felt off.
With a few more years of experience, a change no longer seemed insurmountable.
The Present
I’ve had my new iPhone for about a week. There have been a few hiccups along the way and some features I absolutely love. I’ve decided to focus on having fun with this switch, enjoy the shiny new technology I have, and be open to letting it work more in the way Apple wants it to. Unlike using a Mac, there are fewer affordances for twisting a phone to your will. I’ve mostly accepted that.
In the future I’ll detail some of my initial experiences, apps I’ve needed to replace, and settings I’ve needed to tweak. For now I’m letting it all breathe and making the silliest iMessage stickers I can concoct.
- 1Anyone ever seen the Yoga Book? I sure have. The overall issue was poor app selection and poorer interfaces for handwriting.
- 2Funnily enough had I waited much longer, I would have ended up from the exact same laptop because that was one of two choices my company gave us when issuing us laptops the other year for the first time.
- 3It’s worth noting that I use a fairly basic Garmin smartwatch because I like having a step counter and heart rate monitor. I abhor notifications though, and don’t particularly value any other functionality of the Apple Watch.