al_borland
15 hours ago
Can we not move past the iOS vs Android thing? Use what you'd like. What does the author have to gain by trying to convince people to use the same phone OS as he does?
All of these points could have a very easy retort on why someone would prefer iOS, and most of them simply come down to personal preference. More customization isn't always a feature. If it was, MySpace would still be king of social media and Facebook would have never taken off.
talldayo
13 hours ago
> More customization isn't always a feature.
Strictly speaking, more customization is always a feature. It might not always be a value-add (depending on who you are) but the option to enable more capability is pretty much impossible to argue against.
If you want your users to customize less, use smart defaults. Don't force them into a one-size-fits-all because some people like it.
al_borland
11 hours ago
> Don't force them into a one-size-fits-all because some people like it.
Do people looking for a one-size-fits-all option not deserve a product in the market?
Sensible defaults are great, until the user does try to do something. The number of options in the settings has become pretty overwhelming, even on iOS. Going in there to do something simple can quickly lead a user to be overwhelmed and seeking help. You're right, all these options do represent features, but aren't adding value to this type of user.
The iPhone has a mode to reduce complexity called Assistive Access, but that's one more thing to setup, so someone who does understand the complexity needs to be in a person's life to really use it. There are also products, like the Light Phone, being sold to address this issue people have.
Every product has to make a choice on which features are included, and how much control is given to the users. These choices all sit on a continuum between simple/one-size-fits-all to complex/full-user-control. Each product tries to find the sweet spot that resonates with the most users in their target market segment. It should be good that we have products that fall at different places on that continuum, and not try to force everyone into one type of product that only serves one type of user.
My own view is a little different, but has a similar end result. My phone is a tool that I just want to work. I'm not looking for another hobby. If I went to Android I wouldn't be able to help myself from going down rabbit holes. With the iPhone I never even think about it, and I like it that way. We all make choices with our purchase on where the complexity lives in our life. Someone might have a really complex camera with a million manual settings, but drive a Tesla that doesn't require much effort. While someone else may be a gear head that wants to work on and know every part in their engine, but they want a simple cell phone they don't have to think about. To go deep in one area, we need to sacrifice how deep we go in other areas.
So that's my argument against the powers that be trying to force infinite customization. Let the market take care of it. If people stop buying iPhones, then Apple will know they are doing something wrong, and they can adjust. But if people are buying them, then the users must like where Apple is choosing position it and the balance they're striking. What's wrong with that?